'The Nightmare Before Christmas' Composer Makes Bold Confession About the Iconic Film 

Danny Elfman is the whimsical musical genius behind some of the most unforgettable movie music of the last 40 years. He’s also a storyteller with a wicked sense of timing and self-awareness, and in a recent chat with Adam Lupis, he peeled back the curtain on how he went from quirky comedy composer to cinematic legend, and the battles that ensued on some of his most iconic films.

He shared a story about The Nightmare Before Christmas, a film that initially confused audiences and critics. Released to middling response partly because some journalists insisted it was too scary for kids, Elfman spent press junkets explaining that Santa didn’t get tortured, he got ‘inconvenienced’ instead before cracking a laugh. Over time, the movie found its audience, a rare second life for an animated musical. These days, songs like “This Is Halloween” are instantly recognizable classics that bridge Halloween and Christmas in a way that only Elfman’s music can.

Growing up with a passion for dark themes, Elfman told Lupis he started out writing music for comedies, even though deep down he saw himself as a “horror kid.” After Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, he became Hollywood’s go-to for quirky scores, but when Tim Burton pitched Elfman for Batman, the studio flat out didn’t want him. They didn’t see past the comedy label and were sure the brooding Caped Crusader needed a “real” composer. Burton stuck up for him, even though at that point Burton was only known for Pee-wee and Beetlejuice, and not yet the Hollywood heavyweight he would become.

Related: 50 of the Spookiest, Sweetest and Silliest ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ Quotes

In the interview, Elfman said he will never forget the moment when producer John Peters finally came around. During the first presentation of his Batmanmusic, the studio exec sat stiffly through most of the cues — until Burton said, “Play the march,” the title theme. Peters suddenly sprang up, conducting along as the march played. That’s when everything shifted. Suddenly, the studio wasn’t skeptical anymore, and Elfman’s once-unlikely score went on to become part of Batman’s musical DNA.

Batman Returns also saw pushback from the studio. Convinced it was too scary for kids, executives insisted the overall tone be completely changed. ‘There was this huge battle over it,’ says Elfman, ‘which was absolute bulls–t.’

What’s striking in these stories is Elfman’s humility and surprise that these now–iconic works took time to catch on. He didn’t write Nightmare in three months like most scores; and he sometimes worked on scores for years, pouring a chunk of his creative soul into every note. That patience paid off when audiences finally embraced a film like Nightmare’s eerie yet heartfelt charm.

Danny Elfman seems to have never lost his sense of wonder about his own success. Maybe that’s why his music doesn’t feel distant or aloof. It feels welcoming and whimsical, even if it’s a little spooky. And we’re still listening.

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