This past weekend, movie theaters brought Laika Studios’ beloved “Coraline” back to the big screen to commemorate its 15th anniversary. Before the feature, Laika offered an exclusive sneak peek of their upcoming film “Wildwood,” based on Colin Meloy’s novel. At the end of the screening, a special 30-minute behind-the-scenes featurette was shown that highlighted the revival of the original “Coraline” puppets and discussed advancements in stop-motion animation over the past 15 years.

A Decade in the Making

Released in 2009, Laika’s “Coraline” was originally a novella written by Neil Gaiman in 2002. Before the book was even released, Gaiman gave Henry Selick, director of “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” an early version of the novel in 2000. Gaiman, a big fan of Selick’s work, knew he wanted Selick to adapt it. After enjoying the story and agreeing to work on it, Selick spent years refining his vision for the movie, rewriting the script and hiring different art directors to make sure the concept was just right. After many hurdles, Laika greenlit “Coraline” in 2006, marking a pivotal moment not just for Selick, but for the entire studio.

Coraline’s Legacy

Coraline’s stop-motion animation was revolutionary. While stop-motion itself was certainly not a new concept, many consider Selick a master. He said in an interview that the making of Coraline was the “most intense three and a half years” of his life, and it is clear why.

Each puppet and all of their faces were hand-crafted and painted meticulously, each set piece and detail of the environment made purposefully. Nothing was a mistake; each piece was deliberately placed, no detail unimportant. This clear attention to detail is probably what leaves fans still noticing new elements to this day.

Technological Advancements

Though Selick had a lot of experience in stop-motion, he was determined to push the boundaries of what the medium could achieve, and one of the film’s most significant innovations was its use of 3D — not 3D animation, but 3D cinematography, known technically as stereoscopic photography.

This is when studios capture two slightly offset images and combine them to create the illusion of depth. When these images are viewed through 3D glasses, the brain combines them to produce a sense of three-dimensional space.

While this 3D technology was not new, “Coraline” was one of the first animated films to use it to enhance the narrative. Selick used 3D to draw viewers deeper into the world, shifting perspectives and immersing the audience in the film’s world. There are several moments when this 3D was especially apparent, and when I was in the theater I could hear people gasping in awe. 

The behind-the-scenes feature explained how the stop-motion process has continued to evolve, specifically with 3D printing. This has allowed animators to create more intricate and expressive characters, enhancing the emotional range and complexity of the stories they can tell. One of the crew members said that the time spent on the movie doesn’t get shorter because of this technology, but it instead allows them more time to work in more detail on different aspects of the film. Because of this, stop-motion movies such as “Kubo and the Two Strings” and “Wendell & Wild” have pushed the medium even further while retaining the handcrafted quality that makes stop-motion so distinctive. 

After 15 Years, “Coraline” Still Stands

Over the past 15 years, “Coraline” has maintained its standing as one of the best stop-motion animated films of all time. While I could have written a thousand-word article on the story of this movie, I realized it would be more important to talk about its influence on the animation industry.

“Coraline” is an amazing film about the fears of growing up. But the film itself set new standards for what animated films could achieve and Laika pushed the boundaries of both technology and storytelling. Considering this was also Laika’s first feature film, it’s safe to say that the studio itself grew with “Coraline.” Its innovations through cinematography and stop-motion have inspired so many artists and Laika continues to shape the future of animation. Seeing the theater packed with people ranging from young children to older adults shows the impact of the film across generations. 

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