How to watch The Nightmare Before Christmas
Everything you need to know if you plan on watching the classic animation this year.
Is it a Halloween film? Is it a Christmas movie? The debate over the best time to watch The Nightmare Before Christmas continues, but there’s one thing we can surely all agree on: this stop-motion musical extravaganza is a true classic.
Based on an original poem by Tim Burton, which the filmmaker wrote while working at Disney’s animation studios, The Nightmare Before Christmas is directed by Henry Selick, who brings Burton’s sketches to life through stop-motion animation.
As the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, Jack Skellington is in charge of the annual spooky celebrations, but has grown tired of his usual tricks and wants to try something different.
While wandering through the woods, he finds six doorways leading to other worlds, and ends up choosing the portal that will lead him into Christmas Town.
Intrigued by this unfamiliar occasion, he returns home with a new plan, deciding to organise a Halloween Town Christmas takeover.
With a voice cast that includes Chris Sarandon as Jack, and Schitt’s Creek star Catherine O’Hara as his love interest Sally, The Nightmare Before Christmas was a critical success, hailed for its originality and its innovative use of stop-motion. It became the first animated film to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.
Here’s everything you need to know about how to watch The Nightmare Before Christmas - but if you fancy a more traditional Christmas movie in the run up to 25th December, why not check out our guide to the best Christmas movies on Netflix or the best Christmas films on Amazon Prime Video?
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How to watch The Nightmare Before Christmas
The easiest way to watch The Nightmare Before Christmas is on Disney Plus, with the film available to subscribers of the popular streaming platform.
If you aren't signed up to Disney Plus, then there are other options as well, with the film available for digital purchase on Amazon Prime Video for £13.99, and on Sky Store at the same price
Is The Nightmare Before Christmas on Netflix?
Unfortunately not – The Nightmare Before Christmas is not currently available on Netflix.
Who wrote The Nightmare Before Christmas?
Fans might be surprised to hear that Burton didn’t actually write or direct The Nightmare Before Christmas – those roles were fulfilled by Caroline Thompson and Henry Selick respectively – but it is based on a poem he wrote and characters he created, and his DNA is stamped all over it.
Thompson also wrote the screenplays for Burton’s Edward Scissorhands and Corpse Bride, but revealed in 2020 that her relationship with Burton broke down during the making of The Nightmare Before Christmas when she asked to change the “dangerous” Oogie Boogie character (to no avail).
“The Oogie Boogie character looks like a Klansman,” she told The Independent. “Oogie Boogie is a derogatory term for African Americans in the American South. I begged the powers that be to change something about that character, because of that. I said, 'This is so ugly and dangerous and antithetical to everything inside me.' I did not win that fight... It was a troubling part of the film for me, to be frank.”
“I really did beg Tim to reconsider,” she added. “Particularly the name... it’s a really evil derogatory term. That's not a fight I won. I think it’s a fun segment of the story as it was executed but it’s a troubling one.”
The Nightmare Before Christmas plot
The 76-minute film tells the story of Jack Skellington, the King of Halloween Town.
One day, Jack accidentally travels through a portal and finds himself in Christmas Town, instantly becoming enamoured with the December holiday.
In fact, he becomes so obsessed with Christmas that he attempts to take Santa Claus captive and brings him back to Halloween Town – whose residents aren't quite as welcoming to the prospect of festive cheer.
The Nightmare Before Christmas cast
Jack Skellington is voiced by Dog Day Afternoon and The Princess Bride star Chris Sarandon, with the exception of the songs, which are performed by the film's composer and frequent Tim Burton collaborator Danny Elfman.
Other cast members include Beetlejuice – and more recently Schitt's Creek – star Catherine O'Hara as the voice of Sally, Jack's ragdoll love interest, and William Hickey as the mad scientist Finkelstein.
The voice cast is rounded out by Glenn Shadix (Beetlejuice), Ken Page (All Dogs Go to Heaven), Paul Reubens (Batman Returns), and Ed Ivory, who voices Santa Claus.
Looking for something else to watch? Check out our TV Guide or Streaming Guide.
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Authors
Patrick Cremona is the Senior Film Writer at Radio Times, and looks after all the latest film releases both in cinemas and on streaming. He has been with the website since October 2019, and in that time has interviewed a host of big name stars and reviewed a diverse range of movies.
