The Nightmare Before Christmas

Wildly original and surprisingly emotional, this musical stop-motion tale from the mind of Tim Burton is a celebration of two holidays and a love story. Jack Skellington, aka the Pumpkin King (voiced by Chris Sarandon), becomes fascinated by Christmas and wants to handle the holiday himself with the help of Halloween Town. The disastrous results, however, end with him having to save a kidnapped “Sandy Claws” (Edward Ivory) and Sally (Catherine O’Hara), the fellow dreamer who’s secretly in love with Jack, from the terrifying bogeyman Oogie Boogie (Ken Page). The film, directed by Henry Selick, was nominated for a Best Visual Effects Oscar — a first for an animated feature. Danny Elfman’s original songs, ranging from ominous to achingly beautiful, are just as catchy nearly 30 years later.