The tale of Pumpkin King Jack Skellington attempting to take over Christmas on his road to self-discovery has long sparked the debate as to whether the 1993 Nightmare Before Christmas is a Halloween or Christmas film.
26 years later, the decision has been made thanks to the film’s composer Danny Elfman, who is Skellington’s singing voice in the film and worked with Tim Burton on a number of other classics including BeetleJuice, Edward Scissorhands and more.
“It’s obviously about Christmas, but for me, it’s a Halloween movie,” Elfman told USA Today. “Growing up, Halloween was my favorite night of the year and Christmas was a troublesome time. Into my adult years, it was a time where a bit of a dark cloud would follow me around–probably carrying over from my childhood until I had my own kids–and then I developed a new, brighter view of Christmas.”
Elfman went on to reveal his connection to Skellington, both individuals who were seeking something greater. “I also felt very close to Jack Skellington’s plight because I knew what it was like to be the king of my own little world and to want out of that world and want something else,” he said. “So I felt very close to the holiday of Halloween, but also very close to Jack and what he was going through.”
Now that the debate’s settled, prepare for tomorrow’s (Oct. 31) spooky holiday by watching the film’s opening sequence, “This Is Halloween,” below.