How did The Nightmare Before Christmas become a dual seasonal classic?
There’s no questioning that devote fans probably watch the vintage film for both festive seasons — Halloween and Christmas — but how has this lively animation managed to steal our hearts and fill them with a dash of ghoulish glee and pinch of Christmas cheer? Well, there are a lot of eerie-sistable factors to consider when you pick apart the mystery behind the cult following of this Disney classic.
There are some catchy musical numbers
Signature songs such as “This is Halloween” and “What’s this?” really brings the story of Jack Skellington’s pursuit of Christmas alive. The movie teases horror fans in the beginning by showing just how intense the residents Halloweentown plan for the annual spook-tacular evening. It introduces the uniquely, creepy characters and shows their frightening role for All Hallow’s Eve. That being said, when Jack discovers the brilliant lights of Christmas town his eye sockets become a whim of wonder. Not only are both these Nightmare Before Christmas tunes incredible catchy, but they also spark a curiosity within all of us. Halloweentown is what we are familiar with, while Christmas town is the shock of a new surroundings. That connection alone is something fans can relate too.
The mystery behind the holiday-themed doors
While The Nightmare Before Christmas film illustrates the layout of two towns that are behind two different doors, it leaves out the endless possibilities of what lies behind the other five holiday-themed doors — the heart, Valentine’s Day, the four-leaf clover, St. Patrick’s Day, the Easter egg, Easter, the fireworks, Independence Day and the turkey, Thanksgiving. Even though it’s been 25 years since the film was made, there is still an open-ended sense of curiosity as to whether fans will ever get to find out the everyday lives of the people and creatures that live in those other worlds. It casts an element of mystery and original perspective to an already dazzling film.
It was never done before
While there are tons of binge-worthy horror movies that Halloween lovers watch to awaken their gruesome spirit and arguably even more holly jolly films to prepare for the Christmas season, The Nightmare Before Christmas combined these two very different celebrations and intertwined them into a monster mash of a blue Christmas that has the ability to span at least three months of the year — September through to December. Now, that was an ingenious idea!
Are there any other horror-ific reasons to love The Nightmare Before Christmas? Tell us in the comments section below.