Lesser-Known Fun Facts About *The Nightmare Before Christmas*

**Lesser-Known Fun Facts About *The Nightmare Before Christmas***

*The Nightmare Before Christmas*, a beloved stop-motion animated classic, has captivated audiences since its release in 1993. Created through the unique lens of Tim Burton and directed by Henry Selick, this Halloween-Christmas hybrid continues to inspire both awe and nostalgia. Despite its cult-like status, there’s still much about the film that even its most devoted fans may not know. Here’s a look at some intriguing and lesser-known fun facts about this ghoulishly charming movie.

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### 1. **Tim Burton Didn’t Direct It**
Although the movie is often referred to as “Tim Burton’s *The Nightmare Before Christmas*,” Burton did not direct the film. It is actually directed by Henry Selick, a master of stop-motion animation who also went on to direct *Coraline*. Burton served as the producer and provided the original concept, inspired by a poem he wrote in the 1980s. Burton was heavily involved with overseeing the project but was occupied with directing *Batman Returns* at the time.

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### 2. **The Story Began as a Poem**
Speaking of Burton’s poem, *The Nightmare Before Christmas* started as a three-page poetic work he penned while working as an animator at Disney. The poem focused on the lonely Pumpkin King, Jack Skellington, discovering the joy and magic of Christmas. While the poem laid the foundation for the story, multiple new characters and subplots—such as Sally’s creation and Oogie Boogie’s villainy—were fleshed out during the film’s development.

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### 3. **Jack Skellington Made a Cameo Before His Own Film Debut**
Fans of Tim Burton’s other films may have spotted Jack Skellington before he starred in *The Nightmare Before Christmas*. His iconic skull-like head makes a sneaky cameo in Burton’s 1988 movie *Beetlejuice*, where he can briefly be seen on the hat of Betelgeuse’s carnival-style outfit during the finale. Burton’s love for the character is evident, as Jack has even appeared in other Burton projects since—most notably in *James and the Giant Peach*.

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### 4. **It Took Three Years to Complete**
Making a stop-motion film is an arduous process, and *The Nightmare Before Christmas* was no exception. It took a remarkable three years to bring the film to fruition. Animators worked painstakingly to create the 76-minute film, shooting at a rate of about 12 frames per second. Each second of footage required roughly 12 individual stop-motion movements, and the team of animators worked around the clock to produce just one minute of footage per week.

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### 5. **Sally’s Voice and Singing Were Done by Two Different Actors**
In the film, Sally’s speaking voice is provided by Catherine O’Hara, known for her roles in *Home Alone*, *Schitt’s Creek*, and various other iconic productions. However, her singing voice belongs to a separate performer: Sally’s hauntingly beautiful songs were sung by composer and Broadway star Danny Elfman’s then-girlfriend, Fiona Apple (an early version), but the final cut remained by him!.

Sally’s empathy and haunting songs reflect perfect blend-trails! .

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