INTERVIEW: Composer Danny Elfman settles a raging debate about The Nightmare Before Christmas

It is a question that has plagued movie fans for years, and now Danny Elfman has confirmed to us what we knew all along – The Nightmare Before Christmas is a Halloween movie and not a Christmas flick.

But the Emmy award-winning composer does admit it can be enjoyed as either.

“As I wrote it, I considered it a Halloween film, Halloween was my favourite time of year,” he tells Buzz.ie.

“Christmas, when I grew up, it was a pretty depressing time for me every year for various reasons. I just didn’t like it. As soon as I heard the Christmas music, the cheery music, I was like... bye.

"Christmas always brought on a depression. So yeah, I was a Halloween kid, so it’s funny that I now have two Christmas films really, Nightmare Before Christmas and Edward Scissorhands - which has become a movie synonymous with Christmas too.

“Nightmare is both, I guess, but for me, it’s all about Halloween, it’s Halloween town, Halloween creatures and all about Halloween.

“But either one is fine, it just depends on your perspective.”

The iconic stop-motion movie, released 25 years ago, is making its way to the 3Arena on December 8, where Danny will reprise his role as Jack Skellington, mayor of Halloween Town, alongside original cast members Catherine O’Hara (Schitt’s Creek, Home Alone) as Sally and Ken Page (Cats, All Dogs Go To Heaven) as Oggie Boogie.

Speaking about being reunited with Ken and Catherine, Danny says he probably wouldn’t be bothered taking part in the live show at all if it wasn’t for their participation.

“I wouldn't be doing the shows if it wasn’t for them,” he admits.

“When I was approached about the show, I didn’t really want to do it, but when I heard Catherine and Ken were on board, I just had to do it. I love working with them. It’s really special to be reunited with them both.”

Nightmare’s distinctive score certainly played a vital part in endearing the movie to cinema-goers. Let’s face it, a film about a skeleton who kidnaps Santa and replaces kids' toys with snakes and spiders isn’t exactly cheery subject matter.

But Elfman’s score melds the monstrous with the merry, infusing the film with a kind of abominable whimsy that makes it one of the best-loved films of all time. So, with many catchy songs, which does Danny love performing most?

“I’m especially looking forward to performing Kidnap the Sandy Claws, he says.

“It’s so much fun to do on stage, and even though Paul [Reubens] isn’t with us to do it for the live show, it’s amazing fun to get to do that with Catherine on stage.

“We have to be in sync with the movie, which is playing on a screen on stage, so it’s a bit of a challenge, but it’s really fun.”

With a career trajectory that most people could never even dream of, Danny still wakes up every day and thinks to himself: “What the f**k?”

Having started out in 80s experimental new-wave 15-piece band, Oingo Bongo, Elfman has gone on to write some of the most iconic pieces of music in cinema and television – his name forever etched in a cartoonish font into the minds of 90s kids, who saw it every week during the opening credits of The Simpsons.

He won his first Emmy for the Desperate Housewives theme and has collaborated with directors Sam Raimi and Gus Van Zandt on numerous occasions, composing award-winning scores for Good Will Hunting, Milk, Men in Black and Silver Linings Playbook to mention just a few.

As one of the most in-demand composers in Hollywood, it is impossible to quantify his contribution to cinema.

But it is perhaps his work with Tim Burton that he is most recognised for. Danny has teamed up with Burton on 16 projects, penning scores for Batman, Edward Scissorhands, The Corpse Bride, and of course, The Nightmare Before Christmas.

But despite his achievements, Danny is not just down-to-earth, but incredulous, almost disgusted, at where his music has taken him.

“I mean, I started a rock band when I was 28 and, in my mind, I was really f***ing old,” he says.

“I’d already been doing a theatre group for years. I was a theatre guy who decided to start a ska band, what the f***?

“I said to myself, ‘you’re a grandfather, you’re 28, you’re too old for this, what the f***?’,” he laughs.

“It’s great though, I’ve just done a concerto, I have a show coming out with the London Youth Choir, I’ve been working on a string quartet with Philip Glass, so I’m really busy and I do have to ask myself ‘what the f***?’ every day!”

And it’s safe to say, going from being in a band, to composing scores for movie was one hell of an adjustment. Danny didn’t sing on stage for close to two decades. So, to bring Nightmare to a live audience is a new challenge for a man who it seems will pretty much try anything - even if he is prone to a touch of stage fright.

“A few years ago, we did a Danny Elfman’s Music from the films of Tim Burton show in London and it was my first time singing live for a long time and I was so nervous,” he says.

“And I remember we were in the Royal Albert Hall and I was totally hyperventilating on the side of the stage. I just froze. And Helena Bonham Carter was just on stage looking at me like ‘Danny, what the f***?’ and it just kicked in that I had to this. Once I got on stage, it was fine.”

The 3Arena show will be Danny’s first time performing in Dublin, and he is “psyched” to perform with the RTE Concert Orchestra and says it feels a bit like coming home.
“I’ve been to Ireland and I’m really looking forward to coming back, and I even love the weather. When you were born and raised in Los Angeles, you really appreciate the cold," he says.

“Last time I was in Ireland, I was like, ‘these are my people, I’ve come home’.”

The Nightmare Before Christmas comes to the 3Arena in Dublin on Sunday, December 8.