National Film Vault

FILM NOTES

Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas was released by Touchstone Pictures in October 1993, produced through Burton's collaboration with director Henry Selick and Disney. The stop-motion animated feature represented a landmark in the technique's theatrical ambitions, blending Burton's gothic sensibility with Danny Elfman's celebrated score. Its cult following grew steadily through the decade and beyond, cementing its place as a touchstone of 1990s animation.

This cell, titled The Halloween Town Band, captures the ensemble performance sequence featuring the Sax Player, Bass Player, and Accordion Player on a darkly atmospheric stage bathed in warm golden light. Voice performers Greg Proops and L. Peter Callender contributed to these musician characters, making this a particularly layered piece of production history from one of the film's memorable musical passages.