13 Killer Stop-Mo Flicks: Part 05: The Gift That Keeps On Giving - 'The Nightmare Before Christmas.'

What can happen when big studio execs are brave and shrewd enough to back original content in stop motion??Inspired by the spooky season and conversations on LinkedIn with other film and animation professionals, I've been reflecting on feature-length stop motion films made in the 21st century that sit in the horror genre and the production stories behind them... And why stop motion animation - like the archetypal killer in a slasher flick - keeps rising back up to entertain us again and again.

Originally released in 1993, 'Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas' tells the heartfelt tale of Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town and all things that go bump in the night. However, it isn't until the 21st century that 'Nightmare' truly starts to flex its sinewy muscles.

Stop-motion you say... Is it horror?

Yes with Christmas bells on! In fact, it's probably not an exaggeration to say that 'Nightmare' is the grandfather of a steady stream of stop motion feature films that sit in this phantom sub genre of 'children's/family horror'.

OK, how was it financed?

Produced by Tim Burton and directed by Henry Selick, 'Nightmare' was a co-production between Tim Burton Productions, DiNovi Pictures and The Walt Disney Company under their more adult-orientated label, Touchstone Pictures.? Both Burton and Selick had worked at Disney, but had become disillusioned that none of their?unique proposals had been developed, simply because they were just not the “Disney way." Tired of the risk adversity and reluctance to develop original ideas, both had left to pursue more enriching avenues.

Following the success of Burton's directorial career in live-action with rival studio, Warner Bros. Burton returned to Disney to request the rights to 'Nightmare' which were owned by Disney.? Despite the previous barriers to production, both Disney Chairman (Jeffrey Katzenberg) and VP (David Hoberman) decided to take the gamble and get behind 'Nightmare', seeing its potential as a creative achievement for Disney's image and an opportunity to get into business with the rising star director:

"This was an opportunity for us to do business with Tim Burton and to say, 'We can think outside the envelope. We can do different and unusual things.' I hope it goes out and makes a fortune. If it doesn't, that doesn't negate the validity of the process.”

[David Hoberman, VP Walt Disney Pictures, quoted in "The Making of Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas', MousePlanet, 2018.]

What was it's impact?

Initially 'Nightmare' was a modest success at the box office. With a relatively small production budget of $18,000,000 (estimated)?and highly cautious release strategy, the film grossed?$106,605,668 worldwide. (IMDb)

Further, Disney decided to mitigate the risk of damage to the brand by releasing it under their Touchstone label, fearing it would be too dark for kids. However, via gradual release and successive re-release 'Nightmare' slowly became a sleeper hit.

"They were afraid it might hurt their brand, if they had put the Disney name on it right then, it would’ve been much more successful, but I understand it just didn’t feel anything like their other animated films.”

[Henry Selick, 'The Nightmare Before Christmas’: A Hit That Initially Unnerved Disney', New York Times, 2023.]

In fact, 'Nightmare' has been re-released multiple times between 1994 and the present day (1994, 2000, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2020, 2023 and is due for re-release in 2024) bringing in a steady few million bucks on average per re-release and $11.1 million in box office gross in 2006.

But the buck doesn't stop there...

As the film matured, it went from sleeper hit to cult classic, with the kids who grew up with it making 'Nightmare' the go-to holiday film for their own kids over the following decades. The potential for downstream revenue went from steady stream to raging torrent:

"It slowly but surely turned into this cultural phenomenon... Disney didn't know what they had, but eventually they figured it out."

[Henry Selick, 'Henry Selick Reflects on 30 Years of 'The Nightmare Before Christmas', Academy Newsletter 2023.]

And it's not just box sets and other?merchandise.? Writing in Forbes on the 20th anniversary re-release, journalist Scott Mendelson notes "Since 2001, the Haunted Mansion ride at Disneyland has been transformed every fall into a “Nightmare”-inspired attraction known as Haunted Mansion Holiday. And each year, from early September through October, Disneyland holds the Oogie Boogie Bash, a Halloween party three nights a week featuring and named after the movie’s rambunctious villain."

[Scott Mendelson, 'Nightmare Before Christmas' Turns 20: From Shameful Spawn To Disney's Pride, Forbes, 2013.]

In fact such was it's impact, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry last year by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant."

I'll let Tim Burton sum up, when interviewed by The New York Times, he said:

“In a certain way that’s the beautiful thing about it as it is. It’s one movie. It’s stop motion and it tells its story. And that helps make it special for me,” Burton explained. “It’s its own thing, there aren’t five sequels and there’s not a live-action reboot.”

[Tim Burton, ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’: A Hit That Initially Unnerved Disney', New York Times, 2023.]

Sounds like a scream! Where can I watch?

You've probably seen this film... But if you fancy a re-watch, 'Nightmare' can be streamed in the UK on Apple TV+, Amazon Prime, Google Play, and of course, Disney+.

"13 Killer Stop-Mo Flicks" is a series of short articles published in the run up to Halloween 2024 that look at 13 stop motion feature-length films made in the 21st century - how they were financed, what impact they had, and why I think, despite all odds, stop motion will keep coming back to thrill audiences.