After Halloween passes by and Christmas draws ever closer, many film fans will revisit The Nightmare Before Christmas, as is one of the most re-watched holiday movies every year. Given its status as a classic Christmas movie, there will also be many who will be watching the film for the first time.

Set in the magical realm of Halloween Town, Jack Skellington - known as The Pumpkin King - suddenly finds himself in Christmas Town, and is immediately smitten. In his attempt to bring back the joy of Christmas to the people of Halloween Town, Jack kidnaps Santa Claus and takes over his job, with rather disastrous results. It is up to his love interest, Sally, to restore the harmony of the holiday worlds.

The Nightmare Before Christmas: Watch On Disney+

Jack Skellington holding a snowflake in The Nightmare Before Christmas

Whether The Nightmare Before Christmas is a holiday tradition in your household or you want to check it out to see what all the hype is about, the film, along with a special sing-a-long version, is available to stream on Disney+, now with a free 7-day trial.

Watch The Nightmare Before Christmas on Disney+

Who Directed The Nightmare Before Christmas?

Jack looks surprised in The Nightmare Before Christmas

The 1993 movie is mistakenly assumed by many as part of Tim Burton's filmography, thanks to its zany humor and gothic visuals that he's commonly associated with. However, The Nightmare Before Christmas was the directorial debut of Henry Selick, now known for other acclaimed stop-motion features such as Coraline (2009) and James And The Giant Peach (1996).

Tim Burton served as a writer and producer for the movie, having written a poem entitled "The Nightmare Before Christmas" in 1982. Recently, director Henry Selick has downplayed Tim Burton's role in the making of the movie, asserting that Burton did not come in until the end of production to make some last-minute edits before its release.

Is The Nightmare Before Christmas A Halloween or A Christmas Movie?

jack and sally talking in nightmare before christmas

Given the presence of both the Halloween and Christmas worlds in The Nightmare Before Christmas, much debate is held among fans over whether it's a Halloween or Christmas movie. The film was initially released before Halloween, and given the principal role of Jack Skellington and his love for the macabre, there is a pretty solid argument that The Nightmare Before Christmas is a Halloween movie.

However, Tim Burton's gothic tales have often taken place at Christmas - notably Edward Scissorhands (1990) and Batman Returns (1992) - and Burton uses winter as a backdrop for his dark fantasy films. The plot of the film revolves around Jack's discovery of the Christmas holiday and his eventual discovery of its true meaning. That, and the fact that the movie typically goes into syndication around the Christmas holidays means that movie leans slightly more into being a Christmas movie than a Halloween movie.

Wherever it may land on the calendar, the timeless storytelling by Selick and Burton helped seal The Nightmare Before Christmas' status as a film that can be enjoyed at any time, and it is not necessarily bound by its settings. Given the film's cult status and its continuous popularity, the movie is clearly celebrated all year round.

Check Out The Nightmare Before Christmas On Disney+

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