The Nightmare before Christmas

1993

fantasy elements

Review

It's been yet another successfully scary Halloween, but Jack Skellington the Pumpkin King is bored and depressed. He wanders off, and discovers doors to all the other holidays, and explores Christmastown. He is entranced, and decides it would be fun to be Father Christmas for a change. So he has the real Father Christmas kidnapped, and takes his place. But things go wrong -- his presents are scary, his reindeer are skeletons, nobody appreciates him...

Tim Burton's wonderfully imaginative animated musical is very different from the usual saccharine Christmas fayre -- it is quite dark, and even a bit gross in places, as children excitedly unwrap their Christmas presents ... of typical Halloween severed heads! Lots of fascinating and clever details, and a fun plot, make this definitely worth watching.

Rating: 3