National Film RegistryLibrary of Congress · Inducted 2023
“The king of dark whimsy, Tim Burton won over an even larger (and decidedly younger) crowd with this delightful stop-motion animated offering. Jack Skellington, whose giant pumpkin head rests precariously on top of his rail-thin body, is the king of Halloween Town; one year he dreams of bringing a little Christmas magic to his humble hamlet.”
Selected for preservation as culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.
Directed by
Henry Selick
Studio
Walt Disney Pictures · Touchstone Pictures · Skellington Productions · 73 min
Box office
$91.2M worldwide on a $24M budget
Honors
Academy Awards — 1 nominationAnnie Awards — 1 nomination
Scholarship
Named in the title of 13 peer-reviewed works
Examples
Sources: Wikidata · Library of Congress · OpenAlex. The record of the motion picture, not an assessment of this cell.
FILM NOTES
FILM NOTES
Produced by Touch Point Pictures for Walt Disney under Tim Burton's vision and directed by Henry Selick, The Nightmare Before Christmas arrived in 1993 as a landmark achievement in stop motion animation. Its stark, gothic imagination stood apart from anything else Disney was releasing at the time, and its crossover appeal between Halloween and Christmas audiences made it an enduring cult favorite. The painstaking puppet work and dark musical sensibility of Danny Elfman's score cemented its reputation, and frames from the original production remain highly sought after by collectors who value its handmade craftsmanship and singular place in animation history.
This cell centers on Lock, Shock and Barrel, the mischievous child trio who serve Oogie Boogie and provide much of the film's chaotic energy. Their disguises, pranks, and unsettling glee make them fan favorites among collectors drawn to the film's darker comic relief. As a trio grouping rather than a single figure, this cell captures a moment of shared mischief, the kind of scene where their combined presence drives the story's tension and humor forward.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print of The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993).
Gauge
35mm, four perforations per frame on both edges; the strip holds three frames.
Perforations
Four per frame on each edge, evenly spaced; punched edges appear clean with no visible tearing or distortion.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible running along one edge beside the picture area, with what appears to be a blue-stripe magnetic or dye stripe adjacent to it; Dolby Digital data blocks are not clearly distinguishable at this size.
Edge print
Edge print reads (mirrored as captured): 'EASTMAN' and 'SAFE. TV FILM +*T' — consistent with Eastman safety stock labelling.
Base & colour
Base appears with a slight warm-neutral tint; the dye image shows rich colour saturation with no obvious fading or red shift.
Projection history
No visible splices, cue marks, or heavy scratching are apparent; minor surface marks consistent with a handled print are present.
Picture
Positive colour image; all three frames appear to be the same or near-identical consecutive frames from one shot, and the imagery is consistent with the stop-motion animated feature on record.
Era check
The Eastman safety stock designation, variable-area optical soundtrack, and colour dye image are all consistent with a 1990s theatrical release print of a 1993 feature.
Read from the original intake capture shown below. Observations only — film is authenticated, not graded.
This original motion picture film element has been examined and authenticated by Crown Grading in partnership with National Film Vault, and encapsulated for archival preservation.
Why so little survivesRelease prints were leased to theaters, not sold. When the run ended they went back to the distributor to be destroyed, and most were. What collectors hold today came from the prints that escaped that order, and no new 35mm prints of these films are being struck.
CROWN SERIAL 000064565
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
