Coraline (2009) (Movie Review)

  There are two categories of movies I love to consume around October … Horror movies and family films that have a heavy lean toward either Halloween or general spooky content. Creepy animated Halloween family films in particular have always held a special place in my heart, and I could view any one of them as my favorite, depending on which one I happen to be watching in the moment. For the longest time, if I was to select an absolute favorite out of my figurative pumpkin-patch, it would have been 1993’s stop-motion classic “The Nightmare Before Christmas”, directed by Henry Selick. 

However, many years later in 2009, mid-way through my college years, came another spooky-themed stop-motion picture called “Coraline”, which was again directed by Henry Selick. It was through sheer word of mouth I went to see this film, as I saw nothing of the advertising or even that much marketing. I didn’t set my expectations too high, but I figured it might be a fun watch … one viewing later, this film did the unthinkable for me, and replaced “The Nightmare Before Christmas” as my new favorite animated picture to watch around Halloween. It was a special case in which I instantly pegged a film as a new Halloween classic, and I feel it’s only gotten better over the years.

   Based on Neil Gaiman’s novella of the same name, this spooky children’s venture focuses on a little girl named Coraline Jones, who’s adapting to her new dreary life in a Pink Palace apartment complex in Ashland Oregon. Her parents are financially recovering from a car accident, and are focused on work, to the point where they just can’t spare any time for their emotionally strained little girl. 

After receiving a mysterious doll, which barres a striking resemblance to Coraline herself, it leads her down a different and twisted path behind a secret door. When she emerges on the other side, Coraline finds a paradise world, which is a perfect replica of her real home … except now it’s bright, colorful, upbeat, and not at all like the boring home life she left behind. Ruling over this realm is an entity claiming to be Coraline’s other mother, who along with another father and residents, give her the love and affection she’s been missing from her real family. Night after night, Coraline desperately returns to this alternate reality, unaware that the longer she stays … the more it literally begins to consume her. Soon enough, the world reveals it’s dark and twisted secrets, and it gradually becomes an exciting adventure involving ghosts, monsters, and a talking black cat.

  In a surprising way, this film was the “Alice in Wonderland” I had always wanted, as “Coraline” delivered the same escapist wonder, but was also anchored by the heart and subtext that I always felt “Wonderland” was lacking.  

In general, I never felt like Alice gained anything from her experience, as in most versions, she simply slipped into a fantastical world, and came back out the exact same person she was before she went down the rabbit whole. Coraline by contrast at the start of her magical journey is selfish and emotionally distant from her parents, yet gradually becomes a completely different person then who she was at the start, and is finally able to make a positive connection with her family when she returns to the real world. It isn’t overly emotional either, and is just the right amount substance to keep the experience from feeling like a derivative venture into another dark fantasy world. The character of Coraline is also brimming with personality, and is a genuinely appealing screen presence, even when she displays her faults in the opening. Dakota Fanning delivers what is in my opinion … one of her all-time best performances as the voice of Coraline. She was already a great talent, but the energy and attitude she channels in Coraline are so genuine, and different from any of her previous childhood roles, that I’m not even picturing the talent behind the microphone. The performance in the animation is equally as compelling, as every one of her reactions and inflections feels real, to the point where … I know she’s a puppet, but it feels like a live performance in front of the camera.   

  I also feel the message of the film speaks for itself, without any characters needing to spell out the obvious, and for me, that’s when a movie really archives something special. I think many kids can relate to having their own special forms of enjoyment or maybe even mental escapes from either the set-backs or hardships of the real world, and this film cleverly highlights the dangers that come from that escape … and how it may eat away at their lives if there not carful. When Coraline encounters three Ghost children who surrendered to the surface level appeals of the other world, it ended up consuming them, and they both figuratively and literally had nothing left to live for. As such, we have scary content for kids, but with subtext underneath, similar to how the grim-fairy tales were intended to scare children into remembering a message. On that note, this film definitely has its intense content and scary imagery, but I also feel it’s done with purpose, and is also balanced out with more then enough positive content. Honestly, this film perfectly walks its tightrope, between being whimsical and uplifting one moment, then dark and thrilling the next.   

  At the center of all the films frightening material is the sinister other Mother, who has a secure place among my all-time favorite animated villains. It’s one thing to have an openly dangerous threat, it’s another to have an entity luring children into a death trap … and all through the promises of love and joy. I think that the scariest villains are the ones that don’t seem threatening until it’s too late. Case in point with the other mother, who at first glance seems like the nicer, more loving parent, when really, she’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Actually, she’s more like a giant spider, but even that has subtext, as she’s literally weaving a web of deception around her victims. On that note, once she reveals her true form, it’s one of the most spectacular monster designs I’ve ever seen. Voice actress Teri Hatcher once again hits it out of the park with a dual performance as both Coraline’s mother and the monster taking on her likeness.

  The supporting characters are also very memorable, and once again, unlike Alice, I like that Coraline actually makes friends on her journey. Some of the other world duplicates display genuine concern for her, despite being creations of the villain. The talking Black Cat voiced by the always reliable Keith David, provides Coraline with a companion to aid her through all the challenges, but he isn’t always comforting to her with his approach, nor is she in return, and it makes their friendship all the more interesting as a result. If I had any reservations with this movie, it would be the two elderly stage performers, who in Coraline’s alternate world put on a stage show … which reveals way too much of the ladies. Honestly, the film already warranted its PG rating, and I don’t think it needed to include this disgusting stage show. The two elder ladies also contribute to the creepiest detail of the whole film … stuffing their dead pets, and displaying their bodies as house hold decorations … which is the only piece of scary content that I feel has no real purpose in the film.

  Getting back to the positives … this film is a visual marvel to behold, and after almost fifteen years, it still looks amazing. Naturally, the film was brought to life through practical stop-motion and puppet effects … which are so detailed, and so smooth, it still makes me wonder how they pulled this off. In general, I feel animated movies are always more impressive when there stop-motion films like this, as I love looking at all the designs knowing that there all real sets, props and puppets that act and perform right in front of the camera. 

I’d go so far to say that the visual look of “Coraline” transcends beyond being a technical achievement, and right into the realms of iconography. The button eyes in particular are now a staple of spooky, yet iconic imagery in children’s media. Also, for as much as I love spooky family films to watch around Halloween, they can occasionally feel visually repetitive, and not have too much decorative variety on display. “Coraline” by contrast has a distinct look and personality that’s all its own, and doesn’t feel like any other movie I watch around Halloween. It doesn’t even have any traditional Halloween imagery, aside from a pair of Jack-O Lanterns in the garden, but regardless, it still carries an atmosphere and mood that just feels right for the season.          

 

  Another one of the films many strengths is the music score composed by Bruno Coulais, which also adds to the film’s distinct atmosphere and dreamlike mood. Similar to how composer Danny Elfman utilized eerie children’s quires, I feel the music in “Coraline” takes it one step further.  

The children’s quire in this film really takes on a dual nature, as it’s both comforting and unsettling in equal measure. Most of the time, this score puts me in a relaxed state of euphoria, but always with an ominous sense of dread, and when combined with the imagery, it really helps the experience take on a life of its own. It also works in tandem with Henry Selick’s direction, which is slow and leisurely paced, but always engaging, and really pays off when things get exciting. As we segue into the films third act, the movie takes on it’s new life as a video-game style adventure, as Coraline's once cheerful settings have taken on a dark appearance, are now filled with dangerous obstacles, a special item that needs to be retrieved, and a final boss at the end. It’s a little off-beat with the rest of the film, but very entertaining, and it really makes me want to play a video game based around this environment.    

  When I look back on Henry Selick’s previous film “The Nightmare Before Christmas”, I feel it didn’t need to do much to win me over as a favorite film to watch around the holiday season, as it was swimming in imagery, music and a story that revolved around my two favorite holidays. “Coraline” by comparison didn’t have as obvious a hook for me, yet still won me over, and even surpassed my feelings of his first film, with lots of imagination, a visually stunning world, an engaging lead character, a memorable villain, and story that I feel perfected the formula of a girl transported to an imaginative setting. 

The film was a critical hit upon it’s release, and was even nominated at the Academy Awards for Best Animated Picture … but lost to Pixar’s “Up”. Speaking personally, while “Up” was another great film, it was also nominated for Best Picture that year, so I feel it was too easy a win for best animated picture, and shouldn’t have been included as an option … then perhaps “Coraline” would have had a better chance of winning. In the end, even though “Coraline” isn’t directly aimed at Halloween, it’s still very creepy, twisted and dripping with a haunting other worldly atmosphere. It’s scary, but very exciting … crazy, yet imaginative … dark, but not without some decent family morals. Great atmosphere, eye-pleasing visuals, imaginative storytelling, a top-notch vocal performance from Dakota Fanning, and so much more make this my favorite animated movie to watch around Halloween, and by extent, it’s one of my personal favorite animated films. 

Thanks for reading my review of the 2009 animated picture “Coraline” … and continue to enjoy the holiday specials you Love!

 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

 

My Top 10 Favorite 1960’s Horror Movies

 

   Following after the big Sci-Fi boom of the 1950’s, it made the 60’s a special time of transition … a time to reignite the chills of the golden monster movie age, while also moving forward with contemporary frights and thrills. For me, I find the 1960’s to be a severely underrated decade for horror cinema, as it’s not as contemporary as what took shape in the 70’s with classics like "Halloween", “Jaws” and “The Exorcist”. Regardless, the 60's still had its share of classics, as well as lesser-known gems that still haunt me into my adult years. As such, I felt the occasion was finally right to stop and rank my own personal Top 10 favorite horror movies of the 1960’s. Just a quick disclaimer … I’m not trying to make any kind of official best of the 60’s, these are just the ones that have stuck with me the most as personal favorites.

 

#10 The Night Walker (1964) 

A woman is forced to live under the cruelty of her possessive husband, and even after his apparent death, there’s still no peace for her.  

Even in death, the villain continues to appear in her dreams as a nasty corps … perhaps an influence on Freddy Kruger. The whole movie revolves around nightmares and dreams taking on a life of their own, so naturally, it has its share of nightmarish sequences, which are truly haunting spectacles all these years later. There’s a wedding, with a church full of motionless manikins, and montages of strange, euphoric visuals. Some of the imagery is reminiscent of Alfred Hitchcock’s 1945 classic “Spellbound”, right down to all the eyes floating around in the dark, but I personally find this far more eerie and spine tingling by contrast. While the movie loses some of its bight with multiple twists at the end, it still works as an engaging psychological thriller, and is well worth checking out.

 

#9 Carnival of Lost Souls (1962) 

When a young lady emerges from a horrible car-crash into a lake, she comes back not feeling quiet right … and not alone either. Mysterious phantasms and other ghoulish figures seem to follow her everywhere, and what’s more, she believes she’s being called to a creepy abandoned carnival. Where I’d describe most horror movies as either scary or haunting … the best word for “Carnival of Lost Souls” is hypnotic. There isn’t much talking or even action, but there’s this captivating, eerie atmosphere, brought on by all the mysterious oddities, and gothic organ music. It’s the kind of movie you need to be in the right mind-set for, and for me … it delivers a chilling experience that’s hard to shake off.    

 

#8 The Birds (1963) 

It may seem like a silly, B-Movie concept on the surface … but this is Hitchcock, and he specializes in quality … thus, his direction, build-up, Oscar-Winning effects, and execution, make this one-note premise one of the greatest of 60’s horror cinema. 

The Key to any great horror movie is build-up and that’s the strength that this film caries. Alfred Hitchcock’s brilliant direction and style made animals as simple and common as birds terrifying, and the movie dose an efficient job bringing on the terror from these every day creatures. It’s admittedly kind of slow at first, but once things get going, it’s a thrill ride. One great strength to this film is all the mystery, as we’re never given any clear answers as to why these animals are behaving so viciously. Is it a plague, does it have something to do with these two caged love birds, is there a master mind behind it or is it just the early stages to the end of the world … it’s never explained, and that’s why it remains such a griping and exciting film, full of terrific visuals, strong build up, and intense action. 

 

#7 The City of the Dead (1960) 

Back in my ignorant, younger movie viewing years, I was under the impression that I’d never be visually impressed by an old black and white movie … let alone be scared by one. Well, I’ve thankfully had my share of B&W movies that gave me goosebumps, and one that I’ve always remembered for its bone chilling atmosphere and foreboding imagery is 1960’s “City of the Dead”. 

The story is already quite disturbed, as it revolves around a sinister cult who’ve leeward young victims to their secluded village to be sacrificed. The malevolent cult leader is played by the late great Christopher Lee, who’s personally my favorite actor when it comes to playing villains. Aside from a familiar horror icon, the grim nature and mood of the film is absolutely perpetuated by its striking visual esthetic. There’s an unrealistic amount of fog surrounding the grounds, dark foreground objects standing out among the gloomy surroundings, interior designs are covered with spider-webs, there’s dooming underground caverns, gravestones dot the landscape, lights are always flickering, objects are slanted, and at the center of the village is barn with an antique clock face. It’s plain and simply one of the most visually appealing black and white horror movies I’ve ever seen, and one that leaves a chill in the air every time I watch it.

 

#6 The Innocents (1961) 

Based on the Henry James Story “The Turn of the Screw”, this spooky tale revolves around a woman who takes on the role of caretaker for two orphaned children, in their seclusive Victorian home. With their uncle refusing to give them any attention, she takes it upon herself to be their figurative mother. Things are peaceful at first, but over time, the children begin to act suspiciously, and she begins seeing mysterious people lurking about the grounds. 

Soon, she fears something malevolent may be influencing the kids … or maybe she’s going insane … who really knows in a set-up like this. Like the best psychological thrillers, “The Innocents” doesn’t provide any clear answers … and makes for an effectively creepy experience, in which the terror sneaks-up on you. Deborah Kerr delivers a shattering performance in the lead role, and her child co-stars walk a fine line between being adorable, yet imposing and mysterious. Jack Clayton’s direction is also brilliant, and really elevates what was already a thrilling source material. If you like Gothic homes, creepy kids, stormy weather, mysterious phantasms, and atmospheric dread, then “The Innocents” delivers … although the ending may leave you feeling split.    

#5 Night of the Living Dead (1968) 

Here it is, the horror movie legend that started it all, and put zombies in our main stream pop-culture. 

This is the film that set all the classic staples of the genera, depicting ravenous gore, along with political undercurrents, and it set the rules for how zombies should be portrayed on film. Don’t let the films Black and White, low-budget look throw you off, because after all these years, this film still remains one of the most disturbing of the genera. Personally, I think this film features the absolute scariest zombie scene of all time, in which a little zombie girl picks up a sharp object … and stabs the crap out of her own mother. On that note, this is a rare zombie movie that features the dead using old human instincts, like using bricks and other objects as weapons. With its disturbing visuals, horrific sound design, and shocking ending … this is the definitive zombie classic, and the one the genera owes everything too.     

 

#4 Dracula has Risen from the Grave (1968) 

Christopher Lee makes it on my list once again, but this time in his signature role as Count Dracula. 

Through the late 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, Christopher Lee stared in a number of Dracula pictures, and personally, this 1968 sequel is my favorite by far. “Dracula has Risen from the Grave” is the third entry in Hammers Dracula franchise, and while it’s not as classy as the first film, I honestly find it to be far superior. The plot for this sequel revolves around an atheist who needs to rescue his love from the clutches of Dracula, but sense he doesn’t believe in God, holly objects have no effect on the fiend, and a stake through the heart can’t kill him either. Thus, in order to defeat the evil of Dracula, he must go on a spiritual quest to find his faith in order to concur his demons, both figuratively and literally. Christopher Lee once again shines as Dracula, and delivers some of his most cryptic lines. However, the real strength of this film comes from our lead hero, and an underlining theme of faith concurring evil.   

 

#3 Village of the Damned (1960) 

Set in a small village in Britten, all the residents in the area mysteriously fall asleep one day, and when they awaken, they discover all the women who are capable of barring children are suddenly pregnant. 

More alarming mysteries take shape after the delivery process, as all the kids grow rapidly, all barring similar features, and all born with a mysterious power to read minds. This marked one of the last Sci-Fi hold-overs from the 50’s, but with the same eerie dread that would characterize the 60’s, and performances that were above B-Movie films of the time. The premise is simple, yet effectively conveyed, as well as tightly presented in a 77-minuet run-time. It’s one of those films that hooks you in with lots of mystery, is boasted with atmospheric dread, and features some of the decade’s most frightening iconography. The shot of the children’s glowing eyes framed through rubble gives me chills all over. In the end, “Village of the Damned” is a worthy classic of the decade that deserves to be placed among the greats, and is the … ah-hem … “Poster Child”, for scary children in cinema.

 

#2 The Haunting (1963) 

Practically the poster child for all haunted house films to aspire from, “The Haunting” is a special achievement that was ahead of its time, and is thankfully undated. The film revolves around a 90-year-old mansion, which has been the base point for several mysterious deaths. A doctor begins the theorize in the possibility of a real haunted house, and thus a team is dispatched to try and verify his claims. 

At face value, this film may seem like your typical, run of the mile horror flick set in a haunted house, but the film truly lives up to its title in the darkest and best possible way. While this movie hits many of the same beats as my previously mentioned movie “The Innocents”, that film still had a lean towered malevolent spirts acting from beyond the grave. This film by contrast is even more elusive with its haunts, as it never features any ghosts, or supernatural oddities, and is even more of a study in the psychology of the main characters. Are the haunts real, or is the main heroine just losing her mind? Aside from being an intriguing study of a descension into madness, the film is just dripping with Gothic atmosphere, and manages to convey layers of terror without really showing anything on screen. It’s unique, daring and above all, it’s a haunted venture worth experiencing around the Halloween season. 

 

Before I reveal my #1 favorite Horror movie of the 60’s, here are some quick honorable mentions of mine …

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)

Repulsion (1965)

House of Usher (1960)

Rosemary's Baby (1968)

Peeping Tom (1960)

 

#1 Psycho (1960) 

We all know the story … a woman runs away with a bag full of stolen money, makes a pit stop at the Bates Motel, and one shower scene later … horror history is made. While I’ve never made it a tradition to re-watch “Psycho” around the Halloween season with all my other favorite scary films, it’s still unmistakably one of the all-time greats that the horror genera has to offer, and it’s absolutely getting the top spot on my list. 

It’s solidly constructed, there’s crafty camera angles, a memorable score, untouchable scenes, and at the center of it all is one of cinema’s defining villains ... an unstable killer with some serious mommy issues. After Universals classic monsters in the vein of “Dracula”, “Frankenstein” and “The Wolfman” left the cinema’s, the horror genera was frequently looked down on as exploitive drive-in fodder, and was given little respect. “Psycho” was the mile stone that changed the game, and highlighted just how influential and dignified the genera could be when in capable hands. On a side note, this was one of my earliest horror movie experiences that got me interested in exploring further films of the genera. It further proves that after all these years, “Psycho” is undated, and can still leave an impact on modern viewers. It’s immortal for its contribution to the horror genre, and is personally my favorite Horror movie of the 1960’s.     

Thanks for reading my countdown … and treat yourself to one good scare this October.