It’s usually quite simple to figure out which holiday a film represents. However, one film has long perplexed many viewers.
People watch the stop-motion animated classic film by Tim Burton and Henry Selick in October and December.
But what event does it depict? Is The Nightmare Before Christmas a Halloween movie?
Indeed, the film is set in Halloween Town and features a skeleton named The Pumpkin King as the major character.
There’s also the notion that he has a ghost dog. On the other hand, there are witches and, of course, Oogie Boogie, a sack full of snakes with some torture chamber.
But things are not as simple as they seem. The entire film revolves around Christmas. It is set in Christmas Town in the run-up to Christmas.
Even the film’s title contains the word “Christmas.” The question remains: Is The Nightmare Before Christmas a Halloween movie? Let’s begin with the film’s basic plot. It’s the same routine every year in Halloween Town.
On Halloween, monsters emerge and terrify the living crap out of the town.
After Halloween night, Jack Skellington, the pumpkin king, is tired of the notion and wanders into the woods with his dog Zero.
At the crack of dawn, he discovers a field of woods with many doorways signifying various festivals. The door to the Christmas tree catches his eye.
Upon entering the world of Christmas, Jack falls in love with this new concept of Christmas. He then feels compelled to share it with the residents of Halloween Town.
Moving on, The Nightmare Before Christmas was as well-received in October as in December.
This prompts some viewers to ask which of the two holidays the film portrays more.
With that in mind, let’s explore both points of view—one defending Halloween and the other explaining why it’s a Christmas film.
Keep reading to know that is the nightmare before Christmas a Halloween movie?
It’s a Christmas Movie
It’s true that Jack Skellington, the story’s principal hero and “Pumpkin King,” is from Halloween town, yet their entire trip revolves around Christmas.
When Jack first arrives in Christmas Town, the majesty of the season overwhelms him. He loves the Christmas spirit, which he can explain.
Also, he wants to return to Halloween Town to spread seasonal joy and share everything he sees.
He intends to take over Christmas himself. Despite his irrational inclinations, he gathers a team of reindeer, dons a red costume and a fake beard (just like Santa Claus), and flies worldwide giving gifts.
To crown it off, Santa Claus makes a little appearance in the film and showers Halloween Town with the first winter snowfall.
It’s a Halloween Movie
Sure, the film has many Christmas aspects. Jack Skellington spends a significant amount of the film attempting to determine the meaning of Christmas scientifically.
However, it is a Halloween film. It takes place mostly within Halloween Town rather than Christmas Town.
Also, the aesthetic of the film is suitably scary. It’s more Halloween-themed than Christmas-themed.
Halloween is a day for people to accept themselves. It’s about embracing death and rejoicing in life. It’s also about dressing up to pretend to be someone else for a night.
Although this may appear to be the polar opposite of self-acceptance, costumes often represent the person wearing them. They can educate and offer insight into one’s self.
Jack dons the Santa Claus costume because he no longer wants to be the Pumpkin King. He aspires to be someone different. However, his efforts to bring Christmas to the public prove to be a failure.
Jack realizes that he is the person he was born to be and that striving to be somebody else will not give him what he wants. This also makes him feel good about himself.
In the end, Jack seemed to have given up on his ambitions to transform Halloween Town into a Christmas-themed version of the town. He appreciates his community’s individuality and strangeness.
Also, he thoroughly embraces Halloween’s spooky and horrific beauty.
The Answer
During a conversation at Colorado’s Telluride Horror Show film festival in 2017, director Selick explicitly said, “It’s a Halloween movie.
If you ask the filmmakers, they say that the film is about Halloween. It’s about the individuals who celebrate it and how they respond to events such as Christmas.
The composer Danny Elfman told USA Today, “It’s definitely about Christmas, but for me, it’s a Halloween movie.” Additionally, the film’s premiere date is October 29th.
This suggests that the original intention was to be appreciated largely as a Halloween treat. This answers the question: Is The Nightmare Before Christmas a Halloween movie?
The Bottom Line
The film revolves around Christmas, too. However, the film’s tone, graphics, and ending indicate a Halloween film. But what if you want to watch it during the holidays? No one is going to stop you now, are they?
