By Anh Thu Truong
When eleven year old Coraline Jones steps through that small, hidden door in her living room, she discovers more than a hidden world– she finds a universe that eerily mirrors her own.
In Coraline’s own life, her dull new home and workaholic parents rarely send a glance in her direction. Unlike her bright ultramarine hair and banana-yellow rain jacket, her gray and monotonous world is isolating.
But in this “other” world, her other mother and father are presented as attentive and affectionate: they cook her homemade dinners, sing her personalized songs and go as far as planting a garden in her honor. Her favorite desserts are dramatically displayed in her favor, with whimsical displays of love and care that lure her to stay.
Except, there’s one big difference: in this other world, everyone has buttons for eyes.
Everything going wrong in Coraline’s life is perfected in this alternate dimension, and her other family promises she can stay forever – under one condition: she must sow buttons in her eyes too.
Naivety is the heart of Coraline, and as she’s continuously lured into this other dimension, she discovers that the intentions of her other family are not as pure as they seem.
An adaptation of the novella written by Neil Gailman in 2002, Coraline is unlike any children’s tale I’ve read. Its sophisticated storyline, hidden meanings and detailed Easter eggs woven through its visually stunning animation, give room for older audiences to appreciate its timelessness. It’s a film that counterbalances a disturbing horror element, with whimsical and adventurous charm.
The film’s vibrant use of color theory, going from Coraline’s depressing and monotoned real world, to the other world, is beautifully contrasted by scenes bursting with bright, visual energy. Much of Coraline’s stunning visuals is attributed to stop-motion animation, one that Henry Selick masterfully executed throughout the entirety of the film. Everything seen is intentionally made to be there, meticulously hand-crafted and filmed frame by frame. This allows for audiences of Coraline to have a different viewing experience from its CGI counterparts: Coraline is filled with unique texture and layered with authentic feel.
Rich in eccentric personality and bizarre character plots, Coraline is not only a classic hero filled with wit and bravery, yet she shows the imperfections and faults of any eleven-year-old dealing with a dysfunctional family and supernatural entities.
Not to mention Coraline’s soundtrack– whimsical, dreamy and adventurous– create the illusion of being lured towards an unknown, crawling through that hauntingly enchanting rabbit hole through her living room door. Like sirens, the soft tunes are incredibly light and eerie and contrasted with the dark themes that Coraline deals with.
What constantly draws me back to the film is simple: Coraline is so comforting. It’s odd that a horror movie evokes a feeling of ease, yet the familiarity of the late 2000s animation reminds me of innocence and childhood nostalgia. Coraline takes me back to being a frightened eight-year-old, scared of the dark, yet still yearning to navigate that unknown.
Coraline is an hauntingly beautiful experience and words can only go so far to describing just how captivating it can be. If you ever have the chance this Halloween, for just one night, I truly believe Coraline is worth your viewing!
