Jayson’s Reviews > Coraline > Status Update
Jayson
is 18% done
Notes:
(1) "Outside, the view was the same one she saw from her own bedroom: trees, fields and, beyond them, on the horizon, distant purple hills."
- I can't be the only one who read "purple hills" and thought: Eminem.
(2) In the book, Coraline walks through a hallway to the other house. In the film, she crawls through a kind of paper lantern tunnel.
- Colors = less creepy.
— May 23, 2021 11:50PM
Notes:
(1) "Outside, the view was the same one she saw from her own bedroom: trees, fields and, beyond them, on the horizon, distant purple hills."
- I can't be the only one who read "purple hills" and thought: Eminem.
(2) In the book, Coraline walks through a hallway to the other house. In the film, she crawls through a kind of paper lantern tunnel.
- Colors = less creepy.
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Jayson’s Previous Updates
Jayson
is 91% done
Notes:
(1) Coraline has a dream, where she's visited by the three souls she saved.
- The first wears a frilly shirt, which I take to mean he's Georgian or Regency era.
- The second has a brown bonnet, which I take to mean she's Victorian.
- The third has butterfly-like wings, which I take to mean she's some kind of fairy.
- Possibly more evidence implying a shared universe.
— Jun 02, 2021 11:50PM
Notes:
(1) Coraline has a dream, where she's visited by the three souls she saved.
- The first wears a frilly shirt, which I take to mean he's Georgian or Regency era.
- The second has a brown bonnet, which I take to mean she's Victorian.
- The third has butterfly-like wings, which I take to mean she's some kind of fairy.
- Possibly more evidence implying a shared universe.
Jayson
is 85% done
Notes:
(1) "It was her only way home, she knew. But it all depended on the other mother needing to gloat, needing not only to win but to show that she had won."
- Ah, yes, Bond-villain logic: Tell me every detail of your fiendish plan, or else show me things I'm not meant to have. I'm dead anyway.
- Only the best villains gloat. They're the ones with things to gloat about.
— Jun 01, 2021 11:40PM
Notes:
(1) "It was her only way home, she knew. But it all depended on the other mother needing to gloat, needing not only to win but to show that she had won."
- Ah, yes, Bond-villain logic: Tell me every detail of your fiendish plan, or else show me things I'm not meant to have. I'm dead anyway.
- Only the best villains gloat. They're the ones with things to gloat about.
Jayson
is 78% done
Notes:
(1) "Beside the decapitated rat, a smug expression on its face, was the black cat."
- In the film, dead rat keeps its head.
(2) "Coraline realised ... she knew exactly where her parents were. If she had stopped to think, she might have known where they were all along."
- If a rifle hangs on a wall in Act I, by Act 3 it must be fired.
- Coraline's found Chekhov's Gun!
— May 31, 2021 11:50PM
Notes:
(1) "Beside the decapitated rat, a smug expression on its face, was the black cat."
- In the film, dead rat keeps its head.
(2) "Coraline realised ... she knew exactly where her parents were. If she had stopped to think, she might have known where they were all along."
- If a rifle hangs on a wall in Act I, by Act 3 it must be fired.
- Coraline's found Chekhov's Gun!
Jayson
is 70% done
Notes:
(1) In the book, Coraline goes down a trap door and speaks with the monstrosity that was her other father. In the film that scene is removed.
- Odd, considering how much the film stretched the story to be feature-length.
- Though, there are two scenes with real and fake Wybie that fill that narrative purpose.
(2) To quote Austin Powers: "Who throws a shoe, honestly?"
— May 30, 2021 11:50PM
Notes:
(1) In the book, Coraline goes down a trap door and speaks with the monstrosity that was her other father. In the film that scene is removed.
- Odd, considering how much the film stretched the story to be feature-length.
- Though, there are two scenes with real and fake Wybie that fill that narrative purpose.
(2) To quote Austin Powers: "Who throws a shoe, honestly?"
Jayson
is 62% done
Notes:
(1) '"There, my sweet Coraline," said her other mother.'
- Quite obviously, a Neil Diamond reference.
(2) '"Now, I think you're being silly, dear," said the other mother. "I love you. I will always love you."'
- Possibly a Whitney Houston reference.
(3) "She ate the breakfast, trying not to wolf it down. She was hungrier than she had thought."
- Duran Duran, perhaps?
— May 29, 2021 11:50PM
Notes:
(1) '"There, my sweet Coraline," said her other mother.'
- Quite obviously, a Neil Diamond reference.
(2) '"Now, I think you're being silly, dear," said the other mother. "I love you. I will always love you."'
- Possibly a Whitney Houston reference.
(3) "She ate the breakfast, trying not to wolf it down. She was hungrier than she had thought."
- Duran Duran, perhaps?
Jayson
is 52% done
Notes:
(1) I appreciate that they made Coraline's mirror-world outfit book-accurate � a grey sweater with stars. In the film, the Other Mother gifts it to her. In the book, she picks it from clothes in the other bedroom.
(2) If you're wondering why I've not mentioned Wybie yet, it's because he's not in the book, and only useful in the film as a thing to speak exposition to.
— May 28, 2021 11:40PM
Notes:
(1) I appreciate that they made Coraline's mirror-world outfit book-accurate � a grey sweater with stars. In the film, the Other Mother gifts it to her. In the book, she picks it from clothes in the other bedroom.
(2) If you're wondering why I've not mentioned Wybie yet, it's because he's not in the book, and only useful in the film as a thing to speak exposition to.
Jayson
is 48% done
Notes:
(1) "It was a snow-globe, with two little people in it. Coraline shook it and set the snow flying, white snow that glittered as it tumbled through the water. Then she put the snow-globe back on the mantelpiece, and carried on looking for her true parents and for a way out."
- Ah, Chekhov's snow-globe... it shall come into play later.
- Oh, where must her parents be?
— May 26, 2021 11:40PM
Notes:
(1) "It was a snow-globe, with two little people in it. Coraline shook it and set the snow flying, white snow that glittered as it tumbled through the water. Then she put the snow-globe back on the mantelpiece, and carried on looking for her true parents and for a way out."
- Ah, Chekhov's snow-globe... it shall come into play later.
- Oh, where must her parents be?
Jayson
is 39% done
Notes:
(1) '"Coraline," said Miss Spink. "What's your name?"
"Coraline," said Coraline.
"And we don't know each other, do we?"'
- The first hint the Other Mother's puppeteering.
(2) "[Coraline] bought two large bottles of limeade, a chocolate cake, and a new bag of apples, and went back home and ate them for dinner."
- What stands out to me is she ate a whole bag of apples.
— May 25, 2021 11:50PM
Notes:
(1) '"Coraline," said Miss Spink. "What's your name?"
"Coraline," said Coraline.
"And we don't know each other, do we?"'
- The first hint the Other Mother's puppeteering.
(2) "[Coraline] bought two large bottles of limeade, a chocolate cake, and a new bag of apples, and went back home and ate them for dinner."
- What stands out to me is she ate a whole bag of apples.
Jayson
is 27% done
Notes:
(1) "There was something irritatingly self-centred about the cat ... As if it were, in its opinion, the only thing in any world or place that could possibly be of any importance."
- Such a thing could be said of cats generally.
(2) In the audiobook, the music is performed by indie band The Gothic Archies. In the film, it's Hungarian choir music.
- Either way strange.
— May 24, 2021 11:40PM
Notes:
(1) "There was something irritatingly self-centred about the cat ... As if it were, in its opinion, the only thing in any world or place that could possibly be of any importance."
- Such a thing could be said of cats generally.
(2) In the audiobook, the music is performed by indie band The Gothic Archies. In the film, it's Hungarian choir music.
- Either way strange.
Jayson
is 12% done
Notes:
(1) In the book, Coraline visits the neighbors before going through the door. In the film, it's after her first trip.
- Probably to stretch its length, as going back and forth eats up time.
(2) In the film, Mr. Bobo's name is changed to Sergei Alexsander Bobinski.
- Probably to underscore his Russian-ness... and clarify what accent exactly Ian McShane was attempting.
— May 22, 2021 11:30PM
Notes:
(1) In the book, Coraline visits the neighbors before going through the door. In the film, it's after her first trip.
- Probably to stretch its length, as going back and forth eats up time.
(2) In the film, Mr. Bobo's name is changed to Sergei Alexsander Bobinski.
- Probably to underscore his Russian-ness... and clarify what accent exactly Ian McShane was attempting.
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Patricia
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May 24, 2021 02:57AM
Honestly, that scene was so sick tho
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Patricia wrote: "Honestly, that scene was so sick tho"Sick as in disgusting or sick as in awesome?
Patricia wrote: "Awesome obviously! 😆"That was my guess, but you can never be too sure about words with double meanings. I mean, having buttons for eyes is sort of disgusting 😉
Well, yes, of course the button eyes are disgusting! I mean the cinematography of when she was crawling in the tunnel, it's colorful and wonderful 😀
Patricia wrote: "Well, yes, of course the button eyes are disgusting! I mean the cinematography of when she was crawling in the tunnel, it's colorful and wonderful 😀"Yes, that's one big change in the adaptation. There's a concerted effort to make things as bright and colorful as possible, whereas the book was all dark and candle-lit.
Wait so in the book because it’s a corridor is there still the issue of needing to find a key to open the door to get to the other world? I haven’t read the book in a few years so I can’t remember anymore!
Kadi wrote: "Wait so in the book because it’s a corridor is there still the issue of needing to find a key to open the door to get to the other world? I haven’t read the book in a few years so I can’t remember ..."Yes, the doors on either end of the passage still lock, so the key is necessary to open it.
Maybe because it's a movie meant for children, they want to make it less scary but still managed to deliver the message of the story. About the creepiness? Well, when I was a kid, I'd be scared too if I see button-eyed people. Plus, the sounds and the scene from the circus is creepier lmao😂
Patricia wrote: "Maybe because it's a movie meant for children, they want to make it less scary but still managed to deliver the message of the story. About the creepiness? Well, when I was a kid, I'd be scared too..."Yes, I think think they did a great job balancing creepiness with being kid-friendly. The movie's very bright and colorful, which undercuts some of the creepier elements of the story without having to alter much, if any, of it. Also, the characters are designed in a very exaggerated style. Too much realism would be too scary. As well, at least to me, circuses are by nature creepy, so I can't fault you for feeling creeped out by it :)
Exactly! Gaiman ain't playing no games when it comes to writing children's horror books. Like he's that kind of dad who would convince you to eat your veggies or else a monster is gonna make you eat an eyeball soup🤣
Patricia wrote: "Exactly! Gaiman ain't playing no games when it comes to writing children's horror books. Like he's that kind of dad who would convince you to eat your veggies or else a monster is gonna make you ea..."That wouldn't surprise me at all it it were the case :)
