The Nightmare Before Christmas is the 172nd episode of Screen Junkies comedy series Honest Trailers. It was written by Spencer Gilbert, Joe Starr, Dan Murrell and Andy Signore. It parodies the 1993 stop-motion animated film The Nightmare Before Christmas in the format of a musical episode. In addition to regular narrator Jon Bailey, it also features parody songs with music by Matt Citron. It was published on October 25, 2016, to coincide with Halloween. It is 4 minutes 52 seconds long. It has been viewed over 3.4 million times.
Watch Honest Trailers - The Nightmare Before Christmas on YouTube
"Boys and Girls of every age, wouldn't you like to shop somewhere strange? Tim Burton and black lipstick, when you shop at Hot Topic." ~ Honest Trailers - The Nightmare Before Christmas
Script[]
From visionary director Tim Burton (shows the credit "Directed by Henry Selick")...I mean, from writer Tim Burton? (shows the credit "Screenplay by Caroline Thompson") Uhhh, with music and lyrics by Tim Burton? (shows the credit "Music and Lyrics by Danny Elfman") No? Well, what did he do?! Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas.
Suit up for a heartwarming holiday classic full of incredible animation, amazing songs, and haunting visuals, that makes every emo kid feel special and unique, even though they're all in love with the same movie. Awww.
Journey to a magical forest where inside each tree lies a world dedicated to a single holiday -- except for all the Jewish ones -- and discover Halloween Town, a land that exists just to throw one party a year.
The Mayor of Halloween town: There's only Three-hundred and sixty-five days left 'til next Halloween!
And the rest of the time...rehearses their big dance number, I guess?
Meet Jack the Pumpkin King, a manorexic skeleton. When he tires of his life of fame and fortune, he'll set off on a grand adventure of cultural appropriation.
Sally: But you're the Pumpkin King! [Shows Jack the image of himself as the Pumpkin King.]
Jack: [Takes the image from Sally.] Not anymore! [Then breaks it.]
As he hijacks Christmas, [Shows the clip of Jack as Santa, cackling madly.] traumatizes children, [Clip of child shrieking as a large snake eats the Christmas tree.] and lets a demon have his way with Santa Claus.
Santa Claus: What are you going to do?
Oogie Boogie: I'm gonna do the best I can.
Echhh! See, this is what happens when you take Jesus out of Christmas!
Experience a whimsical one-sided romance between Jack and your first goth crush, Sally, a suicidal cutter who can't stop roofie-ing her dad
Dr. Finklestein: That's twice this month you've slipped deadly nightshade into my tea and run off.
Sally: Three times.
She'll pine to jump Jack's bones, even though he never listens to a word she says, until they...randomly fall in love and live happily ever after...? The end? Seriously, the movie's, like, an hour long. There's really not that much to it.
So enjoy this short but sweet film that launched an entire genre of creepy stop-motion kids' movies (shows posters for Coraline, ParaNorman, Corpse Bride, and Frankenweenie), that we mostly remember for its gorgeous score and catchy music, with unforgettable songs like: The "Is This a Halloween or Christmas Movie?" Song...
(sung to the tune of "What's This?")
Jack Skellington: What's this? What's this? Is this a Christmas flick? What's this? Then why the spooky schtick? What's this? Like Gremlins or Die Hard, it's kind of both things. Hey just pick one and commit! What's this?
Is it Christmas? Or is it Halloween? It's mixed! Take one look at this scene! You see? The streets are lined with toys and happy children, but I look like I might kill them. How can two things so divergent co-exist?! Screw this!
[On 'Or is it Halloween?' it shows Jack snarling and on 'It's Mixed!' it shows him turning on the Electric Chair as it's covered in Christmas lights.]
...and the perennial classic,The "We Keep Hot Topic In Business" Song.
(sung to the tune of "This is Halloween")
Halloween Town Residents: Boys and Girls of every age, wouldn't you like to shop somewhere strange? Tim Burton and black lipstick, when you shop at Hot Topic.
This is Hot Topic! This is Hot Topic! Right across from the sunglass hut. This is Hot Topic! Making money off goth chicks. Ring it up! (Have your parents saying; What the F*ck?)
Funko Pops! Come and take your pick! (Spend your cash at Hot Topic!)
Spooky Tree: I am the one cashing in on nerd crap. Harley Quinn leggings, Buy them stat!
Creepy Clown: I am the one selling Deadpool hoodies, Anime shirts, and Doctor Who goodies!
Halloween Town Residents: Do the arithmetic; This film funded it. Hot Topic, Hot Topic, Hot Topic, Hot Topic.
(In Burton's Nightmare font, an image of a snowy yet scary forest is scene)
Starring Slender Man (Chris Sarandon and Danny Elfman as Jack Skellington), Helena Cotton-Carter (Catherine O'Hara as Sally), A Two-Faced Politician (Ohhh, I see what you did there!) (Glenn Shadix as The Mayor), Duckman [Shows a clip of mentioned character] Remember, Duckman? (William Hickey as The Mad Scientist / Dr. Finklestien), Rudog, the dead-nose reindeer (Zero) and, Eeeevil Laundry! (Ken Page as Oogie Boogie).
Honest title for The Nightmare Before Christmas - A Christmas Story? Title design by Robert Holtby.
(shows Oogie Boogie terrorizing Santa Claus in a blacklit scene) That scene was terrifying, but at least we know from the blacklights that there's no, uh...DNA on Santa. Ughhh, I've gotta stop watching SVU.
Trivia[]
- Screen Junkies have also produced Honest Trailers for several other holiday movies including Elf, Home Alone, The Santa Clause, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Love Actually and Die Hard.
- Screen Junkies have produced Honest Trailers for several other animated movies including Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, The Lion King, Aladdin, Cinderella, Despicable Me 1 & 2, Minions, Shrek, Toy Story, Inside Out, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Frozen, Moana, Wreck-It Ralph, Zootopia and many others (see list of Honest Trailers).
- An Honest Trailer Commentary for this episode was recorded and was available on the Screen Junkies Plus until the website/app was discontinued. Screen Junkies don't currently have any way of releasing the video.
Reception[]
Honest Trailers - The Nightmare Before Christmas has a 97.2% approval rating from YouTube viewers. Uproxx found the jokes about "Disney’s relentless merchandising" noteworthy, and also agreed the film has "some cultural crimes to account for." SlashFilm found the Honest Trailer notable for highlighting the debate over whether the film is a Halloween or Christmas movie, and for its song about how Hot Topic stays in business. Screen Rant remarked upon Screen Junkies' many observations, including the confusion of Burton's involvement, the absence of Jewish holidays and the one-sided romance. Screen Rant also wrote "as in every honest trailer, not everything is about the bad stuff: they praise Danny Elfman’s now-classic score and songs… without leaving their trademark humor behind."
Production credits[]
Video thumbnail for Honest Trailers - The Nightmare Before Christmas
Voiceover Narration by Jon Bailey
Title design by Robert Holtby
Original Music & Male Vocals: Matt Citron
Female Vocals: Leighton Bryan
Series Created by Andy Signore & Brett Weiner
Executive Producer - Andy Signore
Producers - Dan Murrell, Spencer Gilbert, Michael Bolton, Christina Kline
Written by Spencer Gilbert, Joe Starr, Dan Murrell & Andy Signore
Edited by Bruce Guido and TJ Nordaker
External links []
- How Hot Topic Stays in Business, as Sung by the Nightmare Before Christmas Honest Trailer - Slate article
- ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ Honest Trailer: Keeping Hot Topic in Business - SlashFilm article
- Honest Trailers takes on Nightmare Before Christmas - EW article
- An Honest Trailer for The Nightmare Before Christmas - ScreenRant article
- ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ Gets A Very Musical Honest Trailer - Uproxx article