‘Coraline’ - a comfort movie or a horror?
Buttons, Blue eyes, Roaches, Fog.
Halloween’s not so far away. Inevitably, we’ll reach for some good Halloween movies. The one I personally can’t let out of my thoughts is ‘Coraline’.
Now, if you know anything about the movie mentioned before, it’s the peculiar atmosphere, the horrifying monster Beldam and the mysterious black cat. Numerous theories arise each Halloween… in this article, we’ll dive into the world of ‘Coraline’, taking a look at it from both the cozy, autumn movie night angle but also the spooky, grimey world of horror perspective.
‘Coraline’ is a dark fantasy, horror LAIKA Studios stop-motion animated film from 2009 directed by Henry Selick. The film is based on the 2002 novella by British author Neil Gaiman, with not many differences from its source. Henry Selick admitted changing the scenario to make it movie-worthy, one decision being adding a whole new character (Wybie Lovat) to the plot.
The movie itself has even won the 2009 Best Feature Film BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) award and has been publicly acclaimed not only for its meticulous details worked on by over 500 people, the amount of time and hard work put into this film, but also for the cozy comfort and kinship the viewer feels whilst indulging in ‘Coraline’.
Since the movie came out, people have speculated on endless theories on nearly everything featured in the screening. Henry Selick himself said every element does have its own meaning, after all.
From the wallpaper symbolising a prison to the Black Cat being a guardian of the premises where Coraline resides, viewers don’t seem to give up on noticing more details. The author of the book which the movie was based on, Gaiman, dismisses popular fan theories about ‘Coraline’, stating he initially wrote the story as an age-appropriate scary bedtime story for children and the theories exist just for people to click and watch videos about them across various media platforms. Henry Selick, on the other hand, usually sticks to talking about the stop-motion and the work behind the movie in various interviews.
From the wallpaper symbolising a prison to the Black Cat being a guardian of the premises where Coraline resides, viewers don’t seem to give up on noticing more details. The author of the book which the movie was based on, Gaiman, dismisses popular fan theories about ‘Coraline’, stating he initially wrote the story as an age-appropriate scary bedtime story for children and the theories exist just for people to click and watch videos about them across various media platforms. Henry Selick, on the other hand, usually sticks to talking about the stop-motion and the work behind the movie in various interviews.
In a nutshell… all the theories fans come up with aren’t properly confirmed by neither the author of the original book nor the director of the film itself.
Nonetheless, seeing miscellaneous internet users come up with very plausible and frankly intriguing theories connected to the plot of the movie has brought a sense of community and even more fondness towards the film.
‘Coraline’ begins on a cloudy day, with the Jones’ family moving into Pink Palace Apartments. We follow the protagonist of the film- Coraline Jones- as she explores her new accomodation. The girl doesn’t seem to like the new place she’s to live in, until she finds a sealed, little door in the living room of her home. Through the opening, she discovers the Other World, where everything is opposite to her own dreary reality. The world is colorful, the food is delicious, her parents pay attention to her, except they have buttons instead of eyes.
Throughout the film, together with Coraline, we understand that the Other World isn’t as perfect as it seems and she has to save herself and the souls of three ghost children from the evil clutches of the Beldam.
While watching the film, witnessing the events Coraline goes through lets the viewer build a special emotional bond with the characters and the Pink Palace Apartments.
The grey skies, the 19th century architecture, the rainy climate and Coraline’s whimsical manner of putting up with her boredom become a stark contrast to the vibrant, uncanny and magical Other World. These unique aspects, amongst many others, prove to be a comforting haven for viewers who find solace in the peculiarity of the presented world and who harbour quiet admiration for the courage and teamwork showcased by the characters when facing risks.
While the film possesses a cozy atmosphere caused by the whimsical solitude of Coraline and the uncanny world presented to us, ‘Coraline’ is classified as a horror. At first glance, we see the magical mystery of Coraline discovering a colourful world behind a dreary, small door. It turns out the Other World is an enchanting trap. It's a deceptive realm created to confine Coraline. The girl lives with her neglective parents, she is constantly bored because her mother forbids her to go out during rainy weather. In the Other World, Coraline gets attention from her parents, she is entertained with many events organised by the Other mother. Later, we learn the fun and love from the Other parents in the colourful realm is conditional. The Other mother wants to sew buttons to Coraline’s eyes. From then on, we see how horrid the reality of the seemingly vibrant world was. The Other mother was a monster- the Beldam. A monster that takes naive and neglected children's souls by sewing buttons into their eyes. The idea of a monster with evil intentions luring an 11 year old young girl into a world that was meant to be an eternal prison is bone-chilling. The spider-like Beldam posing as Coraline’s Other mother, wearing a mask to conceal the true evil of its being is truly disturbing. It's incredibly eerie to witness the promised, vibrant reality turn out to be utterly fake and ugly underneath. Some topics also discussed in the film feature manipulation towards vulnerable individuals and the psychological impact of parental neglect. The moments of utter terror and darkness sometimes give no hope when watching the movie.
The original author wrote ‘Coraline’ with a dedication to his daughters - the lesson to be taken from the book is that being brave doesn’t mean that you aren’t scared, it means you were scared but did the right thing anyway. We see the utter courage Coraline shows through her assertiveness and self-assurance. Even as a child, Coraline proves her wisdom beyond her years and a brave character worth admiring.
To conclude, ‘Coraline’ is a true stop-motion masterpiece that frightens, but also inspires. It's the perfect movie for a cozy Halloween night, where you can lose yourself in the movie's plot and details. The grime and horror presented in the film has likely filled a generation of children with fear, as many adults admit to being frightened of it in childhood. It has many sides and details, everyone can see the movie from a different angle, but unanimously, everyone takes something from the film, whether it is inspiration, fear or comfort and ease. ‘Coraline’ continues to be watched and loved by many.
Article design : Sofija Apanasiewicz
Bibliography:
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