Coraline: Premiere
Today I am going to do a little research into one of my all time favorite movies, Coraline.
Like many people my age, I watched Coraline as a child. Unlike many people my age, I was not scared when I watched it the first time and thus have very fond memories of it. Having already been into stop motion animation and music, I was immediately intrigued by this movie which featured both ground-breaking stop motion animation and an incredible soundtrack. I was also drawn in by a relatable female lead character and the creepy storyline.
On February 5, 2009, Coraline was featured as the opening night film of the Portland Film Festival. Because this movie was created in Hillsboro, OR and takes place in Ashland, OR, it was a big deal in Oregon. In attendance of the festival were Dakota Fanning (Coraline), Terri Hatcher (Mother, Other Mother), Robert Bailey Jr. (Wybie), Henry Selick (director/screenwriter), Neil Gaiman (author of the original book, Coraline), Bruno Coulais (composer), Bill Mechanic, Claire Jennings, Mary Sandell (producers), Phil Knight (owner of LAIKA), and Travis Knight (head of animation).
The press check-in happened at 5:30pm, arrivals began at 6:30pm, and the screening began at 7:30pm. The festival took place at Arlene Schnitzer Hall in Portland, Oregon.
According to Cinema.com, the Portland Art Museum was “transformed” into the “Other World” from Coraline. I was even able to find a short video clip of the after party which also seems to have taken place within the museum as sets and props from the movie are visible in the background.
I was even able to find a picture of the ticket and after-party ticket that invitees received!
The score to this movie is perhaps what makes it stand out the most. Bruno Coulais, the composer of this soundtrack had already scored “more than 50 films” at the time he composed for Coraline. His work on Coraline is what first introduced me to his unique style of writing and composing music. He uses unusual instruments, percussion, and choir which makes his style stand out from other composers (so much so I was able to recognize his music in another film I saw, Song of the Sea).
During action scenes, where most composers would use lots of string sounds, Coulais uses a chaotic ruckus of deep drums and other percussion elements, in more calm, whimsical parts of the movie, where other composers might be compelled to once again utilize light bowed string, Coulais uses bar chimes and metallophone to add a light and airy feel to the music. A lot of Coulais’ music is not comprised of long, flowing notes, but of plucked sounding instruments, which creates an atmosphere of creepiness but that is also inviting to the ear.
In the Coraline score, Coulais uses a lot of children’s choir, adding more to the creepy whimsy that this film encompasses, however, he does not write in English. Instead, the choir sings in gibberish, some cognate words spilling through, some even sounding like “very scary doll.” I really enjoy Coulais’ use of gibberish for the choral parts of the soundtrack, because the lack of meaning to the words, creates individual meaning to the listener. Rather, the listener has to use context to figure out and to create their own interpretation of what the music is meant to mean.
Coulais’ soundtrack, relating quite closely with the movie, sounds “other worldly” and is a favorite of many people because of its unique sounds, nostalgia, and creepiness. I think that Coraline will continue to find new audiences to delight and/or terrify and that they will enjoy the soundtrack that Coulais has crafted for this amazing film.
https://www.discogs.com/Bruno-Coulais-Coraline-Best-Original-Score/release/2765672
