Did you have an irrational fear of having buttons sewn into your eyes growing up?
Neither did I, until I saw the movie Coraline.
Henry Selick, director of Nightmare Before Christmas, once again enchants us with beautiful visuals, as we enter the world of Coraline Jones, a spunky eleven year old who is seriously lacking in the love department. Today, we will be making connections between the colors throughout the stop-motion masterpiece, how the cool and warm colors contrast, and also how color is utilized to make connections throughout the film.
When Coraline’s family moves from Michigan to the dreary gray “Pink Palace Apartments” in Ashland Oregon, we are greeted by a somber scene, displaying the shoddy apartments, a foggy sky, and a thick outstretch of woods.
The muted tones that we observe in the opening, and throughout the rest of the world, remain the same. Pale pinks, browns, and soft greens and blues against a very grey scenery.
The one thing that truly sticks out in this benumbed world is Coraline’s vibrant yellow raincoat and boots.
When Coraline discovers the other world, EVERYTHING is vibrant and warm. She feels a sense of belonging, but also now blends in with her environment. She is no longer special, but the “other” parents make her feel as if she is the only girl in the world.
The entire other world is painted to be a much warmer universe, giving Coraline a pink room, and glossy warm walls, however, the other mother dresses her in a dark blue sweater with silver stars, once again making her the only thing to pop out in the universe. She once again doesn’t blend in with the environment.
One interesting color connection made is the green and blue light that emanates from both the mother and father’s computers is also the same light blues seen in the snowglobe, which, (spoilers,) is where the souls of the parents end up
Though the atmosphere is very cool hued, most of the characters in the real world, aside from Wybie, and Coraline’s Parents, have some sort of colorfully warm pop in their appearance, which in my opinion resembles that it is not the location you’re in, but the connections you make, in order to spark warmth and happiness.
Cinemawayard said in their review of Coraline “The ongoing theme in Coraline is a prevalent one in our culture–the allure of a false world over the harshness of the real one. In the alternate world, Coraline is the center of attention.” We see this through the color changes, the false world feels much more inviting, until it takes a dark twist. Once the other mother reveals herself as the bedlam, the colors become very dark, the most prevalent color being green. Green is a color we do not see in this film until the other mother assumes her true form, the bedlam.
Whenever Coraline is out of the illusionary web that the other mother has spun, the world lacks color, we first see this when Coraline tries to walk outside of the house. After walking a certain distance, color fades, and she and her furry friend are left in a white abyss of nothingness. We see this lack of color once again in Coraline’s final battle with the bedlam. Coraline has stressed the Bedlam, and she is unable to keep her illusions together. Blinded by the cat, the Bedlam attempts to find Coraline in a horrifying black and white spider web.
After Coraline escapes, and the Bedlam is destroyed, we find ourselves back in the real world. Yet, this real world is not quite as dim as before. Coraline has found meaning in her real life, and appreciation for what she has, and the world around her reflects it. Instead of shutting her out, her parents now help build their new life at the Pink Palace apartments, along with their new neighbors.
A beautiful mixture of warm colors from the other world, and a bit of coolness from the real world, create a gentle balance that reflects real life.
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