If your comfort happens to lie in the curious story of Coraline Jones, like me, you'll want to stick around for this one!
Do you remember when Coraline came out? Picture a cold winter night 15 years ago, it was 2009. Was anyone else scared and creep out by it? I know I was. It was a movie that many adults didn't think was appropriate for the children viewing audience. But did you know the same goes for the book? Yes. The book. Let's take it back even a bit further to when the book was published 22 years ago. The Coraline book was written by Neil Gaiman. First published on February 24th 2002.
"Coraline is a modern day, dark fantasy, fairy tale where a young girl reluctantly have to move to the country-side with her two neglectful parents. Once there, she finds a door leading to the Other World. Seemingly a copy of the real world but every person has buttons for eyes and all is so much more better there. But not all is as it seems. When Coraline learns of the horrifying truth; she races against time to save not only her own soul but her parents and three previous victims." - Fandom Wiki
Many publishers thought the story was too scary for children, and since Gaiman’s daughter was too young to read it, he asked one of his coworker’s daughters to review it. She gave it her approval, and the book was published. However, years later, Gaiman spoke with his coworker’s daughter and found out she had actually been terrified by the book but lied to her mom because she was so eager to find out what happened next.
Many publishers thought the story was too scary for children, and since Gaiman’s daughter was too young to read it, he asked one of his coworker’s daughters to review it. She gave it her approval, and the book was published. However, years later, Gaiman spoke with his coworker’s daughter and found out she had actually been terrified by the book but lied to her mom because she was so eager to find out what happened next.
When you pair the fact that most of these stories are inspired by his own childhood events, in regards to his daughter, he says "She would make me write down her stories, which were always about little girls being kidnapped by evil women, witches normally, who would disguise themselves as her mother. They were the kind of stories that would have given Edward Gorey nightmares," Gaiman said.
"They were wonderful. I initially thought I should go and find some of these things and read them to her because she'd like it. Then I realized there wasn't anything like that on the shelves. So I started to write one."
Now that we've covered the creepy origin of this story, and basic plot, we can continue onto the fun stuff! The lore of Coraline is full of chilling conspiracy and haunted mystery.
Let's begin by noting some of the differences between the book and the movie adaptation. Coraline the movie was brought to us by Laika Studios. It features the revival of clay stop motion in main stream media. The production of Coraline took a year and a half, with an additional two years spent in preproduction. At a runtime of one hour and forty minutes, it holds the title of the longest stop-motion film ever made and was the first stop-motion feature to be entirely filmed in 3D.
There are many significate differences between the movie and book. For the sake of keeping this entry reasonably length, I'll keep it to the top difference I noticed.
1. The Addition of Wybie
In the Movie: Wyborne "Wybie" Lovat is a new character created for the film. He serves as Coraline’s friend and helps her throughout the story, playing a significant role in the plot, including aiding her in defeating the Other Mother.
In the Book: Wybie does not exist. Coraline navigates the story on her own, relying on her own wit and bravery without a sidekick.
2. Tone and Atmosphere
In the Movie: The tone is dark but visually stylized, with bursts of color and whimsy. There are also moments of lightheartedness, thanks to Wybie and some humorous moments, which make it more accessible to younger audiences.
In the Book: The tone is darker and more unsettling throughout. Neil Gaiman’s original story maintains a creepy and eerie atmosphere that is more psychological and intense.
3. Coraline’s Personality
In the Movie: Coraline is portrayed as more adventurous, outspoken, and headstrong. She comes across as a bit rebellious and irritated with her real-life parents.
In the Book: Coraline is more introspective, quietly brave, and thoughtful. She displays a calm and observant nature, which contrasts with her movie counterpart's more fiery disposition.
4. The Other Father’s Role
In the Movie: The Other Father is more sympathetic and ultimately helps Coraline by revealing information that aids her escape. His character is portrayed as being controlled by the Other Mother but still retains a degree of kindness.
In the Book: The Other Father is less developed, and his role is more sinister. He is purely an extension of the Other Mother’s control and has no autonomy or desire to help Coraline.
5. The Ending
In the Movie: The movie ends with a lighter tone, featuring Coraline hosting a garden party with her neighbors and real parents, signifying the resolution of her strained relationship with them.
In the Book: The ending is more subdued and focuses on Coraline’s internal growth. While her parents do become more attentive, there is no large celebratory moment. The emphasis is on Coraline’s maturity and the lessons she has learned from her experience.
6. Coraline's Motivation
In the Movie: Coraline is initially driven by boredom and a desire for attention, feeling neglected by her parents and seeking excitement in the Other World.
In the Book: Her motivation is more curiosity-based. Coraline is an explorer at heart, and her bravery stems from her desire to figure out the mysteries of her world rather than from dissatisfaction with her life.
Coraline is one of those movies that sticks with you, right? It’s super creepy, and the more you watch it, the more you start to wonder if there’s more going on than what you see. Fans have come up with all kinds of crazy theories about what’s really happening in Coraline’s world. Is she still trapped? Is the Other Mother controlling everything? There’s so many hidden details, it’s like the story never really ends. If you’ve ever finished the movie and felt like something wasn’t quite right, you’ll love digging into these wild fan conspiracies!
1. The Beldam Controls Everything
Some fans think the Beldam (the Other Mother) isn’t just in charge of the Other World, but the real world too. They believe everything weird that happens to Coraline, like her parents ignoring her or her creepy neighbors, is all part of the Beldam's plan to get her to cross over. It’s like the Beldam's been pulling the strings long before Coraline even finds the little door.
Why fans think this: The doll that spies on Coraline and other strange stuff makes it seem like the Beldam’s got way more power than just in her creepy world.
2. Coraline Never Escaped
A super creepy theory is that Coraline never actually made it out of the Other World.
Some people believe that even after Coraline thinks she’s free, she’s still trapped, and the “real world” she goes back to is just another trick by the Beldam.
Why fans think this: At the end, Coraline’s parents suddenly start acting nicer, and everything seems a little too perfect, like the garden. It makes you wonder if she’s still stuck.
3. Wybie Isn’t Real
Some fans think Wybie doesn’t actually exist in the real world and is just something Coraline made up, or worse, that he’s part of the Beldam’s plan. In the book, he’s not a character at all, so maybe he was added to the movie to help Coraline when she needed it most.
Why fans think this: Wybie seems a little too helpful, and since he’s not in the book, it feels like he could be made up or another way the Beldam controls things.
4. The Other Mother Feeds on Souls
A lot of fans believe the Beldam is some kind of ancient witch who traps kids and slowly eats their souls. Her whole world is just one big trap to lure kids in and keep them forever.
Why fans think this: The ghost children say they lost their souls to her, and it’s clear she uses her powers and illusions to keep her victims stuck in her world.
5. The Cat is Working for the Beldam
While the cat seems to help Coraline, some people believe the cat might actually be on the Beldam’s side or at least has its own secret motives. The cat knows a lot about the Other World, and that raises some eyebrows.
Why fans think this: The cat can go between the two worlds easily, knows tons of stuff about the Beldam, and seems to show up at the right time, making fans wonder whose side it's really on.
6. The Door is a Gateway to Purgatory
Some fans think the small door in Coraline’s house is like a portal to purgatory, where souls get stuck. The Other World could be a test for Coraline, with the Beldam being some kind of demon trying to trap her forever.
Why fans think this: The ghost children being trapped after losing their souls gives off major purgatory vibes. The Beldam’s world is a test of Coraline’s strength and morality.
7.The Ghost Children and the Seven Deadly Sins
There’s a theory that the three ghost children in the Other World represent the seven deadly sins. Each kid could symbolize one or more sins, and that’s why they ended up trapped in the Other World.
Why fans think this: The kids’ personalities seem to match up with some of the sins like greed or sloth, and their punishment could be karmic for giving in to those sins when they were alive.
These fan theories make Coraline even more mysterious, and while they haven’t been confirmed by the creators, they definitely make the story even more interesting! Coraline is definitely one of my favorite characters to cosplay and bring to life. I hope that shows! Here are a few more pieces of content I've done relating to Coraline. If you want more on this story, character or cosplay let me know!
Cosplayer Credits:
Coraline @avioletroom
Cosplayer Credits:
Coraline @avioletroom
Wybie @avioletshalf
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