But Did You Read It First?- Coraline

Today I'm excited to introduce a new feature to Anbaric Lights. I know that the tagline is a book review for (and occasionally by) kids, but we're looking to spread a wings a bit here. But Did You Read It First? is going to address movie adaptations of popular children's books.

Literary adaptations are such tricky things, as we all have our own preconceived notions about the characters looks, accents, wardrobe etc... and rarely do they conform to what eventually makes it to the screen. However, if we see the the movie first, we can't help but picture the actors in our heads as we read. I'm a huge fan of personal and unique interpretations of stories, so I advocate (some would argue to the point of militancy) that reading precede viewing in every literary adaptation.

Like the publishing industry, the fantastic success of the Harry Potter films lead to an inordinate amount of adaptation rights purchased and rushed into production. Visions of enormous paydays and franchise potential lead to disappointing versions of Eragon, Series of Unfortunate Events, The Golden Compass, City of Ember, Bridge to Terebithia, City of Ember, Inkheart (perhaps soon to be tackled by our own Melody Houser soon, assuming her Inkheart book review ever gets finished) and many others soon followed.

I personally lost my taste for the movies after a so-so and defanged film version of The Golden Compass. However, I did have high hopes for Coraline, and thus it is the subject of this inaugural post.

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Neil Gaiman, and when I heard that he was adapting his delightfully creepy fairytale Coraline with stop motion animation genius Henry Selick of Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach fame my appetite was considerably whetted.

First and foremost, the story: Coraline Jones moves with her family to the Pink Paradise Apartment complex (a converted Victorian mansion) presumably so her garden catalog author/editor parents can get some work done. Coraline has left her friends behind, and is clearly unhappy in her new environment. While wondering in the hills behind her new home she encounters Wybegone, who goes by Wybie, someone who seems very wanting in regard to the friends she's left behind.

The Pink Paradise is also inhabited by Mr. Bobinsky, a washed-up Russian acrobat who is training a mouse circus, and Ms. Forcible and Ms. Spink, two decidedly over the hill former stage actresses who spend their days with their with wads of taffy and innumerable schnauzers. As Coraline mopes about (everyone calls her Caroline) her parents are too consumed with their work to pay her any mind. They won't even let her play outside in the rain for fear of tracking mud into the house. Gardening author/editors indeed. Her father, in a fit of absent-minded, ill-advised and work-obsessed parenting skills gives Coraline a notebook and tells her to count all of the doors and windows in the house.

It is during one such accounting task that she finds a mysterious and tiny door hidden behind the wallpaper of their living room. Her mother, just to shut Coraline up, produces the key and opens it. The open the door only to find it bricked over. However, later that night Coraline returns to the door and finds a mysterious tunnel waiting for her. Upon traversing it she encounters a world very similar to her own.

Her parents are there but different. One, they have buttons for eyes, and two everything is better. The food is delicious, her parents are loving and attentive, her father has grown the garden to resemble her face, and the neighbors are considerably sprier and more entertaining than they were back in Coraline's world. No one calls her "Caroline," but did I mention that everyone has "BUTTONS FOR EYES!!!?"

At first everything is wonderful, but when the buttons, needle and thread are pulled out for Coraline herself, she realizes that things were better at her (real) home. What follows is her struggle to return home and defeat the evil and frankly terrifying machinations of her "other Mother."

Now, the look. Selnick has truly outdone himself with this one. The look of the whole film is gorgeous, but the other world is especially breathtaking. Bobinsky's mouse circus, the stage show performed by Forcible and Spink, the Garden, the horribly elongated and arachnid true form of the other mother, all rendered in gorgeous stop-motion animation and 3-D (be prepared to pay a little extra for the privilege).

Does it do the book justice? Most definitely. Fans of the book and neophytes alike will delight in Selnick's achievement in Coraline. To my devoted audience of readers (all almost several of you) I put forth the following request: let's look at forthcoming or recently released children's literature adaptations. Who wants to be the first guest blogger for But Did You Read It First?? Inkheart is still in theaters, and City of Ember just came out on DVD. Let me know what you are thinking, and there might be a trip to the movies on my dime in it for you...