Everyone’s favorite button-eyed family is coming to streaming platforms after a modern resurgence of popularity fueled by pop culture. A mix of childhood fantasy and adult-worthy horror, the 2009 stop-motion animated film Coraline has come back into focus as it’s heading to Prime Video on November 24, right in time for the holidays. Fans old and new are invited to experience the horrifying world that 11-year-old girl named Coraline, voiced by Dakota Fanning, finds herself caught up in.
Adults and children alike flock to the stop-motion film for its unique visuals and truly horrifying concept of a seemingly ideal alternate world family demanding intense and violent sacrifice to stay with them. With a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes, the film still holds up to this day and even enjoyed a recent re-release in theaters that surprisingly beat the numbers of new, bigger films. While a sequel to the hit animated kid’s film is in the works from Coraline and Sandman writer Neil Gaiman, viewers can’t count on the follow-up coming any time soon. So, in the meantime, audiences can revisit the now classic unsettling film that plagued so many of our childhood nightmares.
Produced by Focus Features and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment, Coraline is based on a book of the same name written by the legendary Gaiman. The story goes as follows: While exploring her new and slightly boring home, Coraline discovers a secret door leading to an alternate world that closely resembles her own, although is seemingly better. The little girl with the iconic yellow raincoat is happy at her discovery until her Other Mother, voiced by Teri Hatcher, and the members of her parallel universe family attempt to trap her there forever. Coraline has to fight with intense bravery to make the journey back to her true family.
‘Coraline’ Is Truly One-Of-a-Kind, Now Tainted By Author’s Reputation
Gaiman is a powerhouse of a writer, often creating immensely immersive visual worlds for all types of age ranges. Many adaptations of Gaiman’s writing have been done quite successfully, such as Netflix’s fantasy series, The Sandman, based off of his comics of the same name. However, in light of recent sexual assault allegations from multiple sources, Gaiman adaptations are getting dropped left and right. Disney recently stopped the production of their adaptation of Gaiman’s The Graveyard Boy due to compounding allegations.
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Despite the negative reputation of the controversial author, adaptations like Coraline can still attempt to stand on their own merit and, in its case, seem to be successful in doing so. With celebrities and fans alike dressing up in Coraline’s or Other Mother’s iconic costume and button eyes, the film has permeated pop culture in a way that can’t be fully undone. Coraline is also a testament to director Henry Selick’s ability to bring the 2002 children’s book to the big screen.
While no one should overlook the seriousness of the allegations because of personal preference, the art that came from the controversial author can still be appreciated for its cultural relevance and staying power.
