10 Terrifying Animated Horror Movies
2. Coraline
‘But this is a children’s film!’ I hear your
cries, and I not only will ignore them but will tell you that this fact doesn’t
matter. Coraline, kids film or not, is terrifying. Firstly, the titular
protagonist gets a gnarly rash. Secondly, her parents don’t let her play outside.
Thirdly, her neighbours are weird. Very scary stuff.
Oh yeah - and there’s an inter-dimensional-monster-spider-woman-beast that wants to cut out her eyes and eat her soul! That’s bloody terrifying! Have you seen The Other Mother? She’s a horrific amalgamation spiders and needles and she eats bugs!! Does that not fill you with horror?!
Anyway, Henry Selick’s adaption of Neil Gaiman’s novel taps into childhood fears and themes that only adult viewers will understand, whilst injecting imagery that would haunt the dreams of any child who see it. The way the film contrasts light and dark, innocence and evil and colour and monochrome is so deftly done, attesting to Selick’s abilities as a director and his understanding of the craft of animation.
It's a remarkably mature film (evil spider lady notwithstanding) for children that can still be thoroughly enjoyed as an adult, and still can send a shiver down a grown-up spine.