Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas

Play trailer

1:25

Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas

PG

1993

1h 15m

Kids & Family

Holiday

Fantasy

Comedy

Animation

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

95%

Tomatometer

107 Reviews

91%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

The film follows the misadventures of Jack Skellington, Halloweentown's beloved pumpkin king, who has become bored with the same annual routine of frightening people in the "real world." When Jack accidentally stumbles on Christmastown, all bright colors and warm spirits, he gets a new lease on life -- he plots to bring Christmas under his control by kidnapping Santa Claus and taking over the role. But Jack soon discovers even the best-laid plans of mice and skeleton men can go seriously awry.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

The Nightmare Before Christmas is a stunningly original and visually delightful work of stop-motion animation.

Read Critics Reviews

Chris Stuckmann

ChrisStuckmann.com

04/13/2018

A

I'm blown away by just the construction of the scenes, and by all of the effects that have been incorporated to make everything move fluidly; and there's also this charming imperfection to the animation that just makes it so gorgeous.

Go to Full Review

Kenneth Turan

Los Angeles Times

12/03/2013

Part avant-garde art film, part amusing but morbid fairy tale, it is a delightfully ghoulish holiday musical that displays more inventiveness in its brief 75 minutes than some studios can manage in an entire year.

Go to Full Review

Anthony Lane

The New Yorker

12/03/2013

This full-length animated movie was shot in stop motion, with all the febrile, twittery fascination that the medium exerts; it has a magic-toy shop feeling, with unexpected objects stuttering into life.

Go to Full Review

Charlotte Simmons

The Treatment (Substack)

Nov 24

The Nightmare Before Christmas is a robustly metamodernist examination of the intersections between Christianity, paganism, scientific thought, and mythopoeic thought (and what that all means for the human condition)

Go to Full Review

Kristy Strouse

Wonderfully Weird and Horrifying

11/14/2023

The Nightmare Before Christmas is unique and timeless, a magical adventure that’ll delight the senses and steal your heart.

Go to Full Review

Lauren Veneziani

DC Film Girl

10/30/2023

5/5

One of the best films of all-time, the gorgeous stop-motion animation and story of Jack Skellington longing for something more leaves us breathless, happy and fulfilled.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Pennynow

Oct 30

A classic from my childhood that stands the test of time. Danny Elfman’s lyrics and music are outstanding, and you’re in and out in just over an hour. What’s not to love?

See more

jesse v

Oct 30

lots of world building, but it's a musical with barely a story. if you love music and halloween, this is for you. amazing masterpiece for stop motion and spawned the creation of LAIKA neverthless

See more

Taro

Oct 29

Still the best movie to me!

See more

Candi

Oct 28

They canceled the movie, so I didn't get to see it!

See more

Robert

Oct 24

Remains a solid holiday classic with its memorable song, likeable main character, and aesthetically stop motion animation. It maybe could have used a slightly longer runtime to develop some of the character relationships a bit better.

See more

chad

Oct 23

A timeless classic! So amazing in 3d. Blown Away!

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Henry Selick

Director

Danny Elfman

Jack Skellington

Chris Sarandon

Jack

Catherine O'Hara

Sally

William Hickey

Evil Scientist

Glenn Shadix

Mayor

Ernest Saves Christmas

40%

44%

Ernest Saves Christmas

Watchlist

Hocus Pocus

42%

72%

Hocus Pocus

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Hocus Pocus

Ernest Scared Stupid

27%

52%

Ernest Scared Stupid

Watchlist

3 Ninjas

35%

53%

3 Ninjas

Watchlist

Christmas Carol: The Movie

13%

48%

Christmas Carol: The Movie

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas: Trailer 1

1:25

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

The film follows the misadventures of Jack Skellington, Halloweentown's beloved pumpkin king, who has become bored with the same annual routine of frightening people in the "real world." When Jack accidentally stumbles on Christmastown, all bright colors and warm spirits, he gets a new lease on life -- he plots to bring Christmas under his control by kidnapping Santa Claus and taking over the role. But Jack soon discovers even the best-laid plans of mice and skeleton men can go seriously awry.

Director: Henry Selick
Producer: Tim Burton, Denise Di Novi, Kathleen Gavin
Screenwriter: Michael McDowell, Caroline Thompson
Distributor: Touchstone Pictures
Production Co: Touchstone Pictures, Skellington Productions
Rating: PG (Some Scary Images)
Genre: Kids & Family, Holiday, Fantasy, Comedy, Animation
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 29, 1993, Wide
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Oct 22, 2025
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $6.1M
Runtime: 1h 15m
Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Surround, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

Most Popular at Home Now