As Halloween approaches, movies like Hocus Pocus, Beetlejuice and Scream come to mind, offering a nostalgic laugh or an entertaining scare under dim, spooky lights. But where does the 1993 stop-motion picture The Nightmare Before Christmas fall? Should it join the others in a movie marathon or be saved for a cozier Christmas time?
With its broad setting and spooky themes, the easy answer is a typical scare for October. The setting surrounding the main character Jack Skellington is in a dark city called Halloween Town. Jack is tasked with creating the most terrifying night for children on Halloween night. However, Jack has begun to tire of the “same old thing,” leading him to venture into Christmas Town, where this story takes a holiday twist.
In Christmas Town, Jack feels alive again, seeing all of the joy-filled toys and happy snowmen. This is where Christmas’ argument arises, as the rest of the movie follows Jack’s attempts to create a Christmas of his own, even going as far as to kidnap Santa Claus.
While the film features scary animations and unnerving visuals, the subplot of a cozy, growing love story and the eventual task of saving Christmas make the bells of a carol ring in the distance. The movie also incorporates its own twist on popular Christmas stories such as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and even the title is a wordplay on The Night Before Christmas. Yet, is that enough to classify it as a Christmas movie? The directors and advertising team seemingly don’t think so.
The movie is always brought out during Halloween, appearing in merchandise and theater screenings, with the soundtrack being included in advertisements.. This is untimely because the horror aspects of The Nightmare Before Christmas will forever overshadow its subtle Christmas themes.
If Christmas movies were solely classified as such through the plotline, the movie would be a perfect addition to the growing list. However, Christmas movies also need to have the underlying feeling of magic, warmth and something similar to a hot cup of chocolate on a cold night. In contrast, The Nightmare Before Christmas is closer to a slap in the face by slippery ice on the way back from work, indicating that no matter how close it is in themes and carols, it will never be seen by the world as the next Elf or Home Alone. From maggots covering Christmas wreaths to decapitated heads springing out of boxes, The Nightmare Before Christmas is undeniably Halloween at heart.