Coraline (2009)

Note Générale:

7,9/10   

Réalisateur:

Henry Selick

Scénaristes (WGA):

Henry Selick (screenplay)
Neil Gaiman (book)

Date de sortie:

6 février 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Aventure | Famille | Fantasy

Accroche:

Be careful what you wish for.

Intrigue:

An adventurous girl finds another world that is a strangely idealized version of her frustrating home, but it has sinister secrets.

Plot Keywords:

Secret Door | Parent | Young Girl | High Dive | Bicycle

Avis des utilisateurs:

Henry Selick's latest film is a delight!

Ensemble

Dakota Fanning	...	Coraline Jones (voice)
Teri Hatcher	...	Mel Jones / Other Mother / Beldam (voice)
Jennifer Saunders	...	Miss April Spink / Other Spink (voice)
Dawn French	...	Miss Miriam Forcible / Other Forcible (voice)
Keith David	...	The Cat (voice)
John Hodgman	...	Charlie Jones / Other Father (voice)
Robert Bailey Jr.	...	Wybie Lovat (voice)
Ian McShane	...	Mr. Sergei Alexander Bobinsky / Other Bobinsky (voice)
Aankha Neal	...	Sweet Ghost Girl (voice)
George Selick	...	Ghost Boy (voice)
Hannah Kaiser	...	Tall Ghost Girl (voice)
Harry Selick	...	Photo Friend #1 (voice)
Marina Budovsky	...	Photo Friend #2 (voice)
Emerson Hatcher	...	Magic Dragonfly (voice)
Jerome Ranft	...	Mover (voice)

Autre(s) titre(s):

Coraline & the Secret Door (Australia) (promotional title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for thematic elements, scary images, some language and suggestive humor.

Durée:

UK:96 min

Pays:

USA

Langue:

Anglais | Russe

Couleur:

Couleur

Rapport de forme:

1,85 : 1

Son:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Classification:

USA:PG (certificate #45001) | UK:PG | Finland:K-7 | Ireland:PG | Brazil:Livre | Portugal:M/6 (Qualidade) | Argentina:13 | Peru:PT | South Korea:Tous | Hong Kong:IIA | Mexico:A | Netherlands:6 | Sweden:11 | Iceland:L | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | New Zealand:PG | Singapore:PG | France:U | Australia:PG

Lieux de tournage:

Portland, Oregon, USA

Société:

Focus Features

Anecdotes:

In Quebec, the French version features the voices of Catherine Brunet, 'Genevieve Brouillette' and Jean-Michel Anctil.

Goofs:

Continuité: In the scene where Coraline falls asleep on the picture frame, at first it is facing down, but when the shot changes it has flipped to facing up.

Guillemet:

[first lines]
Coraline Jones: [after hearing a creature while exploring the hills] Hello? Who's there?

Connexions:

Références The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Bande son:

Other Father Song

Henry Selick's latest film is a delight!

Almost 3 weeks ago, I attended a screening from Ain't It Cool News to see Henry Selick's latest film, 'Coraline.' I was excited because the screening would showcase the film in 3-D technology, and there was the chance to do a Q&A with Director Henry Selick (unfortunately due to bad weather, Mr. Selick did not make it to our screening).

Before going in to see 'Coraline,' I had read the book on which the film was based. While many acclaimed it for it's storyline, I found it rather dull and predictable. I've been surrounded by fans of Neil Gaiman's work, though so far had never picked up a book written by him (though 'American Gods' did pique my interest).

Going into the film, I was not quite sure what to expect. I had had tastes of the film from the trailers, but the general consensus was that Henry Selick had tarnished Gaiman's story, turning it into 'Disney fodder.' The truth is: the film manages to be both charming and creepy.

For those not in the know, "Coraline" tells the tale of Coraline Jones, who moves to a new town and a house with several strange characters. As well, Coraline's parents just seem to have no time for her, and so she takes to exploring her new abode by herself. In her exploration, she uncovers a small door in the house, which seems to lead to nowhere. But upon revisiting the door late at night, it opens onto a parallel world that is much more whimsical and fun than the real world.

The one difference is that in the 'Other World,' almost all the inhabitants have buttons for eyes. But still, the other parents in this world pay attention to Coraline, and the rather blasé atmosphere of the real world is electrified with color and interesting flights of fancy. It seems just so perfect...or is it? Henry Selick manages to take Neil Gaiman's story, and crafts a world that just seems to take great advantage of stop-motion in a world where the obvious choice would be to go for a totally computer-generated world. Seeing minute details such as Coraline's clothing made of actual material makes the world seem even more magical, where invisible giants manipulate the Lilliputians in this miniature world.

Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, and a number of other vocal actors give voice to a number of wonderful characters, with Hatcher really doing double and triple-duty with her vocal talents. Fanning on the other hand, fleshes out a character that seemed rather dull in Gaiman's work. Her voice gives Coraline the life that I didn't think was possible.

One unsung hero (along with the countless animators who will be passed over in the press junkets) is the composer, Bruno Corlais. Mr. Corlais had never crossed my ears until the screening, but his music lends a touch of brilliance to the film, and makes it seem almost like a European production. Growing up in he US in the early 80's, I saw a number of stop-motion productions from Europe that played on the Nickelodeon show 'Pinwheel.' Corlais' music just transported me to that simpler of times when music didn't need to be 'commercial.' His score really helps to establish the world as well, and uses some instruments that may sound foreign to American ears.

And if anyone is questioning if the 3-D is worth it-it is! This isn't the fly-in-your-face #-D that was seen 2-3 decades ago. It's subtler, but gives dimension to the miniature world of 'Coraline.' I think if you showed this film to a child in 3-D, they'd go home dreaming of creating their own little worlds of stop-motion puppets.

For the year 2009, 'Coraline' so far (as of 2/6/09), is my first enjoyable film experience. I'm hoping my other upcoming film hopefuls (Watchmen, Up, Transformers 2) will also make me feel as positive.