We are taking a look at something a little different for day 8 of our KOween 31 Days of Halloween feature. Henry Selick, director of The Nightmare Before Christmas (Check our review after the jump), has a knack for creating kids movies with a distinct element of horror. Coraline is a perfect example of this.
While not a horror movie in the traditional sense. Coraline is a Stop Motion animation with plenty of horror elements. Suitable for older children and with plenty to offer adults, Coraline definitely earns a spot in our 31 Days of Halloween feature.
Coraline (2009)
Coraline follows the story of an 11 year old girl (Dakota Fanning) who moves to a new house with her parents. Coraline’s parents are workaholics and pay little attention to her. Perpetually bored, she heads out to explore the area around her new home. While outside, she meets Wybie (Robert Bailey Jr.) the grandson of the lady who owns the Pink Apartments where she now lives. Wybie tells Coraline he is not allowed to go to the Pink Apartments due to bad things happening there.
With her curiosity piqued. Coraline discovers a hidden door in her dusty old house. Seeking adventure, she heads through the door only to find herself in an idealised version of the world she currently lives in. Her mother is attentive, her father keen to spend time with her, and the annoying Wybie is completely unable to talk. The only catch? Everyone in the world has buttons for eyes and the all too perfect world seems to be hiding secrets.
Something a Little Different
I decided to go with something a little different for today’s movie. We have covered some classic horror, a few found footage movies, and a horror comedy. Why not mix things up a little more with a stop motion movie that is suitable for both adults and kids? Coraline fits that bill perfectly and is a must see for all horror fans.
Meticulously, and painstakingly, filmed entirely in stop motion. Coraline is a spectacular example of how incredible this form of animation can be. Absolutely stunning throughout, you will be asking repeatedly whether this is actually all done by hand or whether it is CG. The amount of work that has gone into Coraline makes it almost peerless when it comes to stop motion.
I suppose we should expect nothing less from the man behind The Nightmare Before Christmas. Obviously, the concept of Nightmare belonged to Tim Burton and it is Burton who the movie is most often associated with. In reality, however, Tim Burton actually only spent a couple of days of production on the set for Nightmare. The real brains behind it was Henry Selick. When it comes to children’s animation with a hint of horror, there are few minds keener than Henry Selick. As an example of stop motion, Coraline far exceeds The Nightmare Before Christmas and pretty much every other stop motion movie that preceded it.
An Incredible Visual Spectacle
There are moments during Coraline when you can’t help but marvel at what the animators achieved. From the very beginning you will likely be gobsmacked and wondering just how they managed it. This was obviously a labour of love. Some of the perspective shots must have taken so much work and planning. The set design is incredible and the scale of everything is very impressive.
There are a couple of scenes, in particular, that are mind blowing. One scene where Coraline is walking into the garden in the parallel world features lighting the likes of which I have never seen in stop motion before. The flowers unfurl in a choreographed pattern and it looks fantastic. Another scene sees Coraline watch a performance from around 50 jumping mice. This scene was done by hand and is not CG. The work that must have gone into this is staggering. It is one of the most impressive things I have ever seen in a stop motion animation.
But is it Really Horror?
Obviously, you really do have to ask the question – does Coraline really count as a horror movie? Perhaps, more to the point, do kid’s horror movies have anything to offer adults? In both cases I think the answer is yes. Coraline is one of the best introductions to horror that an older child could possibly have. You could throw it in there with movies such as Ghostbusters and Gremlins. It really wouldn’t be at all out of place.
I would actually make the argument that Coraline may even be a bit too scary for younger children. There are a few scenes that are fairly intense and I could imagine it upsetting more sensitive children. For those of you wanting to introduce your children to the world of horror, however, Coraline is perfect. The best part about it is that you will probably really enjoy it as well.
Coraline maintains that 2000’s trend of making movies for kids with plenty for adults to enjoy. Sure, some of the humour is a little cheeky and based on inuendo but the movie is actually compelling enough to keep adults engaged. I would wager that some of the horror elements will actually surprise adult horror fans. Some of the imagery and scenarios are genuinely creepy and the Beldam’s spider like visage is truly horrifying.
Excellent Voice Acting
Coraline is a well voice acted movie. Dakota Fanning, as Coraline Jones, is decent and fits the role well. Her scream is like nails on a chalkboard, however, and may be the most unpleasant sound ever put to film. It’s actually 90’s bombshell Teri Hatcher, believe it or not, who steals the show here. Her performance as Coraline’s mum, other mum, and The Beldam is absolutely brilliant. She mixes caring mother with a sort of uncanny valley sinister tone and is just fantastic. I couldn’t think of anyone who would be better in the role. She is great.
Coraline also features a strong supporting cast featuring a few Brits including the excellent Ian McShane and the comedy duo turned successful actors Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders. Keith David’s turn as the Cat is a genius casting choice and works so well. Dawn French is probably the weakest member of the cast, to be honest, and I say that as a huge fan. She hams it up just a little too much and, compared to Jennifer Saunders who is an excellent voice actor, she stands out as being just a tad pantomime.
Perhaps a Little Slow Paced
Coraline is, perhaps, a little on the slow side. This was our third or fourth time watching it and, if I am honest, this is the first time I didn’t mentally drift off for awhile. Hands up, I have bipolar disorder and I do sometimes struggle with keeping focus on movies but Coraline lost me at one point every time I have watched. This may be a problem with small children who struggle to keep attention. My friend watched with his kids, however, and they absolutely loved Coraline. There were no issues with boredom at all so it may just be a me problem.
I do think there are a few scenes that drag on a bit, however. Despite being a visual feast, the scene with the jumping mice is fairly dull. There is another similar scene with April and Miriam performing Burlesque that is also a little less interesting and magical than others. It’s not that these scenes are bad, they are just not as interesting or fantastical as Coraline visiting the garden. I think cutting 20 minutes off the run time would have improved pacing a lot. These are tiny complaints, however. Coraline is fantastic.
Should You Watch Coraline?
Without question, you should definitely Watch Coraline. Coraline is the perfect introduction to horror. Funny, visually stunning, and just a little bit scary. Coraline features some of the most impressive stop motion animation ever put to film. A really incredible achievement, it is honestly worth watching purely for the visuals.
Some genuinely scary scenes and some fantastic horror imagery are enough to qualify Coraline as a horror movie. Ideal for young horror fans, Coraline has plenty to offer adult horror fans as well without ever resorting to toilet humour.
Voice acting is fantastic, Teri Hatcher, in particular, is excellent in all three of her roles. Pacing is perhaps a bit of an issue and Coraline may lose a few younger, and even older, viewers half way through thanks to its 1 hour 40 minute runtime. Aside from this, however, Coraline is another incredible movie from the excellent mind of Henry Selick.
