The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
A whimsical, darkly comic fantasy unfolds as the king of Halloween tries to hijack Christmas.
Tired of scaring humans every October 31 with the same old bag of tricks, Jack Skellington, the spindly king of Halloween Town, kidnaps Santa Claus and plans to deliver shrunken heads and other ghoulish gifts to children on Christmas morning. But as Christmas approaches, Jack's rag-doll girlfriend, Sally, tries to foil his misguided plans.
How intense is The Nightmare Before Christmas?
The Nightmare Before Christmas is mildly scary, with no gore and some violence. Emotionally it carries some weight. The pace is measured, and it is a family watch and a late-night trip. Rated PG.
What The Nightmare Before Christmas feels like
- Tone
- whimsicaldarkly comiccampysurreal
- Pace
- Measured
- Best for
- Family nightLate night
Where to stream The Nightmare Before Christmas
US availability via TMDB, last checked Sep 13, 2026. The app filters picks to the services you actually have.
Is The Nightmare Before Christmas for you?
Is The Nightmare Before Christmas scary?
Only a little. The Nightmare Before Christmas has a few tense moments (scare level 1 of 3), nothing that follows you to bed.
Is The Nightmare Before Christmas gory or violent?
No gore (0 of 3) and some violence (1 of 3). Squeamish viewers are fine here.
Is The Nightmare Before Christmas sad or heavy?
A little. There is some emotional weight (1 of 3), but it is not a heavy watch.
Is The Nightmare Before Christmas OK for kids?
It is rated PG and nothing here runs hot: scare 1, gore 0, violence 1, each out of 3. A safe family pick by the numbers.
How long is The Nightmare Before Christmas?
The Nightmare Before Christmas runs 1h 16m.
Where can I stream The Nightmare Before Christmas?
The Nightmare Before Christmas is streaming on Disney+.
Does The Nightmare Before Christmas have a happy ending? spoiler-safe answer
Yes. It lands on a happy note.
Cast and crew
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