Overview
A whimsical journey where Halloween meets Christmas in a magical twist of fate.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- whimsical
- eerie
- playful
- halloween viewing
- christmas viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as a stunningly original, visually delightful, and musically energetic work of stop-motion animation.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film uses detailed stop-motion puppetry, skeletal characters, crooked architecture, and shadowy holiday landscapes.
Jack brings the traditions and creatures of Halloween Town into contact with the brighter customs of Christmas Town.
Jack is celebrated as the Pumpkin King yet seeks a new purpose after becoming bored with repeating Halloween.
Danny Elfman’s musical numbers express Jack’s dissatisfaction, discovery, ambition, and the consequences of his plan.
Films like The Nightmare Before Christmas, and why
Corpse Bride
shares stop-motion fantasy, macabre whimsy, musical storytelling, and a visually distinctive holiday atmosphere
Edward Scissorhands
shares darkly whimsical fantasy, eccentric outsider protagonists, gothic production design, and playful comedy
James and the Giant Peach
shares family-friendly fantasy, musical spectacle, surreal world-building, and a central outsider seeking belonging
Movie Details
- Director
- Henry Selick
- Release Date
- 1993-10-09
- Runtime
- 76 min
- Rating
- 7.8 / 10 (10639)
Cast
- Danny Elfman
- Chris Sarandon
- Catherine O'Hara
- William Hickey
- Glenn Shadix
- Paul Reubens
- Ken Page
- Edward Ivory
- Susan McBride
- Debi Durst
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Disney Plus
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Nightmare Before Christmas about?
- A bored Halloween monarch discovers Christmas and turns a macabre seasonal world into a dazzling, misguided musical adventure.
- What is The Nightmare Before Christmas like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Nightmare Before Christmas as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Nightmare Before Christmas violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Nightmare Before Christmas.
- What did critics think of The Nightmare Before Christmas?
- Critics broadly regard the film as a stunningly original, visually delightful, and musically energetic work of stop-motion animation.
- Which films are like The Nightmare Before Christmas?
- Films with a similar feel include Corpse Bride, Edward Scissorhands, and James and the Giant Peach.
- How long is The Nightmare Before Christmas?
- The Nightmare Before Christmas runs 76 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Nightmare Before Christmas?
- In United States, The Nightmare Before Christmas streams on Disney Plus.
