Three decades after its initial release, Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas continues to be an iconic film for both Halloween and Christmas.
The film follows Jack Skellington, Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, in his discovery of Christmas Town. He brings the Christmas celebration to Halloween Town in an attempt to improve it, where, it becomes a distorted, eerie version.
Along with the help of his friend Sally and other Halloween Town residents, Jack must set everything back into place to bring back the true Christmas spirit.
The Nightmare Before Christmas premiered at the New York Film Festival on Oct. 9, 1993, and was released in theaters later that month.
“The film as a whole is incredible and definitely deserves the hype. ESPECIALLY when you consider that every scene is claymation and the amount of time that went into making this movie that flows seamlessly is stupid impressive,” commented Julia Stricker-Balistreri, avid Christmas fan, via email.
To commemorate its 30th anniversary, a 4K version was screened at different locations, along with collaborations with different brands, including Monster High.
Monster High released a Jack and Sally doll duo to their “Skullector” series, adding to other dolls such as Chucky and Tiffany. The dolls were released online on Oct. 27 and quickly sold out, angering many collectors.
“Was in line for 15 minutes then sent me to checkout only to be told, ‘SOLD OUT’” said a fan on an online Mattel Creations forum.
Though many walked away empty-handed, one lucky collector, Gabriela Ortiz ’25, a student at ICA, effortlessly snagged the limited-edition dolls. She was almost not able to get them when her parents would not allow her to buy the doll. Thankfully, Ortiz compromised with them and secured the dolls within 30 seconds of them going on sale at noon.
“When I heard that there would be a collaboration with Monster High (my favorite doll brand), I knew that I needed them,” Ortiz said.
These dolls serve as a symbol of the never-ending love the film has received during the past three decades. Both old and new fans can resonate with the film’s charm, bringing joy to generations to come.
