'Coraline' is a stop motion animated feature film, directed by Henry Selick. The film was produced by Laika, also known for two other stop motion animated feature films; 'The Boxtrolls' and 'Paranorman'. Coraline was based on the 2002 novel by Neil Gaiman, of the same name.
It is needless to say that this film is a visual masterpiece. From the incredibly detailed props and sets, to the complex, interesting characters, this film is breathtaking. The character of Coraline is a feisty, adventurous, curious girl of eleven, who's parents never really seem to have time for her. The film begins with Coraline and her parents moving to a mysterious house in Oregon, and it doesn't take long for strange things to start happening. Mirroring Lewis Carroll's own 'Alice in Wonderland', Coraline follows a mouse through a little door in her new living room, only to find herself in a completely different world. She is faced with choosing between this new world, and her own.
'Coraline', has an unmissable creepiness to it. While it may be a film made for children, there is no doubt that it may unnerve any adult watcher. Strangely enough, many parents who have seen this film state that their children have been less scared than they have. Children have a certain way of bypassing the unsettling imagery and dark themes presented in this film, and merely perceiving it as a story of a courageous girl fighting the villain and saving the day. However, I know that I personally found that the idea of sewing buttons onto someones eyes far too sinister for a children's film.
After seeing some of the behind the scenes content for this film, I am amazed at the detail that went into it. It has become known for the hand knitted outfits that the characters wore, made with knitting needles no bigger than pins. And extremely inventive set design, such as cherry blossoms made out of popcorn painted pink.
To conclude, it is astonishing, the amount of detail that went into making this film, it is more a piece of art than 'just a kid's film', and I for one am a massive fan of the company and their work. While this film may have an air of eeriness about it, it is still an exciting, heartwarming story with funny relatable characters, and I am in no way surprised at the amount of positive feedback it has had.
Totally agree, it really is a piece of art work. I found it incredibly sinister, and I think the voices of the characters added to the sense of bleakness once she passed through the door the final time. Thanks for posting, I'd love to read more of your reviews!