Apparently publishers thought that Coraline was too scary for children to enjoy, so Neil Gaiman had his editor’s child read it. The child said that it wasn’t too scary, so it got published. Years later when Gaiman asked she said that it was terrifying, but she needed to know what happened next. That makes a lot of sense lol.
I love the story of how this movie got made, because hearing a child say "it's scary but I needed to keep going" is so reassuring. The best "do it scared" example I've heard in a long time.
Something I just noticed, the Other Parents have perfectly symmetrical faces. Coraline has a slightly crooked face, her nose and mouth turn up on her left side, just like her Mother and Father respectively. The Other Parents have perfectly symmetrical faces, and humans don't. I think that adds to the Uncanny Valley a little in the film
@Sebastian Cavanaugh "mostly simmetrical" isn't perfection, in this case other mother's face is PERFECTLY simmetrical, something that even with the top models in our current time isn't a feature.
@TheKeybladeKeeper I thought the uncanny valley was about things that look so close to real life but there are some things that are off? Like a computer generated baby that looks almost real. I could be wrong
One thing I noticed about the Other Mother is that for as much as she cooks, she's the only one at the table who doesn't eat the food. She always has a place set for her, but there's never any food on her plate.... but she feeds sausage to the flowers at least. I think the flowers eating the meat is a hint to her true nature --- a pretty flower or something nice on the outside, but an apex carnivore/predator in reality, and that she gets her sustenance in other ways.
It's amazing how mature and adjusted Coraline is, which is the downfall of the witch. Her parents are not neglectful and we can see it in the end when they are planting the garden that they really care for her, they are never rude or abusive they are just tired and with a temporary problem due to the accident but you can tell they both have a loving relationship and take good care of Coraline.Which is why Coraline enjoys the pleasures of the other world but is not willing to sew buttons in her eyes.
@L'amoureux du Café not greedy, desperate. For the longest no one with children were allowed to move into the house due to too many unexplained disappearances.
@Ariane Winter She's a kid. They're not famous for being mature or understanding of adult struggles. I really don't understand you people who judge children for being children. Their brains are still developing, so they're going to struggle with things like empathy and patience sometimes, why do you view that as a personal flaw when it's just part of being a kid? Sounds to me like you're not exactly mature either, especially since you apparently don't know the difference between "where" and "were."
When this movie came out and a lot of people (young people) said that Coraline real parents are horrible but I thought they were acting in a realistic situation, maybe its because the real mother reminds me of my mother (she not mean, just she can’t handle stressed at home) but they just move, have to deal with a car accident, unpacking, making sure they got their work done, and have to deal with other responsibilities. It make sense that they don’t have time and are short/snippy with Coraline. They’re stressed out and tired. Another short thing (I love this detail they put in) is that the ‘other people’ don’t have a life besides Coraline. The real people have lives, their own personality and quirks outside of Coraline. Its another thing that kids have a connections to base on their interaction with them. So like a nice but busy friend next door wont have much connection to a kid but a creepy man that give them a lot of attention and sweets will make a bigger impact, which is a common thing that manipulators do.
I think another reason Coraline was able to see through it was because she’s a little bit older than the other kids. If the size of the ghosts is accurate to how big they were when they were alive, Coraline is bigger than every single one of them and probs older. I’d guess she’s like 12-ish in the movie?
i found it interesting at first that he made a song for her and it was a kind gesture and sweet, but he isn’t doing it “for her” he is actually WARNING her. The lyrics tell coralline what will happen if she stays in that world for too long, so doesn’t that mean those other creatures are stuck under her control, and her world is always against her but they cannot fight back considering her power. All they can do is warn the innocent children that enter it
Examples of this being shown: “She’s a doll” meaning the doll is the other mother’s eyes “She’s a peach” meaning she’s just food to the other mother “She’s a pal of mine” meaning coraline can trust him. “When she comes around she’ll never get bored” meaning this world is designed for her, so she’ll want to be here forever. “Our eyes will be on coraline” meaning she’s always being watched
It's foreshadowing for what he turns out to be. Like all of the [SPOILER REDACTED], the Better Father manages to throw a wrench in the [SPOILER REDACTED] when he gets a chance, even a small one.
To me the buttons for eyes are creepy because the purpose of buttons is to keep things closed, but eyes only work if they are open. Buttons for eyes are literally blindness.
I appreciate that once Coraline accepts the drab, gray "real" world, she makes a conscious choice to implement the things she loved about the dream world (friends with her neighbors, making space for Wybie and his grandma, planting colorful flowers in the garden, etc). Making her waking life more beautiful and doing the work to make it somewhere she wants to be.
Plot twist. Coralline never actually go back to the real world. She got stuck I. The dream world and the scary lookin parents just made it so it would look like the regular world. That’s why the cat still disappears at the end of the movie.. like he did in the dreamworld
I agree, and I think it’s even more so her learning to be grateful for what she has, since gratitude is really the central theme of the story, both in the book and the movie
That's really it. The point isn't just to give up and accept that life sucks; it's to acknowledge that life sucks RIGHT NOW and start fighting to make it better
She wanted to garden in the first place but her mom didn't let her. I disagree with these guys these parents were horrible. Like seriously just let her go play outside or maybe don't be so annoyed with her. They expected her to sit there and do nothing that's not reasonable
tbh, Coraline's dad idea of having her explore the house is a great one. If only after the "it's 150 years old" he would follow with "there must be hidden rooms, corridors, mysterious or interesting stuff left behind somewhere around here" This way he would still achieve his goal, but could inspire the kid to really get invested in the search.
In the book, that is kind of how he gets her to explore in the first place! He gives her a pen and paper and tells her to list the amount of doors, windows, and everything blue, but she still gets bored regardless
@Mucha Na Dziko Agreed. Turn it into a fun game for her to be occupied with while he works, that way he gets what he wants, but Coraline can actually enjoy the activity
@loverrlee yes, I know Im talking about good vs bad parenting. It's ok that the father needs to work right. now and Caroline needs to leave him be. But the way he says it is wrong. He should inspire her to explore, not say "go explore...I NEED TO WORK"
"Golubushka" is, in fact, a real Russian word! It's something like "honey", "miss", "girl" all combined together(because it can be used in different situations). But, if translated directly, it means "dove" but a softer version of it✨ I tried my best with explaining, hope someone will find it interesting or helpful
@JakeGodOfMischief Some see him as eccentric, some as a drunk, even the characters themselves) Maybe it's supposed to be like that. A funny thing I remembered: Bobinsky's skin is bluish and it's explained as the result of working outside in cold weather, but there's a Russian slang word "синий" (siniy), which means "drunk". I don't think the creators knew that meaning, just a funny coincidence. That's quite right about the buttons and eyes, such a simple and creepy symbol, and yet, the more trivial, the more chilling it gets.
@Anastasia Yurim I mean, he might have been drunk, and as an adult looking at it, I can see how one would see him as being drunk. I don’t think that the rats ratted on her fully that only happened after the fact that Coraline had found out about the other children and what happened to them when the Beldam had sown the buttons into their eyes. But truly it makes sense why the eyes and buttons after thinking about it, now. “The eyes are the windows to the soul”.
@JakeGodOfMischief Now I am confused if I mistook him for a drunkard, better rewatch the cartoon asap😅 But yes, I totally agree with the crumbling façade concept. Well, using rats wasn't the brightest idea of the Beldam, they ratted on her intentions anyway 😅
@Anastasia Yurim no, I didn’t think that you were trying to make fun of my comment, I just figured I’d give more reasonings behind it. But to sum it up yes, I never really had gotten Bobinsky was drunk, but rather eccentric more than anything. But with the true intentions of the Beldam and she intends to devour Coraline. And so the idea of the other Bobinsky slipping out of the façade by combining words
@JakeGodOfMischief That's okay, I wasn't trying to make fun of your comment or anything, I just thought that it would be a rather interesting line for him to say. His speech was as disintegrated as his drunkard personality, that he messed up his real intentions and the means to cover them up. This is the way I read your comment, forgive me if I was wrong, no offence intended)
Part of what makes the other world so creapy, despite how fantasiful it it, is focusing on Coraline's doubt. Also the other mother keeps invalidating her, even though it's a perky voice. "Go get your father" "You mean my other father?" "Your better father"
I noticed that as-well ( commented about it before I saw this! ) but food is such an easy way to manipulate kids into doing things. I had a friend who was with abusive adoptive parents, she had meetings with a therapist meeting every week. And they threaten to starve her if she told her therapist anything bad. And when she said she wouldn’t they’d give her her favorite foods. She now has an ED because of her adoptive parents abuse. It is so easy to manipulate kids with food.
22:45 Hey guys just a small note here: Mr Bobinsky is not Russian, he is very well established as a Ukrainian by his participation in the aftermath of the Chornobyl nuclear plant disaster, and by his love for beets - the main ingredient for the national dish of Ukraine, borsch. It might sound like a negligible difference to you, but Mr Bobinsky is one of the very few examples of Ukrainian representation in Western media, so it's important to keep that distinction. As you might imagine, us Ukrainians don't really appreciate it when people incorrectly identify us as russians.
One of my favourite fun facts about Coraline is that the medal Mr Bobinsky wears is the liquidator medal. It means that he helped in the clean up of Chernobyl which helps to explain why his skin is blue and he eats raw beetroots (they're supposed to help against radiation damage).
It's completely subjective, of course, but what I don't like about Coraline's parents, in the film version, is that they aren't respectful about setting boundaries, and they don't appear to consider Coraline's feelings or needs. It's hard to do, but it's a necessary part of parenting. But *you guys missed* one of the primary reasons the Other Mother and the Better Father are so creepy: it's the voice actors. No matter how syrupy-sweet or charmingly whimsical they are, there's always just an edge of malice to the voices, and also an edge of steel. As an adult, you just KNOW these creatures are going to demand something horrible from Coraline, and that hidden steel will come out to back it up.
I imagine there was a lot of fine tuning to get Other Parents the right level of unsettling. A slight undercurrent of malice in Other Mother’s voice acting, the animation and their movement being SLIGHTLY janky, and a lot of the facial expressions being exaggerated just to the point that it feels a LITTLE unsettling (a smile a bit too wide, a head cocked a few degrees too far). All together it makes a masterpiece Uncanny Valley, where nothing is exactly “wrong”, but everything isn’t quite right either. It is a terrifyingly brilliant and disturbingly beautiful film.
@Minerva Artemis Art Yeah, I almost forgot this was a stop-motion film, and was going to say something about puppeteers who come from dance and physical performance backgrounds, lol
There is a word "galoobooshka" in Russian, he's not talking gibberish :) "Голубушка" literally means "little dove" and can be translated as "sweetie"/"honey"/"darling". Great video. I also think this movie is scarier than many horrors, it is a genius work. And I never thought about it's metaphorical meaning, so thank you for this perspective.
In the book, there is a quote from when Coraline is talking to the Other Mr. B and it touched me right to me core. i don’t cry a ton with books and film, but this moved me to tears. “No one will listen to you, really listen to you. You’re too clever and too quiet for them to understand.” and that quote honestly hurt me so much. Being a neurodivergent kid, i relate to it so much. No one has ever actually listened to me. or understood me. and instead of even trying to understand ME, they expect ME to try and understand them. And how they think.
I related to it too, but when I read that, I felt acknowledged. That maybe I wasn't the only one who wasn't being listened to. Although, at the same time that it feels like Gaiman wrote those words for the intelligent ignored, in the Other Mr. B's mouth it's truly disturbing, as a direct attempt to manipulate and traumatize Coraline. I haven't quite had your experience, though. I hope people start listening and understanding. To both of us.
That's exactly what's been happening to me too, until I started speaking up and that's when they lost interest in having a conversation with me or me at all. Before they were praising me ALL the time on how 'smart' and 'intelligent' I was but after I started speaking up, they just started losing interest. It's interesting how people only praise you when they know they get what they want from you and after they realize that you cannot be used any longer, they lose interest
i saw a tweet that said "Coraline is so real. If a demon created a different reality where my mom loved me i’d get trapped there too" and honestly i can relate so much
Watching this I noticed for the first time that when the Beldam said “you can leave when you learn to be a loving daughter” is literally referring to her escaping the other world altogether. Also, the kids saying she ate up their lives works for both literally and metaphorically with how a manipulative person seeks to take something from you, in the most extreme cases your “life.”
I also love how the other mother dresses up like her real mother at first, and then later her clothes are more and more like her own (she also looks more and more like a spider). It's like she's slowly showing her true colors.
the themes of this story feels so incredibly authentic and personal for me as a viewer/reader. the small, skewed world of the button family.. the “better dad” being controlled by “other mother”, and the cat that helped her cope with everything… the part that drives it home for me was when the right hand followed caroline back into her reality. we really carry our trauma with us even when we go out into the real world. as the camera pans out, we see the garden in the image of coralline/other mother, meaning the pattern could potentially repeat and she never truly escaped her monster.
That’s what I appreciated most about the movie. It shows the real horror of having an abusive mother. Slowly but surely you go from seeing them as your loving mother, to seeing them as a horrifying monster spider. It’s a great metaphor for what it’s like being a kid with abusive parents. Specifically an abusive mother. Extremely well done
This a million times over. I am always thrilled to watch it, the animation style always holds up and the music and just style of the movie is always just perfection. That movie shaped so much of my life, it's seriously the best.
something that i love about this movie is the attention to every single detail. one of my favorites is when the icing is being written on the cake saying “welcome home coraline” in cursive. looking at the “o” in home, it has a double line through it which is a sign of lying since coraline isn’t really home.s such a cool detail
The children's spirits' facial expressions were technically the last faces they made when the buttons were sewed and they died. edit: HELP????? I WAS JUST LOOKING IN MY NOTIFS AND BOY THE LIKES
@Finite Banjo imho i would say the kids became roomdolls at the moment their eyes where sewn. It's a representation about controll. You can't controll a kid but you can controll a roomdoll. Roomdoll's are often considered very creepy. They used to be a kid shaped bag with straw/wool in sewn togheter and yes button's for eyes. Later they where more stationary and made out of plastic. They give of an even creepier vibe then porselain dolls(those look like they where meant for fake tea party's with late teen girls as the market audience). -removed a long part about the value of family who want you to have a succesfull life. It might be creepy but i dare say its a way of preserving value's and lifestyle standards for centuries.
I dont think thats right at all. They were all locked in that room and she "ate their life away." I'm assuming it is the face they made when they died, but I think they died locked in that room.
Two of them looks depressed, sad and just betrayed. While the other one is absolutely screaming in terror, probably fearwhen they saw the other mother’s real form or out of pain and agony after the buttons got sewed in, or maybe both
The singing voice of the "other dad" is John Linnell of They Might Be Giants. Which is perfect because he is an artist who sometimes has a dark side to his material but it's often juxtaposed with cheery music.
Escapism seems like the dominant theme. One of the other themes is how one can end up stuck at home due to overprotective parents (or other parental like figure) who shower you with everything youd ever want. They're the kind that do everything for you, out of "love for you". The kind that don't let anythimg bad happen and fight your battles for you. Just like in the film, one day they'll wonder why you would ever want to leave. Your world essentially shrinks down to that place, leaving you stuck there. Stunted growth leaves you unable to tackle the challenges of the world, making you even more dependent.
That second theme was definitely my childhood. I've been warned away from knives well into my teens, didn't climb a tree until I was 13, had my mother intervene in almost all of the problems I told her about and I don't know the most basic of life tasks. It's so hard to be independent when you've never been allowed to be independent. When I was first allowed to out with my friends unsupervised, I was left floundering. How do I order food? How do I cross the road? How do I pay for things? I was terrified. Still am, sometimes, but at least I don't almost cry now.
I've watched Coraline several times- it's fantastically crafted. I too thought the parents were neglectful...and then I realized that it was only a temporary neglect. Coraline doesn't act like a habitually neglected child. The other mother had never met a child so well adjusted and self confident. That was her downfall. The contrast between the ghost childrens reaction to the Beldame and Coralines ultimate reaction to the other mother in their interaction really underlined it. The other mother played on coralines temporary neglect with a gigantic lure...bright and tasty and thrilling. A candy house for a hungry child....
@Raptormann0205 Also imagine still having to work while injured, and since she's been typing at the table for a long time, that's straining her neck more
@Zephy Cluster My god for some reason I never caught that, I always just thought her sweater had a really high collar. Her parents being kind of standoffish makes way more sense, I'd be stressed as shit too.
I watched this with my daughter when she was, maybe three? I had completely different expectations of the movie, it was just obviously a bit too mature for her at that age, but she Loved it. It also gave her nightmares, but now at almost 13 she’s got a deep love for the story
As a kid I kinda related to Coraline because my crazy bio mom would frequently act like the 3rd arc version of the other mother and my step dad was always trying his best given he was learning all his parenting skills from said crazy mom. He would periodically take me places to get away from her and spend 1on1 time together since my bio dad wasn't any better ether. As a result I now often refer to my bio parents as just egg and sperm because they mostly did the bare minimum, abused me, then gave me stuff to "make up" for it. Eventually I caught on around the age of 13 and they started to be more cruel because I wasn't fueling their narcissistic egos like I did as a bright eyed gullible child.
As someone who's had to move many times in my life, I relate to Coraline. It's super hard to just expect a child to start all over again after making them leave behind everything they've known before.
I.. am genuinely terrified of my own anxiety and trauma. So much so that I've changed my habits. my lifestyle. my daily being, into someone easily overlooked. I find myself eager to be left out for the sake of not having to be near people or be social. but the more I've been sinking into this hole the worse everything's gotten. I find that I can't even go to my therapists office anymore without having a panic attack in the car and going home.. I guess I'm saying this because I know I'll be lost in the comments and I want to say it to someone who doesn't know me. because i fear the people who do now. i just know. that I don't want to be alone. I'm just too scared to be around real people anymore.
Wow. Jesus still loves you and if you have faith in Him and obey Him he will lay down the path. Also I can relate. Its hard. Feeling like you're not in control but trust me you are. God is good. And you should pray on it. Consistently.
This hit home. I wish I knew the right words to make you feel better, but I'm still in a similar place myself and it can be difficult to see a way out. But I have a deep feeling that you are worth so much more than u think you are worth and that people want you in their life in whatever capacity you can manage and even if u think your alone, there's now a random Internet person who's going to be thinking about you and this comment for a long time. I hope you find the little things that bring joy that help pull you back to a better place. I think that's what helped me, just random little things during the day, like a particularly nice coffee, a random friendly cat on the street, that built over time as I emerged out of this dark hole I was in. I'm still terrified of reverting back to how it was, but I'm trying to take every tiny good thing in to keep me a float
Actually- I think about this sometimes. The escapism thing. Sometimes it seems like the Harry Potter fandom is slowly sinking into that. Rides, sites, and costumes based off it are kind of fun and I really liked playing into the houses of Hogwarts thing- but people are taking it.... pretty far. The place Dobby died in the film is now overrun with socks to the point it's an actual threat to wildlife, some people it's all they talk about, and with all the things coming out so you can have 'real' magic in your home, like that wand that I think connects to your alexa or google home- it's just starting to feel like people like it TOO much. Like they're going to long and extensive lengths to somehow make what they read real in some capacity. Like they can force it into being by sheer willpower. And I think that's how you know a line is being crossed and maybe it's time to worry about them.
@A S true. But I also think escapism is often necessary in some peoples lives. Such as in hard situations where they can’t escape. Compared to all the other unhealthy coping mechanisms out there such as alcoholism, drug abuse, unsafe sex, disordered eating, porn addiction, the list goes on…liking Harry Potter a bit too much is fine. We’re all just trying our best.
As a Harry Potter fan (original books and movies, and I've looked at Pottermore), I think part of the issue is that the books and movies created immersive worlds, which can make it easier for some people to get too drawn in. I think it would be more of a risk for people who relate to the darker aspects of the story (like Harry's life with the Durslys), since they have more to escape from.
@Mr. X okay and? congratulations that’s not your special interest but for a lot of people it is. people can’t tell others to stop enjoying things. pure and utter self righteousness
I think this quote from the book perfectly encapsulates the message. The other father is trying to convince Coraline to stay, saying she will get whatever she wants. She replies “I don't want whatever I want. Nobody does. Not really. What kind of fun would it be if I just got everything I ever wanted just like that, and it didn't mean anything? What then?” I love how she says it wouldn’t MEAN anything. Life isn’t about getting everything we want but finding true love and meaning.
It's not the other father she's talking to when she says that, it's the copy of the crazy old man upstairs, Mr. Bobo. I agree with your statement about the message of the book being encapsulated in that line; I only wanted to clear up any misinformation!
I was talking to my sister the other day about how the kids that let her sew the buttons were living in times where child abuse was much more common and accepted. Vs Coraline who was extremely lonely, but still taken care of. So when the contrast between the other mother's world and theirs is much more stark for these other children (I'm assuming)
Plus in the eras those children were living in, things like sexism and racism were still seen as acceptable. One can only imagine what abuse they went through that made getting buttons sewn into your eyes seem like the lesser of two evils.
This is what childhood felt like for me, growing up in what I call a soft-core cult. It’s REALLY hard as an adult to trust anyone because I’m so used to manipulators. My parents, bless their hearts, behave like manipulators too because it’s what they know and they stay in that culture.
I remember rewatching Coraline and seeing how all Coraline wanted was attentive and understanding parents who tended to her love language. I couldn’t blame her for opting for that door.
I've had it happen to me. It's terrifying when you realize that there was an ulterior motive underneath. I'm just glad I'm not in that relationship anymore.
The other thing I look at from a trauma perspective too (and the fact that kids have significantly more vivid imaginations than once people become adults) is that "escapism" or perhaps dissociation can be a form of self protection when feeling vulnerable, unsafe or uncared for and making sense of things they don't understand or can't relate to. It's not always a conscious deliberate behaviour and even if it is it can be a defence mechanism to cope with feelings and circumstances they have no control over or are struggling to make sense of.
The ghost children always saddened me and frightened me because without showing the gruesome details you know what they went through. The second she sowed the buttons into their eyes, they were in anguish. Their last moments were of pure terror as she devoured them. The sad/screaming faces got to me like nothing else has. Hearing the young boy say he remembers his real mommy too just breaks you
@Lila Chodań Oh no, I’m not saying she does not care, some parents would love until death their sons and daughters and even so have those toxic traits, because at the end those are signals that they can’t deal with their own emotions and that has to do with their traumas. But it is true that also exist some parents that do harm because they want to. I hope your mom is not in the second group, mine even if sometimes I fight with her, in some place of her I know that she loves me, but she doesn’t know how to represent it by a healthy way. I send you a virtual hug. ❤️
One thing that wasn't explicitly mentioned in the end. Was that it's not just about waiting out the situation or circumstances. Sometimes it really is just a matter of paying attention to WHY things are the way they are, and also the needs of others around you. Give the real life people in your life the same consideration you expect from them. Coraline was so focused on what she wanted from her parents that she failed to listen to what they needed from her. Her father really did just need to get that work done, and her mother promised to see to Coraline's wishes after they got that catalog out. Some parents don't do well with keeping their commitments/promises, but Coraline's parents did. If they have a track record of breaking promises then that would make matters worse, but I don't recall seeing that in the film.
The one thing I like is how almost everyone can relate to having a Beldam in their life at one point or another. At first the Other Mother is warm and kind and distances herself by referring to herself as a separate entity distinct from the original. Then as Coraline gets more comfortable around her she shifts the dynamic, not your other father, your BETTER father. She places herself on a pedestal and starts twisting Coralines perception of reality now that she's caught in her metaphorical web. And eventually that possessiveness leads itself to hatred, Coraline who was once the ideal girl who could go no wrong becomes a "spoiled brat" once she realizes exactly what the Beldam is and what she's trying to do. Though the Beldam has plenty strength and mystical abilities its her emotional manipulation which proves to be her best tool in harnessing the souls of children. Just excellent writing full of little details littered all over the place.
Another symbolism I noticed: The moon. The moon has always held a specific symbolism in many cultures, specifically relating to life and death. With waning (dying), waxing (generating), and rebirth/death (full moon and new moon). Throughout the whole movie, we only see the moon in three phases. When she is in the other world, the moon is a waning crescent phase, hinting at the amount of danger she is in. When she was in the most danger, the moon was technically an eclipse and lunar eclipses were thought to be a omen or sign of danger. The moon during when she was finally safe (having destroyed the hand and threw away the key), was a unclouded full moon and many cultures viewed those as a symbol of peace, safety, and prosperity.
I feel like there was a lot of emphasis on Coraline just being bored but her parents, although in a hard time, were neglecting her emotionally. more than just bored she felt forgotten about and unloved. and it wasn't her job to set the example for her parents, they needed to realize their daughter was important and stop being so wrapped up in their adult issues. they were good parents just in a rough spot and by the end we see things improve and part of that is her just being awaked to how much she loves her parents and how she loves the things in her life that felt so upsetting before.
Other Mother is one of the most terrifying antagonists ever. Yes her true form is nightmare material but what's scary is how charming and nice and thoughtful she could be that you'll be persuaded into doing things you would otherwise not even consider doing.
i grew up with a bipolar father. whether he’s being dull, depressed, manic,angry… he always felt so withdrawn and made our world so isolated. when i finally try to branch out, he would turn into spider mode and remind me how i owe him absolute respect and obedience.
May God bless you and your family and help you Give your life to Jesus Christ and repent. I pray that God will lead on the path to Jesus Christ and send the Holy Spirit to be your helper. I pray this in the mighty name of Jesus Christ I pray Amen! Jesus Christ loves you. Give your life to Jesus Christ and ask for forgiveness for ALL OF YOUR SINS. Even the ones committed in the past and repent. He’s coming soon. Please pray and repent.
i feel like a lot of therapists should watch this film because it's very helpful for pulling illustrative examples. i've brought up this film to therapists to explain the dichotomy of my parent flipping between diametric 'moods'/ways of behaving towards others before and the quote "she needs something to love, i think, or maybe she just loves something to eat" has stuck with me over the years. i remember growing up and some friends would come round and tell me how cool my parent was and how cool my sibling was and later in life everyone who hears some of the things that went on can never imagine the person all my friends told me my mother and sibling was as a young teen. most people don't see how sickly sweet is untrusting but even as a child I knew there were needles and buttons in that loving smile.
I remember an interview with Gaiman (or maybe it was a blog post, it was quite a while ago, I think after the movie had been announced but before it had come out), Gaiman responded to the question of how he could write something so scary as a children's book, and his answer was that one, children enjoy being scared, and two, the children he has talked to about it don't seem to think it's scary. Children who have read it tend to interpret it as an adventure book. "Oh, this adult tried to trick me, but I escaped and everything was fine!" It's adults that think it is absolutely horrifying. Because when we read it, it is "This child was predated on without anyone's knowledge, and the child had to save themself." The child is empowered at the end of the story, but the adult isn't. The adult is left with the unsettling knowledge that people can hurt children behind their back without them ever finding out it even happened in the first place. It was interesting that I read the book at age 19, so I think my own initial reaction was kind of halfway between. But that statement taught me a lot about differences in audience perspective.
There’s something I just noticed in the years watching and also rewatching your take on this: The second time Coraline goes back her other mothers says, “go fetch your father, he must be as hungry as a pumpkin by now”. And when you see the last interaction with Coraline he literally is a pumpkin. Idk why I didn’t notice that until now, that’s why it’s important to watch something several times and pick up things you missed.
From what I remember the Beldam made all of the Other versions of people out of objects she created in her world, or ones that already existed. This film just has so many wonderful details in it.
Just realized at 12:44 the portraits on the walls are of the three souls the other mother took-I’ve watched this movie so many times and never saw that before!
It's just sad how kids don't get the attention they need and want, I know being a parent is hard but the kid didn't ask to be born, the parent is the one who decided to lay with another person knowing the potential risk of having the responsibility of a child. Kids deserve better.
Something I learned YEARS later is that the song the Other Father sings is actually a warning to her. He’s literally telling her that the Other Mother is always watching her and trying to make her stay by making that world never be boring.
Also man, even watching this as a kid I always really had a soft spot for the Other Father. Like just in a heart-hurting way. That scene later on when he's like a fucked up pumpkin and trying to get her in the garden, and all he can say in a distorted way is "Sorry... I'm sorry. Don't want to hurt you... Mother's... making me."
@Dreaded Gamer 23 I really liked what you wrote but it was hard to read that block of text. Another time use one idea per paragraph (oh, and use paragraphs), and put a blank line between paragraphs. Yes, I'm a retired school librarian / teacher. 😊
@Csák Györgyi Krisztina thank you for correcting me about the mice vs rats. I think the difference between the two highlights the differences between Other World and the real world even more 😁👍🏾
I just noticed a scary detail. The Other Mother doesn't eat when they're all at the table having dinner. Her plate is always empty but she's always cooking. Its like she's feeding her own meal..
Came in procrastinating and jumping down the Coraline rabbithole, left with some very specific and important life advice. Thank-you Cinema Therapy for calling my escapism out.
This movie showed me how to live in reality as a kid. Sure it scared me, but it showed me that I was escaping like Caroline. It made me feel really uncomfortable and I didn't fully understand everything until many years later, but I'm incredibly grateful for this piece.
This allowed me to re-contextualize why older kids don't always accept/trust their foster/adopted parents. Sometimes after abuse or neglect or loss a stranger trying to 'love' you feels like a trap/setup. Especially when you're told to be ware of them your whole life.
Something I hadn't noticed in the theater that actually took quite a few viewings before it sunk in was that Coraline's mom has a neck brace of some kind. Great video by the way 👏🏻
Coraline terrified me as a kid and it still scares me now. I love the messages behind it though, “not all the people who are nice to you have good intentions”.
@crash ! Bro that's your freaking opinion. Lemme guess you're an atheist like me. What does it take for people to realize that everyone doesn't believe that same thing. I will never understand ignorance.
It's funny because I watched 2 different reaction videos on Coraline. The first one was talking about how they didn't understand the relationship dynamics in Coraline, and then I watched this one, and it explained them all. The videos were literally like a question, and an answer. lmao
I think it goes even deeper than that for Coraline. Its not JUST this beautiful perfect world she goes into when she leaves her home. The Other Mother (aka the Beldam) gives Coraline EXACTLY WHAT SHE WANTS. Coraline complains about her parents cooking....Beldam gives her a perfect feast of everything she likes. Coraline complains about her clothes. Beldam gives her what she wants again. Coraline wants her parents to spend time with her and give her affection. The Beldam does this. Its a very seductive web of lies the Beldam is creating for Coraline and the price is her soul.
@Helena Nilsson I have spoken with the Other Mother's publicist, they have told me that three souls provide exactly three meals a day, and provide unlimited sustenance. Although, the publicist also told that it only works happy ghosts, and that the ghost kids were just saying those things because they were shy and nervous, so I don't think the Other Mother's publicist can be considered a reliable source.
@Silver Sing Why wouldn't she survive on three souls for half a century? Do you know the nutritional value of a soul? Do you know what the feeding requirements are for a beldam?
That thing always reminded me of the well cover in The Ring 2. Ironically, the Other Mother's hand gets sealed inside the well, just like Samara did by Rachel.
Wow Im one of those people lost in video games, hits real close to home, seeing a therapist right now to deal with all the issues in my life but still barely go out
Also can we mention how beneficial it is for Caroline to be such a brave and tough character. It was always important to me as a kid growing up and watching this movie to realize that she never gave up. She always went for what she wanted and knew what was best for her, despite naysayers or people trying to manipulate her to get what they wanted.
@j mor co 27 Wrong. The movie was called "Coraline" and promoted with the english name in Latin America. The entire movie uses the english name with the english pronounciation so there's no chance for mistakes. My guess is that OP tried to do the inner joke of the movie, lol
Yes! That's why I like it so much, I don't care for either mother, but for her journey, how she handle the boss fight. It's the same with movie Number Nine, it's dark and gloomy, it has so much deaths, but you also relate to 9's bravery.
Animator here Jono. You have different technics in stop motion to make water drops. Plastic beads, glue drops (solid on string) and gel are the most common one but it is like sound creator in animation: Each studio (and artists) have their own tricks and tools.
Regardless how scary Coraline is, if you go deeply into it, it basically reveals how scary the world is. It teaches you that not every person you meet is good in the world. There’s good people and there’s bad people. Coraline was manipulated, tricked, and fell for a STRANGER’S words and trickery and was almost eaten. But she had strangers (who eventually overtime started to reveal themselves as good people, aka her neighbors) attempt to keep her on a good path. Bobinsky with his rats and Miss Spink and Forcible. It also shows (Its not really THAT deep but at a point adults might realize) that just like opposite sex relationships, same-sex relationships can have their ups and downs. (if nobody knew, I’m pretty sure Spink and Forcible were either dating or married) It’d just crazy that Neil managed to turn real-life things into a completely scary animated film that was originally meant for kids and in a way, it’s like the movie is a way to teach kids a few things about the world (You can’t get what you always want, be grateful for what you have, keep away from strangers because not everyone is a good person, etc) and I felt like maybe that’s SOMETHING most never catch onto when watching the film.
This is one of my favorites I think because my mother is a bit of both versions of the mom. I got the neglectful cold unfeeling mother while my friends got to see her manipulative “other side” and one even said “your mom is the best I wished she were my mother” and it gave me such an icky feeling knowing what she was really like behind closed doors. Controlling, neglectful, and just all around not nice… she’s so good at manipulating even someone who had seen her act like that and had known how bad it went out with us and still almost fell for her bs
I love that this shows that once you give a toxic manipulative person what their goal was or what thay were Manipulating you for they ditch and leave you more broken
One of my favorite quotes from the book-This is when she defeats the Other Mother and begins to enjoy her reality. It’s really beautiful, and reminds me to find beauty in the ordinary and mundane. “The sky had never been so sky, the world had never been so world” ✨
First time watching this, I had continuous nightmares about being taken from my family. Now it's one of favorite movies. It still triggers my ptsd and it still gives me nightmares but I just can't stop watching 😅
@desolate2703 to be completely honest I don't remember 😂 I've had it for over 8 years. I do know the original is flipped, I thought it made more sense this way(upside-down) than the way it was originally.
I think this movie was so limited in what the author wrote it to be, but that made it so much better. These people who worked on all of it made the movie fucking terrifying with the score and the ambient horror (not making the other mother scary, but making her scary by showing what she's capable of). It's like how Palpatine is terrifying. We never see him do anything too evil in the OT besides try to kill Luke, but even without the prequels you get the dread that he's a very dangerous man due to the ambient build up and the score he's given.
I’m guilty of giving my 6 year old the task of picking up trash around the house and counting them. I’d give him a number to target 🤭😅 and I agree, when I watched this film as a single person, I felt the parents were a little neglectful. But when I became a parent, I found them relatable 😂
Laika is local here in Portland. We saw an art show of some of the puppets and sets from their movies. They are so so beautiful! Their work is so detailed and fun! Nothing is perfect, which makes it all really interesting to look at!
Coraline is a good movie for both kids and adults. For kids, the message is “be careful about people who might want to manipulate you, even if that’s your parents” and for adults it’s “if you don’t take care of your kids, someone else with bad intentions will happily do it for you”.
I think my mom managed that clingy thing very good when we were little. She always let us take part in what she was doing: when she was washing dishes, we got a towel to dry them. When she was baking, we were allowed to make our own bread too. We sew, crocheted, knitted, baked, painted with her. We loved it and learned a lot. Thank you, mama!
You don't know how lucky you are to have such a cool mother. I'd always ask my mother if there was something I could do as a chore and she'd just brush it off.
As for why my mom acted that way: she was adopted, she’s Korean, but she was raised by white patents who were toxic. I love my grandparents, but my grandmother’s contact nickname is Lobelia Sackville-Baggins. Enough said. She and Grandpa are very much like Lobelia and Otho.
not a parent, but there is a ten year age gap between myself and my youngest sibling. she's in elementary school and im in college, so im often busy and dont have much time time to be with her, and when yall were discussing what's negligent in a child's eyes vs an adult's eyes, that hit a lil close to home not gonna lie
"There is a value in escapism, but if it overtakes everything, nothing gets better...Sometimes things can't be put right, which is why you escape so deep down this rabbit hole. But it's not right here either, because here you feel afraid." This hits so close to home for what my life used to be. I had a lot of crap going on that was beyond my control, and another serious problem that I wasn't even aware of until decades later. Things got to be so bad at times that I came close to "giving up", but I decided to keep going and I'm so glad that I did. Eventually, I found the help that I needed and was able to improve my quality of life. I still engage in some escapism like most people. It's a safe and affordable way to live. Possibly "too safe" at times. I still have other life goals that I'd like to accomplish someday. All I know is that giving up hope would mean certain defeat.
At 15:05. Also notice that the dad in the real world doesn't serve her fatty, unhealthy food. The "slop and gruel" given to Coraline is actually very healthy, veggie-filled foods. Her parents in the real world actually care about her health. Whereas the foods in the "Other World" is fat-laden, incredibly sugary and just all sorts of unhealthy. The "Other Parents" almost feel like they're fattening Caroline up, getting her ready for a future sacrifice. That's why the "Other Mother" comments on how hungry Coraline is. I think that's what makes this scene so unsettling, that undercurrent of "why are they giving her such fat-laden foods, and so much of it?"
Other mother steals children and sews buttons on their eyes… and she is a monster. Coralline faces her former victims, their ghosts stuck in a cement, trashy room. Mostly, it is the creative brilliance of the crew making it so darn unsettling.
as a child I always took to heart that scene with the soul's of those children saying that they don't remember their names but they do remember their real "mommy", it made me cry a couple of times because I can't imagine longing for years to see your mother again, and now that I moved away from her it's even more striking emotionally for me
I'm 15 and my mum died last year in my arms I miss her alot she died cuz of a heart attack and stress my dad caused he don't even bother he never did so I understand I hope you see your mother again I will pray for you
Wolf-dog Cat-dog 2.0 also at one point of the movie Wybie shows Caroline a photo of her grandmother and her twin sister when they were kids, the photo was taken just before the twin sister disappearance . The photo shows the twin smiling brightly while holding a doll (the one the other mother used to spy in the kids) and Wybie’s grandmother is looking at the doll suspiciously/with distrust. Wybie also mentions that her grandmother used to live in Caroline’s house and that she didn’t like it and prohibited Wybie to go in there. She defiantly knew about the Beldam and that’s why she wanted to talk to Caroline at the end of the movie
Wolf-dog Cat-dog 2.0 yeah she definitely knew something bad was going on. Also, she got rid of the doll and got mad when Wybie took it. I wonder what she's gone through, that must've been awful
I wish I could understand this sentiment better. My mother may have given birth to me but my grandmas were the ones I saw the most of. It is good that others have better relationships with their parents though. 😃
At the part with the cake, where it says "Welcome Home," you can see that the "O" in "Home" has a double loop in it. Usually when someone writes an "O" in cursive with a double loop, it means that they are lying. So really, the message with the cake is that Coroline is welcome, but she isn't home
@Kristen Hanisch I learned it from my uncle, he used to be a detective for our town's police department. If there was a note or a letter found at a crime scene, and hypothetically speaking it said something like "i did not commit this crime" and it was all in cursive, 9.8 out of 10 times the o's would be double looped
Rewatching this when I was 16 after I'd just cut my dad off, was so eye opening. He is a highly manipulative person, who used me when I was little to get back at my mother and family during the divorce. He didn't mind maxing out credit cards to get me nice stuff, he fought for custody of me in court, racking up lawyer fees for my mom, but as I got older I realized what a scary and terrible and abusive person he was, especially when my mom caved for a few moms and I lived with him when I was 12. He had the mind of a child and I eventually matured past him. And when he realized that, he started to turn outright scary, like the other mother. But he was actually scary from the start.
Great episode as always! I want to make an important point regarding why people escape in such a fashion that I'm sure you'd agree with but neglected to touch upon. I have found that frequently unhealthy levels of escapism is due to it being the only option available. They could be poor, unable to access resources. They could be trapped in an oppressive environment that is extremely difficult to leave. Their health could be struggling and no doctor is able to help (more common than you think). Like smoking, many people realize it is unhealthy, but acknowledge it's all they've got at this time. And fundamental change is understandably exhausting. I hope to see more ways society comes through for people suffering like this. As someone who once lived 24/7 in escape I can assure you I was miserable, I was aware of it, but I had no way out at the time.
The parents’ actors ability to be identifiably two different characters that are also the same character while trusting someone else to do their facial and physical acting is so damn good I can’t even. (Also, about what they said at 18:50, it was their choice to do all that for you, not necessarily you, but whatever, it is not their choice for you to do this for them)
Something interesting to make mention to about the "Welcome Home" cake: I remember reading forever ago that a double-looped O means that the person who wrote the message is lying, but only "home" had a double-looped O. So while Coraline was welcome, she was not home.
Something about this movie I noticed just now: BOTH fathers sing. The Other Father sings his piano song full of vim and vigor, and her real father sings his "Twitchy Witchy Girl" song. Her real father does sing, he does dance, but he does it like an actual middle-aged person with a job--off key, full of heart, and without musical accompaniment. Though Coraline's parents could pay attention to their daughter more, they actually love her, and show that there is genuine fun, beauty, and love in reality. It's the harsh, overly exuberant Other world that blinds her to those moments of REAL loveliness and excitement. And in the end, when Coraline walks to the well to finally defeat the Other Mother, she sings the "Twitchy Witchy Girl" song, because of course she does. It might be corny, but it's sweet, it's real, and it's comforting, unlike the Other Father's song which only sought to delight in the short term with literally nothing behind the eyes.
The other fathers song was a warning. The other father and wybie were created to care for coraline so they had a somewhat real connection to her. So they both ended up helping her in the end because without them she wouldnt have escaped
The Other Mother is the evil one. Her creations aren't evil necessarily. Except the rats. Her spies. The Other Father and The Other Wybie were good. I think it's about the _intentions_ that they were made for, that makes them good. Wybie for example, was made to be a _friend_ for Coraline.
@Trellie s.s. Rose Yeah. I think that adds to Melody original point though. The other dad did care- because he was designed to care - and that caring nature was invested in choice of words in the song to try and warn her. The song itself is just flashy attempt to upstage true dade. In dad song it's off key, it's corny but it's true and from the heart. There is no ulterior motive interrupting it in anyway. I think though that if other dad was free of his controller though he would suggest coraline return to her true father. The other dad, even if well intended, was designed to always be a competitor, a leech effectively for Coraline attention by trying to mock her original family and their humanity.
Alan is the dad to rough house with who takes you to an awesome day out in the forest. Jonathan is the dad you can absolutely craft small paper stuff or crochet a beautiful gift for the wife/mom with. Both extremely awesome people. That I'd love to meet one day
I remember the first time that I watched this, a couple of years ago, I *_entirely_* forgot that it was a _stop-motion_ movie, until that scene where the Other Mother was cooking bacon. Just seeing the bubbles formed from the sizzling and the grease, and how not really natural it looked, is literally the thing that reminded me "oh, this isn't computer animated, or traditionally animated, this is _stop-motion_ ." Really think that that shows how incredibly well-done and fantastically animated this movie is.
One of my favourite tidbits about the movie is that if you look at a side by side shot of the two different kitchens, you'll see that the real kitchen is slightly skewed. The set designers purposefully put it at a strange perspective to make it feel more subtly uncomfortable, which in turn makes the fake world kitchen seem more welcoming! Little details like that are what really helps make this movie so phenomenal
I know this is a therapist react, but this is SUCH a good literary analysis. My initial impression of Coraline was always that the movie at least was just very masterful in applying artistic motifs to the whole puppet-manipulation type metaphor. I'm not entirely sure why the whole thematic element of the escapism (and its dangers) never hit me. It's really relevant.
I think it's interesting how Coraline is cool and mysterious for children watching, but very creepy and almost disturbing for adults. I remember watching it as a child and being mesmerized by the characters and the artwork, the color palette. now it has a special place in my heart but I'm too scared to rewatch 😭
@tamara just asking...how was the cat scary. To me it was the most comforting thing in the other world. Actually the cat was my favourite character lol. I was pretty sad that Coraline wouldn't be able to hear his voice again. Everything else in that other world was unsettling...except for that squid doll. Yeah I'm just wondering, I saw a couple of people also saying the cat was scary.
@M. Josena I agree, whether or not to let a kid watch this movie really depends on the kid. If a child gets nightmares often or is sensitive or scared easily, it's probably not a good idea. (I wouldn't have been able to watch Coraline as a kid, lol. I couldn't even watch The Little Mermaid!)
That's exactly how I felt. I thought the part with the ghosts was sad, but I never was disturbed by it. My parents, though, were creeped out by it and refused to let me watch it again! Lmao
I was extremely scared when I watched it as a kid. Probably because I only watched half of it, and didn't know if she would make it out of there. Because I watched it while we visited my grandparents and then, half way through the movie, my parents decided to go home. I did have some sleepless nights fearing that I would find this door as well and then go through it and never return again.
@tamara you were scared of the cat? Maybe because I had a black cat as a kid but I liked the cat. He was a protector and guide for Coraline. I felt like Coraline was safe around him.
I really enjoyed the visuals of this when it came out when I was a young teen. Never really understood the message though. Looking back, and listening to this, I realise it's because, as someone growing up in an abusive, but not abusive enough for anyone to call child protection, escapism was the only way I could survive my childhood & teenage years. Escapism is sometimes the only or best tool available.
I had the impression when I first watched Coraline that the segments with the 'other' mom and dad were dreams. I thought her subconscious was trying to send her a mesage, trying to get her to see that her desire to escape wasn't healthy, and if she stayed and worked things out she'd be better for it. It never occurred to me to think that there was anything to do with reality during those sequences.
It's amazing how your perspective differs from when you're a child to adulthood. Child me thought the parents were terrible. Adult me now understands parents were going through a rough patch and doing their best while also exhausted.
I remember reading Coraline when I was like 13 or 14 and I was TERRIFIED but in the best possible way. I think the movie scared me even more tho. Neil Gaiman is a genius and so are the film makers.
The Other Father's song, while being an absolute banger, is also a really clever piece of foreshadowing, mainly the lines "She's as cute as a BUTTON IN THE EYES of everyone who ever laid their eyes on Coraline" and "When she goes around exploring, Mom and I will never ever make it boring; OUR EYES will be ON CORALINE!" He was trying to warn her.
The Beldame, as part of her plan to lure Coraline, enchanted a pumpkin. She gave it the appearance of Coraline's father, and made him love her. He loved her so much that he wrote her a song with a warning so subtle the Beldame wouldn't notice. So much that he fought against the Beldame's equipment and the fading magic turning him back into a pumpkin to help Coraline defeat her. I really like that trope of "villain is thwarted to some extent by underlings doing exactly as ordered".
This makes me wonder other about the 'puppets' mostly other father and other Wybie. Over time they like the children that come in to play and make friends until Belle Dame/Other Mother sew the eyes and ate them. They're the only two that wanted her to be safe and willing to help. Knowing they are growing in will Belle Dame/Other Mother threatened to erase them if they don't follow her orders. That...is sad
They're both right about the father's song. Performed by They Might Be Giants singer John Linnell (or maybe Flansburgh), but John Hodgeman does the dialogue for the dad.
I really needed to hear what you said about KZclip and escapism. Whenever I don’t want to face a problem, I turn to KZclip to try and forget about it. But the longer I ignore it, the worse it gets. Thank you, great episode.
I don't know what to say this both gave me the chills and brought up so many bad and good memories at once, like when I was younger I was getting manipulated/groomed by this girl and didn't even know and I fought with my parents abt it only realizing years later what was happening, thankfully they put a stop to it before I did something I regretted. I now really appreciate and love my parents as I think back to all the sh!t I put them through when I was younger. I also have a case with my brother abt trying to escape reality as at the moment he is using video games and KZclip to escape school and responsibilities, all he does is talk abt video games and i have tried talking to him abt this but I just cant get through to him ( sorry about the rant its 3am and have no-one to talk to abt this)
Apparently publishers thought that Coraline was too scary for children to enjoy, so Neil Gaiman had his editor’s child read it. The child said that it wasn’t too scary, so it got published. Years later when Gaiman asked she said that it was terrifying, but she needed to know what happened next. That makes a lot of sense lol.
E o Gabriel tá de boa noite 🌙 🌙
That doesn't sound like it was too scary. That sounds like it was just scary enough.
She is an icon and I am thankful for her
I love the story of how this movie got made, because hearing a child say "it's scary but I needed to keep going" is so reassuring. The best "do it scared" example I've heard in a long time.
@Maggie TV go to youtube kids
Something I just noticed, the Other Parents have perfectly symmetrical faces. Coraline has a slightly crooked face, her nose and mouth turn up on her left side, just like her Mother and Father respectively. The Other Parents have perfectly symmetrical faces, and humans don't. I think that adds to the Uncanny Valley a little in the film
Why were their faces asymmetrical?
@Sebastian Cavanaugh "mostly simmetrical" isn't perfection, in this case other mother's face is PERFECTLY simmetrical, something that even with the top models in our current time isn't a feature.
@Miko Tish his name is Wybie (I might’ve spelled that wrong) also sorry of someone already told you
Button eyes never blink!
@TheKeybladeKeeper I thought the uncanny valley was about things that look so close to real life but there are some things that are off? Like a computer generated baby that looks almost real. I could be wrong
One thing I noticed about the Other Mother is that for as much as she cooks, she's the only one at the table who doesn't eat the food. She always has a place set for her, but there's never any food on her plate.... but she feeds sausage to the flowers at least. I think the flowers eating the meat is a hint to her true nature --- a pretty flower or something nice on the outside, but an apex carnivore/predator in reality, and that she gets her sustenance in other ways.
almond mom vibes 😅
@JeeseDooBoogaloo that's was an actually bug so that confirms she doesn't eat normal foods
She threw a piece of bug candy in her mouth in one scene.
@PROWERS like the butthole mouth grim reapers from Hogwarts
Like children's souls
It's amazing how mature and adjusted Coraline is, which is the downfall of the witch.
Her parents are not neglectful and we can see it in the end when they are planting the garden that they really care for her, they are never rude or abusive they are just tired and with a temporary problem due to the accident but you can tell they both have a loving relationship and take good care of Coraline.Which is why Coraline enjoys the pleasures of the other world but is not willing to sew buttons in her eyes.
@Wo! Wo! Jesus is coming back. Have faith in Him alone to be saved.
@L'amoureux du Café not greedy, desperate. For the longest no one with children were allowed to move into the house due to too many unexplained disappearances.
@Ariane Winter She's a kid. They're not famous for being mature or understanding of adult struggles. I really don't understand you people who judge children for being children. Their brains are still developing, so they're going to struggle with things like empathy and patience sometimes, why do you view that as a personal flaw when it's just part of being a kid? Sounds to me like you're not exactly mature either, especially since you apparently don't know the difference between "where" and "were."
When this movie came out and a lot of people (young people) said that Coraline real parents are horrible but I thought they were acting in a realistic situation, maybe its because the real mother reminds me of my mother (she not mean, just she can’t handle stressed at home) but they just move, have to deal with a car accident, unpacking, making sure they got their work done, and have to deal with other responsibilities. It make sense that they don’t have time and are short/snippy with Coraline. They’re stressed out and tired.
Another short thing (I love this detail they put in) is that the ‘other people’ don’t have a life besides Coraline. The real people have lives, their own personality and quirks outside of Coraline. Its another thing that kids have a connections to base on their interaction with them. So like a nice but busy friend next door wont have much connection to a kid but a creepy man that give them a lot of attention and sweets will make a bigger impact, which is a common thing that manipulators do.
I think another reason Coraline was able to see through it was because she’s a little bit older than the other kids. If the size of the ghosts is accurate to how big they were when they were alive, Coraline is bigger than every single one of them and probs older. I’d guess she’s like 12-ish in the movie?
i found it interesting at first that he made a song for her and it was a kind gesture and sweet, but he isn’t doing it “for her” he is actually WARNING her. The lyrics tell coralline what will happen if she stays in that world for too long, so doesn’t that mean those other creatures are stuck under her control, and her world is always against her but they cannot fight back considering her power. All they can do is warn the innocent children that enter it
Examples of this being shown:
“She’s a doll” meaning the doll is the other mother’s eyes
“She’s a peach” meaning she’s just food to the other mother
“She’s a pal of mine” meaning coraline can trust him.
“When she comes around she’ll never get bored” meaning this world is designed for her, so she’ll want to be here forever.
“Our eyes will be on coraline” meaning she’s always being watched
so this is Wanda Vision now
@SleepySnorlax exactly
Yeah, him being controlled by the other mother is even further symbolized by the piano, that is literally playing him instead of the other way around.
It's foreshadowing for what he turns out to be. Like all of the [SPOILER REDACTED], the Better Father manages to throw a wrench in the [SPOILER REDACTED] when he gets a chance, even a small one.
To me the buttons for eyes are creepy because the purpose of buttons is to keep things closed, but eyes only work if they are open. Buttons for eyes are literally blindness.
Never really thought about it like that before, but dang, that makes so much sense!
I appreciate that once Coraline accepts the drab, gray "real" world, she makes a conscious choice to implement the things she loved about the dream world (friends with her neighbors, making space for Wybie and his grandma, planting colorful flowers in the garden, etc). Making her waking life more beautiful and doing the work to make it somewhere she wants to be.
Plot twist. Coralline never actually go back to the real world. She got stuck I. The dream world and the scary lookin parents just made it so it would look like the regular world. That’s why the cat still disappears at the end of the movie.. like he did in the dreamworld
I agree, and I think it’s even more so her learning to be grateful for what she has, since gratitude is really the central theme of the story, both in the book and the movie
That's really it. The point isn't just to give up and accept that life sucks; it's to acknowledge that life sucks RIGHT NOW and start fighting to make it better
She wanted to garden in the first place but her mom didn't let her. I disagree with these guys these parents were horrible. Like seriously just let her go play outside or maybe don't be so annoyed with her. They expected her to sit there and do nothing that's not reasonable
ok
tbh, Coraline's dad idea of having her explore the house is a great one. If only after the "it's 150 years old" he would follow with "there must be hidden rooms, corridors, mysterious or interesting stuff left behind somewhere around here"
This way he would still achieve his goal, but could inspire the kid to really get invested in the search.
In the book, that is kind of how he gets her to explore in the first place! He gives her a pen and paper and tells her to list the amount of doors, windows, and everything blue, but she still gets bored regardless
@Mucha Na Dziko Agreed. Turn it into a fun game for her to be occupied with while he works, that way he gets what he wants, but Coraline can actually enjoy the activity
@loverrlee yes, I know
Im talking about good vs bad parenting.
It's ok that the father needs to work right. now and Caroline needs to leave him be. But the way he says it is wrong. He should inspire her to explore, not say "go explore...I NEED TO WORK"
That’s exactly how she finds the creepy door to the Other Mother
When the other mother says, “I bet he’s as hungry as a pumpkin by now.” Takes on a WHOLE new meaning when you’ve seen the ending…😖
It was such a weird line in the moment too-
The other mother was a real dark jokester.
"Golubushka" is, in fact, a real Russian word! It's something like "honey", "miss", "girl" all combined together(because it can be used in different situations). But, if translated directly, it means "dove" but a softer version of it✨ I tried my best with explaining, hope someone will find it interesting or helpful
@JakeGodOfMischief Some see him as eccentric, some as a drunk, even the characters themselves) Maybe it's supposed to be like that. A funny thing I remembered: Bobinsky's skin is bluish and it's explained as the result of working outside in cold weather, but there's a Russian slang word "синий" (siniy), which means "drunk". I don't think the creators knew that meaning, just a funny coincidence.
That's quite right about the buttons and eyes, such a simple and creepy symbol, and yet, the more trivial, the more chilling it gets.
@Anastasia Yurim I mean, he might have been drunk, and as an adult looking at it, I can see how one would see him as being drunk.
I don’t think that the rats ratted on her fully that only happened after the fact that Coraline had found out about the other children and what happened to them when the Beldam had sown the buttons into their eyes. But truly it makes sense why the eyes and buttons after thinking about it, now. “The eyes are the windows to the soul”.
@JakeGodOfMischief Now I am confused if I mistook him for a drunkard, better rewatch the cartoon asap😅
But yes, I totally agree with the crumbling façade concept. Well, using rats wasn't the brightest idea of the Beldam, they ratted on her intentions anyway 😅
@Anastasia Yurim no, I didn’t think that you were trying to make fun of my comment, I just figured I’d give more reasonings behind it. But to sum it up yes, I never really had gotten Bobinsky was drunk, but rather eccentric more than anything. But with the true intentions of the Beldam and she intends to devour Coraline. And so the idea of the other Bobinsky slipping out of the façade by combining words
@JakeGodOfMischief That's okay, I wasn't trying to make fun of your comment or anything, I just thought that it would be a rather interesting line for him to say. His speech was as disintegrated as his drunkard personality, that he messed up his real intentions and the means to cover them up. This is the way I read your comment, forgive me if I was wrong, no offence intended)
Part of what makes the other world so creapy, despite how fantasiful it it, is focusing on Coraline's doubt. Also the other mother keeps invalidating her, even though it's a perky voice.
"Go get your father"
"You mean my other father?"
"Your better father"
I wonder how she would get along with Umbrage.
I noticed that as-well ( commented about it before I saw this! ) but food is such an easy way to manipulate kids into doing things. I had a friend who was with abusive adoptive parents, she had meetings with a therapist meeting every week. And they threaten to starve her if she told her therapist anything bad. And when she said she wouldn’t they’d give her her favorite foods. She now has an ED because of her adoptive parents abuse.
It is so easy to manipulate kids with food.
"Also the other mother keeps invalidating her, even though it's a perky voice." Just like master manipulators in real life.
22:45
Hey guys just a small note here: Mr Bobinsky is not Russian, he is very well established as a Ukrainian by his participation in the aftermath of the Chornobyl nuclear plant disaster, and by his love for beets - the main ingredient for the national dish of Ukraine, borsch.
It might sound like a negligible difference to you, but Mr Bobinsky is one of the very few examples of Ukrainian representation in Western media, so it's important to keep that distinction. As you might imagine, us Ukrainians don't really appreciate it when people incorrectly identify us as russians.
Also the reason he likes beets so much is because beets supposedly help cure short term effect of radiation poisoning
One of my favourite fun facts about Coraline is that the medal Mr Bobinsky wears is the liquidator medal. It means that he helped in the clean up of Chernobyl which helps to explain why his skin is blue and he eats raw beetroots (they're supposed to help against radiation damage).
Holy crap! The main fact behind his character and I had no idea! That’s so cool!
Wait I never knew that, that’s so cool
People: ALL GET INTO THE NUCLEAR BUKER THERES A BOMB COMING
Me: *eats beet roots*
I’m sorry, but actually it’s Chornobyl
thank you for sharing that detail. would have neeeever found that on my own
It's completely subjective, of course, but what I don't like about Coraline's parents, in the film version, is that they aren't respectful about setting boundaries, and they don't appear to consider Coraline's feelings or needs. It's hard to do, but it's a necessary part of parenting.
But *you guys missed* one of the primary reasons the Other Mother and the Better Father are so creepy: it's the voice actors. No matter how syrupy-sweet or charmingly whimsical they are, there's always just an edge of malice to the voices, and also an edge of steel. As an adult, you just KNOW these creatures are going to demand something horrible from Coraline, and that hidden steel will come out to back it up.
@Minerva Artemis Art an example of that that ive noticed is how when she taps her fingers, it always has a perfect rhythm no matter what
@hkfifty8 Gad, yes... I bet there was!
I imagine there was a lot of fine tuning to get Other Parents the right level of unsettling. A slight undercurrent of malice in Other Mother’s voice acting, the animation and their movement being SLIGHTLY janky, and a lot of the facial expressions being exaggerated just to the point that it feels a LITTLE unsettling (a smile a bit too wide, a head cocked a few degrees too far).
All together it makes a masterpiece Uncanny Valley, where nothing is exactly “wrong”, but everything isn’t quite right either.
It is a terrifyingly brilliant and disturbingly beautiful film.
@kill me Exactly! No family is perfect all the time
@Minerva Artemis Art Yeah, I almost forgot this was a stop-motion film, and was going to say something about puppeteers who come from dance and physical performance backgrounds, lol
There is a word "galoobooshka" in Russian, he's not talking gibberish :) "Голубушка" literally means "little dove" and can be translated as "sweetie"/"honey"/"darling".
Great video. I also think this movie is scarier than many horrors, it is a genius work. And I never thought about it's metaphorical meaning, so thank you for this perspective.
@Darrrkkkkks zdravstvuyte maybe?
And he also said estrasbitie that is hello in russian and also dasvidanie and that’s bye ( these words are in polite form )
Wow that’s really cool, thanks for sharing!! Russian is a cool language
Yay, I was looking for this comment!
In the book, there is a quote from when Coraline is talking to the Other Mr. B and it touched me right to me core. i don’t cry a ton with books and film, but this moved me to tears.
“No one will listen to you, really listen to you. You’re too clever and too quiet for them to understand.”
and that quote honestly hurt me so much. Being a neurodivergent kid, i relate to it so much. No one has ever actually listened to me. or understood me. and instead of even trying to understand ME, they expect ME to try and understand them. And how they think.
As a fellow neurodiverse person OUCH I just felt this really hard.
Wow. I related way too much to this. Funny enough Im doing PT 2 diagnose interview for neuro-diagnoses today 😖
I related to it too, but when I read that, I felt acknowledged. That maybe I wasn't the only one who wasn't being listened to. Although, at the same time that it feels like Gaiman wrote those words for the intelligent ignored, in the Other Mr. B's mouth it's truly disturbing, as a direct attempt to manipulate and traumatize Coraline.
I haven't quite had your experience, though. I hope people start listening and understanding. To both of us.
That's exactly what's been happening to me too, until I started speaking up and that's when they lost interest in having a conversation with me or me at all. Before they were praising me ALL the time on how 'smart' and 'intelligent' I was but after I started speaking up, they just started losing interest. It's interesting how people only praise you when they know they get what they want from you and after they realize that you cannot be used any longer, they lose interest
i saw a tweet that said "Coraline is so real. If a demon created a different reality where my mom loved me i’d get trapped there too" and honestly i can relate so much
same :c
Watching this I noticed for the first time that when the Beldam said “you can leave when you learn to be a loving daughter” is literally referring to her escaping the other world altogether. Also, the kids saying she ate up their lives works for both literally and metaphorically with how a manipulative person seeks to take something from you, in the most extreme cases your “life.”
I also love how the other mother dresses up like her real mother at first, and then later her clothes are more and more like her own (she also looks more and more like a spider). It's like she's slowly showing her true colors.
She tried to look motherly but later on she doesn't care about what she wears.
the themes of this story feels so incredibly authentic and personal for me as a viewer/reader. the small, skewed world of the button family.. the “better dad” being controlled by “other mother”, and the cat that helped her cope with everything… the part that drives it home for me was when the right hand followed caroline back into her reality.
we really carry our trauma with us even when we go out into the real world. as the camera pans out, we see the garden in the image of coralline/other mother, meaning the pattern could potentially repeat and she never truly escaped her monster.
thats how toxic people work they get comfortable once they know they got you
That’s what I appreciated most about the movie. It shows the real horror of having an abusive mother. Slowly but surely you go from seeing them as your loving mother, to seeing them as a horrifying monster spider. It’s a great metaphor for what it’s like being a kid with abusive parents. Specifically an abusive mother. Extremely well done
Coraline was my absolute favorite movie growing up and I’m so happy that it holds up sooo well. It’s such a visually stunning and creative movie
This a million times over. I am always thrilled to watch it, the animation style always holds up and the music and just style of the movie is always just perfection. That movie shaped so much of my life, it's seriously the best.
something that i love about this movie is the attention to every single detail. one of my favorites is when the icing is being written on the cake saying “welcome home coraline” in cursive. looking at the “o” in home, it has a double line through it which is a sign of lying since coraline isn’t really home.s such a cool detail
i learned about this once and i have thought about it every time ive written a cursive o since cuz my handwriting just looks like that always
The children's spirits' facial expressions were technically the last faces they made when the buttons were sewed and they died.
edit: HELP????? I WAS JUST LOOKING IN MY NOTIFS AND BOY THE LIKES
That explains why they're so horrifying...
@Finite Banjo imho i would say the kids became roomdolls at the moment their eyes where sewn. It's a representation about controll. You can't controll a kid but you can controll a roomdoll. Roomdoll's are often considered very creepy. They used to be a kid shaped bag with straw/wool in sewn togheter and yes button's for eyes. Later they where more stationary and made out of plastic. They give of an even creepier vibe then porselain dolls(those look like they where meant for fake tea party's with late teen girls as the market audience). -removed a long part about the value of family who want you to have a succesfull life. It might be creepy but i dare say its a way of preserving value's and lifestyle standards for centuries.
I dont think thats right at all. They were all locked in that room and she "ate their life away." I'm assuming it is the face they made when they died, but I think they died locked in that room.
Two of them looks depressed, sad and just betrayed. While the other one is absolutely screaming in terror, probably fearwhen they saw the other mother’s real form or out of pain and agony after the buttons got sewed in, or maybe both
the middle one looks so pained and sad :(
The singing voice of the "other dad" is John Linnell of They Might Be Giants. Which is perfect because he is an artist who sometimes has a dark side to his material but it's often juxtaposed with cheery music.
i love tmbg
Was looking for this exact comment!
Escapism seems like the dominant theme. One of the other themes is how one can end up stuck at home due to overprotective parents (or other parental like figure) who shower you with everything youd ever want. They're the kind that do everything for you, out of "love for you". The kind that don't let anythimg bad happen and fight your battles for you. Just like in the film, one day they'll wonder why you would ever want to leave. Your world essentially shrinks down to that place, leaving you stuck there.
Stunted growth leaves you unable to tackle the challenges of the world, making you even more dependent.
That second theme was definitely my childhood. I've been warned away from knives well into my teens, didn't climb a tree until I was 13, had my mother intervene in almost all of the problems I told her about and I don't know the most basic of life tasks. It's so hard to be independent when you've never been allowed to be independent. When I was first allowed to out with my friends unsupervised, I was left floundering. How do I order food? How do I cross the road? How do I pay for things? I was terrified. Still am, sometimes, but at least I don't almost cry now.
Reminds me of Anakin and Palpatine from Star Wars.
I've watched Coraline several times- it's fantastically crafted. I too thought the parents were neglectful...and then I realized that it was only a temporary neglect. Coraline doesn't act like a habitually neglected child. The other mother had never met a child so well adjusted and self confident. That was her downfall. The contrast between the ghost childrens reaction to the Beldame and Coralines ultimate reaction to the other mother in their interaction really underlined it. The other mother played on coralines temporary neglect with a gigantic lure...bright and tasty and thrilling. A candy house for a hungry child....
@Zephy Cluster oof, it makes the scene where Coraline accidentally cuts the power to her dad's computer all the more harsh.
@Raptormann0205 some handle stressful situations better than others, being neglectful shouldn't be excused, not saying you are just saying in general
@Raptormann0205 Also imagine still having to work while injured, and since she's been typing at the table for a long time, that's straining her neck more
@Zephy Cluster My god for some reason I never caught that, I always just thought her sweater had a really high collar. Her parents being kind of standoffish makes way more sense, I'd be stressed as shit too.
@pomelo You did it! You broke Coraline down to its bare essentials!
I watched this with my daughter when she was, maybe three? I had completely different expectations of the movie, it was just obviously a bit too mature for her at that age, but she Loved it. It also gave her nightmares, but now at almost 13 she’s got a deep love for the story
I watched it at my friend's 12th? birthday party and even then I was like "Is this really for kids?" 😅
Same with my daughter now 15. I won’t let my youngest watch it though lol
Oh man, I watched all the time when I was 9, it was scary, but soooo good
As a kid, movies that you absolutely adore, but also give you nightmares, are some of the best
As a kid I kinda related to Coraline because my crazy bio mom would frequently act like the 3rd arc version of the other mother and my step dad was always trying his best given he was learning all his parenting skills from said crazy mom. He would periodically take me places to get away from her and spend 1on1 time together since my bio dad wasn't any better ether. As a result I now often refer to my bio parents as just egg and sperm because they mostly did the bare minimum, abused me, then gave me stuff to "make up" for it. Eventually I caught on around the age of 13 and they started to be more cruel because I wasn't fueling their narcissistic egos like I did as a bright eyed gullible child.
understandable
I hope you're doing ok now 👍
As someone who's had to move many times in my life, I relate to Coraline. It's super hard to just expect a child to start all over again after making them leave behind everything they've known before.
I.. am genuinely terrified of my own anxiety and trauma. So much so that I've changed my habits. my lifestyle. my daily being, into someone easily overlooked. I find myself eager to be left out for the sake of not having to be near people or be social. but the more I've been sinking into this hole the worse everything's gotten. I find that I can't even go to my therapists office anymore without having a panic attack in the car and going home.. I guess I'm saying this because I know I'll be lost in the comments and I want to say it to someone who doesn't know me. because i fear the people who do now. i just know. that I don't want to be alone. I'm just too scared to be around real people anymore.
Wow. Jesus still loves you and if you have faith in Him and obey Him he will lay down the path. Also I can relate. Its hard. Feeling like you're not in control but trust me you are. God is good. And you should pray on it. Consistently.
💗💗
This hit home. I wish I knew the right words to make you feel better, but I'm still in a similar place myself and it can be difficult to see a way out. But I have a deep feeling that you are worth so much more than u think you are worth and that people want you in their life in whatever capacity you can manage and even if u think your alone, there's now a random Internet person who's going to be thinking about you and this comment for a long time. I hope you find the little things that bring joy that help pull you back to a better place. I think that's what helped me, just random little things during the day, like a particularly nice coffee, a random friendly cat on the street, that built over time as I emerged out of this dark hole I was in. I'm still terrified of reverting back to how it was, but I'm trying to take every tiny good thing in to keep me a float
Actually- I think about this sometimes. The escapism thing. Sometimes it seems like the Harry Potter fandom is slowly sinking into that. Rides, sites, and costumes based off it are kind of fun and I really liked playing into the houses of Hogwarts thing- but people are taking it.... pretty far. The place Dobby died in the film is now overrun with socks to the point it's an actual threat to wildlife, some people it's all they talk about, and with all the things coming out so you can have 'real' magic in your home, like that wand that I think connects to your alexa or google home- it's just starting to feel like people like it TOO much. Like they're going to long and extensive lengths to somehow make what they read real in some capacity. Like they can force it into being by sheer willpower. And I think that's how you know a line is being crossed and maybe it's time to worry about them.
@A S true. But I also think escapism is often necessary in some peoples lives. Such as in hard situations where they can’t escape. Compared to all the other unhealthy coping mechanisms out there such as alcoholism, drug abuse, unsafe sex, disordered eating, porn addiction, the list goes on…liking Harry Potter a bit too much is fine. We’re all just trying our best.
As a Harry Potter fan (original books and movies, and I've looked at Pottermore), I think part of the issue is that the books and movies created immersive worlds, which can make it easier for some people to get too drawn in. I think it would be more of a risk for people who relate to the darker aspects of the story (like Harry's life with the Durslys), since they have more to escape from.
@Helena Nilsson That makes sense. I don't know the game, but I've seen criticism of the original HP goblins as antisemitic caricatures
@Mr. X okay and? congratulations that’s not your special interest but for a lot of people it is. people can’t tell others to stop enjoying things. pure and utter self righteousness
@carrieI have at least one of these and I don’t fixate on Harry Potter. That’s a shitty excuse.
I think this quote from the book perfectly encapsulates the message. The other father is trying to convince Coraline to stay, saying she will get whatever she wants. She replies “I don't want whatever I want. Nobody does. Not really. What kind of fun would it be if I just got everything I ever wanted just like that, and it didn't mean anything? What then?” I love how she says it wouldn’t MEAN anything. Life isn’t about getting everything we want but finding true love and meaning.
Aaand that's why I like the character of Coraline way more in the book than in the movie.
It's too bad this quote didn't make it to the book. It's a valuable lesson that people of all ages can learn from.
what page is this?
Indeed
That Search is why we live
It's not the other father she's talking to when she says that, it's the copy of the crazy old man upstairs, Mr. Bobo. I agree with your statement about the message of the book being encapsulated in that line; I only wanted to clear up any misinformation!
I was talking to my sister the other day about how the kids that let her sew the buttons were living in times where child abuse was much more common and accepted. Vs Coraline who was extremely lonely, but still taken care of. So when the contrast between the other mother's world and theirs is much more stark for these other children (I'm assuming)
Plus in the eras those children were living in, things like sexism and racism were still seen as acceptable. One can only imagine what abuse they went through that made getting buttons sewn into your eyes seem like the lesser of two evils.
This is what childhood felt like for me, growing up in what I call a soft-core cult. It’s REALLY hard as an adult to trust anyone because I’m so used to manipulators. My parents, bless their hearts, behave like manipulators too because it’s what they know and they stay in that culture.
I remember rewatching Coraline and seeing how all Coraline wanted was attentive and understanding parents who tended to her love language. I couldn’t blame her for opting for that door.
I hate that manipulative tactic where someone lavishes you in treats of some sort then turns out it was only for their own gain
I've had it happen to me. It's terrifying when you realize that there was an ulterior motive underneath. I'm just glad I'm not in that relationship anymore.
'Love Bombing'
The other thing I look at from a trauma perspective too (and the fact that kids have significantly more vivid imaginations than once people become adults) is that "escapism" or perhaps dissociation can be a form of self protection when feeling vulnerable, unsafe or uncared for and making sense of things they don't understand or can't relate to.
It's not always a conscious deliberate behaviour and even if it is it can be a defence mechanism to cope with feelings and circumstances they have no control over or are struggling to make sense of.
The ghost children always saddened me and frightened me because without showing the gruesome details you know what they went through. The second she sowed the buttons into their eyes, they were in anguish. Their last moments were of pure terror as she devoured them. The sad/screaming faces got to me like nothing else has. Hearing the young boy say he remembers his real mommy too just breaks you
@Lila Chodań I recommend podcast episode about narcissists from jameela jamil, she has a doctor there who clarifies a lot
JD Burns I had a panick attack and my mom had to drag me out. I was eight. It was the screaming ghost girl that did it for me!
@Pitiless Nightmare ❤️
@Lila Chodań Oh no, I’m not saying she does not care, some parents would love until death their sons and daughters and even so have those toxic traits, because at the end those are signals that they can’t deal with their own emotions and that has to do with their traumas. But it is true that also exist some parents that do harm because they want to. I hope your mom is not in the second group, mine even if sometimes I fight with her, in some place of her I know that she loves me, but she doesn’t know how to represent it by a healthy way. I send you a virtual hug. ❤️
@Pitiless Nightmare But it doesn't mean that she doesn't care about me.
13 years since Coraline came out and it's still such an amazing movie. Still gives me the creeps and i watched it like 8 times
One thing that wasn't explicitly mentioned in the end. Was that it's not just about waiting out the situation or circumstances. Sometimes it really is just a matter of paying attention to WHY things are the way they are, and also the needs of others around you. Give the real life people in your life the same consideration you expect from them. Coraline was so focused on what she wanted from her parents that she failed to listen to what they needed from her. Her father really did just need to get that work done, and her mother promised to see to Coraline's wishes after they got that catalog out. Some parents don't do well with keeping their commitments/promises, but Coraline's parents did. If they have a track record of breaking promises then that would make matters worse, but I don't recall seeing that in the film.
The one thing I like is how almost everyone can relate to having a Beldam in their life at one point or another. At first the Other Mother is warm and kind and distances herself by referring to herself as a separate entity distinct from the original. Then as Coraline gets more comfortable around her she shifts the dynamic, not your other father, your BETTER father. She places herself on a pedestal and starts twisting Coralines perception of reality now that she's caught in her metaphorical web. And eventually that possessiveness leads itself to hatred, Coraline who was once the ideal girl who could go no wrong becomes a "spoiled brat" once she realizes exactly what the Beldam is and what she's trying to do. Though the Beldam has plenty strength and mystical abilities its her emotional manipulation which proves to be her best tool in harnessing the souls of children. Just excellent writing full of little details littered all over the place.
Another symbolism I noticed: The moon.
The moon has always held a specific symbolism in many cultures, specifically relating to life and death. With waning (dying), waxing (generating), and rebirth/death (full moon and new moon).
Throughout the whole movie, we only see the moon in three phases. When she is in the other world, the moon is a waning crescent phase, hinting at the amount of danger she is in. When she was in the most danger, the moon was technically an eclipse and lunar eclipses were thought to be a omen or sign of danger. The moon during when she was finally safe (having destroyed the hand and threw away the key), was a unclouded full moon and many cultures viewed those as a symbol of peace, safety, and prosperity.
I feel like there was a lot of emphasis on Coraline just being bored but her parents, although in a hard time, were neglecting her emotionally. more than just bored she felt forgotten about and unloved. and it wasn't her job to set the example for her parents, they needed to realize their daughter was important and stop being so wrapped up in their adult issues. they were good parents just in a rough spot and by the end we see things improve and part of that is her just being awaked to how much she loves her parents and how she loves the things in her life that felt so upsetting before.
Other Mother is one of the most terrifying antagonists ever. Yes her true form is nightmare material but what's scary is how charming and nice and thoughtful she could be that you'll be persuaded into doing things you would otherwise not even consider doing.
i grew up with a bipolar father. whether he’s being dull, depressed, manic,angry… he always felt so withdrawn and made our world so isolated. when i finally try to branch out, he would turn into spider mode and remind me how i owe him absolute respect and obedience.
May God bless you and your family and help you Give your life to Jesus Christ and repent. I pray that God will lead on the path to Jesus Christ and send the Holy Spirit to be your helper. I pray this in the mighty name of Jesus Christ I pray Amen! Jesus Christ loves you. Give your life to Jesus Christ and ask for forgiveness for ALL OF YOUR SINS. Even the ones committed in the past and repent. He’s coming soon. Please pray and repent.
@CatapultingCows yeah, it is always the same spiel no matter if it is a cult, an abusiv partner, parent or plain old monster
Isn't that how they lure people into cults?
Seeing this, those first trips into the fantasy world will forever be referred to as “the grooming stage” whenever I watch that movie.
i feel like a lot of therapists should watch this film because it's very helpful for pulling illustrative examples. i've brought up this film to therapists to explain the dichotomy of my parent flipping between diametric 'moods'/ways of behaving towards others before and the quote "she needs something to love, i think, or maybe she just loves something to eat" has stuck with me over the years. i remember growing up and some friends would come round and tell me how cool my parent was and how cool my sibling was and later in life everyone who hears some of the things that went on can never imagine the person all my friends told me my mother and sibling was as a young teen. most people don't see how sickly sweet is untrusting but even as a child I knew there were needles and buttons in that loving smile.
I remember an interview with Gaiman (or maybe it was a blog post, it was quite a while ago, I think after the movie had been announced but before it had come out), Gaiman responded to the question of how he could write something so scary as a children's book, and his answer was that one, children enjoy being scared, and two, the children he has talked to about it don't seem to think it's scary. Children who have read it tend to interpret it as an adventure book. "Oh, this adult tried to trick me, but I escaped and everything was fine!" It's adults that think it is absolutely horrifying. Because when we read it, it is "This child was predated on without anyone's knowledge, and the child had to save themself." The child is empowered at the end of the story, but the adult isn't. The adult is left with the unsettling knowledge that people can hurt children behind their back without them ever finding out it even happened in the first place. It was interesting that I read the book at age 19, so I think my own initial reaction was kind of halfway between. But that statement taught me a lot about differences in audience perspective.
There’s something I just noticed in the years watching and also rewatching your take on this:
The second time Coraline goes back her other mothers says, “go fetch your father, he must be as hungry as a pumpkin by now”. And when you see the last interaction with Coraline he literally is a pumpkin. Idk why I didn’t notice that until now, that’s why it’s important to watch something several times and pick up things you missed.
From what I remember the Beldam made all of the Other versions of people out of objects she created in her world, or ones that already existed.
This film just has so many wonderful details in it.
Just realized at 12:44 the portraits on the walls are of the three souls the other mother took-I’ve watched this movie so many times and never saw that before!
It's just sad how kids don't get the attention they need and want, I know being a parent is hard but the kid didn't ask to be born, the parent is the one who decided to lay with another person knowing the potential risk of having the responsibility of a child. Kids deserve better.
Something I learned YEARS later is that the song the Other Father sings is actually a warning to her. He’s literally telling her that the Other Mother is always watching her and trying to make her stay by making that world never be boring.
Also man, even watching this as a kid I always really had a soft spot for the Other Father. Like just in a heart-hurting way. That scene later on when he's like a fucked up pumpkin and trying to get her in the garden, and all he can say in a distorted way is "Sorry... I'm sorry. Don't want to hurt you... Mother's... making me."
"Our eyes will be on Coraline!"
@Dreaded Gamer 23 I really liked what you wrote but it was hard to read that block of text. Another time use one idea per paragraph (oh, and use paragraphs), and put a blank line between paragraphs.
Yes, I'm a retired school librarian / teacher. 😊
@Alexes That may be true. Let's put both theories on the table and see which one the creators of Coraline choose is true.
@Csák Györgyi Krisztina thank you for correcting me about the mice vs rats. I think the difference between the two highlights the differences between Other World and the real world even more 😁👍🏾
I just noticed a scary detail. The Other Mother doesn't eat when they're all at the table having dinner. Her plate is always empty but she's always cooking. Its like she's feeding her own meal..
Like the Witch from Hansel and Gretel, fattening up the children so they'll be a more filling/satisfying meal.
Came in procrastinating and jumping down the Coraline rabbithole, left with some very specific and important life advice. Thank-you Cinema Therapy for calling my escapism out.
You're so welcome!
This movie showed me how to live in reality as a kid. Sure it scared me, but it showed me that I was escaping like Caroline. It made me feel really uncomfortable and I didn't fully understand everything until many years later, but I'm incredibly grateful for this piece.
This allowed me to re-contextualize why older kids don't always accept/trust their foster/adopted parents. Sometimes after abuse or neglect or loss a stranger trying to 'love' you feels like a trap/setup. Especially when you're told to be ware of them your whole life.
Something I hadn't noticed in the theater that actually took quite a few viewings before it sunk in was that Coraline's mom has a neck brace of some kind.
Great video by the way 👏🏻
Coraline terrified me as a kid and it still scares me now. I love the messages behind it though, “not all the people who are nice to you have good intentions”.
As a grooming victim, that's why I love this movie so much
@kelly walker Okay thats wrong
But i am not like him
You have the right to choose
@SexySimon Nah. Opinions are for the ignorant, I only go by facts. People need to stop saying this unwanted Bible crap its annoying and cringy.
@crash ! Bro that's your freaking opinion. Lemme guess you're an atheist like me. What does it take for people to realize that everyone doesn't believe that same thing. I will never understand ignorance.
@crash ! Rude asf for no reason. It's so embarrassing like fr
It's funny because I watched 2 different reaction videos on Coraline. The first one was talking about how they didn't understand the relationship dynamics in Coraline, and then I watched this one, and it explained them all. The videos were literally like a question, and an answer. lmao
I think it goes even deeper than that for Coraline. Its not JUST this beautiful perfect world she goes into when she leaves her home. The Other Mother (aka the Beldam) gives Coraline EXACTLY WHAT SHE WANTS. Coraline complains about her parents cooking....Beldam gives her a perfect feast of everything she likes. Coraline complains about her clothes. Beldam gives her what she wants again. Coraline wants her parents to spend time with her and give her affection. The Beldam does this. Its a very seductive web of lies the Beldam is creating for Coraline and the price is her soul.
Indeed
Never give your kids everything
Teach them the Lessons of Understanding you can't have everything
16:08
She didn’t even eat any of her dinner. They just gave her the cake. She took 2 bites of the chicken. They could’ve at least let her finish.
@Helena Nilsson I have spoken with the Other Mother's publicist, they have told me that three souls provide exactly three meals a day, and provide unlimited sustenance. Although, the publicist also told that it only works happy ghosts, and that the ghost kids were just saying those things because they were shy and nervous, so I don't think the Other Mother's publicist can be considered a reliable source.
@Helena Nilsson 😭😭
@Silver Sing Why wouldn't she survive on three souls for half a century? Do you know the nutritional value of a soul? Do you know what the feeding requirements are for a beldam?
@Username person Person how did she even survive on only three souls for around half a century?
The Button slowly eclipsing out the Moon in the Other World never fails to raise goosebumps on my arms
That thing always reminded me of the well cover in The Ring 2. Ironically, the Other Mother's hand gets sealed inside the well, just like Samara did by Rachel.
Wow Im one of those people lost in video games, hits real close to home, seeing a therapist right now to deal with all the issues in my life but still barely go out
Hope all the best for you
Also can we mention how beneficial it is for Caroline to be such a brave and tough character. It was always important to me as a kid growing up and watching this movie to realize that she never gave up. She always went for what she wanted and knew what was best for her, despite naysayers or people trying to manipulate her to get what they wanted.
@kaisetic Neil Gaiman said that he "mistyped" the name "Caroline", liked 'Coraline', and used it.
@Orcodorco you are right, the movie's name is coraline in latin america. Maybe it was just typo error or she forgot the right name.
@j mor co 27 so? her name is coraline
@j mor co 27 Wrong. The movie was called "Coraline" and promoted with the english name in Latin America. The entire movie uses the english name with the english pronounciation so there's no chance for mistakes.
My guess is that OP tried to do the inner joke of the movie, lol
Yes! That's why I like it so much, I don't care for either mother, but for her journey, how she handle the boss fight. It's the same with movie Number Nine, it's dark and gloomy, it has so much deaths, but you also relate to 9's bravery.
Animator here Jono. You have different technics in stop motion to make water drops. Plastic beads, glue drops (solid on string) and gel are the most common one but it is like sound creator in animation: Each studio (and artists) have their own tricks and tools.
Regardless how scary Coraline is, if you go deeply into it, it basically reveals how scary the world is. It teaches you that not every person you meet is good in the world. There’s good people and there’s bad people.
Coraline was manipulated, tricked, and fell for a STRANGER’S words and trickery and was almost eaten. But she had strangers (who eventually overtime started to reveal
themselves as good people, aka her neighbors) attempt to keep her on a good path. Bobinsky with his rats and Miss Spink and Forcible.
It also shows (Its not really THAT deep but at a point adults might realize) that just like opposite sex relationships, same-sex relationships can have their ups and downs. (if nobody knew, I’m pretty sure Spink and Forcible were either dating or married) It’d just crazy that Neil managed to turn real-life things into a completely scary animated film that was originally meant for kids and in a way, it’s like the movie is a way to teach kids a few things about the world (You can’t get what you always want, be grateful for what you have, keep away from strangers because not everyone is a good person, etc) and I felt like maybe that’s SOMETHING most never catch onto when watching the film.
According to Tv Tropes, Neil Gaiman confirmed Ms. Spink and Forcible are a couple :)
This is one of my favorites I think because my mother is a bit of both versions of the mom. I got the neglectful cold unfeeling mother while my friends got to see her manipulative “other side” and one even said “your mom is the best I wished she were my mother” and it gave me such an icky feeling knowing what she was really like behind closed doors. Controlling, neglectful, and just all around not nice… she’s so good at manipulating even someone who had seen her act like that and had known how bad it went out with us and still almost fell for her bs
I love that this shows that once you give a toxic manipulative person what their goal was or what thay were Manipulating you for they ditch and leave you more broken
To me it’s a cautionary tale to parents about being loving and kind to their children :)
One of my favorite quotes from the book-This is when she defeats the Other Mother and begins to enjoy her reality. It’s really beautiful, and reminds me to find beauty in the ordinary and mundane. “The sky had never been so sky, the world had never been so world” ✨
omg that is so beautiful. need to read the book now
Love the quote tho
Ah yes, the floor is floor.
@Kate's Cosmos It’s very easy, but very impactful read! Highly recommend x
That's such a beautiful quote! Makes me wanna read the book now
First time watching this, I had continuous nightmares about being taken from my family. Now it's one of favorite movies. It still triggers my ptsd and it still gives me nightmares but I just can't stop watching 😅
@desolate2703 to be completely honest I don't remember 😂 I've had it for over 8 years. I do know the original is flipped, I thought it made more sense this way(upside-down) than the way it was originally.
Off topic… but what is your profile photo from? It’s so wicked and awesome!
I think this movie was so limited in what the author wrote it to be, but that made it so much better. These people who worked on all of it made the movie fucking terrifying with the score and the ambient horror (not making the other mother scary, but making her scary by showing what she's capable of). It's like how Palpatine is terrifying. We never see him do anything too evil in the OT besides try to kill Luke, but even without the prequels you get the dread that he's a very dangerous man due to the ambient build up and the score he's given.
I’m guilty of giving my 6 year old the task of picking up trash around the house and counting them. I’d give him a number to target 🤭😅 and I agree, when I watched this film as a single person, I felt the parents were a little neglectful. But when I became a parent, I found them relatable 😂
Laika is local here in Portland. We saw an art show of some of the puppets and sets from their movies. They are so so beautiful! Their work is so detailed and fun! Nothing is perfect, which makes it all really interesting to look at!
Coraline is a good movie for both kids and adults. For kids, the message is “be careful about people who might want to manipulate you, even if that’s your parents” and for adults it’s “if you don’t take care of your kids, someone else with bad intentions will happily do it for you”.
I think my mom managed that clingy thing very good when we were little. She always let us take part in what she was doing: when she was washing dishes, we got a towel to dry them. When she was baking, we were allowed to make our own bread too. We sew, crocheted, knitted, baked, painted with her. We loved it and learned a lot. Thank you, mama!
You don't know how lucky you are to have such a cool mother. I'd always ask my mother if there was something I could do as a chore and she'd just brush it off.
@Player2 I read a great book on that exact topic! Hunt, Gather, Parent.
@Nashleyism my mom is same!
@s p a r k j o y you're awesome
As for why my mom acted that way: she was adopted, she’s Korean, but she was raised by white patents who were toxic. I love my grandparents, but my grandmother’s contact nickname is Lobelia Sackville-Baggins. Enough said. She and Grandpa are very much like Lobelia and Otho.
not a parent, but there is a ten year age gap between myself and my youngest sibling. she's in elementary school and im in college, so im often busy and dont have much time time to be with her, and when yall were discussing what's negligent in a child's eyes vs an adult's eyes, that hit a lil close to home not gonna lie
"There is a value in escapism, but if it overtakes everything, nothing gets better...Sometimes things can't be put right, which is why you escape so deep down this rabbit hole. But it's not right here either, because here you feel afraid."
This hits so close to home for what my life used to be. I had a lot of crap going on that was beyond my control, and another serious problem that I wasn't even aware of until decades later. Things got to be so bad at times that I came close to "giving up", but I decided to keep going and I'm so glad that I did. Eventually, I found the help that I needed and was able to improve my quality of life. I still engage in some escapism like most people. It's a safe and affordable way to live. Possibly "too safe" at times. I still have other life goals that I'd like to accomplish someday. All I know is that giving up hope would mean certain defeat.
At 15:05. Also notice that the dad in the real world doesn't serve her fatty, unhealthy food. The "slop and gruel" given to Coraline is actually very healthy, veggie-filled foods. Her parents in the real world actually care about her health. Whereas the foods in the "Other World" is fat-laden, incredibly sugary and just all sorts of unhealthy. The "Other Parents" almost feel like they're fattening Caroline up, getting her ready for a future sacrifice. That's why the "Other Mother" comments on how hungry Coraline is. I think that's what makes this scene so unsettling, that undercurrent of "why are they giving her such fat-laden foods, and so much of it?"
HUGE PROPS to the editors. They always pick the best times to reference other shows/movies.
I will never understand why people find this movie scary. I personally love it bc of the message it send and the movie is a straight up masterpiece
Other mother steals children and sews buttons on their eyes… and she is a monster. Coralline faces her former victims, their ghosts stuck in a cement, trashy room. Mostly, it is the creative brilliance of the crew making it so darn unsettling.
as a child I always took to heart that scene with the soul's of those children saying that they don't remember their names but they do remember their real "mommy", it made me cry a couple of times because I can't imagine longing for years to see your mother again, and now that I moved away from her it's even more striking emotionally for me
@Paperbagboi Did you call her Caroline? Oh she'd be so mad /j
I'm 15 and my mum died last year in my arms I miss her alot she died cuz of a heart attack and stress my dad caused he don't even bother he never did so I understand I hope you see your mother again I will pray for you
Wolf-dog Cat-dog 2.0 also at one point of the movie Wybie shows Caroline a photo of her grandmother and her twin sister when they were kids, the photo was taken just before the twin sister disappearance .
The photo shows the twin smiling brightly while holding a doll (the one the other mother used to spy in the kids) and Wybie’s grandmother is looking at the doll suspiciously/with distrust.
Wybie also mentions that her grandmother used to live in Caroline’s house and that she didn’t like it and prohibited Wybie to go in there.
She defiantly knew about the Beldam and that’s why she wanted to talk to Caroline at the end of the movie
Wolf-dog Cat-dog 2.0 yeah she definitely knew something bad was going on. Also, she got rid of the doll and got mad when Wybie took it. I wonder what she's gone through, that must've been awful
I wish I could understand this sentiment better. My mother may have given birth to me but my grandmas were the ones I saw the most of. It is good that others have better relationships with their parents though. 😃
At the part with the cake, where it says "Welcome Home," you can see that the "O" in "Home" has a double loop in it. Usually when someone writes an "O" in cursive with a double loop, it means that they are lying. So really, the message with the cake is that Coroline is welcome, but she isn't home
@Red Skeleton Games 7470 wow!
@Kristen Hanisch I learned it from my uncle, he used to be a detective for our town's police department. If there was a note or a letter found at a crime scene, and hypothetically speaking it said something like "i did not commit this crime" and it was all in cursive, 9.8 out of 10 times the o's would be double looped
Woah, I've never heard that before! Where did you learn that?
Graphology is amazing
@Unknown The people who made the film knew exactly how to use this to make the film better
Rewatching this when I was 16 after I'd just cut my dad off, was so eye opening. He is a highly manipulative person, who used me when I was little to get back at my mother and family during the divorce. He didn't mind maxing out credit cards to get me nice stuff, he fought for custody of me in court, racking up lawyer fees for my mom, but as I got older I realized what a scary and terrible and abusive person he was, especially when my mom caved for a few moms and I lived with him when I was 12. He had the mind of a child and I eventually matured past him. And when he realized that, he started to turn outright scary, like the other mother. But he was actually scary from the start.
Great episode as always! I want to make an important point regarding why people escape in such a fashion that I'm sure you'd agree with but neglected to touch upon. I have found that frequently unhealthy levels of escapism is due to it being the only option available. They could be poor, unable to access resources. They could be trapped in an oppressive environment that is extremely difficult to leave. Their health could be struggling and no doctor is able to help (more common than you think). Like smoking, many people realize it is unhealthy, but acknowledge it's all they've got at this time. And fundamental change is understandably exhausting. I hope to see more ways society comes through for people suffering like this. As someone who once lived 24/7 in escape I can assure you I was miserable, I was aware of it, but I had no way out at the time.
The parents’ actors ability to be identifiably two different characters that are also the same character while trusting someone else to do their facial and physical acting is so damn good I can’t even. (Also, about what they said at 18:50, it was their choice to do all that for you, not necessarily you, but whatever, it is not their choice for you to do this for them)
Something interesting to make mention to about the "Welcome Home" cake: I remember reading forever ago that a double-looped O means that the person who wrote the message is lying, but only "home" had a double-looped O. So while Coraline was welcome, she was not home.
Something about this movie I noticed just now: BOTH fathers sing. The Other Father sings his piano song full of vim and vigor, and her real father sings his "Twitchy Witchy Girl" song. Her real father does sing, he does dance, but he does it like an actual middle-aged person with a job--off key, full of heart, and without musical accompaniment. Though Coraline's parents could pay attention to their daughter more, they actually love her, and show that there is genuine fun, beauty, and love in reality. It's the harsh, overly exuberant Other world that blinds her to those moments of REAL loveliness and excitement. And in the end, when Coraline walks to the well to finally defeat the Other Mother, she sings the "Twitchy Witchy Girl" song, because of course she does. It might be corny, but it's sweet, it's real, and it's comforting, unlike the Other Father's song which only sought to delight in the short term with literally nothing behind the eyes.
The other fathers song was a warning. The other father and wybie were created to care for coraline so they had a somewhat real connection to her. So they both ended up helping her in the end because without them she wouldnt have escaped
The Other Mother is the evil one. Her creations aren't evil necessarily. Except the rats. Her spies. The Other Father and The Other Wybie were good. I think it's about the _intentions_ that they were made for, that makes them good. Wybie for example, was made to be a _friend_ for Coraline.
Other father is actually a good guy , he tries to warn coraline multiple times but has to keep it subtle because other mother has eyes everywhere
@Trellie s.s. Rose Yeah.
I think that adds to Melody original point though. The other dad did care- because he was designed to care - and that caring nature was invested in choice of words in the song to try and warn her. The song itself is just flashy attempt to upstage true dade. In dad song it's off key, it's corny but it's true and from the heart. There is no ulterior motive interrupting it in anyway.
I think though that if other dad was free of his controller though he would suggest coraline return to her true father. The other dad, even if well intended, was designed to always be a competitor, a leech effectively for Coraline attention by trying to mock her original family and their humanity.
In the book there's also a part where she recounts how one time her dad got stung by a bunch of wasps so she could get away
Alan is the dad to rough house with who takes you to an awesome day out in the forest. Jonathan is the dad you can absolutely craft small paper stuff or crochet a beautiful gift for the wife/mom with. Both extremely awesome people. That I'd love to meet one day
I remember the first time that I watched this, a couple of years ago, I *_entirely_* forgot that it was a _stop-motion_ movie, until that scene where the Other Mother was cooking bacon.
Just seeing the bubbles formed from the sizzling and the grease, and how not really natural it looked, is literally the thing that reminded me "oh, this isn't computer animated, or traditionally animated, this is _stop-motion_ ."
Really think that that shows how incredibly well-done and fantastically animated this movie is.
*This is a super interesting look at Coraline, I love hearing how an actual mental health professional reacts to this movie*
One of my favourite tidbits about the movie is that if you look at a side by side shot of the two different kitchens, you'll see that the real kitchen is slightly skewed. The set designers purposefully put it at a strange perspective to make it feel more subtly uncomfortable, which in turn makes the fake world kitchen seem more welcoming! Little details like that are what really helps make this movie so phenomenal
I know this is a therapist react, but this is SUCH a good literary analysis. My initial impression of Coraline was always that the movie at least was just very masterful in applying artistic motifs to the whole puppet-manipulation type metaphor. I'm not entirely sure why the whole thematic element of the escapism (and its dangers) never hit me. It's really relevant.
I think it's interesting how Coraline is cool and mysterious for children watching, but very creepy and almost disturbing for adults. I remember watching it as a child and being mesmerized by the characters and the artwork, the color palette. now it has a special place in my heart but I'm too scared to rewatch 😭
@tamara just asking...how was the cat scary. To me it was the most comforting thing in the other world.
Actually the cat was my favourite character lol. I was pretty sad that Coraline wouldn't be able to hear his voice again.
Everything else in that other world was unsettling...except for that squid doll.
Yeah I'm just wondering, I saw a couple of people also saying the cat was scary.
@M. Josena I agree, whether or not to let a kid watch this movie really depends on the kid. If a child gets nightmares often or is sensitive or scared easily, it's probably not a good idea. (I wouldn't have been able to watch Coraline as a kid, lol. I couldn't even watch The Little Mermaid!)
That's exactly how I felt. I thought the part with the ghosts was sad, but I never was disturbed by it. My parents, though, were creeped out by it and refused to let me watch it again! Lmao
I was extremely scared when I watched it as a kid. Probably because I only watched half of it, and didn't know if she would make it out of there. Because I watched it while we visited my grandparents and then, half way through the movie, my parents decided to go home.
I did have some sleepless nights fearing that I would find this door as well and then go through it and never return again.
@tamara you were scared of the cat?
Maybe because I had a black cat as a kid but I liked the cat. He was a protector and guide for Coraline. I felt like Coraline was safe around him.
I really enjoyed the visuals of this when it came out when I was a young teen. Never really understood the message though. Looking back, and listening to this, I realise it's because, as someone growing up in an abusive, but not abusive enough for anyone to call child protection, escapism was the only way I could survive my childhood & teenage years. Escapism is sometimes the only or best tool available.
I had the impression when I first watched Coraline that the segments with the 'other' mom and dad were dreams. I thought her subconscious was trying to send her a mesage, trying to get her to see that her desire to escape wasn't healthy, and if she stayed and worked things out she'd be better for it. It never occurred to me to think that there was anything to do with reality during those sequences.
the thing about escapism becoming all consuming to the point where you're stuck and scared and trapped is painfully true for me
It's amazing how your perspective differs from when you're a child to adulthood. Child me thought the parents were terrible. Adult me now understands parents were going through a rough patch and doing their best while also exhausted.
I remember reading Coraline when I was like 13 or 14 and I was TERRIFIED but in the best possible way. I think the movie scared me even more tho. Neil Gaiman is a genius and so are the film makers.
The Other Father's song, while being an absolute banger, is also a really clever piece of foreshadowing, mainly the lines "She's as cute as a BUTTON IN THE EYES of everyone who ever laid their eyes on Coraline" and "When she goes around exploring, Mom and I will never ever make it boring; OUR EYES will be ON CORALINE!" He was trying to warn her.
@HaloSalo j
The Beldame, as part of her plan to lure Coraline, enchanted a pumpkin. She gave it the appearance of Coraline's father, and made him love her. He loved her so much that he wrote her a song with a warning so subtle the Beldame wouldn't notice. So much that he fought against the Beldame's equipment and the fading magic turning him back into a pumpkin to help Coraline defeat her.
I really like that trope of "villain is thwarted to some extent by underlings doing exactly as ordered".
How the actual…how’d I never notice that???
@bruh he does say it 3 times in his song!
This makes me wonder other about the 'puppets' mostly other father and other Wybie.
Over time they like the children that come in to play and make friends until Belle Dame/Other Mother sew the eyes and ate them.
They're the only two that wanted her to be safe and willing to help. Knowing they are growing in will Belle Dame/Other Mother threatened to erase them if they don't follow her orders.
That...is sad
They're both right about the father's song. Performed by They Might Be Giants singer John Linnell (or maybe Flansburgh), but John Hodgeman does the dialogue for the dad.
I came here to say just this and figured someone had mentioned it. Love TMBG
I really needed to hear what you said about KZclip and escapism. Whenever I don’t want to face a problem, I turn to KZclip to try and forget about it. But the longer I ignore it, the worse it gets. Thank you, great episode.
I don't know what to say this both gave me the chills and brought up so many bad and good memories at once, like when I was younger I was getting manipulated/groomed by this girl and didn't even know and I fought with my parents abt it only realizing years later what was happening, thankfully they put a stop to it before I did something I regretted. I now really appreciate and love my parents as I think back to all the sh!t I put them through when I was younger.
I also have a case with my brother abt trying to escape reality as at the moment he is using video games and KZclip to escape school and responsibilities, all he does is talk abt video games and i have tried talking to him abt this but I just cant get through to him ( sorry about the rant its 3am and have no-one to talk to abt this)