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“The Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993)

First introduced in 1993’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” Jack Skellington is the film’s, as well as Disney’s, patron spirit of Halloween. Born from a poem by the king of gothic-style cinema Tim Burton, the infamous skeleton and the spooky citizens of Halloween Town became the studio’s first venture into stop-motion animation.

Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, the film is fondly remembered by Henry Selick, for which “Nightmare” was his feature directorial debut. “All the things that people might have felt are strange or too scary, that’s what people have grown to love the most — the strangeness and originality of it,” says Selick.

The innovative use of stop motion, which Selick describes as “ancient magic,” furthers the film’s notoriety within Disney’s library. Selick admits he and his crew had “unlimited confidence” with their creativity, and it paid off, as the film justly earned an Oscar nomination for best visual effects.

Skellington has since become a representative of the Halloween-to-Christmas season for Disney — from taking over the Haunted Mansion to appearing in Halloween parades.

From his iconic look to catchy and oh-so-spooky, songs, Selick notes there are many reasons why the Pumpkin King is so beloved during that time of year. Most of all though, he believes Jack’s charm is due to his “irrepressible enthusiasm to take on something completely new.”

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