The Nightmare Before Christmas is a popular holiday movie written by Tim Burton and directed by Henry Selick. The movie starts off in the eerie setting of Halloween Town. The characters in Halloween Town are supposed to represent different beings that are commonly feared. During the movie, the main character, Jack Skellington, finds a clearing in the forest with different holiday-themed doors. Jack ventures into the door depicting a Christmas tree and enters Christmas town.
Although the movie shows both holidays, it is debated whether this movie is a Christmas movie or a Halloween movie. The show splits between Christmas and Halloween during the course of the movie, which is why it is such a popular debate among fans. According to Cosmopolitan, Selick replied, “It’s a Halloween movie.” Selick directed The Nightmare Before Christmas. I personally like to watch it during both holidays, making it a Halloween movie, but also a Christmas movie.
I believe that this movie represents both Halloween and Christmas themes and it can be viewed for both holidays. It starts out showing what the characters do in Halloween Town to celebrate Halloween with gorey characters and Halloween decorations. This makes it a Halloween movie. During the second half of the movie, Jack ventures into Christmas Town and his new goal becomes recreating Christmas. The rest of the movie focuses on Jack trying to figure out and recreate what he witnessed in Christmas Town. This makes it a Christmas movie.
I asked a few students and teachers for their opinions on The Nightmare Before Christmas. I sent out a form to students and a majority of people agree that it is both a Christmas and Halloween movie.
Maddie Esposito has a strong opinion on the classification of this movie. She said that it is a Halloween movie because the director said that it is not a Christmas movie and that it is called The Nightmare Before Christmas.
Sophia Rach believes that it is a Christmas movie because a majority of the plot revolves around Christmas.
Do you believe that The Nightmare Before Christmas is a Halloween movie, a Christmas movie, or both? Take the poll linked on the homepage of the newspaper.