So, here’s a fun fact that blows minds every holiday season: Tim Burton didn’t direct The Nightmare Before Christmas. Yup, even though his name is all over the title, the real mastermind behind the director’s chair was Henry Selick—and the guy definitely deserves more credit.
The spooky-turned-festive cult classic is a must-watch between Halloween and Christmas, but Selick says it still stings a little that people forget his role in making the movie actually happen. While doing press for his Netflix film Wendell & Wild, Selick told The AV Club he’s still a bit miffed about the way things went down.
“It was a little unfair,” Selick explained. “It wasn’t called Tim Burton’s Nightmare until three weeks before the film came out.”
Talk about a last-minute switch-up. Selick says he never signed up for that branding—and while he’s got mad respect for Burton’s vision and iconic character designs, it was Selick and his crew who spent years in the trenches actually making the movie.
“Tim was in L.A. making two features while I directed that film,” he said. “I always thought his story was perfect… but it was really me and my team of people who brought that to life.”
Ouch.
And it’s not just Burton who sometimes steps on Selick’s spotlight. According to him, even composer Danny Elfman (who wrote those hauntingly catchy songs) kind of sees the film as his baby too.
“[Danny] came up to me and shook my hand and said, ‘Henry, you’ve done a wonderful job illustrating my songs!’ And he was serious.”
I mean, fair. Those songs are bangers.
Still, Selick isn’t bitter—at least not too much. He emphasizes that he’s all about collaboration, but yeah, it would’ve been nice if people actually remembered that he directed the movie.
“I really, truly like to collaborate. But I’m the one leading the team to make the movie.”
And honestly? He deserves all the flowers.
