This hybrid Christmas/Halloween movie is one of the most popular movies of all time, to the point that The Nightmare Before Christmas is downright iconic. The whimsical festive elements being mixed with the spookiness of Halloween all being topped off by exciting characters and catchy songs helped this one become a real hit.
But while everyone knows about Jack Skellington, Oogie Boogie, and the rest of the gang, there are many details about the film that even the most die hard of fans aren't aware of, and secrets behind the making of the movie and the efforts that went into them that a lot of people simply don't know.
Based On A Poem
Something a lot of people might not be aware of is the fact that the movie itself is based on a poem. Tim Burton worked on a parody of the classic 'Twas The Night Before Christmas' and that is what ended up being the initial basis for the entire movie.
While he obviously adapted things and provided more details, fleshing out the characters and the plot, it is certainly interesting to learn the humble beginnings that the film came from at the very start.
Decorations
Another interesting element of inspiration for the movie was actually the way that shops would have both Halloween and Christmas decorations up in between fall and winter. He found the entire period interesting and the mismatch compelling.
This was the inspiration for the movie to bring Halloween and Christmas together, putting two major concepts into one. People often debate over which type of film it is, but clearly the concept was always for it to be both.
Tim Burton Did Not Direct
Tim Burton is an incredible director who has put together some amazing movies, and Nightmare Before Christmas is one of them. However, he often gets a lot more credit for this movie than he perhaps deserves, because he didn't actually direct the film.
Because he had commitments to the Batman Returns project, he was busy directing that movie while this one was being put together. Therefore, Henry Selick actually stepped in, and it was he who brought the film together and directed it.
Original Oogie Boogie Plan
One of the most popular characters from the movie was Oogie Boogie, a character full of personality and charisma which made him such a hit. In the end, he is foiled by being unravelled after his stitches get caught, which reveals that he is made up of bugs on the inside.
However, the original plan for his reveal was very different. At first, it was going to be Dr. Finkelstein inside, with this character being his bid to get revenge on Sally and Jack because of his jealousy at her not wanting to be with him after he created her.
Scrapped Ride Plans
The Disney theme parks around the world are some of the greatest places on Earth, and they are incredibly popular. It is a place where people can often experience their favorite Disney films, as there are many rides that have been created based on the movies. And, there was almost one from Nightmare Before Christmas.
Disney wanted it to be placed near 'It's A Small World' to give a different feel, and it would have seen guests travel in coffins through the movie. Ultimately, that didn't happen, but there is a Nightmare Before Christmas overlay of the Haunted Mansion in California during the festive period each year.
Disney's Hesitation
Nowadays, fans can find The Nightmare Before Christmas on Disney+, and the company is often heavily associated with this stop-motion film. However, there's a reason that the Disney stamp wasn't on it during the initial release, because the company was actually a little hesitant to be associated with it.
The reason for that was because this movie is quite a dark one, which doesn't fully go with the Disney brand. That's why it was released under Touchstone, which was a Disney-owned company. But once the film became a hit, Disney wasted no time in pushing its involvement.
Jack's Eyes
As an example of how Disney didn't like certain elements of the film initially, they actually requested for Jack Skellington's eyes to change. They wanted him to have actual eyes in order to make him feel more friendly, despite the fact he is a skeleton.
This was something that Tim Burton had to fight for in order to keep the same, as he wanted the character to look the way that they had originally intended when he was first created.
There Was A Planned Sequel
Something that a lot of people aren't aware of is the fact that there was almost a Nightmare Before Christmas 2. Because the film did well and has remained so popular, even to this day, Disney did want to create a sequel to continue the story.
However, Tim Burton himself actually put a stop to the idea, as he didn't want to see Jack visiting different worlds just for the sake of it. He enjoys the stand-alone aspect of the movie and therefore a sequel down the line is very unlikely.
Two Jack Skellingtons
What's this? That's right, the iconic voice of Jack Skellington was actually played by two different individuals throughout the movie. While it's almost impossible to tell without knowing that information, the voice of Jack singing and the voice of him doing normal dialog are done by different people.
It was actually the composer of the music himself, Danny Elfman who did the singing elements of Jack's character. However, he told Tim Burton that he didn't want to act the role, and therefore Chris Sarandon was brought in to play Jack at all other times, with their combination creating this iconic character.
Jack Skellington's Suit
Jack Skellington is a very iconic character and the black and white pinstripe suit is something that has really suited him. However, originally that wasn't the plan, as Tim Burton actually wanted Jack to be totally black with his clothing, really pushing the darker, spookier side of his personality.
Thankfully, that didn't end up happening and the iconic look that everyone knows and loves for Jack ended up being created instead. Henry Selick was the person responsible for that change, feeling that he needed another color in order to make him standout in the dark setting.