One question seems to come around during the holiday season: is “The Nightmare Before Christmas” a Halloween movie or a Christmas movie?

   “I feel that the tone of the movie is more like Halloween, [with its] dark macabre vibes,” said English teacher Kathryn Harnish. “There’s Christmas in it, but it’s all very dark and spooky.” 

   Based on a Wildcat Tracks poll, over 74% of  respondents agree with Harnish and believe “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is more of a Halloween movie.

   Others, including the film’s director, Henry Selick, disagree.

   “Thirty years after I directed the film, beneath its candy corn coating, skeletons and vampires, corpse child and witches, I know ‘Nightmare’ at its heart is a Christmas movie,” said Selick in an interview in the “New York Post.”

   The film’s opening scenes are set in the town of Halloween, a town made up of all things spooky and creepy. It is supposed to be dark and scary, with pumpkins impaled on spikes, ghosts flying around, a dark color scheme, and lots of monster-like citizens, visuals that many fans find to be a highlight of the film.

   “Honestly, I think that the most memorable parts are the opening and the spooky town with all the cool characters in it,” said senior King Wang.“That’s what makes me think it’s a Halloween movie—I don’t remember as much about the Christmas part.”

   After the opening, several scenes occur in Halloween, with its  very distinct color palette. Its black houses and smoky sky show a very clear type of town.

   “I consider it a Halloween movie… because  they live in a town that’s all about Halloween,” said freshman David Rodriguez. “The characters are based on Halloween.”

   Despite this spooky opening, only 20 minutes into the movie Jack Skellington, voiced by Chris Sarandon, brings a whole new element into play. In a meeting with the residents of Halloween, Jack shares his experience of discovering Christmas, a previously unknown town focused on the December holiday. As said by Skellington: “Christmas is everything Halloween is not.” His discovery is a bright and joyful place with lots of happy, hard-working citizens constantly churning out toys and decorations for the upcoming holiday. When Skellington tries to bring Christmas to Halloween, the conflicting elements are what make the film a mixture of the two.

   “It’s a Halloween movie in the way the characters are made and the world they live in. But it’s trying to do Christmas, and that’s the fun of it,”  said freshman Aydin Kane.

   The combination of Christmas and Halloween is a fun one, and allows for watching through the entire holiday season. The movie can also provide an important message. Jack is the King of Halloween and is satisfied because he thinks he has everything, but upon discovering Christmas, he immediately decides he needs more.

   “Jack wanted something different, and that was Christmas—but he’s still a Halloween character,” said freshman Anlin Huang. “Maybe it’s both, just depending on how you look at it.”

   The way the plot of the movie continues supports the idea that it may be a combination of both holidays. After discovering Christmas, Jack and the movie’s focus becomes Christmas. Jack’s goal is to kidnap Sandy Claws, as he mistakenly calls Santa Claus, and bring Christmas to Halloween. Once he’s kidnapped Santa Claus, Jack Skellington steals Santa’s outfit and tries to become Santa with little success. After Jack releases Santa, he flies away in his sled, causing snow to fall in Halloween.

   This movie has made an impact on its audience, with six different re-releases since 2006, grossing a total of $106 million. If you haven’t seen the film or have but are looking for a refresher, the movie is available for streaming on Disney Plus, Apple Tv, and Prime Video, allowing you to watch it and make your own decision.