I chose Coraline’s opening for this assignment because it was the first film that came to mind when Briana was explaining the assignment. And also I never skipped it whenever I watched the movie which is extremely rare because I always skip the opening. The opening features a doll being taken apart and reassembled, symbolizing the themes of manipulation and control central to the story. With no dialogue, the sequence tells a visual story, raising curiosity and draws the viewers into the film. And the haunting music and crazy attention to detail make it both unsettling and mesmerizing, perfectly setting stage for the rest of the movie. And also the Lead Animator for this opening was Anthony Scott, who worked on The Nightmare Before Christmas, James And The Giant Peach, Corpse Bride, ParaNorman, The Little Prince, and the most recent Pinocchio movie.
The opening of Coraline was inspired from earlier woks in stop-motion and hand crafted animation that evoke a similar sense on detailed, eerie visuals. One likely influence is the work of Jan Švankmajer, a Czech filmmaker known for his surreal stop-motion films where objects like dolls, fabric, and household items come to life creepy dreamlike ways. The work of Švankmajer that likely influenced the opening of Coraline is “Alice” (1988). In Alice, Švankmajer uses deconstructed dolls and sewn objects that closely mirrors the tone of Coraline’s opening. While Švankmajer influence isn’t officially confirmed, his work resonates strongly with the haunting, handcrafted aesthetic of Coraline.