Danny Elfman, Chris Sarandon, Catherine O'Hara

In Halloween Town, Jack Skellington is bored and unhappy with the life of being "The Pumpkin King". He sets out to find something exciting and discovers Christmas Town. He takes it upon himself to tak...( read more  read more... )e over the duties of Santa to deliver toys to children across the world. The film was converted to Disney Digital 3-D and re-released in October 2007.

Flixster Users

89% liked it

879,859 ratings

Critics

97% liked it

70 critics

PG, 1 hr. 16 min.

Directed by: Henry Selick

Release Date: October 24, 2008

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: December 2, 1997

Get It:

Stats: 56,678 reviews

Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Your Rating



clear rating
Share on: Facebook Twitter

Flixster Reviews (56,678)


  • November 15, 2009
    Jack Skellington: [singing] I, Jack, the Pumpkin King, have grown so tired of the same old thing.

    Tim Burton's stop-motion animated musical adventure about Halloween and Christmas is amazing. It may have been directed by Burton's friend and fellow animator Henry Selick, but th...( read more)is is the work of Burton through and through.

    The story is simple but very creative. Jack Skellington, the king of Halloween Town is dissatisfied with what he believes is monotony in his holiday. He discovers a door to the neighboring land known as Christmas town, and decides to take Christmas for himself and act as "Sandy Claws" for the next Christmas. With the help of the other Halloween Town residents, they make their own Christmas. This may not work out for those receiving the presents however.

    The songs and score in this movie are all wonderful and memorable. Danny Elfman is in top form with his work for this movie. Its certainly one of the most enjoyable soundtracks I like to listen to.

    Oogie Boogie Man: I am the shadow on the moon at night / Filling your dreams to the brim with fright.

    The animation is very good, very stylish and perfect for the film's mood. You can easily tell that this is a very Burton world, from the use of macabre humor (even in a family film) to the use of black and white character and background designs. The stop animation work is very good. For this being the first fully animated feature film in this style, you can certainly see a lot of work that has been carefully put into the feature.

    The whole film is very creative and unique, combining the dark qualities of a Tim Burton film into a holiday adventure that is always an enjoyable watch.

    Jack Skellington: Sally! I need your help most of all.
    Sally: You certainly do, Jack. I've had the most horrible vision!
    Jack Skellington: That's wonderful!
  • May 9, 2009
    I LOVE Tim Burton's work, Im his greatest fan, this movie is fantastic, so imaginative and dark, a truely gothic fairytale dream come to life. There is nothing much more to say here, its a near perfect film in every aspect and every field.
  • March 19, 2009
    The pefect film for Halloween of Christmas. It has stood the test of time.
  • January 24, 2009
    Jack Skellington: [singing] "What's this? What's this? There's color everywhere! What's this? There's white things in the air! What's this? I can't believe my eyes, I must be dreaming; wake up, Jack, this isn't fair! What's this?&...( read more)#034;



    In Halloween Town, Jack Skellington, the pumpkin king, succeeds in overseeing another highly successful Halloween. But Jack is tired of receiving merely these accolades and wants more. In the woods he discovers a door in a tree and falls through into Christmas Land. He returns to Halloween Town all enthused about Christmas and marshals the creepy-crawly denizens of Halloween Town into building toys and skeletal reindeer. They then abduct Santa so that Jack can take his place on Christmas Eve. But Jack's girlfriend Sally has a precognitive dream, one that Jack seems oblivious to, that Christmas will end in disaster this year. The stop motion animated special effects of Nightmare are still pretty impressive but were probably more impressive at the time it was released. The voice talent for The Nightmare Before Christmas is a splendid bunch, taken from the stable of Tim Burton regulars and sketch comedy geniuses. The music and the visuals are inseparable. The songs are at once morbid and joyous, breathing life into characters who are at home with their dark, sinister nature.
  • December 10, 2008
    "Tim Burton's classic returns in 3-D so real, it's scary."

    Jack Skellington (voice of Chris Sarandon) is the Pumpkin King of Halloweentown, a realm of reality where the inhabitants make it their life's work to scare humans on Halloween. He's good at his work, and is very ...( read more)popular around town, but it all bores him. In a funk one day, he wanders into a wood where every tree is the doorway to realms serving one or another human holiday, and falls through the doorway into Christmas. There, he sees scenes of such glee and good will that he is overwhelmed. He returns to Halloweentown with the inspiration to persuade his fellow citizens to kidnap Santa and do Christmas in their own Halloweentown way -- complete with snakes and shrunken heads. Despite strong arguments against this project by Jack's otherwise loyal girlfriend, Sally (voice of Catherine O'Hara), Santa (voice of Edward Ivory) is duly captured, and the townspeople prepare a very special Christmas for everyone. Jack is excited about the new plan, and at first doesn't notice that Sally isn't around much anymore. Meanwhile, Oogie Boogie (voice of Ken Page), a sinister opponent of Jack's, has re-kidnapped Santa and has captured Sally as well. Since Sally is the true love of Jack's life and (he eventually realizes) the only one who can be relied upon to tell him the truth in every circumstance, a confrontation with Oogie Boogie becomes inevitable.

    Review
    This is a film defined by its style (both narrative and aesthetic). And Burton's style--as always--is remarkable: sometimes cute, sometimes twisted, always nothing short of amazing. The abundance of campy humor and an innocent journey of personal discovery for the protagonist, Jack Skellington, make the film entertaining for younger viewers, while sometimes-unnerving visuals and dark motifs appeal to an older audience as well; truly a masterful blending of themes. The Nightmare Before Christmas is ranked high up there as one of the best musicals ever. Truly memorable classic.
  • November 20, 2009
    Very good, Corpse Bride's grand father :)
  • November 17, 2009
    i LOve Tim Burton!!!
  • November 16, 2009
    Developed a new found appreciation for it
  • November 14, 2009
    this has got to be my favorite movie.
  • November 14, 2009
    i alredy watch it...n i always want to wactch it more n more..great movie!..^v^

Critic Reviews


September 17, 2008
Edward Havens, FilmJerk.com

Let's hope the next time Disney re-releases this on home video... they will include the 3D version. full review

October 30, 2006
Colin Covert, The Minneapolis Star Tribune

The hippest of all holiday classics, the 1993 release rendered anew in 3-D format remains a postmodern three-ring circus of morbid humor, eye-popping puppet animation and show-stopping songs. full review

October 20, 2006
Roger Ebert, Detroit News

The director of the film, a veteran stop-action master named Henry Selick, is the person who has made it all work. And his achievement is enormous. full review

October 17, 2006
Nick Schager, Slant Magazine

The Nightmare Before Christmas is a veritable bounty of visual delights. full review

May 12, 2001
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Of all the new Halloween films, only this one has the power to truly haunt our dreams. full review

January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Working with gifted artists and designers, [Burton] has made a world here that is as completely new as the worlds we saw for the first time in such films as Metropolis, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari or ... full review

View more The Nightmare Before Christmas reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • kaylalynn96
    July 23, 2009
    This is one of the best movies of all time anyone who dos'nt like it obviously DOES NOT have a very good taste in movies AT ALL! And can't appreciate true masterpeices. Jack and Sally are true icons this movie is a classic. Everyone did a great job on it and so much work was put into it. The Nightmare Before Christmas deserves so much more than what it has gotten.
  • Marilynstates
    March 6, 2009
    I know, but no.

    Jack and Sally, it's happy yet so sad.
  • william012012
    December 15, 2008
    N B C...bee mrry Christmas....hahaha
  • mrbicklethepickle
    August 19, 2008
    It comes out on 2 disc DVD on August 26!!!!

    And I'm gonna buy it! Yipeeeeeeeee!
  • iiambecky
    July 31, 2008
    Ahhhhh it's so great >.<
    Jack is the shizzel..

    I love this movie..
    o.O
    And so does Pete Wentz ^_^

    BONUS

    Anyway.. its a great film :]
    5 stars
  • herlinahiroshi
    July 23, 2008
    the best movie ever!!!!!!!!!
    I like it!!!!!!!
    I like jack!!!!!!!
    I like!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • XTrinaBabyX
    July 22, 2008
    loved this movie soo much...and i love Jackkk =D
  • mikeike
    May 25, 2008
    BEST MOVIE EVER!!!!
  • sarness
    April 20, 2008
    wtf
    i'm watching this movie right now and i find it...okay...
    I thought it was better.
    I dont like some parts when they're singing..
    maybe little kids may love it but i find it a normal movie..altho the animation is great I love it.
  • lilmisspictureperfec
    March 7, 2008
    THIS IS THE BEST MOVIE EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Official Trailer

More Like This


Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
    Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (65%)
  • Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
    Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (68%)
  • Sleepy Hollow
    Sleepy Hollow (68%)
  • A Claymation Christmas Celebration
    A Claymation Christmas Celebration (100%)

Facts


No facts approved yet. Be the first

The Nightmare Bef... : Watch Free on TV


The Nightmare Before Christmas Trivia


  • Which 1993 movie featured the character "Jack Skellington"  Answer »
  • In what movie was there a skeletal figure with dreams of bringing christmas to children everywhere?  Answer »
  • The lyrics "kidnap the sandy claws, put in him a box, bury him for 90 years and then see if he talks" are from what movie?  Answer »
  • Jack the Pumpkin King kidnaps Santy Claus. Name the film?  Answer »

Most Popular Skin