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Neither of those are inversions...
Changed line(s) 251 (click to see context) from:
* OhMyGods: Inverted, as during "Poor Jack", Jack refers to God twice ("And, by God, I really tasted something swell!" "And, by God, I'm really going to give it all my might!").
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* OhMyGods: Inverted, Averted, as during "Poor Jack", Jack refers to God twice ("And, by God, I really tasted something swell!" "And, by God, I'm really going to give it all my might!").
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* SubbingForSanta: Inverted.
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* SubbingForSanta: Inverted.Played with.
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Deleted line(s) 41,43 (click to see context) :
** Jack himself could qualify if it weren't for Sally.
*** See CampStraight for Jack.
*** [[BiTheWay Maybe Jack's bi]]? [[NoBisexuals Oh, wait . . .]]
*** See CampStraight for Jack.
*** [[BiTheWay Maybe Jack's bi]]? [[NoBisexuals Oh, wait . . .]]
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Changed line(s) 223 (click to see context) from:
* MindScrew: "This Is Halloween". It's so surreal that bats have ''strings'' attached to them.
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* MindScrew: "This Is Halloween". It's so surreal that bats have ''strings'' attached to them. They digitally removed those strings in the Blu-Ray versions, though.
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* FunnyBackgroundEvent: Remember that boy whose parents screamed when they saw his Christmas present was a shrunken head? Next time we see him, his parents have fainted in the hallway. His dad's hand twitches.
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Changed line(s) 51 (click to see context) from:
* AttentionDeficitOohShiny: "What's this?!", is pretty much the unintentional embodiment of this trope.
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* AttentionDeficitOohShiny: "What's this?!", is pretty much the unintentional embodiment of this trope.this?!"
Changed line(s) 53,55 (click to see context) from:
* BabiesEverAfter: Not in the film proper, but on the original film soundtrack released in 1993, as well as the subsequent re-release "Nightmare Revisited", there's a epilogue poem where [[spoiler: Santa visits Jack and Jack has "four or five skeleton children at hand, playing strange tunes in their xylophone band."]] Of course, [[BrokenBase there is much debate]] on whether they are [[spoiler: Jack and Sally's kids]] and [[spoiler: how they could have them, since, you know, they're ''dead'']].
** ''He's'' dead. She's a rag doll.
*** This still begs the question of how they made kids. Though [[FridgeBrilliance "made" may be the right word]], since they might have been constructed like Sally and the skeleton reindeer.
** ''He's'' dead. She's a rag doll.
*** This still begs the question of how they made kids. Though [[FridgeBrilliance "made" may be the right word]], since they might have been constructed like Sally and the skeleton reindeer.
to:
* BabiesEverAfter: Not in the film proper, but on the original film soundtrack released in 1993, as well as the subsequent re-release "Nightmare Revisited", there's a epilogue poem where [[spoiler: Santa visits Jack and Jack has "four or five skeleton children at hand, playing strange tunes in their xylophone band."]] Of course, [[BrokenBase there There is much debate]] on whether they are [[spoiler: Jack and Sally's kids]] and [[spoiler: how they could have them, since, you know, they're ''dead'']].
** ''He's'' dead. She'sone's ''dead'' and the other's a rag doll.
***doll]].
** Thisstill also begs the question of how they made kids. Though [[FridgeBrilliance "made" may be the right word]], since they might have been constructed like Sally and the skeleton reindeer.
** ''He's'' dead. She's
***
** This
Changed line(s) 58 (click to see context) from:
* BigDamnHeroes: "Hello, Oogie!" Badass. Of course, it's unusual that you have a BDH moment where [[NiceJobBreakingItHero the bad situation is the hero's fault in the first place]], but even so.
to:
* BigDamnHeroes: "Hello, Oogie!" Badass. Of course, it's It's unusual that you have a BDH moment where [[NiceJobBreakingItHero the bad situation is the hero's fault in the first place]], but even so.
Changed line(s) 64 (click to see context) from:
** This, of course, is the primary source of conflict in the movie, because although the Halloween creatures ''think'' they understand Christmas, it's pretty much impossible for them to do so. Not even Jack really gets it.
to:
** This, of course, This is the primary source of conflict in the movie, because although the Halloween creatures ''think'' they understand Christmas, it's pretty much impossible for them to do so. Not even Jack really gets it.
Changed line(s) 68 (click to see context) from:
* CampStraight: Jack. Hell, at the end of "Making Christmas", he even swings his hips.
to:
* CampStraight: Jack. Hell, at At the end of "Making Christmas", he even swings his hips.
Changed line(s) 93,97 (click to see context) from:
* DeathGlare: When Jack arrives at Oogie Boogie's place, he's pretty pissed already, but when Jack hears Sally scream (thus telling him that she was down there), he gives a DeathGlare that pretty much signed Oogie's death warrant. A [[NightmareFuel slightly scarier]] example is [[spoiler: when Oogie's bugs are falling into the pit, Jack's facial expression quite clearly says, "You deserve this."]]
* DefangedHorrors: Outright stated (in the first song) that the people of the town love to scare, but have no malicious feelings towards people. Of course, their creepy Boogieman (whom even the Halloween folks avoid!) and his rather cowardly cronies are quite the exception. Even though Lock, Shock, and Barrel claim to only work for Oogie out of fear, they sure do show pleasure at the thoughts of mauling 'Sandy Claws' in their star song...
* DeliberatelyMonochrome: According to the special features of the DVD re-release, Halloweentown was made with this Trope in mind.
* DemBones: Jack, aka ''[[InSeriesNickname Bone Daddy]]'' and the doctor's Undead Reindeer Fleet, not to mention the hangman skeletons in the tree during the opening song, and the tortured luminescent singing skeletons in Boogie's place.
* DidntThinkThisThrough: Oogie and the gunmen. Note that when he hits the button for the saw, a '''thread''' gets caught...
* DefangedHorrors: Outright stated (in the first song) that the people of the town love to scare, but have no malicious feelings towards people. Of course, their creepy Boogieman (whom even the Halloween folks avoid!) and his rather cowardly cronies are quite the exception. Even though Lock, Shock, and Barrel claim to only work for Oogie out of fear, they sure do show pleasure at the thoughts of mauling 'Sandy Claws' in their star song...
* DeliberatelyMonochrome: According to the special features of the DVD re-release, Halloweentown was made with this Trope in mind.
* DemBones: Jack, aka ''[[InSeriesNickname Bone Daddy]]'' and the doctor's Undead Reindeer Fleet, not to mention the hangman skeletons in the tree during the opening song, and the tortured luminescent singing skeletons in Boogie's place.
* DidntThinkThisThrough: Oogie and the gunmen. Note that when he hits the button for the saw, a '''thread''' gets caught...
to:
* DeathGlare: When Jack arrives at Oogie Boogie's place, he's pretty pissed already, but when Jack hears Sally scream (thus telling him that she was down there), he gives a DeathGlare that pretty much signed Oogie's death warrant. A [[NightmareFuel slightly scarier]] example is [[spoiler: when Oogie's bugs are falling into the pit, Jack's facial expression quite clearly says, "You deserve this."]]
* DefangedHorrors: Outright stated (in the first song) that the people of the town love to scare, but have no malicious feelings towards people.Of course, their Their creepy Boogieman (whom even the Halloween folks avoid!) and his rather cowardly cronies are quite the exception. Even though Lock, Shock, and Barrel claim to only work for Oogie out of fear, they sure do show pleasure at the thoughts of mauling 'Sandy Claws' in their star song...
* DeliberatelyMonochrome: According to the special features of the DVD re-release,Halloweentown was made with this Trope in mind.
Halloweentown.
* DemBones: Jack, aka ''[[InSeriesNickname Bone Daddy]]'' and the doctor's Undead Reindeer Fleet,not to mention the hangman skeletons in the tree during the opening song, and the tortured luminescent singing skeletons in Boogie's place.
* DidntThinkThisThrough: Oogie and the gunmen.Note that when When he hits the button for the saw, a '''thread''' gets caught...
* DefangedHorrors: Outright stated (in the first song) that the people of the town love to scare, but have no malicious feelings towards people.
* DeliberatelyMonochrome: According to the special features of the DVD re-release,
* DemBones: Jack, aka ''[[InSeriesNickname Bone Daddy]]'' and the doctor's Undead Reindeer Fleet,
* DidntThinkThisThrough: Oogie and the gunmen.
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* DontYouLikeIt: Basically the reaction of Jack's Christmas.
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* DontYouLikeIt: Basically the The reaction of Jack's Christmas.
Changed line(s) 125 (click to see context) from:
*** The rest of the same scene. His attempts to understand the paraphernalia of Christmas only results in the items of his experiments being destroyed. "Jack's Obsession" also ends with him smashing several Christmas ornaments, and causing a string of lights to ''explode''.
to:
*** The rest of the same scene. His attempts tries to understand the paraphernalia of Christmas only results in the items of his experiments being destroyed. "Jack's Obsession" also ends with him smashing several Christmas ornaments, and causing a string of lights to ''explode''.
Changed line(s) 171 (click to see context) from:
** Also, keep in mind that they are, or at least appear to be, a bunch of [[InfantImmortality small children]].
to:
** Also, keep in mind that they are, or at least appear to be, a bunch of [[InfantImmortality small children]].
Changed line(s) 200 (click to see context) from:
* LimitedWardrobe: The only time Jack ever changed out of his tuxedo is, of course, when he [[BadSanta imitates]] SantaClaus (well, and one scene when he's in bed and wearing off-white pajamas, but that's only for a couple of minutes). Possibly even taken UpToEleven, since in "Poor Jack", when Jack declares that [[LargeHam HE IS THE PUMPKIN KING!!!]], he rips off the tatters of his Santa outfit to reveal that [[DressedInLayers he's been wearing his tux underneath the suit all this time]]. Sally also wears the same dress throughout the film, though considering that either she's locked up by [[MadScientist Dr. Finklestein]] or [[StalkerWithACrush stalking Jack]], this is more justified. Both cases are also justified with the fact that it would be needlessly complicated to have StopMotion characters wear different clothes.
to:
* LimitedWardrobe: The only time Jack ever changed out of his tuxedo is, of course, is when he [[BadSanta imitates]] SantaClaus (well, and one scene when he's in bed and wearing off-white pajamas, but that's only for a couple of minutes). Possibly even taken UpToEleven, since in "Poor Jack", when Jack declares that [[LargeHam HE IS THE PUMPKIN KING!!!]], he rips off the tatters of his Santa outfit to reveal that [[DressedInLayers he's been wearing his tux underneath the suit all this time]]. Sally also wears the same dress throughout the film, though considering that either she's locked up by [[MadScientist Dr. Finklestein]] or [[StalkerWithACrush stalking Jack]], this is more justified. Both cases are also justified with the fact that it would be needlessly complicated to have StopMotion characters wear different clothes.
Changed line(s) 211,212 (click to see context) from:
* MagicPants: Jack's outfit may count. Note when he rises out of the fountain and his collar visibly straightens. When Jack is shot down, the Sandy Claws outfit is shredded, but the tux is completely unscathed.
* MagicVersusScience: Sort of. Note that Santa can do magic (flying reindeer, flying away at the end followed by a trail of sparkly magic stuff), while Jack's way of going at Christmas is more scientific (employing Dr. Finklestein, reading books on the Scientific Method).
* MagicVersusScience: Sort of. Note that Santa can do magic (flying reindeer, flying away at the end followed by a trail of sparkly magic stuff), while Jack's way of going at Christmas is more scientific (employing Dr. Finklestein, reading books on the Scientific Method).
to:
* MagicPants: Jack's outfit may count. Note when When he rises out of the fountain and his collar visibly straightens. When Jack is shot down, the Sandy Claws outfit is shredded, but the tux is completely unscathed.
* MagicVersusScience: Sort of.Note that Santa can do magic (flying reindeer, flying away at the end followed by a trail of sparkly magic stuff), while Jack's way of going at Christmas is more scientific (employing Dr. Finklestein, reading books on the Scientific Method).
* MagicVersusScience: Sort of.
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* MustMakeAmends: Basically, Jack and Oogie's fight is about Jack trying to fix things.
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* MustMakeAmends: Basically, Jack and Oogie's fight is about Jack trying to fix things.
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* OpeningNarration: Narrated by Santa, and this would have qualified for BookEnds if they had kept the epilogue noted under BabiesEverAfter. (The ending narration can be heard on the soundtrack, and it's read by PatrickStewart for extra awesome points.)
to:
* OpeningNarration: Narrated by Santa, and this would have qualified for BookEnds if they had kept the epilogue noted under BabiesEverAfter. (The ending narration can be heard on the soundtrack, and it's read by PatrickStewart for extra awesome points.)
Changed line(s) 262 (click to see context) from:
* OurMonstersAreDifferent: Basically every resident of Halloween Town is some kind of horrible monster, yet nearly all of them are pretty much good-natured in their own way. The creepy nature they all have is just how they are, as they don't technically mean to bring harm to anyone...unless you ask for it.
to:
* OurMonstersAreDifferent: Basically every Rvery resident of Halloween Town is some kind of horrible monster, yet nearly all of them are pretty much good-natured in their own way. The creepy nature they all have is just how they are, as they don't technically mean to bring harm to anyone...unless you ask for it.
Changed line(s) 268,269 (click to see context) from:
* PlanetOfHats: Every (American) holiday has an entire ''alternate reality'' devoted to that one holiday.
** [[WildMassGuessing Maybe holidays from other countries are in a different part of the forest.]]
** [[WildMassGuessing Maybe holidays from other countries are in a different part of the forest.]]
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* PlanetOfHats: Every (American) holiday has an entire ''alternate reality'' devoted to that one holiday.
** [[WildMassGuessing Maybe holidays from other countries are in a different part of the forest.]]holiday.
** [[WildMassGuessing Maybe holidays from other countries are in a different part of the forest.]]
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* TwoFaced: The Mayor, who [[VisualPun literally has two faces]] -- one colorful and happy, one ashen and distressed. It's more of a facial mood ring than a split personality, though.
* UltimateAuthorityMayor: The mayor. Justified as there really isn't any higher authority that ''exists'' in... where ever the hell Halloweentown is. And Jack does all the real work anyway.
* UltimateAuthorityMayor: The mayor. Justified as there really isn't any higher authority that ''exists'' in... where ever the hell Halloweentown is. And Jack does all the real work anyway.
to:
* TwoFaced: The Mayor, who [[VisualPun literally has two faces]] -- one colorful and happy, one ashen and distressed. It's more of a facial mood ring than a split personality, though.
* UltimateAuthorityMayor: The mayor. Justified as there really isn't any higher authority that ''exists'' in... where everthe hell Halloweentown is. And Jack does all the real work anyway.
* UltimateAuthorityMayor: The mayor. Justified as there really isn't any higher authority that ''exists'' in... where ever
Changed line(s) 328 (click to see context) from:
* VillainSong: "Oogie Boogie's Song". Keep in mind, it's sung by Ken Page, the same fellow who voiced King Gator in ''AllDogsGoToHeaven'' and played Old Deuteronomy in the video version of ''Cats''. As such, it's amazing.
to:
* VillainSong: "Oogie Boogie's Song". Keep in mind, it's It's sung by Ken Page, the same fellow who voiced King Gator in ''AllDogsGoToHeaven'' and played Old Deuteronomy in the video version of ''Cats''. As such, it's amazing.
Changed line(s) 333,334 (click to see context) from:
** Yet there are quite a few fans that thought that [[FanDumb Santa was oh so mean to poor Jack]]. This Jack fangirl actually used to think so too, but after thinking about it, wouldn't ''you'' be a bit pissed at the guy who fucked up your holiday and nearly got you eaten? And note, fangirls, that [[FridgeBrilliance Santa didn't know Jack told Lock, Shock, and Barrel not to send him down to Oogie.]]
*** Not to mention that Santa was still understanding enough to [[spoiler:bring snow to Halloweentown, so Jack's dream that everyone could understand Christmas came true.]]
*** Not to mention that Santa was still understanding enough to [[spoiler:bring snow to Halloweentown, so Jack's dream that everyone could understand Christmas came true.]]
to:
** Yet there are quite a few fans that thought that [[FanDumb Santa was oh so mean to poor Jack]]. This Jack fangirl actually used to think so too, but after thinking about it, wouldn't ''you'' be a bit pissed at the guy who fucked up your holiday and nearly got you eaten? And note, fangirls, that [[FridgeBrilliance Santa didn't know Jack told Lock, Shock, and Barrel not to send him down to Oogie.]]
***Not to mention that Santa was still understanding enough to [[spoiler:bring snow to Halloweentown, so Jack's dream that everyone could understand Christmas came true.]]
***
Changed line(s) 337 (click to see context) from:
* WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief: Jack and Sally able to walk, talk, can feel pain, and even implied to have a need for nourishment? Why not. Jack and Sally having children, particularly through being able to have sex? [[BrokenBase The fandom is divided by this]]. Some say why not, while others think Jack and Sally either [[LampshadedDoubleEntendre lack certain parts]] for successful reproduction or shouldn't have kids at all. And this isn't getting into the {{Squick}}[=/=]FetishFuel aspect of the argument . . .
to:
* WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief: Jack and Sally able to can walk, talk, can feel pain, and even are implied to have a need for nourishment? Why not. Jack and Sally having children, particularly through being able to have sex? [[BrokenBase The fandom is divided by this]]. Some say why not, while others think Jack and Sally either [[LampshadedDoubleEntendre lack certain parts]] for successful reproduction or shouldn't have kids at all. And this isn't getting into the {{Squick}}[=/=]FetishFuel aspect of the argument . . .
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Changed line(s) 17,18 (click to see context) from:
Starting in 2006, it's gotten a theatrical re-release once a year at Halloween time, with a somewhat disappointingly light-handed makeover into a ThreeDMovie. Compare ''Film/{{Coraline}}'', which is from the same director. The difference likely has to do with the fact that Coraline was intended to be a 3-D film from the time it began filming. The 3-D version of The Nightmare Before Christmas was retrofitted approximately thirteen years after its original release.
to:
Starting in 2006, it's gotten a theatrical re-release once a year at Halloween time, with a somewhat disappointingly light-handed makeover into a ThreeDMovie. Compare ''Film/{{Coraline}}'', ''WesternAnimation/{{Coraline}}'', which is from the same director. The difference likely has to do with the fact that Coraline was intended to be a 3-D film from the time it began filming. The 3-D version of The Nightmare Before Christmas was retrofitted approximately thirteen years after its original release.
Changed line(s) 159 (click to see context) from:
** This trope combined with the advertising ("From the director of ''The Nightmare Before Christmas''") inadvertently caused people who aren't aware of Henry Selick's involvement with ''Nightmare'' to think that ''Film/{{Coraline}}'' was directed by Burton (it was Selick who directed that film too).
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** This trope combined with the advertising ("From the director of ''The Nightmare Before Christmas''") inadvertently caused people who aren't aware of Henry Selick's involvement with ''Nightmare'' to think that ''Film/{{Coraline}}'' ''WesternAnimation/{{Coraline}}'' was directed by Burton (it was Selick who directed that film too).
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** Similarly subverted in the video game sequel ''Oogie's Revenge'', where you can beat on them and then turn their song back onto them in their boss fight.
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Deleted line(s) 61,62 (click to see context) :
* BlackAndGrayMorality: Jack apparently has no qualms about kidnapping, but he's still a much better person then Oogie, a sadistic torturer who likes to gamble with other people's lives (he even cheats in the gambling).
** Then again, [[BlueAndOrangeMorality kidnapping may be a perfectly acceptable part of Halloweentown]]. Other than that, it's less that Jack is "gray" than he is "[[IdiotHero lacking in common sense]]".
** Then again, [[BlueAndOrangeMorality kidnapping may be a perfectly acceptable part of Halloweentown]]. Other than that, it's less that Jack is "gray" than he is "[[IdiotHero lacking in common sense]]".
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Deleted line(s) 94,96 (click to see context) :
--> '''Doctor Finklestein:''' Curiosity killed the cat, you know.
--> '''Jack:''' ''I know''.
** This troper was under the impression that Jack, being dead already and thus not able to be hurt, and being a NightmareFetishist sounded and was actually excited about the prospect.
--> '''Jack:''' ''I know''.
** This troper was under the impression that Jack, being dead already and thus not able to be hurt, and being a NightmareFetishist sounded and was actually excited about the prospect.
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Changed line(s) 64 (click to see context) from:
* TheBlindLeadingTheBlind: Jack: "At least they're excited but they don't understand this Christmas thing."
to:
* TheBlindLeadingTheBlind: Jack: "At least they're excited but they don't understand this Christmas thing.understand/that special kind of feeling in Christmasland."
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Changed line(s) 211 (click to see context) from:
** He's an AnthropomorphicPersonification. He's probably very hard to kill, especially with mortal weapons. Doesn't mean it doesn't hurt like Hell.
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** He's an AnthropomorphicPersonification. He's probably very hard to kill, especially with mortal weapons. Doesn't mean it doesn't hurt like Hell. He's very shaken.
** Sally - while she's made of cloth and stuffed with leaves, she's very hard to hurt. At one point she throws herself out of a window, and then puts herself back together again.
** Sally - while she's made of cloth and stuffed with leaves, she's very hard to hurt. At one point she throws herself out of a window, and then puts herself back together again.
Changed line(s) 213 (click to see context) from:
* MadScientistsBeautifulDaughter: In the "artificial creation" sense of "daughter", with an OverprotectiveDad. Or perhaps he created her with plans to woo her.
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* MadScientistsBeautifulDaughter: In the "artificial creation" sense of "daughter", with an OverprotectiveDad. Or perhaps Other theories are that he created made her as a housemaid, or even with plans to woo the intention of wooing her.
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Changing trope name per TRS
Deleted line(s) 113 (click to see context) :
* EfficientDisplacement: When Jack hits the Christmas Town sign and falls into a foot of snow.
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* ImpactSilhouette: When Jack hits the Christmas Town sign and falls into a foot of snow.
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Changed line(s) 187,189 (click to see context) from:
-->'''Jack Skellington''': Wh - ! Why, you have ''hands''! You don't have claws at all!
-->'''Santa'': ''(dazed)'' Where am I?
-->'''Jack Skellington'': Surprised, are you? You don't have to worry about another Christmas ''this'' year.
-->'''Santa'': ''(dazed)'' Where am I?
-->'''Jack Skellington'': Surprised, are you? You don't have to worry about another Christmas ''this'' year.
to:
-->'''Jack Skellington''': Wh - -- ! Why, you have ''hands''! You don't have claws at all!
-->'''Santa'': -->'''Santa''': ''(dazed)'' Where am I?
-->'''JackSkellington'': Skellington''': Surprised, are you? You don't have to worry about another Christmas ''this'' year.
-->'''Jack
Changed line(s) 191 (click to see context) from:
-->'''Jack Skellington'': Consider this a vacation, Sandy. A ''reward''. It's ''your'' turn to take it easy.
to:
-->'''Jack Skellington'': Skellington''': Consider this a vacation, Sandy. A ''reward''. It's ''your'' turn to take it easy.
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Changed line(s) 247 (click to see context) from:
* NoNameGiven: [[EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep The Mayor]] (though some of the merch calls him [[PunnyName Hizzonor]]). Most of the citizens also seem to not have names (The Clown With The-Tear-Away-Face, The Wolf Man, etc). Awesomely used with one off-screen horror who proclaims "I and the ''who'' in the call out "''Who's there?''".
to:
* NoNameGiven: [[EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep The Mayor]] (though some of the merch calls him [[PunnyName Hizzonor]]). Most of the citizens also seem to not have names (The Clown With The-Tear-Away-Face, The Wolf Man, etc). Awesomely used with one off-screen horror who proclaims "I and am the ''who'' in the "''who''" when you call out "''Who's there?''".there?''"".
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Changed line(s) 5,6 (click to see context) from:
->--[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpvdAJYvofI "This Is Halloween"]]
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* CreepyLongFingers: Jack.
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Deleted line(s) 58,59 (click to see context) :
* BeyondTheImpossible: How scary is Oogie? He even scares the other people in Halloweentown! [[FridgeBrilliance Oogie Boogie is scary because he's the only one in Halloween Town who would ever think of using violence against other people.]]
** Further FridgeBrilliance is Oogie's reaction to Jack's return in the BDH moment below. Oogie's afraid of Jack, who doesn't need violence to be scary, and doesn't need it to beat Oogie.
** Further FridgeBrilliance is Oogie's reaction to Jack's return in the BDH moment below. Oogie's afraid of Jack, who doesn't need violence to be scary, and doesn't need it to beat Oogie.
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* UpToEleven: How scary is Oogie? He even scares the other people in Halloweentown! [[FridgeBrilliance Oogie Boogie is scary because he's the only one in Halloween Town who would ever think of using violence against other people.]]
** Further FridgeBrilliance is Oogie's reaction to Jack's return in the BDH moment above. Oogie's afraid of Jack, who doesn't need violence to be scary, and doesn't need it to beat Oogie.
** Further FridgeBrilliance is Oogie's reaction to Jack's return in the BDH moment above. Oogie's afraid of Jack, who doesn't need violence to be scary, and doesn't need it to beat Oogie.
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Changed line(s) 184 (click to see context) from:
* [[KidsPreferBoxes Skeletons Prefer Boxes]]: Jack is obsessed with the concept of a "present" (particularly in ''KingdomHearts2''), but doesn't understand that the present is what's INSIDE the pretty wrapped box with the bow.
to:
* [[KidsPreferBoxes Skeletons Prefer Boxes]]: Jack is obsessed with the concept of a "present" (particularly in ''KingdomHearts2''), ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII''), but doesn't understand that the present is what's INSIDE the pretty wrapped box with the bow.
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* TheDogWasTheMastermind: Averted, [[spoiler:It was [[WhatCouldHaveBeen originally planned]] that Dr. Finklestein was actually Oogie Boogie's true identity, leaving Jack Skellington confused, but it was cut because apparently Tim Burton acknowledged the reveal would have been too confusing.]]
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Changed line(s) 127 (click to see context) from:
** Jack could also be a foil for [[HowTheGrinchStoleChristmas The Grinch]], the latter stealing Christmas to ruin it but ends up saving it via a HeelFaceTurn and the former taking over Christmas with good intentions but screwing it up royally.
to:
** Jack could also be a foil for [[HowTheGrinchStoleChristmas [[Literature/HowTheGrinchStoleChristmas The Grinch]], the latter stealing Christmas to ruin it but ends up saving it via a HeelFaceTurn and the former taking over Christmas with good intentions but screwing it up royally.
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Changed line(s) 30 (click to see context) from:
* AnAesop: several
to:
* AnAesop: severalSeveral, most of which are rather [[FamilyUnfriendlyAesop family-unfriendly.]]
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Changed line(s) 300 (click to see context) from:
** Some of the toys are the same ones as seen in ''BatmanReturns'' and two of the Real World kids are wearing pajamas with [[ClassicDisneyShorts Mickey Mouse]] and DonaldDuck on them.
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** Some of the toys are the same ones as seen in ''BatmanReturns'' ''Film/BatmanReturns'' and two of the Real World kids are wearing pajamas with [[ClassicDisneyShorts Mickey Mouse]] and DonaldDuck on them.
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* OnlySaneWoman: Sally correctly predicts that Jack Skellington will turn Christmas into a disaster.
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* DisneyDeath: Jack. Fortunately, he recovers, which makes Oogie ticked off.
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* DisneyDeath: Jack. Fortunately, he recovers, [[LampshadeHanging which makes Oogie ticked off.off]].
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* DisneyVillainDeath: Oogie Boogie ends up like this when [[spoiler: his sack is torn]].
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Moved some more tropes to the YMMV tab.
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It [[{{Fannage}} has a ridiculously large and well-documented article]] on TheOtherWiki. Seriously, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nightmare_Before_Christmas just look at it]]. [[http://www.nightmarebeforechristmas.net/ It also has a fan website called the Pumpkin Patch.]]
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It [[{{Fannage}} has a ridiculously large and well-documented article]] on TheOtherWiki.Wiki/{{Wikipedia}}. Seriously, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nightmare_Before_Christmas just look at it]]. [[http://www.nightmarebeforechristmas.net/ It also has a fan website called the Pumpkin Patch.]]
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* FauxSymbolism: A skeletal creature trying to supplant a ruler of his crown, being shot down and falling, WreathedInFlames, into [[PietaPlagiarism the arms of a stone]] ''[[PietaPlagiarism angel]]?'' There's ''got'' to be something to that.
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* FoeYay: Come on, there's really no reason why, when he decided to show, Jack had to announce his presence to [[BigBad Oogie Boogie]] looking like [[http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Akward_______2623.jpg he's trying to seduce him]].
** Then there's Oogie's ShoutOut comment to Santa, sounding like Oogie's going to ''[[{{Squick}} rape]]'' him.
** The ShowSomeLeg scene! Seriously, that's probably the reason for the Oogie/Sally ship!
** Then there's Oogie's ShoutOut comment to Santa, sounding like Oogie's going to ''[[{{Squick}} rape]]'' him.
** The ShowSomeLeg scene! Seriously, that's probably the reason for the Oogie/Sally ship!
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* NoPeripheralVision: After [[BigBad Oogie Boogie]] realizes that the knife-wielding king cards wasn't going to stop Jack from kicking his ass, Oogie pulls a rope that stops the murderous cards. Jack goes for Oogie, never noticing the [[PirateNinjaZombieRobot gun-wielding gambling game cowboy skeletons]] approaching to his left and nearly getting shot. However, considering that Jack [[TheDeadHaveEyes doesn't have proper eyeballs]], it's entirely possible that Jack really ''doesn't'' have peripheral vision, therefore justifying him not seeing the weapons.
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* NoPeripheralVision: After [[BigBad Oogie Boogie]] realizes that the knife-wielding king cards wasn't going to stop Jack from kicking his ass, Oogie pulls a rope that stops the murderous cards. Jack goes for Oogie, never noticing the [[PirateNinjaZombieRobot [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot gun-wielding gambling game cowboy skeletons]] approaching to his left and nearly getting shot. However, considering that Jack [[TheDeadHaveEyes doesn't have proper eyeballs]], it's entirely possible that Jack really ''doesn't'' have peripheral vision, therefore justifying him not seeing the weapons.
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** ShoutOut/ToShakespeare in "Jack's Lament": "''And since I am dead, I can [[AlasPoorYorick take off my head]]/ To recite [[{{Hamlet}} Shakespearean quotations]].''"
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** ShoutOut/ToShakespeare in "Jack's Lament": "''And since I am dead, I can [[AlasPoorYorick take off my head]]/ To recite [[{{Hamlet}} [[Theatre/{{Hamlet}} Shakespearean quotations]].''"
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WHAT? SNAKE-EYES! (slams hand on table, causing dice to move) \'\'Eleven!\'\'
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* BlackAndGrayMorality: Jack apparently has no qualms about kidnapping, but he's still a much better person then Oogie, a sadistic torturer who likes to gamble with other people's lives.
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* BlackAndGrayMorality: Jack apparently has no qualms about kidnapping, but he's still a much better person then Oogie, a sadistic torturer who likes to gamble with other people's lives.lives (he even cheats in the gambling).
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Released to cinemas in 1993, this stop-motion animation film produced and conceived by TimBurton, though actually scripted by Caroline Thompson and directed by Henry Selick (as Burton himself was busy with ''Film/{{Batman}} Returns'' at the time), starts with the citizens of Halloween Town celebrating (you guessed it) Halloween in the grandest fashion possible, due to their love (all right, unnerving obsession) of scaring everyone senseless. However, Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King, has grown rather tired of the same old thing, and yearns for something new in his life.
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Released to cinemas in 1993, this stop-motion animation film produced and conceived by TimBurton, though actually scripted by Caroline Thompson and directed by Henry Selick (as Burton himself was busy with ''Film/{{Batman}} Returns'' at the time), starts with the citizens of Halloween Town celebrating (you guessed it) Halloween in the grandest fashion possible, due to their love of (all right, unnerving obsession) of obsession with) scaring everyone senseless. However, Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King, has grown rather tired of the same old thing, and yearns for something new in his life.
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Not the place for Audience Reaction
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* MinionShipping: Lock and Shock. [[ToyShip I'm afraid so.]]
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* MinionShipping: Lock and Shock. [[ToyShip I'm afraid so.]]
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* SpiritualSuccessor: ''Film/CorpseBride''. Made even more obvious by the fact that its trailer ended up with RecycledTrailerMusic from this film.
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* SpiritualSuccessor: ''Film/CorpseBride''.''WesternAnimation/CorpseBride''. Made even more obvious by the fact that its trailer ended up with RecycledTrailerMusic from this film.
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[[quoteright:250:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/nightmare_before_christmas_Resized_5403.jpg]]
->''Boys and girls of every age, wouldn't you like to see something strange?''
->''Come with us and you will see, this our town of Halloween!''
->--[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpvdAJYvofI "This Is Halloween"]]
Released to cinemas in 1993, this stop-motion animation film produced and conceived by TimBurton, though actually scripted by Caroline Thompson and directed by Henry Selick (as Burton himself was busy with ''Film/{{Batman}} Returns'' at the time), starts with the citizens of Halloween Town celebrating (you guessed it) Halloween in the grandest fashion possible, due to their love (all right, unnerving obsession) of scaring everyone senseless. However, Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King, has grown rather tired of the same old thing, and yearns for something new in his life.
After the current year's celebration of Halloween, the morose Jack goes for a long walk out of town, where he happens to walk into several portals that lead to all the other holiday towns. Immediately attracted by the Christmas tree shaped one, he ventures into Christmas Town. There he discovers the wonders of the bright and jolly, and becomes obsessed with understanding Christmas.
He returns to Halloween town and informs the townsfolk of Christmas, but both his and their understanding of the holiday is limited by their experience of Halloween. In a PerspectiveFlip of the typical ChristmasSpecial plot of "monsters try to steal Christmas," Jack declares with perfectly good intentions that he will take over Christmas duties for the year, sending some [[EnfantTerrible somewhat homicidal children]] to kidnap "[[MyNameIsNotDurwood Sandy Claws]]" for an enforced vacation.
The whole town groups together to create Christmas but Sally the rag doll, who is secretly in love with Jack, has a vision that it will be a disaster. She's right, of course.
Throw all that in with a boogie man fashioned from a burlap sack filled with insects, rousing musical numbers, NightmareFuel abounds for the young ones and some truly brilliant imagery and directing, and you get the now classic film ''The Nightmare Before Christmas''.
Starting in 2006, it's gotten a theatrical re-release once a year at Halloween time, with a somewhat disappointingly light-handed makeover into a ThreeDMovie. Compare ''Film/{{Coraline}}'', which is from the same director. The difference likely has to do with the fact that Coraline was intended to be a 3-D film from the time it began filming. The 3-D version of The Nightmare Before Christmas was retrofitted approximately thirteen years after its original release.
It [[{{Fannage}} has a ridiculously large and well-documented article]] on TheOtherWiki. Seriously, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nightmare_Before_Christmas just look at it]]. [[http://www.nightmarebeforechristmas.net/ It also has a fan website called the Pumpkin Patch.]]
The series would later gain a sequel in video game form on the {{PlayStation 2}} titled ''[[NightmareBeforeChristmasOogiesRevenge Oogie's Revenge]]'' and a prequel, ''The Pumpkin King'' on the {{Game Boy Advance}}. Halloween Town and Jack alsos appear in almost every game in the ''KingdomHearts'' series. Disneyland has added movie-themed attractions in the Haunted Mansion just in time for Halloween in the past years.
Now has [[Characters/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas a character sheet]] and [[FanFicRecs/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas Fan Fic Recommendations]].
----
[[AC: The Film provides examples of:]]
* ThreeDMovie: The theatrical re-release.
* ActionFilmQuietDramaScene: Several, but one that takes the cake is Sally picking the flower which transforms into a tiny Christmas tree, and then tragically bursts into flames ''right before her eyes''.
* AdaptationExpansion: Nightmare was originally a poem by Burton, with the only named characters being Jack, Zero, and Santa.
* AnAesop: several
** The movie illustrates that good intentions pave the road to Hell...
** "The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence".
** "Look before you leap" strained through a mesh made of "make sure you know what you're doing."
** "Jack's Lament" has a coat of "[[CelebrityIsOverrated fame is overrated]]" painted over it.
** BeYourself.
** A change of scenery is a terrific cure for burnout. Or that being leader in one area doesn't mean you can take over anything that catches your eye.
** A {{Deconstruction}} of the classic Disney Aesop "You can be whatever you dream to be".
** Your best friend is the one who'll tell you the truth about yourself.
* AffablyEvil: Lock, Shock and Barrel.
* AmbiguouslyGay: The Mayor. He is voiced by Glenn Shadix, who was openly gay. Also, the vampires.
** Jack himself could qualify if it weren't for Sally.
*** See CampStraight for Jack.
*** [[BiTheWay Maybe Jack's bi]]? [[NoBisexuals Oh, wait . . .]]
** Then there's that one monster. You know, the one that was going to make a hat out of a rat. Have you heard its voice?
*** You mean the ''[[MeaningfulName Harlequin]]'' Demon?
*** That character's voiced by Greg Proops, incidentally. From WhoseLineIsItAnyway A show that had lots of HoYay.
* AnimatedMusical
* AnthropomorphicPersonification: Jack could possibly be the Personification of Halloween.
* AppliedMathematics: Jack puts a number of unconventional "equations" on a blackboard to try and understand Christmas.
* AsskickingEqualsAuthority: Jack is the Pumpkin King not just because he's the scariest creature, but because he's also the toughest.
* AttentionDeficitOohShiny: "What's this?!", is pretty much the unintentional embodiment of this trope.
** Jack having ADD is actually a fairly popular [[EpilepticTrees fan theory]].
* BabiesEverAfter: Not in the film proper, but on the original film soundtrack released in 1993, as well as the subsequent re-release "Nightmare Revisited", there's a epilogue poem where [[spoiler: Santa visits Jack and Jack has "four or five skeleton children at hand, playing strange tunes in their xylophone band."]] Of course, [[BrokenBase there is much debate]] on whether they are [[spoiler: Jack and Sally's kids]] and [[spoiler: how they could have them, since, you know, they're ''dead'']].
** ''He's'' dead. She's a rag doll.
*** This still begs the question of how they made kids. Though [[FridgeBrilliance "made" may be the right word]], since they might have been constructed like Sally and the skeleton reindeer.
* BadSanta: Jack, albeit unwittingly.
* BeneathTheMask: To the citizens of HalloweenTown, Jack's the charismatic, self-confident, [[NightmareFuelStationAttendant terrifying]] Pumpkin King. What they don't know is that Jack is very unhappy and bored about doing the same thing every year and longs for something different. [[CuriosityIsACrapshoot Then he discovers Christmastown . . .]]
* BeyondTheImpossible: How scary is Oogie? He even scares the other people in Halloweentown! [[FridgeBrilliance Oogie Boogie is scary because he's the only one in Halloween Town who would ever think of using violence against other people.]]
** Further FridgeBrilliance is Oogie's reaction to Jack's return in the BDH moment below. Oogie's afraid of Jack, who doesn't need violence to be scary, and doesn't need it to beat Oogie.
* BigDamnHeroes: "Hello, Oogie!" Badass. Of course, it's unusual that you have a BDH moment where [[NiceJobBreakingItHero the bad situation is the hero's fault in the first place]], but even so.
* TheBigGuy: Easy to overlook due to his bean-pole physique, but when one really sizes him up to his surroundings, Jack appears to be around 7-8 feet tall!
* BilingualBonus: Jack's ghost-dog's name is Zero. In Japanese, Zero can be translated as "Rei", which can also mean "Ghost".
* BlackAndGrayMorality: Jack apparently has no qualms about kidnapping, but he's still a much better person then Oogie, a sadistic torturer who likes to gamble with other people's lives.
** Then again, [[BlueAndOrangeMorality kidnapping may be a perfectly acceptable part of Halloweentown]]. Other than that, it's less that Jack is "gray" than he is "[[IdiotHero lacking in common sense]]".
* BlessedWithSuck: ''Jack''. He's the King of Halloween, yet it's '''always about Halloween''', every single day, which is problematic when you want something different. Taking a break is not an option, as shown when Jack disappears for only two days, everyone is in a panic. Also, Jack seems to not be able to give the crown to anyone else if he wanted ("But who here would ever understand/That the Pumpkin King with the skeleton grin/Would tire of his crown, if they only understood/He'd give it all up if he only could . . . "), so he's stuck with the job. ''And'' if the scenes after "This Is Halloween" is any indication, due to being the biggest in-universe celebrity, Jack can't even having a decent conversation with anyone. And who knows how long Jack's been doing the Halloween job? He could be ReallySevenHundredYearsOld for all we know. When you think about it, [[TheWoobie you can't blame the guy]] for desperately wanting to try out Christmas.
* TheBlindLeadingTheBlind: Jack: "At least they're excited but they don't understand this Christmas thing."
* BlueAndOrangeMorality: The people of Halloweentown are macabre, disturbing, and scary, and enjoy things that are dangerous and unpleasant to regular people, but that's just because it's their nature. In their world, these things are all quite positive.
** This, of course, is the primary source of conflict in the movie, because although the Halloween creatures ''think'' they understand Christmas, it's pretty much impossible for them to do so. Not even Jack really gets it.
* [[ABoyAndHisX A Skeleton and His Ghost Dog]]
* BSODSong: "Poor Jack" starts out this way.
** It can also count as both a {{dark|Reprise}} and {{triumphant reprise}} of "Jack's Lament".
* CampStraight: Jack. Hell, at the end of "Making Christmas", he even swings his hips.
* CashCowFranchise: Oh yes!
** What makes this even more annoying is that some people buy the stuff to look {{Goth}} or {{Emo}}, not because they actually seen the movie.
** Ironically, Tim Burton seemed to try to prevent this to an extent, by refusing to do sequels and ruin the integrity of the movie for fans.
* CassandraTruth: Sally tries to tell Jack that his Christmas will be a disaster. Guess what happens.
* CCGImportanceDissonance
* CheshireCatGrin: Jack has this mixed with SlasherSmile as his default smile. Sally [[http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Sally_cheshire_cat_grin_6839.jpg gets a good one]] when she tricks the doctor into eating the poisoned soup.
* ColourCodedForYourConvenience: Christmas Town, Halloween Town, "The Normal World", and the Forest all have different color palettes, making them easier to distinguish from one another.
* ComfortingComforter: Sally takes the time to tuck Dr Finklestein in after she drugs him unconscious so she can leave.
* ComicallyMissingThePoint: Things might have gone more smoothly if Jack and the HalloweenTown citizens actually ''understood'' Christmas...
** One could interpret Jack's "misunderstanding" as him continuing to "give the people what they want", as he stated at the end of the Town Meeting Song.
** Some people feel that Goths wearing TNBC clothes are ComicallyMissingThePoint. These people obviously have never encountered Perky Goths, who match Jack's personality and love of the macabre PERFECTLY.
* CoverVersion: As part of the 2006 re-release marketing thing, ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightmare_Revisited Nightmare Revisited]]'' was released. It is a full album's worth of covers of varying quality.
* CrowdSong: "This Is Halloween", "The Town Meeting Song", "Making Christmas", and "Finale/Reprise".
* CuriosityCausesConversion: Deconstructed, as this [[GoneHorriblyWrong didn't turn out so well]].
* DannyElfman: Who else?
** He's also the singing voice for Jack.
* DarkIsNotEvil: Although the denizens of Halloween Town are folks you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley (because they arose from the muck puddles at the bottom of said alley), they clearly aren't intending to be ''harmful,'' just ''scary'' (with the exception of Oogie Boogie and his posse.)
** "It's our job but we're not mean/in this town of Halloween..."
** In ''KingdomHeartsChainOfMemories'', Jack even tells Sora that the citizens of Halloween Town enjoy scaring people, not hurting them.
** [[TVTropesDrinkingGame Take a drink]] every time a ''Nightmare'' wick is on a trope that's normally for villains. Take two if it is mentioned that the example isn't evil.
* TheDeadHaveEyes: Jack has no problem seeing and hearing, though he [[CaptainObvious obviously has no eyes or ears]].
* DeadpanSnarker: Jack does this a couple times.
--> '''Doctor Finklestein:''' Curiosity killed the cat, you know.
--> '''Jack:''' ''I know''.
** This troper was under the impression that Jack, being dead already and thus not able to be hurt, and being a NightmareFetishist sounded and was actually excited about the prospect.
* DeathByIrony: Oogie planned to make Santa and later [[spoiler: Sally]] into snake-and-spider stew [[spoiler: and ends up having all his bugs fall into the concoction, becoming stew himself]].
* DeathGlare: When Jack arrives at Oogie Boogie's place, he's pretty pissed already, but when Jack hears Sally scream (thus telling him that she was down there), he gives a DeathGlare that pretty much signed Oogie's death warrant. A [[NightmareFuel slightly scarier]] example is [[spoiler: when Oogie's bugs are falling into the pit, Jack's facial expression quite clearly says, "You deserve this."]]
* DefangedHorrors: Outright stated (in the first song) that the people of the town love to scare, but have no malicious feelings towards people. Of course, their creepy Boogieman (whom even the Halloween folks avoid!) and his rather cowardly cronies are quite the exception. Even though Lock, Shock, and Barrel claim to only work for Oogie out of fear, they sure do show pleasure at the thoughts of mauling 'Sandy Claws' in their star song...
* DeliberatelyMonochrome: According to the special features of the DVD re-release, Halloweentown was made with this Trope in mind.
* DemBones: Jack, aka ''[[InSeriesNickname Bone Daddy]]'' and the doctor's Undead Reindeer Fleet, not to mention the hangman skeletons in the tree during the opening song, and the tortured luminescent singing skeletons in Boogie's place.
* DidntThinkThisThrough: Oogie and the gunmen. Note that when he hits the button for the saw, a '''thread''' gets caught...
** Jack counts too. Let's have a town who has only known scares for their afterlife take over a cheerful holiday that you barely understand. [[SarcasmMode Real brilliant idea, there.]]
* DisneyDeath: Jack. Fortunately, he recovers, which makes Oogie ticked off.
-->'''Oogie:''' J-J-J-Jack! But they said you were dead. You must be ''double'' dead!
* DontYouLikeIt: Basically the reaction of Jack's Christmas.
* DressedInLayers: When Jack rips off his Santa costume, he has his normal tuxedo on underneath.
* DutchAngle: Several, from the subtle to the very obvious. Granted that it's a TimBurton-produced film.
* EarlyBirdCameo: Jack appears in TimBurton's 1982 short stop-motion film ''Vincent'' and as a skull on top of Film/{{Beetlejuice}}'s carnival hat.
** Also in the skeleton pirate scene in James and the Giant Peach.
* EfficientDisplacement: When Jack hits the Christmas Town sign and falls into a foot of snow.
* EnfantTerrible: A trio of them: Lock, Shock, and Barrel, three professional trick or treaters and kidnappers.
* EurekaMoment: "Jack's Obsession" leads to one. Jack even shouts "EUREKA!"
* EvilCannotComprehendGood: Subverted, since the people of Halloween Town are not actually evil; however, their innate inability to really understand the concept or point of Christmas is a big part of the reason that Jack's plans don't pan out.
* EvilLaugh: Jack has a nice one--as his natural laugh. A reminder that he is a resident of [[DarkIsNotEvil Halloween Town]].
** Played straight with Oogie Boogie at the end of his VillainSong.
* EvilSoundsDeep: Oogie Boogie.
** Jack plays with this trope, as when he's being extra creepy, his voice goes an octave lower. His regular voice is more or less normal, but there are also times when he gets really shrill.
* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: Sally's (Or possibly Finklestein's) potions, and Jack's books take this to a ridiculous extreme.
* FacePalm: Jack does this after Lock, Shock, and Barrel brings back the Easter Bunny instead of Santa and start fighting over it.
* FauxAffablyEvil: Again, Oogie Boogie.
* FauxSymbolism: A skeletal creature trying to supplant a ruler of his crown, being shot down and falling, WreathedInFlames, into [[PietaPlagiarism the arms of a stone]] ''[[PietaPlagiarism angel]]?'' There's ''got'' to be something to that.
* FinalLoveDuet: [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments Jack and Sally.]]
* FoeYay: Come on, there's really no reason why, when he decided to show, Jack had to announce his presence to [[BigBad Oogie Boogie]] looking like [[http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Akward_______2623.jpg he's trying to seduce him]].
** Then there's Oogie's ShoutOut comment to Santa, sounding like Oogie's going to ''[[{{Squick}} rape]]'' him.
** The ShowSomeLeg scene! Seriously, that's probably the reason for the Oogie/Sally ship!
* {{Foil}}: Some believe that Jack and Oogie are foils to each other, the former being thin, artistic, and thoughtful, the latter fat, rude, and sadistic.
** Sally might also be a foil for Jack, since he's outgoing, energetic, loud, and usually enthusiastic while she's shy, reserved, quiet and usually sad.
** Jack could also be a foil for [[HowTheGrinchStoleChristmas The Grinch]], the latter stealing Christmas to ruin it but ends up saving it via a HeelFaceTurn and the former taking over Christmas with good intentions but screwing it up royally.
* ForTheEvulz: Oogie Boogie's motivation. During his VillainSong he carefreely sing out that he does all the bad things because "It's much more fun" when "lives are on the line".
* {{Foreshadowing}}: In-story, there's Sally's premonition with the burning Christmas tree. In cinematic technique, there's Jack's first visit to Christmastown in the song "What's This?" Among other things, we see him unintentionally smashing a snowflake, destroying a snowman and scaring a little sleeping elf - a taster of the unwitting destruction that Jack's curiosity in Christmas will bring.
** When he's trying to understand Christmas scientifically, he attempts to cut a paper snowflake and finds that he's made a spider.
*** The rest of the same scene. His attempts to understand the paraphernalia of Christmas only results in the items of his experiments being destroyed. "Jack's Obsession" also ends with him smashing several Christmas ornaments, and causing a string of lights to ''explode''.
** During the Town Hall meeting in which Jack reveals the inhabitants of Halloweentown what Christmas is, the Mayor says. cheerfully, "This will be the most terrifying Christmas ever!", to which Jack automatically corrects him. Probably unintentional, but considering the events of the climax of the movie, probably not.
* ForgottenPhlebotinum: Oogie Boogie has the ability to suck in everything like a gigantic vacuum, which is how he [[spoiler: recaptured Santa and Sally]]. He never thought to use this in his battle against Jack Skellington, though this is somewhat justified, as Oogie was trying to get ''away'' from Jack. [[JustEatGilligan Still could have eaten him, though.]]
* FourFingeredHands: Jack is the most notable since he's humanoid - avoided with Sally. All the others get away with it because they're not really humanoid. Except for the mayor *shudder*.
** Some of the human children have four-fingered hands as well.
** Also avoided on Jack's part in the animated short on the DVD of the Nightmare Before Christmas poem (narrated by Christopher Lee for extra awesome points).
* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: Well, first there's the whole ShowSomeLeg thing, then after "This Is Halloween" when everyone is heaping praise on Jack, the short witch gets a little....affectionate....with Jack's leg (though that could be this troper's gutter-minded imagination).
** Also, did anyone else think that when Jack [[ThatCameOutWrong revealed himself to Oogie]], that the way Jack was keeping himself on the platform was [[FoeYay a bit suggestive?]] ''And'' there's Oogie's ShoutOut comment to Santa, which sounds pretty rape-y both out and in context.
--> '''Oogie''': And now with your permission, I'm going to do my stuff.
--> '''Santa''': What are you going to do?
--> '''Oogie''': I'm going to do the best I can...
** And then there's the question of why Dr. Finklestein made Sally...
* GirlNoticesFirst
* GoneHorriblyWrong: Poor Jack, all he wanted was to try his hand at another holiday . . . .
** Also, after Finklestein awakens from Sally ''[[TooDumbToLive poisoning him for the fourth time in a little over a month]]'' he reacts to his doorbell the same way any hung over person would react to a loud noise.
* {{Guile Hero}}ine[=/=]{{The Smart G|uy}}irl: Sally uses her brain most of all to get out of tight spots.
* HalloweenTown: The TropeNamer!
* HeelRealization: In "Poor Jack".
* HeWhoMustNotBeSeen: The faces of the adults in the human world are not shown.
** Also Oogie Boogie, who appears as the shadow on the moon in ''This is Halloween'' and as a shadow on the wall in ''Kidnap the Sandy Claws'', but he himself doesn't appear in the...uh...stitching...until his own song.
* HeroesLoveDogs
* HeroAntagonist: Sally.
* HeroicBSOD: Jack undergoes two, once during "Jack's Lament" and again once [[spoiler: he realizes that he was accidentally ruining Christmas for the entire human realm.]]
* HeroesWantRedheads: Jack and Sally, obviously.
* HiveMind: Oogie Boogie is made of ''insects'' and ''worms'' and yet he manages to move, speak and do all kinds of evil stuff. It's debatable if there is a HiveQueen (if there is, it's probably a little, white, earwig-like bug).
** [[spoiler: This is confirmed in Oogie's Revenge]].
* {{Homage}}: Halloweentown looks an awful lot like [[Film/TheCabinetOfDrCaligari Holstenwall]].
* HufflepuffHouse: The holiday dimensions besides Halloween Town and Christmas Town
* IAmWhatIAm: After his disaster at being Santa Claus, Jack finally realizes what his true calling is, as he sums it up in five words: I ''AM'' THE PUMPKIN KING!
* IdiotHero: Jack is probably one of the more {{justified|Trope}} examples, as his idiotic moments come from not being an idiot, but from either not understanding concepts outside of Halloween (the whole Christmas fiasco, thinking the shells were fireworks, etc.) or being so excited for Christmas that he doesn't listen to reason (Sally and her prediction). The only thing he does that is [[WhatAnIdiot just plain stupid]] is trusting [[TerribleTrio Lock, Shock, and Barrel]] to take care of SantaClaus.
* TheIgor: MadScientist Doctor Finkelstein has one. He likes doggy treats.
* ImpairmentShot: Used after Jack runs face-first into a candy-cane-striped pole. And when Santa first sets eyes on Halloween Town, having been roughly hauled out of a sack previously.
* InCaseYouForgotWhoWroteIt: Oh, it was Tim Burton by the way. (Conceived rather than written, to be exact; it was expanded by others.)
** This trope combined with the advertising ("From the director of ''The Nightmare Before Christmas''") inadvertently caused people who aren't aware of Henry Selick's involvement with ''Nightmare'' to think that ''Film/{{Coraline}}'' was directed by Burton (it was Selick who directed that film too).
*** And NeilGaiman [[http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2009/02/by-way-of-preamble.html was not happy about this]].
* IncendiaryExponent: Jack sets himself on fire, while dressed as a {{scar|yScarecrows}}ecrow, at the end of "This Is Halloween". Naturally, [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome it is one of the most awesome entrances in Disney history]].
* IncomingHam: "Well, well, well! What have we here? Santa Claus?! Ha! Oooooh, [[SarcasmMode I'm really scared!]]"
* IronicEcho: The first time Jack sings "And I, Jack, the Pumpkin King" (during Jack's Lament), he is angsting over how Halloween has stopped being special to him. The second time (during the second half of Poor Jack) he is getting over his angst about ruining Christmas and how Halloween isn't special to him anymore.
* {{Irony}}: You know how loads of {{hate|Dumb}}ers contribute their dislike of this movie because of all the merchandise at Hot Topic? Considering Jack's reaction to the way the HalloweenTown citizens ("Thank you. Thank you! ''[[CelebrityIsOverrated Very much!!]]''") it's highly likely that ''Jack would hate all the merchandise at Hot Topic too.''
* IWantSong: "Jack's Lament"
** Also counts as an IAmSong, as he describes how he is the Master of Fright and a Demon of Light, amongst other things.
*** It can be divided verse-by-verse into each of those. The verses in common time are almost entirely self-description while the slower, 3/4 time verses are "I Want" verses.
** "What's This" counts as well. It climaxes with the line "I want it! Oh I want it! Oh I want it for my own!"
* KarmaHoudini: Lock, Shock and Barrel
** Well, there was a scene immediately before the final battle where Jack [[HoistByHisOwnPetard gives them exactly]] what's coming to them, but it was cut for timing reasons.
** Also, keep in mind that they are, or at least appear to be, a bunch of [[InfantImmortality small children]].
** In the movie, they leave and bring back help to rescue Jack and Sally, and their line refers back to that deleted scene.
-->'''Lock, Shock and Barrel:''' Here he is! Alive! Just like we said!
** Ironically, a line in "Kidnap the Sandy Claws" suggests that Lock, Shock, and Barrel didn't expect a KarmaHoudini:
-->'''Shock''': Think now/If we blow him up to smithereens/We may lose some pieces and then...
-->'''Shock & Lock''': Jack will beat us [[BizarreAlienBiology black and green]]!
** Subverted if you play KingdomHearts, you can kick their asses personally there.
* [[KidsPreferBoxes Skeletons Prefer Boxes]]: Jack is obsessed with the concept of a "present" (particularly in ''KingdomHearts2''), but doesn't understand that the present is what's INSIDE the pretty wrapped box with the bow.
* TheKindnapper: Jack Skellington has part of his being a NightmareFuelStationAttendant. His way of indulging himself in his new passion for Christmas not only involves planning to run the show himself, but kidnapping the one who already does to enable his doing so. And he sees it as a favor for Santa, too! Despite Jack's unquestionable status as TheHero, though, his kindnapping is clearly shown as not being a good thing, especially because of what it leads to...
-->'''Santa''': ''(bursts out of the bag)'' Let me out! ''(the Halloween Town citizens gasp in awe)''
-->'''Jack Skellington''': Sandy Claws - in person. What a pleasure to meet you. ''(prepares to shake but then looks down when their HANDS touch)''
-->'''Jack Skellington''': Wh - ! Why, you have ''hands''! You don't have claws at all!
-->'''Santa'': ''(dazed)'' Where am I?
-->'''Jack Skellington'': Surprised, are you? You don't have to worry about another Christmas ''this'' year.
-->'''Santa''': Wh-what?
-->'''Jack Skellington'': Consider this a vacation, Sandy. A ''reward''. It's ''your'' turn to take it easy.
-->'''Santa''': B-But there must be some mistake!
-->'''Jack Skellington''': See that he's comfortable... ''(the minions start to close up the bag, but then stop)'' Just a second, fellas! Of ''course''! ''That's'' what I'm missing! ''(takes Santa's hat)''
-->'''Santa''': B-But...
-->'''Jack Skellington''': ''(as he's putting on the hat)'' Thanks.
-->'''Santa''': Hang on - you just can't - ''(has the bag thrown over him again)'' - Hold on! Where are we going now?
* LargeHam: Oogie Boogie. Jack is a bit more subtle, but still can be pretty hammy.
** It's kind of par for the course when one lives in Halloween Town.
*** Who ever said being a LargeHam was [[TropesAreNotBad a bad thing]]?
** The mayor. "The king of Halloween has been blown to smitherEEEns!!! Skeleton Jack is now a PILE of Dust!"
* LastMinuteHookup: Jack and Sally.
* {{Leitmotif}}: "This Is Halloween" for the citizens of Halloweentown and [[VillainSong "Kidnap The Sandy Claws"]] for Lock, Shock, and Barrel.
* LightningCanDoAnything: Like bringing skeletal reindeer to life and in the prequel game heal Jack.
* LimitedWardrobe: The only time Jack ever changed out of his tuxedo is, of course, when he [[BadSanta imitates]] SantaClaus (well, and one scene when he's in bed and wearing off-white pajamas, but that's only for a couple of minutes). Possibly even taken UpToEleven, since in "Poor Jack", when Jack declares that [[LargeHam HE IS THE PUMPKIN KING!!!]], he rips off the tatters of his Santa outfit to reveal that [[DressedInLayers he's been wearing his tux underneath the suit all this time]]. Sally also wears the same dress throughout the film, though considering that either she's locked up by [[MadScientist Dr. Finklestein]] or [[StalkerWithACrush stalking Jack]], this is more justified. Both cases are also justified with the fact that it would be needlessly complicated to have StopMotion characters wear different clothes.
** May double as MySuitIsAlsoSuper, the Sandy Claws costume is tattered, but Jack's tux is fine under it.
* TheLostWoods: the Hinterlands
* ALoveToDismember: Perhaps the only ''unwitting'' example yet - see ShowSomeLeg below.
* MadeOfIron: Jack manages to get shot down by ''flak guns'' without being blown to pieces. This could be justified, however, by the coffin sleigh taking most of the blow. However, this does not explain how at least a ''mile-high fall onto a stone angel'' didn't break any of his bones (the impact from the fall ''did'' seem to be strong enough to knock off his jawbone, however). This all still could be justified by the fact that Jack's undead, so he would not feel pain, if it weren't for an earlier scene where [[StalkerWithACrush Sally]] accidentally pokes Jack's finger with a needle, and he yelps in pain. [[MindScrew It's a little confusing]].
** He was caught by an angel.
*** We also see Zero fly over and reattach his jaw, which seems to revive him. It's possible he reassembled him entirely, offscreen.
** He's an AnthropomorphicPersonification. He's probably very hard to kill, especially with mortal weapons. Doesn't mean it doesn't hurt like Hell.
* MadScientist: Doctor Finkelstein.
* MadScientistsBeautifulDaughter: In the "artificial creation" sense of "daughter", with an OverprotectiveDad. Or perhaps he created her with plans to woo her.
* MagicPants: Jack's outfit may count. Note when he rises out of the fountain and his collar visibly straightens. When Jack is shot down, the Sandy Claws outfit is shredded, but the tux is completely unscathed.
* MagicVersusScience: Sort of. Note that Santa can do magic (flying reindeer, flying away at the end followed by a trail of sparkly magic stuff), while Jack's way of going at Christmas is more scientific (employing Dr. Finklestein, reading books on the Scientific Method).
** However, Jack can and does do magic in his own realm. It's probably a question of spheres of influence: Jack has no power over Christmas, so he has to use different tools than Santa.
* MalevolentMaskedMen: Subverted. As trick-or-treaters, Lock, Shock and Barrel wear costume masks all the time, but in their introductory scene they take them off, revealing faces that look exactly the same as (or worse than) their masks.
* MeaningfulBackgroundEvent: While Oogie Boogie is taunting Sally and Santa Claus, if you look behind him, you can see Jack Skellington sneaking into the lair all spider-like.
** Doubles as a ChekhovsSkill in the scene immediately following.
* MeaningfulName: Most likely unintentional, but one of the meanings of "Jack"? ''Supplanter''.
** More likely a reference to jack o'lanterns.
* MelancholyMoon
* MemeticOutfit: Jack's pin-striped tuxedo and bat bow-tie; also Sally's dress. Both have even been made available as Halloween costumes for adults through the Disney company.
* MemeticSexGod: Everyone's necrophiliac for Jack Skellington. [[IncrediblyLamePun All hail to the Pumpkin Pimp]].
** This may possibly even be an ''in-universe'' example, considering how the citizens act about Jack.[[hottip:*: Anyone else thought that when Jack was trying to get away from the HalloweenTown citizens, it sounded like Jack thought he was going to get raped? "Thank you. Thank you! ''Very much!''"]]
* MindScrew: "This Is Halloween". It's so surreal that bats have ''strings'' attached to them.
* MinionShipping: Lock and Shock. [[ToyShip I'm afraid so.]]
** Very {{Squick}}y for those who believe Lock, Shock and Barrel are [[BrotherSisterIncest siblings]].
** [[ItGotWorse Could be worse]]: Some people like to ship [[{{Lolicon}} Jack/Shock]]. She's usually aged up, [[{{Squick}} but still...]]
*** Worse still, the same people who put Jack and Shock together usually end up pairing [[{{Shotacon}} Sally with Barrel (or sometimes Lock, but it's usually Barrel)]]. Also usually aged up, but still doesn't seem right when you consider that Sally hardly interacted with Boogie's Boys.
* ModestRoyalty: Jack, the Pumpkin King. He wears a snappy tuxedo, but no crown or other royal insignia.
** RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething
** Both apply equally to Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny.
* MomentKiller: The Mayor near the end, with a spotlight.
* MonsterClown: One of the recurring townsfolk. Subverted in that he is [[DarkIsNotEvil not actually evil]]
* MoodSwinger: Jack Skellington. Until the third act, he is either depressed, extremely enthusiastic, or concentrating intensely on his obsession. He is at his calmest only at the end, [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments during his and Sally's duet]].
* TheMultiverse: There's apparently a dimension for every holiday celebrated in America (though it's not clear if any of these dimensions consist of much more than one town).
* MustMakeAmends: Basically, Jack and Oogie's fight is about Jack trying to fix things.
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: At the start of the song "Poor Jack."
* MyHeroZero
* MyNameIsNotDurwood: Jack, and by extension everyone in Halloween Town, calls Santa Claus "Sandy Claws". In a deleted scene and in the dialogue when Jack first meets Santa, it's shown that Jack took the "Claws" part literally.
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Santa Claus is in trouble and Christmas is ruined. Three guesses to who is responsible. First two don't count.
* NightmareFace: [[http://i51.tinypic.com/2usv8nd.png Expected from the King of Halloween]].
** Then there's that scary face Jack does to scare Lock, Shock and Barrel into doing their job right.
** And "the clown with the tear-away face"...
* NightmareFuelStationAttendant: Jack. The entire town consists of {{Nightmare Fetishist}}s, but even Jack's attempts at innocent merriment turn scary.
* NoNameGiven: [[EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep The Mayor]] (though some of the merch calls him [[PunnyName Hizzonor]]). Most of the citizens also seem to not have names (The Clown With The-Tear-Away-Face, The Wolf Man, etc). Awesomely used with one off-screen horror who proclaims "I and the ''who'' in the call out "''Who's there?''".
* NoPeripheralVision: After [[BigBad Oogie Boogie]] realizes that the knife-wielding king cards wasn't going to stop Jack from kicking his ass, Oogie pulls a rope that stops the murderous cards. Jack goes for Oogie, never noticing the [[PirateNinjaZombieRobot gun-wielding gambling game cowboy skeletons]] approaching to his left and nearly getting shot. However, considering that Jack [[TheDeadHaveEyes doesn't have proper eyeballs]], it's entirely possible that Jack really ''doesn't'' have peripheral vision, therefore justifying him not seeing the weapons.
** There's a less WMG-y reason he didn't see the gunmen: Jack was focused solely on whooping Oogie's stitched behind, so he just didn't notice the gunmen. It isn't the first time in the movie that Jack's tuned out everything other than his goal to the detriment of his own health.
* NoodleIncident: In "Jack's Lament", some of the lyrics are thus: "To a guy in Kentucky, I'm Mister Unlucky! And I'm known throughout England and France!"
* NoodlePeople
* ObliviousToLove: Jack -- though to be fair, the only overt gesture Sally is seen to make is easily explained by the fact that they're friends (which they clearly are). And he does catch on eventually.
* OffscreenTeleportation: When Jack goes to rescue Sally and Santa from Oogie Boogie. Last we see Jack before the FinalBattle, he was [[MeaningfulBackgroundEvent sneaking in behind Oogie's back]], quite a ways away from the platform where Santa and Sally were. With the way the scene is set up, it would have been ''impossible'' for Jack to get to the platform without Oogie seeing him, no matter ''what'' sneaking skills being the Pumpkin King would get you.
** [[{{WMG}} Maybe Jack's powers operate on]] RuleOfScary?
* OhCrap: Jack, when he realize that those shells are not fireworks. "They're ''trying'' to hit us!"
** Oogie gets two big ones: 1) when he sees Jack on the platform instead of Sally and Santa and 2) [[spoiler: when Jack pulls the thread that keeps him together]]. He has several smaller one as Jack passes each of his deathtraps, but these may be feigned, as he always has another trap ready.
* OhMyGods: Inverted, as during "Poor Jack", Jack refers to God twice ("And, by God, I really tasted something swell!" "And, by God, I'm really going to give it all my might!").
* OnlySaneMan: Sally seems to be the only denizen of Halloween Town who even approaches the realization that people don't want to be scared or attacked on Christmas.
-->'''SantaClaus:''' "The next time you get the urge to take over someone else's holiday, I'd listen to ''her''. She's the only one who makes any sense in this insane asylum!"
* OpeningChorus: "This Is Halloween".
* OpeningNarration: Narrated by Santa, and this would have qualified for BookEnds if they had kept the epilogue noted under BabiesEverAfter. (The ending narration can be heard on the soundtrack, and it's read by PatrickStewart for extra awesome points.)
* OurDemonsAreDifferent: There's the stereotypical Devil for one (though him being ''The'' [[{{Satan}} Devil]] is probably unlikely), and Jack in "Jack's Lament" says he's a "Demon Of Light," indicating he's some sort of NobleDemon. In some of the foreign dubs, Jack actually declares himself the Devil. There's also the Harlequin Demon.
* OurHeroIsDead: Used with the HalloweenTown citizens when Jack's flying sleigh is shot down in the human world.
* OurMonstersAreDifferent: Basically every resident of Halloween Town is some kind of horrible monster, yet nearly all of them are pretty much good-natured in their own way. The creepy nature they all have is just how they are, as they don't technically mean to bring harm to anyone...unless you ask for it.
* PaperThinDisguise: Jack must have been ''really'' delusional if he thought a red suit and deep voice would hide the fact that he's a ''seven-foot tall skeleton'' trying to be Santa.
** [[Discworld/{{Hogfather}} Pretty sure that's been attempted more than once...]]
* PassThePopcorn: In a deleted scene, Lock, Shock, and Barrel grab candy, pop, and -- yes -- popcorn to eat while they watch Oogie tormenting Sandy and Sally. This scene was deleted due to both timing issues and that Burton and Selick feel that having Lock, Shock, and Barrel enjoying Sandy and Sally's torture would put the trio beyond just "playful tricksters" to "evil little bastards" [[hottip:*: okay, they didn't say bastards, but the point is still there]].
* PerkyGoth: Jack, if not most of the citizens of Halloween Town.
* PietaPlagiarism: Nearing the end of the film, Jack lies defeated in the arms of a graveyard statue of an angel.
* PlanetOfHats: Every (American) holiday has an entire ''alternate reality'' devoted to that one holiday.
** [[WildMassGuessing Maybe holidays from other countries are in a different part of the forest.]]
* PowerTrio: Lock is in the middle role, with female Shock being the smartest and Barrel as the dumb one who gets smacked, or TheRadar, depending on who you ask.
* PreAsskickingOneLiner: "Hello, Oogie."
** [[spoiler: PreMortemOneLiner]]: "How '''''dare''''' you treat my friends so '''''shamefully!'''''"
* [[{{Seers}} Precognition]]: Sally has a vision representing Jack's Christmas going to hell by a Christmas Tree [[ThatPoorPlant going up into flames]]. It's unclear if this is a one-time thing or not; however, she does remark to Jack that she had a vision, and the implication seems to be that this has happened before.
* PunctuatedForEmphasis: [[EarWorm WHAT! IS! THIS!]] * [[WatchOutForThatTree smack]]*
* PuttingAHandOverHisMouth: Sally's disembodied hand does this to Santa Claus when she's rescuing him.
* QuirkyMinibossSquad: Lock, Shock, and Barrel.
* TheRadar: Barrel. Maybe.
* RageAgainstTheReflection: When Sally tries to talk Jack out of SubbingForSanta by showing a picture of Jack as the Pumpkin King, Jack simply takes the picture and breaks it over his knee.
* RealWomenDontWearDresses: Sally usually manages to duck this, but a number of fans still ignore the major role she plays in the story to bash her feminine appearance or call her Dr. Finklestein's sex toy.
* RecycledTrailerMusic : The song "What's This?" is used in lots of trailer. The trailers for the movie itself were scored with JohnWilliams' theme to ''Film/{{Hook}}'' and "The End" from ''EdwardScissorhands''.
* RedAlert: Occurs twice, when Jack goes missing (he's in Christmas Town) and while he's delivering toys on Christmas Eve.
* RefrainFromAssuming: "[[IAmSong Jack's]] [[IWantSong Lament]]" is sometimes referred to as "The Pumpkin King" or simply "Jack's Song". [[hottip:* : the latter not making any sense, as most of the songs are sung by Jack.]]
* TheRenaissanceAgeOfAnimation
* SantaClaus: The unwitting MacGuffin is the king of Christmas Town.
* SavingChristmas: Subverted in that the ''hero'' is the one to kidnap Santa, but then played straight after things go pear-shaped.
* ScaryBlackMan: Oogie Boogie's voice actor is black, but as he is a sentient sack of insects, he himself has no actual race.
** This has drawn criticism from Richard Delgado and Jean Stefancic, who says that the usage of the heroes using "whitespeak" and the villain using "blackspeak" is [[UnfortunateImplications racist profiling]].
*** [[{{Hypocrite}} Mild bad grammar is considered "blackspeak"?]]
* ScaryScorpions: The box of scorpions Shock plans to give as a "gift" to Santa in order to capture him.
** This troper thought the scorpions were suppose to represent her, Lock, and Barrel.
--> We'll send a present to his door/Upon there'll be a note to read/Now, in the box we'll wait and hide/Until his curiosity/Entices him to look inside/And then we'll have him/One, two, three!
* TheScientificMethod: Jack has a book about the subject, [[{{Adorkable}} apparently keeping it under his pillow]].
* ScrewYourself: Not only does the wife Dr. Finklestein made for himself look like a female version of himself, he gave her half of his own brain. Jack's shocked expression upon seeing them is pretty understandable, really.
* ShoutOut: Oogie and Santa echo a line from the BettyBoop cartoon "The Old Man of the Mountain", which stars CabCalloway, the inspiration for Oogie Boogie. Oogie's gyrating dance bears a strong resemblance to that of the Walrus rotoscoped over Calloway in the Betty cartoon "Minne the Moocher."
--> Santa: "What are you going to do?"
--> Oogie: "I'm going to do the best I can . . ."
** Some of the toys are the same ones as seen in ''BatmanReturns'' and two of the Real World kids are wearing pajamas with [[ClassicDisneyShorts Mickey Mouse]] and DonaldDuck on them.
** Probably unintentional, but the scarecrow outfit Jack wears in the beginning sequence looks like an evil version of [[ReturnToOz Jack PumpkinHead]].
** A deliberate one to RudolphTheRedNosedReindeer, when Zero turns his nose red and moves to the head of the sleigh team to guide them through the fog.
** ShoutOut/ToShakespeare in "Jack's Lament": "''And since I am dead, I can [[AlasPoorYorick take off my head]]/ To recite [[{{Hamlet}} Shakespearean quotations]].''"
** The title itself is a ShoutOut[=/=]PunnyName to the classic Christmas poem "The Night Before Christmas".
* ShowSomeLeg: Played with: [[spoiler: Sally shows off a bit of leg to attract Oogie's attention, but it later turns out the leg is unattached, serving to distract Oogie while the rest of Sally unties Santa.]]
* SimpleScoreOfSadness: "Sally's Song".
* SlasherSmile: Oogie Boogie and Barrel. Jack's is a borderline between a SlasherSmile and a CheshireCatGrin.
* SnowMeansLove: Jack and Sally kiss on the snow-covered Spiral Hill.
* TheSongBeforeTheStorm: "Making Christmas".
* SpiritualSuccessor: ''Film/CorpseBride''. Made even more obvious by the fact that its trailer ended up with RecycledTrailerMusic from this film.
* StalkerWithACrush: Sally is a good-natured version, which leads to...
* StalkingIsLove: It's not played out straight though, since while most of the examples find out and are flattered rather then creeped out, Jack never finds out that Sally stalked him. Then again, he's such a NightmareFetishist he probably ''would'' love it.
** Considering everyone in the town is a Nightmare Fetishist, it's very probable that in HalloweenTown stalking actually ''is'' a way to show love.
* StopMotion: It's even widely believed to be the first full-length three-dimensional stop-motion feature, but [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_stop_motion_films according to]] Wiki/{{Wikipedia}}, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_Gulliver this is]] [[SadlyMythtaken not the case]].
* SubbingForSanta: Inverted.
* TakeThat: "I'm only an elected official here, ''I can't make decisions by myself!''" The DVDCommentary and the Mayor's actual [[VisualPun two-faced head]] draws parallels with the Mayor to two-faced politicians.
* TearOffYourFace: There's a clown with a tear-away face.
* ThatManIsDead: "But you're the Pumpkin King!" "Not anymore!" *[[RageAgainstTheReflection breaks picture]]* "I feel ''so'' much better now!" Makes one wonder what Jack's long-term plans for Christmas were . . .
* ThereAreNoTherapists: Seriously, just ''look'' at Jack. He's dealing with both depression and a mid-[[hottip:death: life]] crisis, and [[EpilepticTrees possibly]] bi-polar disorder and ADD. The bone man is in desperate need of a therapist.
* ThemeTuneCameo: The Mayor finds "This Is Halloween" so catchy, we find him humming it later as he brings Jack the plans for next year's Halloween.
* TravelingPipeBulge: Santa's little trip to Oogie Boogie's lair.
* TriumphantReprise: At least two: "This Is Halloween" and "Sally's Song" both get them.
** Along with "What's This?"
* TwoFaced: The Mayor, who [[VisualPun literally has two faces]] -- one colorful and happy, one ashen and distressed. It's more of a facial mood ring than a split personality, though.
* UltimateAuthorityMayor: The mayor. Justified as there really isn't any higher authority that ''exists'' in... where ever the hell Halloweentown is. And Jack does all the real work anyway.
* VagueAge: ''Jack''. He seems to be in his late twenties-early thirties, yet since he's DemBones, he could always be ReallySevenHundredYearsOld.
** How about Oogie? Honestly, how can anyone tell exactly how old that guy is?
* VillainousLament: "Jack's Lament" and the first half of "Poor Jack", though this trope is subverted by Jack not being evil.
* VillainSong: "Oogie Boogie's Song". Keep in mind, it's sung by Ken Page, the same fellow who voiced King Gator in ''AllDogsGoToHeaven'' and played Old Deuteronomy in the video version of ''Cats''. As such, it's amazing.
** A second one, for the QuirkyMinibossSquad, is "Kidnap the Sandy Claws."
* VisualPun: The [[ObstructiveBureaucrat Mayor]] is two-faced.
* WeirdMoon/[[WeirdSun Sun]]: The moon is pretty big and doesn't have any craters, while the sun has the face of a jack-o-lantern.
* WhatTheHellHero: Santa gives Jack a hefty chewing-out when he comes to apologize. In the original poem, he's much more understanding (possibly because he hadn't just escaped from a sapient burlap sack gloating about how it intended to turn him into stew and eat him).
** Yet there are quite a few fans that thought that [[FanDumb Santa was oh so mean to poor Jack]]. This Jack fangirl actually used to think so too, but after thinking about it, wouldn't ''you'' be a bit pissed at the guy who fucked up your holiday and nearly got you eaten? And note, fangirls, that [[FridgeBrilliance Santa didn't know Jack told Lock, Shock, and Barrel not to send him down to Oogie.]]
*** Not to mention that Santa was still understanding enough to [[spoiler:bring snow to Halloweentown, so Jack's dream that everyone could understand Christmas came true.]]
* WhereTheHellIsSpringfield: The unnamed city Jack visits.
** HalloweenTown counts too.
* WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief: Jack and Sally able to walk, talk, can feel pain, and even implied to have a need for nourishment? Why not. Jack and Sally having children, particularly through being able to have sex? [[BrokenBase The fandom is divided by this]]. Some say why not, while others think Jack and Sally either [[LampshadedDoubleEntendre lack certain parts]] for successful reproduction or shouldn't have kids at all. And this isn't getting into the {{Squick}}[=/=]FetishFuel aspect of the argument . . .
** Also, Jack is lit on fire at the begining of the film without expressing any sign of pain and later falls hundreds of feet, landing hard enough to knock off his jaw bone, yet he still says "ow" when he pricks his finger on a needle.
* TheWormThatWalks: Oogie Boogie.
* YouAreGrounded: Dr. Finklestein to Sally constantly. This is the source of the friction in their relationship.
----
->''Boys and girls of every age, wouldn't you like to see something strange?''
->''Come with us and you will see, this our town of Halloween!''
->--[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpvdAJYvofI "This Is Halloween"]]
Released to cinemas in 1993, this stop-motion animation film produced and conceived by TimBurton, though actually scripted by Caroline Thompson and directed by Henry Selick (as Burton himself was busy with ''Film/{{Batman}} Returns'' at the time), starts with the citizens of Halloween Town celebrating (you guessed it) Halloween in the grandest fashion possible, due to their love (all right, unnerving obsession) of scaring everyone senseless. However, Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King, has grown rather tired of the same old thing, and yearns for something new in his life.
After the current year's celebration of Halloween, the morose Jack goes for a long walk out of town, where he happens to walk into several portals that lead to all the other holiday towns. Immediately attracted by the Christmas tree shaped one, he ventures into Christmas Town. There he discovers the wonders of the bright and jolly, and becomes obsessed with understanding Christmas.
He returns to Halloween town and informs the townsfolk of Christmas, but both his and their understanding of the holiday is limited by their experience of Halloween. In a PerspectiveFlip of the typical ChristmasSpecial plot of "monsters try to steal Christmas," Jack declares with perfectly good intentions that he will take over Christmas duties for the year, sending some [[EnfantTerrible somewhat homicidal children]] to kidnap "[[MyNameIsNotDurwood Sandy Claws]]" for an enforced vacation.
The whole town groups together to create Christmas but Sally the rag doll, who is secretly in love with Jack, has a vision that it will be a disaster. She's right, of course.
Throw all that in with a boogie man fashioned from a burlap sack filled with insects, rousing musical numbers, NightmareFuel abounds for the young ones and some truly brilliant imagery and directing, and you get the now classic film ''The Nightmare Before Christmas''.
Starting in 2006, it's gotten a theatrical re-release once a year at Halloween time, with a somewhat disappointingly light-handed makeover into a ThreeDMovie. Compare ''Film/{{Coraline}}'', which is from the same director. The difference likely has to do with the fact that Coraline was intended to be a 3-D film from the time it began filming. The 3-D version of The Nightmare Before Christmas was retrofitted approximately thirteen years after its original release.
It [[{{Fannage}} has a ridiculously large and well-documented article]] on TheOtherWiki. Seriously, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nightmare_Before_Christmas just look at it]]. [[http://www.nightmarebeforechristmas.net/ It also has a fan website called the Pumpkin Patch.]]
The series would later gain a sequel in video game form on the {{PlayStation 2}} titled ''[[NightmareBeforeChristmasOogiesRevenge Oogie's Revenge]]'' and a prequel, ''The Pumpkin King'' on the {{Game Boy Advance}}. Halloween Town and Jack alsos appear in almost every game in the ''KingdomHearts'' series. Disneyland has added movie-themed attractions in the Haunted Mansion just in time for Halloween in the past years.
Now has [[Characters/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas a character sheet]] and [[FanFicRecs/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas Fan Fic Recommendations]].
----
[[AC: The Film provides examples of:]]
* ThreeDMovie: The theatrical re-release.
* ActionFilmQuietDramaScene: Several, but one that takes the cake is Sally picking the flower which transforms into a tiny Christmas tree, and then tragically bursts into flames ''right before her eyes''.
* AdaptationExpansion: Nightmare was originally a poem by Burton, with the only named characters being Jack, Zero, and Santa.
* AnAesop: several
** The movie illustrates that good intentions pave the road to Hell...
** "The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence".
** "Look before you leap" strained through a mesh made of "make sure you know what you're doing."
** "Jack's Lament" has a coat of "[[CelebrityIsOverrated fame is overrated]]" painted over it.
** BeYourself.
** A change of scenery is a terrific cure for burnout. Or that being leader in one area doesn't mean you can take over anything that catches your eye.
** A {{Deconstruction}} of the classic Disney Aesop "You can be whatever you dream to be".
** Your best friend is the one who'll tell you the truth about yourself.
* AffablyEvil: Lock, Shock and Barrel.
* AmbiguouslyGay: The Mayor. He is voiced by Glenn Shadix, who was openly gay. Also, the vampires.
** Jack himself could qualify if it weren't for Sally.
*** See CampStraight for Jack.
*** [[BiTheWay Maybe Jack's bi]]? [[NoBisexuals Oh, wait . . .]]
** Then there's that one monster. You know, the one that was going to make a hat out of a rat. Have you heard its voice?
*** You mean the ''[[MeaningfulName Harlequin]]'' Demon?
*** That character's voiced by Greg Proops, incidentally. From WhoseLineIsItAnyway A show that had lots of HoYay.
* AnimatedMusical
* AnthropomorphicPersonification: Jack could possibly be the Personification of Halloween.
* AppliedMathematics: Jack puts a number of unconventional "equations" on a blackboard to try and understand Christmas.
* AsskickingEqualsAuthority: Jack is the Pumpkin King not just because he's the scariest creature, but because he's also the toughest.
* AttentionDeficitOohShiny: "What's this?!", is pretty much the unintentional embodiment of this trope.
** Jack having ADD is actually a fairly popular [[EpilepticTrees fan theory]].
* BabiesEverAfter: Not in the film proper, but on the original film soundtrack released in 1993, as well as the subsequent re-release "Nightmare Revisited", there's a epilogue poem where [[spoiler: Santa visits Jack and Jack has "four or five skeleton children at hand, playing strange tunes in their xylophone band."]] Of course, [[BrokenBase there is much debate]] on whether they are [[spoiler: Jack and Sally's kids]] and [[spoiler: how they could have them, since, you know, they're ''dead'']].
** ''He's'' dead. She's a rag doll.
*** This still begs the question of how they made kids. Though [[FridgeBrilliance "made" may be the right word]], since they might have been constructed like Sally and the skeleton reindeer.
* BadSanta: Jack, albeit unwittingly.
* BeneathTheMask: To the citizens of HalloweenTown, Jack's the charismatic, self-confident, [[NightmareFuelStationAttendant terrifying]] Pumpkin King. What they don't know is that Jack is very unhappy and bored about doing the same thing every year and longs for something different. [[CuriosityIsACrapshoot Then he discovers Christmastown . . .]]
* BeyondTheImpossible: How scary is Oogie? He even scares the other people in Halloweentown! [[FridgeBrilliance Oogie Boogie is scary because he's the only one in Halloween Town who would ever think of using violence against other people.]]
** Further FridgeBrilliance is Oogie's reaction to Jack's return in the BDH moment below. Oogie's afraid of Jack, who doesn't need violence to be scary, and doesn't need it to beat Oogie.
* BigDamnHeroes: "Hello, Oogie!" Badass. Of course, it's unusual that you have a BDH moment where [[NiceJobBreakingItHero the bad situation is the hero's fault in the first place]], but even so.
* TheBigGuy: Easy to overlook due to his bean-pole physique, but when one really sizes him up to his surroundings, Jack appears to be around 7-8 feet tall!
* BilingualBonus: Jack's ghost-dog's name is Zero. In Japanese, Zero can be translated as "Rei", which can also mean "Ghost".
* BlackAndGrayMorality: Jack apparently has no qualms about kidnapping, but he's still a much better person then Oogie, a sadistic torturer who likes to gamble with other people's lives.
** Then again, [[BlueAndOrangeMorality kidnapping may be a perfectly acceptable part of Halloweentown]]. Other than that, it's less that Jack is "gray" than he is "[[IdiotHero lacking in common sense]]".
* BlessedWithSuck: ''Jack''. He's the King of Halloween, yet it's '''always about Halloween''', every single day, which is problematic when you want something different. Taking a break is not an option, as shown when Jack disappears for only two days, everyone is in a panic. Also, Jack seems to not be able to give the crown to anyone else if he wanted ("But who here would ever understand/That the Pumpkin King with the skeleton grin/Would tire of his crown, if they only understood/He'd give it all up if he only could . . . "), so he's stuck with the job. ''And'' if the scenes after "This Is Halloween" is any indication, due to being the biggest in-universe celebrity, Jack can't even having a decent conversation with anyone. And who knows how long Jack's been doing the Halloween job? He could be ReallySevenHundredYearsOld for all we know. When you think about it, [[TheWoobie you can't blame the guy]] for desperately wanting to try out Christmas.
* TheBlindLeadingTheBlind: Jack: "At least they're excited but they don't understand this Christmas thing."
* BlueAndOrangeMorality: The people of Halloweentown are macabre, disturbing, and scary, and enjoy things that are dangerous and unpleasant to regular people, but that's just because it's their nature. In their world, these things are all quite positive.
** This, of course, is the primary source of conflict in the movie, because although the Halloween creatures ''think'' they understand Christmas, it's pretty much impossible for them to do so. Not even Jack really gets it.
* [[ABoyAndHisX A Skeleton and His Ghost Dog]]
* BSODSong: "Poor Jack" starts out this way.
** It can also count as both a {{dark|Reprise}} and {{triumphant reprise}} of "Jack's Lament".
* CampStraight: Jack. Hell, at the end of "Making Christmas", he even swings his hips.
* CashCowFranchise: Oh yes!
** What makes this even more annoying is that some people buy the stuff to look {{Goth}} or {{Emo}}, not because they actually seen the movie.
** Ironically, Tim Burton seemed to try to prevent this to an extent, by refusing to do sequels and ruin the integrity of the movie for fans.
* CassandraTruth: Sally tries to tell Jack that his Christmas will be a disaster. Guess what happens.
* CCGImportanceDissonance
* CheshireCatGrin: Jack has this mixed with SlasherSmile as his default smile. Sally [[http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Sally_cheshire_cat_grin_6839.jpg gets a good one]] when she tricks the doctor into eating the poisoned soup.
* ColourCodedForYourConvenience: Christmas Town, Halloween Town, "The Normal World", and the Forest all have different color palettes, making them easier to distinguish from one another.
* ComfortingComforter: Sally takes the time to tuck Dr Finklestein in after she drugs him unconscious so she can leave.
* ComicallyMissingThePoint: Things might have gone more smoothly if Jack and the HalloweenTown citizens actually ''understood'' Christmas...
** One could interpret Jack's "misunderstanding" as him continuing to "give the people what they want", as he stated at the end of the Town Meeting Song.
** Some people feel that Goths wearing TNBC clothes are ComicallyMissingThePoint. These people obviously have never encountered Perky Goths, who match Jack's personality and love of the macabre PERFECTLY.
* CoverVersion: As part of the 2006 re-release marketing thing, ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightmare_Revisited Nightmare Revisited]]'' was released. It is a full album's worth of covers of varying quality.
* CrowdSong: "This Is Halloween", "The Town Meeting Song", "Making Christmas", and "Finale/Reprise".
* CuriosityCausesConversion: Deconstructed, as this [[GoneHorriblyWrong didn't turn out so well]].
* DannyElfman: Who else?
** He's also the singing voice for Jack.
* DarkIsNotEvil: Although the denizens of Halloween Town are folks you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley (because they arose from the muck puddles at the bottom of said alley), they clearly aren't intending to be ''harmful,'' just ''scary'' (with the exception of Oogie Boogie and his posse.)
** "It's our job but we're not mean/in this town of Halloween..."
** In ''KingdomHeartsChainOfMemories'', Jack even tells Sora that the citizens of Halloween Town enjoy scaring people, not hurting them.
** [[TVTropesDrinkingGame Take a drink]] every time a ''Nightmare'' wick is on a trope that's normally for villains. Take two if it is mentioned that the example isn't evil.
* TheDeadHaveEyes: Jack has no problem seeing and hearing, though he [[CaptainObvious obviously has no eyes or ears]].
* DeadpanSnarker: Jack does this a couple times.
--> '''Doctor Finklestein:''' Curiosity killed the cat, you know.
--> '''Jack:''' ''I know''.
** This troper was under the impression that Jack, being dead already and thus not able to be hurt, and being a NightmareFetishist sounded and was actually excited about the prospect.
* DeathByIrony: Oogie planned to make Santa and later [[spoiler: Sally]] into snake-and-spider stew [[spoiler: and ends up having all his bugs fall into the concoction, becoming stew himself]].
* DeathGlare: When Jack arrives at Oogie Boogie's place, he's pretty pissed already, but when Jack hears Sally scream (thus telling him that she was down there), he gives a DeathGlare that pretty much signed Oogie's death warrant. A [[NightmareFuel slightly scarier]] example is [[spoiler: when Oogie's bugs are falling into the pit, Jack's facial expression quite clearly says, "You deserve this."]]
* DefangedHorrors: Outright stated (in the first song) that the people of the town love to scare, but have no malicious feelings towards people. Of course, their creepy Boogieman (whom even the Halloween folks avoid!) and his rather cowardly cronies are quite the exception. Even though Lock, Shock, and Barrel claim to only work for Oogie out of fear, they sure do show pleasure at the thoughts of mauling 'Sandy Claws' in their star song...
* DeliberatelyMonochrome: According to the special features of the DVD re-release, Halloweentown was made with this Trope in mind.
* DemBones: Jack, aka ''[[InSeriesNickname Bone Daddy]]'' and the doctor's Undead Reindeer Fleet, not to mention the hangman skeletons in the tree during the opening song, and the tortured luminescent singing skeletons in Boogie's place.
* DidntThinkThisThrough: Oogie and the gunmen. Note that when he hits the button for the saw, a '''thread''' gets caught...
** Jack counts too. Let's have a town who has only known scares for their afterlife take over a cheerful holiday that you barely understand. [[SarcasmMode Real brilliant idea, there.]]
* DisneyDeath: Jack. Fortunately, he recovers, which makes Oogie ticked off.
-->'''Oogie:''' J-J-J-Jack! But they said you were dead. You must be ''double'' dead!
* DontYouLikeIt: Basically the reaction of Jack's Christmas.
* DressedInLayers: When Jack rips off his Santa costume, he has his normal tuxedo on underneath.
* DutchAngle: Several, from the subtle to the very obvious. Granted that it's a TimBurton-produced film.
* EarlyBirdCameo: Jack appears in TimBurton's 1982 short stop-motion film ''Vincent'' and as a skull on top of Film/{{Beetlejuice}}'s carnival hat.
** Also in the skeleton pirate scene in James and the Giant Peach.
* EfficientDisplacement: When Jack hits the Christmas Town sign and falls into a foot of snow.
* EnfantTerrible: A trio of them: Lock, Shock, and Barrel, three professional trick or treaters and kidnappers.
* EurekaMoment: "Jack's Obsession" leads to one. Jack even shouts "EUREKA!"
* EvilCannotComprehendGood: Subverted, since the people of Halloween Town are not actually evil; however, their innate inability to really understand the concept or point of Christmas is a big part of the reason that Jack's plans don't pan out.
* EvilLaugh: Jack has a nice one--as his natural laugh. A reminder that he is a resident of [[DarkIsNotEvil Halloween Town]].
** Played straight with Oogie Boogie at the end of his VillainSong.
* EvilSoundsDeep: Oogie Boogie.
** Jack plays with this trope, as when he's being extra creepy, his voice goes an octave lower. His regular voice is more or less normal, but there are also times when he gets really shrill.
* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: Sally's (Or possibly Finklestein's) potions, and Jack's books take this to a ridiculous extreme.
* FacePalm: Jack does this after Lock, Shock, and Barrel brings back the Easter Bunny instead of Santa and start fighting over it.
* FauxAffablyEvil: Again, Oogie Boogie.
* FauxSymbolism: A skeletal creature trying to supplant a ruler of his crown, being shot down and falling, WreathedInFlames, into [[PietaPlagiarism the arms of a stone]] ''[[PietaPlagiarism angel]]?'' There's ''got'' to be something to that.
* FinalLoveDuet: [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments Jack and Sally.]]
* FoeYay: Come on, there's really no reason why, when he decided to show, Jack had to announce his presence to [[BigBad Oogie Boogie]] looking like [[http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Akward_______2623.jpg he's trying to seduce him]].
** Then there's Oogie's ShoutOut comment to Santa, sounding like Oogie's going to ''[[{{Squick}} rape]]'' him.
** The ShowSomeLeg scene! Seriously, that's probably the reason for the Oogie/Sally ship!
* {{Foil}}: Some believe that Jack and Oogie are foils to each other, the former being thin, artistic, and thoughtful, the latter fat, rude, and sadistic.
** Sally might also be a foil for Jack, since he's outgoing, energetic, loud, and usually enthusiastic while she's shy, reserved, quiet and usually sad.
** Jack could also be a foil for [[HowTheGrinchStoleChristmas The Grinch]], the latter stealing Christmas to ruin it but ends up saving it via a HeelFaceTurn and the former taking over Christmas with good intentions but screwing it up royally.
* ForTheEvulz: Oogie Boogie's motivation. During his VillainSong he carefreely sing out that he does all the bad things because "It's much more fun" when "lives are on the line".
* {{Foreshadowing}}: In-story, there's Sally's premonition with the burning Christmas tree. In cinematic technique, there's Jack's first visit to Christmastown in the song "What's This?" Among other things, we see him unintentionally smashing a snowflake, destroying a snowman and scaring a little sleeping elf - a taster of the unwitting destruction that Jack's curiosity in Christmas will bring.
** When he's trying to understand Christmas scientifically, he attempts to cut a paper snowflake and finds that he's made a spider.
*** The rest of the same scene. His attempts to understand the paraphernalia of Christmas only results in the items of his experiments being destroyed. "Jack's Obsession" also ends with him smashing several Christmas ornaments, and causing a string of lights to ''explode''.
** During the Town Hall meeting in which Jack reveals the inhabitants of Halloweentown what Christmas is, the Mayor says. cheerfully, "This will be the most terrifying Christmas ever!", to which Jack automatically corrects him. Probably unintentional, but considering the events of the climax of the movie, probably not.
* ForgottenPhlebotinum: Oogie Boogie has the ability to suck in everything like a gigantic vacuum, which is how he [[spoiler: recaptured Santa and Sally]]. He never thought to use this in his battle against Jack Skellington, though this is somewhat justified, as Oogie was trying to get ''away'' from Jack. [[JustEatGilligan Still could have eaten him, though.]]
* FourFingeredHands: Jack is the most notable since he's humanoid - avoided with Sally. All the others get away with it because they're not really humanoid. Except for the mayor *shudder*.
** Some of the human children have four-fingered hands as well.
** Also avoided on Jack's part in the animated short on the DVD of the Nightmare Before Christmas poem (narrated by Christopher Lee for extra awesome points).
* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: Well, first there's the whole ShowSomeLeg thing, then after "This Is Halloween" when everyone is heaping praise on Jack, the short witch gets a little....affectionate....with Jack's leg (though that could be this troper's gutter-minded imagination).
** Also, did anyone else think that when Jack [[ThatCameOutWrong revealed himself to Oogie]], that the way Jack was keeping himself on the platform was [[FoeYay a bit suggestive?]] ''And'' there's Oogie's ShoutOut comment to Santa, which sounds pretty rape-y both out and in context.
--> '''Oogie''': And now with your permission, I'm going to do my stuff.
--> '''Santa''': What are you going to do?
--> '''Oogie''': I'm going to do the best I can...
** And then there's the question of why Dr. Finklestein made Sally...
* GirlNoticesFirst
* GoneHorriblyWrong: Poor Jack, all he wanted was to try his hand at another holiday . . . .
** Also, after Finklestein awakens from Sally ''[[TooDumbToLive poisoning him for the fourth time in a little over a month]]'' he reacts to his doorbell the same way any hung over person would react to a loud noise.
* {{Guile Hero}}ine[=/=]{{The Smart G|uy}}irl: Sally uses her brain most of all to get out of tight spots.
* HalloweenTown: The TropeNamer!
* HeelRealization: In "Poor Jack".
* HeWhoMustNotBeSeen: The faces of the adults in the human world are not shown.
** Also Oogie Boogie, who appears as the shadow on the moon in ''This is Halloween'' and as a shadow on the wall in ''Kidnap the Sandy Claws'', but he himself doesn't appear in the...uh...stitching...until his own song.
* HeroesLoveDogs
* HeroAntagonist: Sally.
* HeroicBSOD: Jack undergoes two, once during "Jack's Lament" and again once [[spoiler: he realizes that he was accidentally ruining Christmas for the entire human realm.]]
* HeroesWantRedheads: Jack and Sally, obviously.
* HiveMind: Oogie Boogie is made of ''insects'' and ''worms'' and yet he manages to move, speak and do all kinds of evil stuff. It's debatable if there is a HiveQueen (if there is, it's probably a little, white, earwig-like bug).
** [[spoiler: This is confirmed in Oogie's Revenge]].
* {{Homage}}: Halloweentown looks an awful lot like [[Film/TheCabinetOfDrCaligari Holstenwall]].
* HufflepuffHouse: The holiday dimensions besides Halloween Town and Christmas Town
* IAmWhatIAm: After his disaster at being Santa Claus, Jack finally realizes what his true calling is, as he sums it up in five words: I ''AM'' THE PUMPKIN KING!
* IdiotHero: Jack is probably one of the more {{justified|Trope}} examples, as his idiotic moments come from not being an idiot, but from either not understanding concepts outside of Halloween (the whole Christmas fiasco, thinking the shells were fireworks, etc.) or being so excited for Christmas that he doesn't listen to reason (Sally and her prediction). The only thing he does that is [[WhatAnIdiot just plain stupid]] is trusting [[TerribleTrio Lock, Shock, and Barrel]] to take care of SantaClaus.
* TheIgor: MadScientist Doctor Finkelstein has one. He likes doggy treats.
* ImpairmentShot: Used after Jack runs face-first into a candy-cane-striped pole. And when Santa first sets eyes on Halloween Town, having been roughly hauled out of a sack previously.
* InCaseYouForgotWhoWroteIt: Oh, it was Tim Burton by the way. (Conceived rather than written, to be exact; it was expanded by others.)
** This trope combined with the advertising ("From the director of ''The Nightmare Before Christmas''") inadvertently caused people who aren't aware of Henry Selick's involvement with ''Nightmare'' to think that ''Film/{{Coraline}}'' was directed by Burton (it was Selick who directed that film too).
*** And NeilGaiman [[http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2009/02/by-way-of-preamble.html was not happy about this]].
* IncendiaryExponent: Jack sets himself on fire, while dressed as a {{scar|yScarecrows}}ecrow, at the end of "This Is Halloween". Naturally, [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome it is one of the most awesome entrances in Disney history]].
* IncomingHam: "Well, well, well! What have we here? Santa Claus?! Ha! Oooooh, [[SarcasmMode I'm really scared!]]"
* IronicEcho: The first time Jack sings "And I, Jack, the Pumpkin King" (during Jack's Lament), he is angsting over how Halloween has stopped being special to him. The second time (during the second half of Poor Jack) he is getting over his angst about ruining Christmas and how Halloween isn't special to him anymore.
* {{Irony}}: You know how loads of {{hate|Dumb}}ers contribute their dislike of this movie because of all the merchandise at Hot Topic? Considering Jack's reaction to the way the HalloweenTown citizens ("Thank you. Thank you! ''[[CelebrityIsOverrated Very much!!]]''") it's highly likely that ''Jack would hate all the merchandise at Hot Topic too.''
* IWantSong: "Jack's Lament"
** Also counts as an IAmSong, as he describes how he is the Master of Fright and a Demon of Light, amongst other things.
*** It can be divided verse-by-verse into each of those. The verses in common time are almost entirely self-description while the slower, 3/4 time verses are "I Want" verses.
** "What's This" counts as well. It climaxes with the line "I want it! Oh I want it! Oh I want it for my own!"
* KarmaHoudini: Lock, Shock and Barrel
** Well, there was a scene immediately before the final battle where Jack [[HoistByHisOwnPetard gives them exactly]] what's coming to them, but it was cut for timing reasons.
** Also, keep in mind that they are, or at least appear to be, a bunch of [[InfantImmortality small children]].
** In the movie, they leave and bring back help to rescue Jack and Sally, and their line refers back to that deleted scene.
-->'''Lock, Shock and Barrel:''' Here he is! Alive! Just like we said!
** Ironically, a line in "Kidnap the Sandy Claws" suggests that Lock, Shock, and Barrel didn't expect a KarmaHoudini:
-->'''Shock''': Think now/If we blow him up to smithereens/We may lose some pieces and then...
-->'''Shock & Lock''': Jack will beat us [[BizarreAlienBiology black and green]]!
** Subverted if you play KingdomHearts, you can kick their asses personally there.
* [[KidsPreferBoxes Skeletons Prefer Boxes]]: Jack is obsessed with the concept of a "present" (particularly in ''KingdomHearts2''), but doesn't understand that the present is what's INSIDE the pretty wrapped box with the bow.
* TheKindnapper: Jack Skellington has part of his being a NightmareFuelStationAttendant. His way of indulging himself in his new passion for Christmas not only involves planning to run the show himself, but kidnapping the one who already does to enable his doing so. And he sees it as a favor for Santa, too! Despite Jack's unquestionable status as TheHero, though, his kindnapping is clearly shown as not being a good thing, especially because of what it leads to...
-->'''Santa''': ''(bursts out of the bag)'' Let me out! ''(the Halloween Town citizens gasp in awe)''
-->'''Jack Skellington''': Sandy Claws - in person. What a pleasure to meet you. ''(prepares to shake but then looks down when their HANDS touch)''
-->'''Jack Skellington''': Wh - ! Why, you have ''hands''! You don't have claws at all!
-->'''Santa'': ''(dazed)'' Where am I?
-->'''Jack Skellington'': Surprised, are you? You don't have to worry about another Christmas ''this'' year.
-->'''Santa''': Wh-what?
-->'''Jack Skellington'': Consider this a vacation, Sandy. A ''reward''. It's ''your'' turn to take it easy.
-->'''Santa''': B-But there must be some mistake!
-->'''Jack Skellington''': See that he's comfortable... ''(the minions start to close up the bag, but then stop)'' Just a second, fellas! Of ''course''! ''That's'' what I'm missing! ''(takes Santa's hat)''
-->'''Santa''': B-But...
-->'''Jack Skellington''': ''(as he's putting on the hat)'' Thanks.
-->'''Santa''': Hang on - you just can't - ''(has the bag thrown over him again)'' - Hold on! Where are we going now?
* LargeHam: Oogie Boogie. Jack is a bit more subtle, but still can be pretty hammy.
** It's kind of par for the course when one lives in Halloween Town.
*** Who ever said being a LargeHam was [[TropesAreNotBad a bad thing]]?
** The mayor. "The king of Halloween has been blown to smitherEEEns!!! Skeleton Jack is now a PILE of Dust!"
* LastMinuteHookup: Jack and Sally.
* {{Leitmotif}}: "This Is Halloween" for the citizens of Halloweentown and [[VillainSong "Kidnap The Sandy Claws"]] for Lock, Shock, and Barrel.
* LightningCanDoAnything: Like bringing skeletal reindeer to life and in the prequel game heal Jack.
* LimitedWardrobe: The only time Jack ever changed out of his tuxedo is, of course, when he [[BadSanta imitates]] SantaClaus (well, and one scene when he's in bed and wearing off-white pajamas, but that's only for a couple of minutes). Possibly even taken UpToEleven, since in "Poor Jack", when Jack declares that [[LargeHam HE IS THE PUMPKIN KING!!!]], he rips off the tatters of his Santa outfit to reveal that [[DressedInLayers he's been wearing his tux underneath the suit all this time]]. Sally also wears the same dress throughout the film, though considering that either she's locked up by [[MadScientist Dr. Finklestein]] or [[StalkerWithACrush stalking Jack]], this is more justified. Both cases are also justified with the fact that it would be needlessly complicated to have StopMotion characters wear different clothes.
** May double as MySuitIsAlsoSuper, the Sandy Claws costume is tattered, but Jack's tux is fine under it.
* TheLostWoods: the Hinterlands
* ALoveToDismember: Perhaps the only ''unwitting'' example yet - see ShowSomeLeg below.
* MadeOfIron: Jack manages to get shot down by ''flak guns'' without being blown to pieces. This could be justified, however, by the coffin sleigh taking most of the blow. However, this does not explain how at least a ''mile-high fall onto a stone angel'' didn't break any of his bones (the impact from the fall ''did'' seem to be strong enough to knock off his jawbone, however). This all still could be justified by the fact that Jack's undead, so he would not feel pain, if it weren't for an earlier scene where [[StalkerWithACrush Sally]] accidentally pokes Jack's finger with a needle, and he yelps in pain. [[MindScrew It's a little confusing]].
** He was caught by an angel.
*** We also see Zero fly over and reattach his jaw, which seems to revive him. It's possible he reassembled him entirely, offscreen.
** He's an AnthropomorphicPersonification. He's probably very hard to kill, especially with mortal weapons. Doesn't mean it doesn't hurt like Hell.
* MadScientist: Doctor Finkelstein.
* MadScientistsBeautifulDaughter: In the "artificial creation" sense of "daughter", with an OverprotectiveDad. Or perhaps he created her with plans to woo her.
* MagicPants: Jack's outfit may count. Note when he rises out of the fountain and his collar visibly straightens. When Jack is shot down, the Sandy Claws outfit is shredded, but the tux is completely unscathed.
* MagicVersusScience: Sort of. Note that Santa can do magic (flying reindeer, flying away at the end followed by a trail of sparkly magic stuff), while Jack's way of going at Christmas is more scientific (employing Dr. Finklestein, reading books on the Scientific Method).
** However, Jack can and does do magic in his own realm. It's probably a question of spheres of influence: Jack has no power over Christmas, so he has to use different tools than Santa.
* MalevolentMaskedMen: Subverted. As trick-or-treaters, Lock, Shock and Barrel wear costume masks all the time, but in their introductory scene they take them off, revealing faces that look exactly the same as (or worse than) their masks.
* MeaningfulBackgroundEvent: While Oogie Boogie is taunting Sally and Santa Claus, if you look behind him, you can see Jack Skellington sneaking into the lair all spider-like.
** Doubles as a ChekhovsSkill in the scene immediately following.
* MeaningfulName: Most likely unintentional, but one of the meanings of "Jack"? ''Supplanter''.
** More likely a reference to jack o'lanterns.
* MelancholyMoon
* MemeticOutfit: Jack's pin-striped tuxedo and bat bow-tie; also Sally's dress. Both have even been made available as Halloween costumes for adults through the Disney company.
* MemeticSexGod: Everyone's necrophiliac for Jack Skellington. [[IncrediblyLamePun All hail to the Pumpkin Pimp]].
** This may possibly even be an ''in-universe'' example, considering how the citizens act about Jack.[[hottip:*: Anyone else thought that when Jack was trying to get away from the HalloweenTown citizens, it sounded like Jack thought he was going to get raped? "Thank you. Thank you! ''Very much!''"]]
* MindScrew: "This Is Halloween". It's so surreal that bats have ''strings'' attached to them.
* MinionShipping: Lock and Shock. [[ToyShip I'm afraid so.]]
** Very {{Squick}}y for those who believe Lock, Shock and Barrel are [[BrotherSisterIncest siblings]].
** [[ItGotWorse Could be worse]]: Some people like to ship [[{{Lolicon}} Jack/Shock]]. She's usually aged up, [[{{Squick}} but still...]]
*** Worse still, the same people who put Jack and Shock together usually end up pairing [[{{Shotacon}} Sally with Barrel (or sometimes Lock, but it's usually Barrel)]]. Also usually aged up, but still doesn't seem right when you consider that Sally hardly interacted with Boogie's Boys.
* ModestRoyalty: Jack, the Pumpkin King. He wears a snappy tuxedo, but no crown or other royal insignia.
** RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething
** Both apply equally to Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny.
* MomentKiller: The Mayor near the end, with a spotlight.
* MonsterClown: One of the recurring townsfolk. Subverted in that he is [[DarkIsNotEvil not actually evil]]
* MoodSwinger: Jack Skellington. Until the third act, he is either depressed, extremely enthusiastic, or concentrating intensely on his obsession. He is at his calmest only at the end, [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments during his and Sally's duet]].
* TheMultiverse: There's apparently a dimension for every holiday celebrated in America (though it's not clear if any of these dimensions consist of much more than one town).
* MustMakeAmends: Basically, Jack and Oogie's fight is about Jack trying to fix things.
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: At the start of the song "Poor Jack."
* MyHeroZero
* MyNameIsNotDurwood: Jack, and by extension everyone in Halloween Town, calls Santa Claus "Sandy Claws". In a deleted scene and in the dialogue when Jack first meets Santa, it's shown that Jack took the "Claws" part literally.
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Santa Claus is in trouble and Christmas is ruined. Three guesses to who is responsible. First two don't count.
* NightmareFace: [[http://i51.tinypic.com/2usv8nd.png Expected from the King of Halloween]].
** Then there's that scary face Jack does to scare Lock, Shock and Barrel into doing their job right.
** And "the clown with the tear-away face"...
* NightmareFuelStationAttendant: Jack. The entire town consists of {{Nightmare Fetishist}}s, but even Jack's attempts at innocent merriment turn scary.
* NoNameGiven: [[EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep The Mayor]] (though some of the merch calls him [[PunnyName Hizzonor]]). Most of the citizens also seem to not have names (The Clown With The-Tear-Away-Face, The Wolf Man, etc). Awesomely used with one off-screen horror who proclaims "I and the ''who'' in the call out "''Who's there?''".
* NoPeripheralVision: After [[BigBad Oogie Boogie]] realizes that the knife-wielding king cards wasn't going to stop Jack from kicking his ass, Oogie pulls a rope that stops the murderous cards. Jack goes for Oogie, never noticing the [[PirateNinjaZombieRobot gun-wielding gambling game cowboy skeletons]] approaching to his left and nearly getting shot. However, considering that Jack [[TheDeadHaveEyes doesn't have proper eyeballs]], it's entirely possible that Jack really ''doesn't'' have peripheral vision, therefore justifying him not seeing the weapons.
** There's a less WMG-y reason he didn't see the gunmen: Jack was focused solely on whooping Oogie's stitched behind, so he just didn't notice the gunmen. It isn't the first time in the movie that Jack's tuned out everything other than his goal to the detriment of his own health.
* NoodleIncident: In "Jack's Lament", some of the lyrics are thus: "To a guy in Kentucky, I'm Mister Unlucky! And I'm known throughout England and France!"
* NoodlePeople
* ObliviousToLove: Jack -- though to be fair, the only overt gesture Sally is seen to make is easily explained by the fact that they're friends (which they clearly are). And he does catch on eventually.
* OffscreenTeleportation: When Jack goes to rescue Sally and Santa from Oogie Boogie. Last we see Jack before the FinalBattle, he was [[MeaningfulBackgroundEvent sneaking in behind Oogie's back]], quite a ways away from the platform where Santa and Sally were. With the way the scene is set up, it would have been ''impossible'' for Jack to get to the platform without Oogie seeing him, no matter ''what'' sneaking skills being the Pumpkin King would get you.
** [[{{WMG}} Maybe Jack's powers operate on]] RuleOfScary?
* OhCrap: Jack, when he realize that those shells are not fireworks. "They're ''trying'' to hit us!"
** Oogie gets two big ones: 1) when he sees Jack on the platform instead of Sally and Santa and 2) [[spoiler: when Jack pulls the thread that keeps him together]]. He has several smaller one as Jack passes each of his deathtraps, but these may be feigned, as he always has another trap ready.
* OhMyGods: Inverted, as during "Poor Jack", Jack refers to God twice ("And, by God, I really tasted something swell!" "And, by God, I'm really going to give it all my might!").
* OnlySaneMan: Sally seems to be the only denizen of Halloween Town who even approaches the realization that people don't want to be scared or attacked on Christmas.
-->'''SantaClaus:''' "The next time you get the urge to take over someone else's holiday, I'd listen to ''her''. She's the only one who makes any sense in this insane asylum!"
* OpeningChorus: "This Is Halloween".
* OpeningNarration: Narrated by Santa, and this would have qualified for BookEnds if they had kept the epilogue noted under BabiesEverAfter. (The ending narration can be heard on the soundtrack, and it's read by PatrickStewart for extra awesome points.)
* OurDemonsAreDifferent: There's the stereotypical Devil for one (though him being ''The'' [[{{Satan}} Devil]] is probably unlikely), and Jack in "Jack's Lament" says he's a "Demon Of Light," indicating he's some sort of NobleDemon. In some of the foreign dubs, Jack actually declares himself the Devil. There's also the Harlequin Demon.
* OurHeroIsDead: Used with the HalloweenTown citizens when Jack's flying sleigh is shot down in the human world.
* OurMonstersAreDifferent: Basically every resident of Halloween Town is some kind of horrible monster, yet nearly all of them are pretty much good-natured in their own way. The creepy nature they all have is just how they are, as they don't technically mean to bring harm to anyone...unless you ask for it.
* PaperThinDisguise: Jack must have been ''really'' delusional if he thought a red suit and deep voice would hide the fact that he's a ''seven-foot tall skeleton'' trying to be Santa.
** [[Discworld/{{Hogfather}} Pretty sure that's been attempted more than once...]]
* PassThePopcorn: In a deleted scene, Lock, Shock, and Barrel grab candy, pop, and -- yes -- popcorn to eat while they watch Oogie tormenting Sandy and Sally. This scene was deleted due to both timing issues and that Burton and Selick feel that having Lock, Shock, and Barrel enjoying Sandy and Sally's torture would put the trio beyond just "playful tricksters" to "evil little bastards" [[hottip:*: okay, they didn't say bastards, but the point is still there]].
* PerkyGoth: Jack, if not most of the citizens of Halloween Town.
* PietaPlagiarism: Nearing the end of the film, Jack lies defeated in the arms of a graveyard statue of an angel.
* PlanetOfHats: Every (American) holiday has an entire ''alternate reality'' devoted to that one holiday.
** [[WildMassGuessing Maybe holidays from other countries are in a different part of the forest.]]
* PowerTrio: Lock is in the middle role, with female Shock being the smartest and Barrel as the dumb one who gets smacked, or TheRadar, depending on who you ask.
* PreAsskickingOneLiner: "Hello, Oogie."
** [[spoiler: PreMortemOneLiner]]: "How '''''dare''''' you treat my friends so '''''shamefully!'''''"
* [[{{Seers}} Precognition]]: Sally has a vision representing Jack's Christmas going to hell by a Christmas Tree [[ThatPoorPlant going up into flames]]. It's unclear if this is a one-time thing or not; however, she does remark to Jack that she had a vision, and the implication seems to be that this has happened before.
* PunctuatedForEmphasis: [[EarWorm WHAT! IS! THIS!]] * [[WatchOutForThatTree smack]]*
* PuttingAHandOverHisMouth: Sally's disembodied hand does this to Santa Claus when she's rescuing him.
* QuirkyMinibossSquad: Lock, Shock, and Barrel.
* TheRadar: Barrel. Maybe.
* RageAgainstTheReflection: When Sally tries to talk Jack out of SubbingForSanta by showing a picture of Jack as the Pumpkin King, Jack simply takes the picture and breaks it over his knee.
* RealWomenDontWearDresses: Sally usually manages to duck this, but a number of fans still ignore the major role she plays in the story to bash her feminine appearance or call her Dr. Finklestein's sex toy.
* RecycledTrailerMusic : The song "What's This?" is used in lots of trailer. The trailers for the movie itself were scored with JohnWilliams' theme to ''Film/{{Hook}}'' and "The End" from ''EdwardScissorhands''.
* RedAlert: Occurs twice, when Jack goes missing (he's in Christmas Town) and while he's delivering toys on Christmas Eve.
* RefrainFromAssuming: "[[IAmSong Jack's]] [[IWantSong Lament]]" is sometimes referred to as "The Pumpkin King" or simply "Jack's Song". [[hottip:* : the latter not making any sense, as most of the songs are sung by Jack.]]
* TheRenaissanceAgeOfAnimation
* SantaClaus: The unwitting MacGuffin is the king of Christmas Town.
* SavingChristmas: Subverted in that the ''hero'' is the one to kidnap Santa, but then played straight after things go pear-shaped.
* ScaryBlackMan: Oogie Boogie's voice actor is black, but as he is a sentient sack of insects, he himself has no actual race.
** This has drawn criticism from Richard Delgado and Jean Stefancic, who says that the usage of the heroes using "whitespeak" and the villain using "blackspeak" is [[UnfortunateImplications racist profiling]].
*** [[{{Hypocrite}} Mild bad grammar is considered "blackspeak"?]]
* ScaryScorpions: The box of scorpions Shock plans to give as a "gift" to Santa in order to capture him.
** This troper thought the scorpions were suppose to represent her, Lock, and Barrel.
--> We'll send a present to his door/Upon there'll be a note to read/Now, in the box we'll wait and hide/Until his curiosity/Entices him to look inside/And then we'll have him/One, two, three!
* TheScientificMethod: Jack has a book about the subject, [[{{Adorkable}} apparently keeping it under his pillow]].
* ScrewYourself: Not only does the wife Dr. Finklestein made for himself look like a female version of himself, he gave her half of his own brain. Jack's shocked expression upon seeing them is pretty understandable, really.
* ShoutOut: Oogie and Santa echo a line from the BettyBoop cartoon "The Old Man of the Mountain", which stars CabCalloway, the inspiration for Oogie Boogie. Oogie's gyrating dance bears a strong resemblance to that of the Walrus rotoscoped over Calloway in the Betty cartoon "Minne the Moocher."
--> Santa: "What are you going to do?"
--> Oogie: "I'm going to do the best I can . . ."
** Some of the toys are the same ones as seen in ''BatmanReturns'' and two of the Real World kids are wearing pajamas with [[ClassicDisneyShorts Mickey Mouse]] and DonaldDuck on them.
** Probably unintentional, but the scarecrow outfit Jack wears in the beginning sequence looks like an evil version of [[ReturnToOz Jack PumpkinHead]].
** A deliberate one to RudolphTheRedNosedReindeer, when Zero turns his nose red and moves to the head of the sleigh team to guide them through the fog.
** ShoutOut/ToShakespeare in "Jack's Lament": "''And since I am dead, I can [[AlasPoorYorick take off my head]]/ To recite [[{{Hamlet}} Shakespearean quotations]].''"
** The title itself is a ShoutOut[=/=]PunnyName to the classic Christmas poem "The Night Before Christmas".
* ShowSomeLeg: Played with: [[spoiler: Sally shows off a bit of leg to attract Oogie's attention, but it later turns out the leg is unattached, serving to distract Oogie while the rest of Sally unties Santa.]]
* SimpleScoreOfSadness: "Sally's Song".
* SlasherSmile: Oogie Boogie and Barrel. Jack's is a borderline between a SlasherSmile and a CheshireCatGrin.
* SnowMeansLove: Jack and Sally kiss on the snow-covered Spiral Hill.
* TheSongBeforeTheStorm: "Making Christmas".
* SpiritualSuccessor: ''Film/CorpseBride''. Made even more obvious by the fact that its trailer ended up with RecycledTrailerMusic from this film.
* StalkerWithACrush: Sally is a good-natured version, which leads to...
* StalkingIsLove: It's not played out straight though, since while most of the examples find out and are flattered rather then creeped out, Jack never finds out that Sally stalked him. Then again, he's such a NightmareFetishist he probably ''would'' love it.
** Considering everyone in the town is a Nightmare Fetishist, it's very probable that in HalloweenTown stalking actually ''is'' a way to show love.
* StopMotion: It's even widely believed to be the first full-length three-dimensional stop-motion feature, but [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_stop_motion_films according to]] Wiki/{{Wikipedia}}, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_Gulliver this is]] [[SadlyMythtaken not the case]].
* SubbingForSanta: Inverted.
* TakeThat: "I'm only an elected official here, ''I can't make decisions by myself!''" The DVDCommentary and the Mayor's actual [[VisualPun two-faced head]] draws parallels with the Mayor to two-faced politicians.
* TearOffYourFace: There's a clown with a tear-away face.
* ThatManIsDead: "But you're the Pumpkin King!" "Not anymore!" *[[RageAgainstTheReflection breaks picture]]* "I feel ''so'' much better now!" Makes one wonder what Jack's long-term plans for Christmas were . . .
* ThereAreNoTherapists: Seriously, just ''look'' at Jack. He's dealing with both depression and a mid-[[hottip:death: life]] crisis, and [[EpilepticTrees possibly]] bi-polar disorder and ADD. The bone man is in desperate need of a therapist.
* ThemeTuneCameo: The Mayor finds "This Is Halloween" so catchy, we find him humming it later as he brings Jack the plans for next year's Halloween.
* TravelingPipeBulge: Santa's little trip to Oogie Boogie's lair.
* TriumphantReprise: At least two: "This Is Halloween" and "Sally's Song" both get them.
** Along with "What's This?"
* TwoFaced: The Mayor, who [[VisualPun literally has two faces]] -- one colorful and happy, one ashen and distressed. It's more of a facial mood ring than a split personality, though.
* UltimateAuthorityMayor: The mayor. Justified as there really isn't any higher authority that ''exists'' in... where ever the hell Halloweentown is. And Jack does all the real work anyway.
* VagueAge: ''Jack''. He seems to be in his late twenties-early thirties, yet since he's DemBones, he could always be ReallySevenHundredYearsOld.
** How about Oogie? Honestly, how can anyone tell exactly how old that guy is?
* VillainousLament: "Jack's Lament" and the first half of "Poor Jack", though this trope is subverted by Jack not being evil.
* VillainSong: "Oogie Boogie's Song". Keep in mind, it's sung by Ken Page, the same fellow who voiced King Gator in ''AllDogsGoToHeaven'' and played Old Deuteronomy in the video version of ''Cats''. As such, it's amazing.
** A second one, for the QuirkyMinibossSquad, is "Kidnap the Sandy Claws."
* VisualPun: The [[ObstructiveBureaucrat Mayor]] is two-faced.
* WeirdMoon/[[WeirdSun Sun]]: The moon is pretty big and doesn't have any craters, while the sun has the face of a jack-o-lantern.
* WhatTheHellHero: Santa gives Jack a hefty chewing-out when he comes to apologize. In the original poem, he's much more understanding (possibly because he hadn't just escaped from a sapient burlap sack gloating about how it intended to turn him into stew and eat him).
** Yet there are quite a few fans that thought that [[FanDumb Santa was oh so mean to poor Jack]]. This Jack fangirl actually used to think so too, but after thinking about it, wouldn't ''you'' be a bit pissed at the guy who fucked up your holiday and nearly got you eaten? And note, fangirls, that [[FridgeBrilliance Santa didn't know Jack told Lock, Shock, and Barrel not to send him down to Oogie.]]
*** Not to mention that Santa was still understanding enough to [[spoiler:bring snow to Halloweentown, so Jack's dream that everyone could understand Christmas came true.]]
* WhereTheHellIsSpringfield: The unnamed city Jack visits.
** HalloweenTown counts too.
* WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief: Jack and Sally able to walk, talk, can feel pain, and even implied to have a need for nourishment? Why not. Jack and Sally having children, particularly through being able to have sex? [[BrokenBase The fandom is divided by this]]. Some say why not, while others think Jack and Sally either [[LampshadedDoubleEntendre lack certain parts]] for successful reproduction or shouldn't have kids at all. And this isn't getting into the {{Squick}}[=/=]FetishFuel aspect of the argument . . .
** Also, Jack is lit on fire at the begining of the film without expressing any sign of pain and later falls hundreds of feet, landing hard enough to knock off his jaw bone, yet he still says "ow" when he pricks his finger on a needle.
* TheWormThatWalks: Oogie Boogie.
* YouAreGrounded: Dr. Finklestein to Sally constantly. This is the source of the friction in their relationship.
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