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‘Nightmare Before Christmas’ Fan Shows Her Love for the Film in a GIANT Way

Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas has amassed a huge fanbase over the years, with each fan displaying his or her love for the film in different ways. But one fan has taken her Nightmare Before Christmas obsession and love for Halloween decor to a whole new level.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas debuted 30 years ago in 1993. The stop-motion animated feature film tells the story of the Pumpkin King, Jack Skellington, and his discovery of Christmas. But when he attempts to bring Christmas to Halloween Town, the results are anything but merry.

A Mediocre Film at First

The famous Halloween-themed film will celebrate the 30th anniversary of its theatrical release later this year. Originally inspired by a poem written by producer Tim Burton during his time as a Disney animator, Disney’s The Nightmare Before Christmas wasn’t a film the House of Mouse wanted to make initially.

6 Terror-ific Stories from the Crew of Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas - D23
Credit: D23

Burton was fired from his role as an animator at Disney in 1984, and following his dismissal, he went to work for Warner Bros., directing Batman and other films. But Burton couldn’t let go of his idea for a film inspired by his poem. Though it took years, Disney and Burton eventually reached an agreement, and the plan was for the film to be released under Walt Disney Animation’s name. Ultimately, however, Disney decided to release it under Touchstone Pictures–a more adult-oriented label–since the studio feared Burton’s film would be “too dark and scary” for younger audiences.

When the film debuted at the box office, it did so with mediocre returns. But over the years, the film has only grown in popularity, and as the 30th anniversary of the film’s box office release approaches, Disney’s The Nightmare Before Christmas is more popular than ever.

Nightmare Before Christmas
Credit: Disney

The Fandom is Bigger Than Ever

Thirty years later, the number of Nightmare fans has grown exponentially, and Samantha Smith, a resident of Chicopee, Massachusetts, is just one of them. But Smith takes her love for the film to a whole new level, as she displays that affinity for The Nightmare Before Christmas with a giant collection of giant things–namely, inflatables inspired by the film.

nightmare before christmas inflatables
Credit: Samantha Smith

Smith says she began by adding one or two new inflatables to her collection each year. Now, however, her collection is massive, and it wouldn’t be complete without her 13-foot giant animated Jack Skellington, which regularly retails for $399 at Home Depot stores.

nightmare before christmas inflatables
Credit: Samantha Smith

Smith says she has already added Sally, Oogie Boogie, Lock, Shock, and Barrel, Dr. Finkelstein in his iconic wheelchair, Oogie Boogie’s Wheel of Death, Zero, one of the spooky clowns from the films, and the Mayor of Halloween Town to her collection. And that’s just the beginning.

nightmare before christmas inflatables
Credit: Samantha Smith

She says she plans to continue adding to her decorations, and this Halloween, Smith says her display will include a projector and inflatable screen, with which she’ll show the film throughout the evening for the enjoyment of trick-or-treaters. She says she’s also currently working to recreate the scene from the film in which Sally tries to stop Jack Skellington by using fog. Smith hopes to achieve this effect by using a green laser light along with a new fog machine she recently purchased.

Becky Burkett

Becky's from the Lone Star State and has been writing since she was 10 and encountered her first Disney Park when she was 11. It was love at first Main Street Electrical Parade. Joy is blank lined journals, 0.7 mm pens, and all things Walt, Woody and Buzz, PIXAR, Imagineering, Sleeping Beauty (make it blue!), Disney Parks history and EPCOT. At Disney World, you'll find her croonin' with the birdies at the Enchanted Tiki Room or hangin' with Woody and the gang at Toy Story Land. If you can dream, you really can do it!

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