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Best Movie Ever: The Nightmare Before Christmas

What's this? What's this? Just evidence that Tim Burton, Henry Selick and Danny Elfman can turn a holiday mashing tale into the best movie ever.


Where is the common ground between goth girls and Disney store moms? It's here in the Town of Halloween!

Take some old Christmas TV specials, have them ferment in the mind of Tim Burton, let it flow through the hands of Henry Selick, out of the mouth of Danny Elfman and what do you get? Well, you get a really forced metaphor, that's what you get. But, you also have the instant classic stop-motion animated film about cultural misunderstanding, The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Coming out August 30th in its nine hundredth repackaging (this time with the Blu-ray, DVD, digital download and 3D Blu-ray all in one spot) we thought it a good idea to hitch our bright-nosed, ghost dog to our coffin sleigh and remind everyone why The Nightmare Before Christmas is the best movie ever.

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The Nightmare Before Christmas
The Nightmare Before Christmas Credit: The Walt Disney Company

Shrunken Head

Jack's night of terror begins with this iconic image of a young boy opening up Santa's present: a shrunken head.

Cue the montage of mayhem!

The Nightmare Before Christmas
The Nightmare Before Christmas Credit: The Walt Disney Company

Wreath Havoc!

What's up with people nailing plants to their door? Plants are living things. Sticking a bow on 'em? Grotesque! 

One day the plants will rise up! Stevie Wonder has foretold this! When they do, good people like you and I and Jack Skellington will laugh.

The Nightmare Before Christmas
The Nightmare Before Christmas Credit: The Walt Disney Company

Anti-Aircraft

The people of Earth (or, I guess, No Holiday Town) prefer a more traditional Santa Claus... and respond with anti-aircraft guns.

The bright schnoz on Zero offers an easy target. Jack's final words before he plummets down to the ground below? "Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good niiiiiiiiight!"

See? The guy really meant it.

The Nightmare Before Christmas
The Nightmare Before Christmas Credit: The Walt Disney Company

Truly Oogie

Jack defeats Oogie Boogie by hitting him where it hurts - a loose strand.

His potato sack armor loosens to reveal the crawly bugs inside. With the aid of Sally, Santa Claus is rescued in the (St.) Nick of time.

The Nightmare Before Christmas
The Nightmare Before Christmas Credit: The Walt Disney Company

Merry Happy!

Santa snaps into action to right what Jack has wronged. But his forgiving spirit can't condemn him - after all, Jack only was doing what he thought was best.

Indeed, the fat, evil lobster grants the Town of Halloween a Christmas gift - a seasonal dash of snow.

To which the town can only ask: What's this?

See More: Best Movie Ever | The Nightmare Before Christmas | Danny Elfman | Henry Selick | Tim Burton