Does the dog from Nightmare Before Christmas have a red nose?

Does the dog from Nightmare Before Christmas have a red nose?

Zero is tritagonist of the 1993 horror-animated film The Nightmare Before Christmas. he is Jack Skellington's pet ghost dog and best friend. He is a mixture of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Max, and Casper the Friendly Ghost. 

History

Zero has a glowing pumpkin nose, an obvious Halloween pun of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Zero helps guide his master Jack Skellington through the fog on Christmas Eve. Zero has a doghouse gravestone seen before Jack enters the Hinterlands.

Zero first appeared in the movie. In the movie, Jack finds the door to Christmas Town while he is taking Zero for a walk. Later, when Jack wants to take off to deliver presents, Zero has to light the way because of the thick fog, similar to Santa and Rudolph. At the end of the movie, Jack and Sally kiss each other as Zero looks at them and flies into the air, transforming into a star.

Haunted Mansion Holiday

Zero appears in multiple places during the Nightmare Before Christmas overlay of the Haunted Mansion. Firstly, he is seen floating in the Endless Hallway, with a bone at the front reading, "To Zero" and other bones decorating the doorway. He later appears in the ballroom scene, flying around above the Christmas tree. Sometimes, he floats around the gingerbread house on the dining room table. In the graveyard, he appears next to Jack dressed as Sandy Claws to welcome guests to the ride's finale. This is a tribute to the original ride, which has a petrified caretaker and his dog, cowering at his feet. Lastly, Zero leads Jack's sleigh as their shadow crosses over the moon in the Exit Crypt.

Just before the Halloween Screams Fireworks at Disneyland, Anaheim, California, Zero flies around the top turrets of Sleeping Beauty Castle and accompanies his master's appearances.

i’ll get straight to the point with the theory: i, along with many others, remember Zero the ghost dog’s nose as being a glowing red ball however in the movie his nose is a glowing pumpkin.

i have always drawn Zero with a red nose - like rudolph the reindeer - and a pumpkin seems too detailed for a small nose like that.

i found the full movie on youtube here but it often gets deleted for copyright and in my opinion it shows both the red and pumpkin nose within a 1min time frame.

image 1 - 32:19 image 2 - 32:40

i could be wrong but it appears that in the first image his nose looks more red and very little detail compared to image 2 where it’s definitely a pumpkin otherwise the first one just looks like that from the angle it was taken from.

i think that it is possible that we could’ve just combined zero and rudolph (since the movie is also about christmas) however due to the amount of people who have remembered it the same way is it really that possible ??

also sorry if this has already been posted i’ve seen this theory circling tiktok for a couple of days but haven’t been actively looking in the community for a while. i’d love to hear your opinions in the comments. if any of the links don’t work i’ll try to fix them asap:)

The perfect holiday family film doesn’t exist – or at least that’s what someone might say if they had never heard of Disney’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. Follow the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town and his trusty, ghostly sidekick, Zero, as they seek to bring a little bit of Christmas to the land of trick or treat!

This topsy-turvy holiday classic is just right for the transition from summer into autumn, and is always a fun choice for any time, from Halloween through to Christmas! Though it focuses heavily on Jack Skellington and his quest for Christmas, what else is there to learn about his faithful animal friend, Zero?

He Is A Ghost That Breathes

zero ghost dog floating

Zero has the face of a dog while the rest of his body takes on the appearance of a children's ghost costume. Jack's adorable companion is clearly meant to be the ghost of a pet pup that has passed on to the other side.

But despite being dead (along with most of the other citizens of Halloween Town), Zero appears to breathe! In the film, while sleeping in his basket bed, his sheet-like body can be seen rising and falling, as if inhaling and exhaling in relaxed slumber.

He Can Shapeshift

the book version of NightmareBeforeChristmas

The Nightmare Before Christmas was based on a poem written by Tim Burton, which was a reimagining of the poem, "The Visit From Saint Nicholas," more commonly known as "Twas The Night Before Christmas."

While the story is quite similar as far as the basic elements of the plot go, there are a few key differences. One such revelation is that Zero can shapeshift! At the end of the poem, Zero sees Jack crying and swiftly turns into a tissue box so that his master can wipe his tears.

He Has His Own Comic Series

comic book covers of zero comics

Someone saw that there was a lot of potential in the playful ghost dog and gave Zero his very own comic book series! Published by TOKYOPOP, Zero's Journey serves as the sequel to the movie and is a collection of 20 separate single-issue comics.

The stories focus on the many adventures of Zero, including a secret visit to Christmas Town ... but there will be more on that later!

He Brings To Mind Other Holiday-Themed "Rudolphs"

zero flying

Zero was inspired by the story and features of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, made obvious by his shiny, pumpkin-shaped nose. Why does he have that nose though, and how are the other holiday towns connected to each other in the world created in The Nightmare Before Christmas?

If there is a Rudolph in Christmas Town and a Zero with his own glowing nose in Halloween Town, are there more? A Thanksgiving Turkey with a glowing beak? Of course, the true answer is that it was just a cute callback to Christmas and Zero's future role leading Jack's sleigh, but it is fun to consider.

He Has Gone To Christmas Town By Himself

Jack in christmas town

Zero's Journey explores Zero's trip to Christmas Town. While playing a game of fetch, he chases Jack's rib bone all the way into the forest and straight up to the same holiday-themed doors that his master once found.

Intrigued by the Christmas door, Zero goes through and finds himself terribly lost in the colorful world of Christmas Town, but can he find his way back in time for both Halloween and Christmas in his own world?

He May Be Based On A Dachshund

zero sleeping in basket with candy cane

Zero has a slender, pointed face, and long, floppy ears, followed by an elongated ghost body. Many fans have noticed that he appears to be inspired by the dachshund breed.

This wouldn't be the first time that Tim Burton has been inspired by a specific dog from real life. His short film (and later feature-length stop motion-film) Frankenweenie was inspired by the loss of his own pet friend when he was only 10-years-old.

His Mood Is Linked To Jack's Emotional State

The Nightmare Before Christmas Pitch Meeting Jack Skellington and Zero

Watch closely or you might miss it! Throughout the movie, and especially during "Jack's Lament," Zero's mood shifts based on Jack's emotions, moment by moment. He is happy when Jack is happy, and sad when Jack is sad.

This is likely inspired by the emotional capacity of real-life dogs, and how they seem to understand when their owners are upset by something.

video game covers

Not only a popular movie, poem, and comic book series, The Nightmare Before Christmas franchise has also expanded to video games - and Zero came with them!

Zero is featured as a playable character in the phone game, Disney Magic Kingdom, and can be bought with in-game gems. He can also be found in other games, including The Nightmare Before Christmas: The Pumpkin King, and The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie's Revenge.

He Was One Of Only Three Characters In The Poem

zero brings jack his santa hat

In the original poem written by Tim Burton, there were only three actual characters - Jack Skellington, Zero, and Santa Claus. Zero spends the length of the poem attempting to cheer Jack up.

Helpful, cute, and described in the poem as the best friend that Jack had ever had, it's easy to see why he just had to be included in the full film version.

He Is The Only Main Character That Doesn't Speak

Zero and his grave doghouse

Often by Jack's side or otherwise attempting to help him in some way, Zero functions as a main character in both the poem and in the movie. He is also the only main character that doesn't speak.

Despite his lack of dialogue, the audience can easily understand Zero's emotions and what he is trying to tell Jack at any given moment, thanks to his facial expressions and his actions, brilliantly brought to life by stop motion animators.

NEXT: The Nightmare Before Christmas: 10 Movies To Watch If You Love It

Why is Zero's nose a pumpkin?

Zero was inspired by the story and features of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, made obvious by his shiny, pumpkin-shaped nose.

What's on the end of zeros nose?

Zero's nose is actually a tiny glowing jack-o'-lantern. In the scenes with the street band, especially inside the town hall, there is a small man inside the bass that is based on Danny Elfman. Oogie Boogie was originally intended to be Dr. Finklestein in disguise.

What is the dog from Nightmare Before Christmas?

Zero is a supporting character in Tim Burton's 1993 stop-motion Disney film, The Nightmare Before Christmas. He is Jack Skellington's pet ghost dog. Zero is entirely loyal to his master.

How did zero the dog die?

A heroic pet was shot and killed protecting his family in Houston, proving once more that dogs are the best of all of us.