Danny Elfman has an opinion about it Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas is a Christmas or Halloween movie.

Released on October 29, 1993, the stop-motion animated classic is set in two holiday-themed towns: Halloween Town and Christmas Town. Nightmare is based on an original story by Tim Burton, who also produced the film, while Henry Selick directed the film.

Elfman, of course, composed the score and original songs for the film and provides the singing voice of main character Jack Skellington, while Chris Sarandon provides the speaking voice of the bean skeleton. Catherine O’Hara voices Sally, while the late Ken Page brought his booming voice to the villainous Oogie Boogie.

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Because Christmas Town and Santa Claus (Edward Ivory) make up a large part of the film’s action, a debate has arisen in recent decades about what kind of holiday movie Nightmare actually is.

Since Elfman is as close to the film as any other creative, I asked him in a recent Zoom call about the digital release of his Beetlejuice Beetlejuice original score for his opinion on whether he thought Nightmare was a Halloween movie or a Christmas movie.

“When I look at the number of Jack Skellington characters in my neighborhood right now being made up for Halloween decorations, I think there will come a point in another generation where kids think Jack Skellington is a Halloween character, just like Santa Claus is for Christmas. Elfman noted. “They’ll probably think that and say, ‘Oh, they made the movie about that Jack Skellington,’ you know? Not the other way around.”

Elfman thinks ‘Nightmare’ works for both holidays, but…

Until Jack Skellington grows into the mythical Halloween character Danny Elfman thinks he will become in a future generation, the composer said he’s already made up his mind about what kind of movie he’s thinking about. Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas is.

“I think of it as a Halloween movie, but it works as a Christmas movie. It’s one of those rare things. It does both. You have Santa Claus and you have Jack Skellington,” Elfman said. “My favorite holiday of the year has obviously always been Halloween and Jack Skellington is a character I feel very close to. So Halloween and Jack Skellington will always have a special place in my heart.”

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Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas is back in the cinema for a special assignment.

In addition to the digital release of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (Score from the original film soundtrack)Elfman is preparing his last two American concerts this year.

The concerts, dubbed Danny Elfman: from Boingo to Batman to Big Mess and beyond!, will take place on November 2 at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles and on November 3 at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, California.

The vinyl and CD releases of Elfman’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice score is scheduled for release in early 2025

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