The stop motion film Coraline, produced by Henry Selick and animated by Laika, is one of the only movies that is able to transport me into another world in the first second. The magic behind the film made by Laika in 2009 is amazing. The time and work really brought the film to life and earned its recognition as it made almost 125 million dollars.
Based on the book written by Neil Gaiman, Coraline really shows that good books can be brought to life into good movies. Voice actors like Dakota Fanning, who plays Coraline, and Teri Hatcher, who plays the other
mother, did an amazing job creating these characters to have a real voice out of the book we can be familiar with.
Part of this movie that makes it so spectacular is the beginning of the movie when Coraline’s twin doll is being made. To me this is one of the best foreshadowing in a movie I have seen. Seeing the doll finished and made and then showing the real life Coraline makes you question in the first 10 minutes why this doll was made and how it suddenly is getting handed to Coraline. When you later find out why, it all links back to the beginning.
My first impression of Coraline was its dark mood and eerie weather which throughout the story creates an uneasy and scary feeling. But not only do the colors chosen create this mood, they also change. For example, in the “other mothers” world, the colors are brighter and the setting around the house is perfect while in the “original” world the setting is dead and the colors are almost tinted down showing a false reality and how perfect doesn’t always mean better.
Other than the color change in the movie, the music stuck out to me and hearing it provides comfort and allows me to reflect on what is going on. Coraline has a unique music style from classical to bebop and as tensions build in the movie, so do the tempos and dynamics which makes the film easier to follow. Not only is the music interesting, the vocals and rhythm is uneasy yet calming.
While sitting in my room watching the uneasy dark colors and listening to the unique amazing music, the storyline is my favorite part. I have never watched a movie so weird and quirky as Coraline that still is very followable and deep. From not knowing the past of the Pink Palace (where Coraline moves to), and what the doll symbolizes, to knowing there’s a whole other mother and all the secrets behind each person who lives at the Pink Palace is absolutely amazing. I very much enjoyed debriefing the end, thinking back to all the magic and horror that this masterpiece created.
Coraline holds many secrets and conspiracies that make so much sense and show a great amount of thought the producers and everyone involved put into this movie. For example, many think at the end of the movie Coraline isn’t actually back in the real world, but how will we ever know. It forces you to keep learning and guessing.
Watch Coraline for yourself, which in my opinion should be watched in the comfort of your home in a dark or low lighting setting to make your time just a little more enjoyable. Every time I watch Coraline I learn something new and find more and more hints. So many secrets, plot twists, and amazing cinematography lie behind this film that is awaiting you. I will continue to feel comforted and be amazed by Coraline.
