Set in the land of Halloween, this dark and creepy stop-motion animation from the mind of Tim Burton and James and the Giant Peach director Henry Selick has become something of a cult classic since its release in 1993. Jack Skellington, who bares the celebrity title “The Pumpkin King” (a skeletal creation many will be familiar with without evens seeing the movie), is feeling troubled at the start of the film. He feels something is missing from Halloween Land; something that has more meaning than the annual festival of frights and shocks the townsfolk put on. After wondering the woods in deep contemplation, he stumbles upon an eerie circle of trees where a collection of Christian and Pagan festivals are represented by wooden doors. Jack is drawn to the door shaped like a Christmas tree and has a look to see what it leads to.
It’s beautifully made and leaves a lasting wonder upon its viewers. And it has some really great musical numbers (almost operatic, some of them) by Danny Elfman.
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), directed by Henry Selick, is released on blu-ray disc and DVD in the UK by Walt Disney Studios, Certificate PG.
