Surprising Facts About Coraline You Didn’t Know

Laika Studios’ 2009 film ‘Coraline’ captivated both children and adults with its unique blend of whimsy and horror. Despite initial reservations from some adult viewers due to its eerie tone, the movie’s meticulous stop-motion animation and hidden details have made it a beloved classic. The film is rich with Easter eggs and intricate designs, such as Coraline’s meticulously hand-knitted outfits, including the invisible underwear, showcasing the care invested in its creation.

Initially,  ‘Coraline’  was planned as a live-action film, with Dakota Fanning already cast as Coraline. When the decision was made to switch to stop-motion, Fanning remained on board to voice the character, adding continuity to the project. The film’s stop-motion format allowed for detailed visuals, including subtle bug references that hint at the Other Mother’s true spider-like nature, seen in various elements like wallpaper and even the Other Mother’s Volkswagen Beetle.

Image Courtesy: IMDb

The film features numerous Easter eggs, including references to other works like ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ with a Jack Skellington face in the egg yolk.  ‘Coraline’  also holds the record for being the longest stop-motion film until the release of ‘Kubo and the Two Strings’ in 2016. The production involved a vast 140,000-square-foot warehouse and required over 800 hours to paint 250,000 pieces of popcorn for the set.

Wybie Lovat, a character not present in Neil Gaiman’s original book, was introduced in the film to provide Coraline with a sounding board and to avoid the need for her to monologue. Other characters also underwent transformations in the Other World, with improved appearances and corrections to imperfections.

Image Courtesy: Polygon

The song ‘Dreaming,’ hummed by the Other Mother, adds to the film’s eerie atmosphere with its haunting melody performed by a children’s choir singing nonsensical lyrics.  ‘Coraline’  creative and detailed approach has cemented its status as a standout film in stop-motion animation.

–Farheen Ali