Henry Selick deserves more credit than he receives as an animator. While his recent outing, 2022's Wendell and Wild, proved disappointing, Selick's other directorial work boasts consistent brilliance: James and the Giant Peach (1996), The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) and Coraline (2009).
The latter film, based upon Neil Gaiman's novel of the same name, has now been released in a dazzling new 4K edition, one which allows its many, many details to be appreciated even more than before. An aesthetic masterpiece, Selick's film has aged wonderfully and digs its claws in a little deeper with each subsequent viewing.
Coraline tells the story of the titular 11-year-old (voiced by Dakota Fanning), a lonely child often called Caroline rather than by her actual name, as she moves with her parents into the Pink Palace; a crummy apartment building that is practically falling down. Disregarded by her parents, frustrated by the only other child she meets nearby and unhappy in her new surroundings, Coraline is overjoyed when she is led one night to the ‘Other' world — a place where everything meets Coraline's wants and needs. A place that, at first, appears to be perfect.
Of course, things aren't that simple. The rest of the film tells a grim, morbid be-careful-what-you-wish-for story that has petrified children and unnerved many adults since its release in 2009. And it does so beautifully. Coraline is a practically flawless film. Its animation, by Laika, is breathtaking from start to finish with great settings and memorable character designs that come across even stronger thanks to the quality of this new release. Its screenplay is daring and unpredictable, moving into some of the darkest places seen in any modern animation in its third act, including the removal of eyes and freakishly distorted characters. The cast also contribute a great deal. Fanning gives one of the finest performances of her career, and Keith David is consistently scene-stealing as the Cat.
Above all else, though, it is Coraline's unique and unsettling atmosphere that makes it such a great film. Its visual style is pronounced but never overbearing, showing the influence of German Expressionism in particular through its tilted angles and uncanny set design. The oddball character proportions and the perfectly suited, haunting score of Bruno Coulais further the impact of Selick's oppressive world(s) and make them all the more immersive.
Most remarkable for its detailed animation and its many nightmarish qualities, Coraline is an impossibly well-crafted film that has only become more powerful thanks to this new 4K release. The film feels refreshed by these upgraded visual qualities, and even outright improved as the vivid look of its sets, characters and colours are re-invigorated. Coraline is a wondrous, surprisingly dark tale of accepting and being grateful for what you have rather than wanting more. It is masterfully animated, elevated by a variety of terrific vocal performances and thrillingly paced.
Coraline is available now on 4K and Blu-ray.
