For many of us, The Nightmare Before Christmas has become as much of a holiday tradition as the stop motion animation classics that inspired it.
It’s no secret that The Nightmare Before Christmas was greatly inspired by stop motion holiday classics made by Rankin/Bass Productions, the company founded by Arthur Rankin, Jr. and Jules Bass.
Burton came up with the story and the look and feel of the characters but The Nightmare Before Christmas was actually the directorial debut of Henry Selick.
Burton initially pitched The Nightmare Before Christmas as something similar, which could play annually.