‘Coraline’ 15th Anniversary Review: A Spellbinding Return to the Big Screen
Fifteen years later, audiences are still raving about Henry Selick’s magnum opus for its innovative use of stop-motion animation and its ability to evoke both wonder and dread. As we celebrate the 15th anniversary of the film’s release, this special re-release provides a perfect opportunity to revisit and reassess this cinematic gem.
LAIKA Studios’ first stop-motion feature film returns to cinemas in remastered 3D and 2D formats. American audiences were first to experience the special anniversary this past August, which has been a commercial success after making $20M domestically so far. Thanks to Trafalgar Releasing, audiences worldwide have a chance to experience the modern animated classic on the silver screen again!
Coraline is a film that successfully harmonizes a captivating storyline and a distinctive visual style to form an everlasting experience that should be viewed on the most giant screen possible. The film’s re-release opens up a better opportunity to delve into the dense storytelling and artistry that it provides.
The narrative centers on Coraline Jones, a fearless little girl who stumbles upon a different world that is seemingly a paradise at first, but quickly becomes a sinister, threatening place. The film’s main attraction lies in its magic to charm children and adults. Its main idea, Coraline’s rather idyllic life that is there for her, which she can find through the Other World, grabs the viewers’ attention while also letting us daydream through the fantastic escape. Nevertheless, the film achieves full magnificence when it penetrates the shadow zone of this alternative world and reveals the true ‘Other Mother’ and her motives.
The 15th-anniversary re-release is most striking for its timeless ability to please and entertain without giving in to any targeted group of people. The film’s humor is smartly woven and multifaceted, bringing simple jokes to children while also giving more complex jokes that adult viewers can understand. The film’s character design and the voice-over work are the most significant contributions to the film’s appeal.
Coraline’s crazy adventures to the Other World were made possible by an incredibly talented group of artists, including Dakota Fanning as Coraline, Teri Hatcher as the Other Mother, and Keith David as the Cat. The voiceover work was done so wittingly that it captured the close hold and vulnerability of the figures in their changing relationship.
The film’s animation, a mix of stop-motion and CGI, is outstanding in its precision and visual flourishing. Every image is distinctly professional, which makes the film imaginatively immersive. The colorful palette and the whimsical designs of the Other World are in sharp contrast to the dullness of Coraline’s real world, which shrouds the attraction and, inevitably, the horror of an alternate reality. The visual contrast is not only a spectacle but also adds a deeper understanding to the story’s meaning.
The suspense in Coraline is magnificently created, and now stands out impressively against other animated films. The 15th-anniversary re-release, especially in 3D, gives the viewers a chance to go back and live through the film’s suspenseful moments with a fresh new perspective. The suspense rises quietly, generating an atmosphere of fear that grows as Coraline becomes aware of the meticulous deeds of the Other Mother.
One of the most noteworthy traits of Coraline is how it balances complexity and accessibility. The film respects its younger viewers by having an imaginative and thought-provoking story that safeguards against being overly simplified. Simultaneously, the narrative does not shy away from portraying darker materials that resonate with older viewers.
The film’s employment of fear is not just about the startling jump scares. Instead, it provides an understated spine-tingling allurement. A sense of foreboding increases as Coraline discovers the gruesome truths about the ‘other world.’ The evolution of the Other Mother from a seemingly soft-hearted being into a terrifying villain is the primary element of this suspense, which is portrayed by her changing look and the increasing aggression in her manner.
One of the aspects that will catch the viewer’s attention is Bruno Coulais’ score, which is mesmerizing and essential in creating the film’s eerie atmosphere. From the score’s beginning, Coulais couples eerie melodies with whimsical notes that perfectly complement Coraline’s unsettling yet captivating world. Even when Coulais wraps darkness with whimsy, he somehow adds layers of charm while instilling a sense of weariness. The score is not simply a complementary element; it is a character, bringing audiences along with Coraline through an eerie and beautiful ambiance that lingers even after the end of the credits.
The way Henry Selick directs it is that the suspense never loses its edge due to the movie’s fairy-tale elements. Instead, it is woven into the narrative in a way that makes it belong to the story so that it does not produce the feeling of it being manufactured. The moments of tension are separated by short, lighter parts. Thus, the film strikes a balance that brings the audience to a high state without disregarding the tension in the air.
The 15th-anniversary special ended with a featurette titled ‘Rebuilding Coraline’, which brings together the original puppeteers of Coraline for a roundtable discussion to showcase concept art and character designs. Additionally, they discuss the production process of the feature, including the process of stop-motion and set design, as well as the difficulties of production and details of the artistic process in bringing the film to fruition. I love how the animators acknowledge the massive improvement in the stop-motion industry with the help of visual effects and CGI. They recognized that it was frightening to use it at first, but with the help of these technologies, they can use it to advance stop-motion in a really artful way without losing the handmade quality, saving more time for production, taking risks, and being more ambitious.
The 15th-anniversary special of Coraline awed audiences with its astonishing stop-motion animation, storytelling, and characters. The quality of the audio and visuals (3D) in this remastered edition is excellent. If you’re watching Coraline again for the umpteenth time, or if this is your very first time watching it with your family, the 15th anniversary special provides a new perspective and surprises both nostalgic and comforting. It is a celebration of accomplishment for Henry Selick’s adaptation, for Neil Gaiman’s whimsical world, and for animation cinema, where adventure, bravery, faith, and fondness lie intertwined in a timeless and intersectional way.
Coraline is written and directed by Henry Selick and is based on Neil Gaiman’s novel of the same name. The film stars Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, Keith David and more. Coraline celebrates its 15th anniversary this year in remastered 3D as well as 2D formats. Grab your tickets near you at Coraline15.com.
