Workshop 4: The Other Mother

Gradual change-slowly changing

Subtle-not obvious

a. 

Physical- real mum, short, curved hips

Costume- long sleeves, little skin showing, pants, warm, cosy, comfortable, mum clothes.

Lighting- artificial, warm, orange

Feel- safe, happy, relaxed

Director- Shows the Coraline feels at home

b. 

Physical- short, curved

Costume- long pants and sleeves, red/black, white

Lighting- warm, orange, artificial

Feel- safe, happy, relaxed

Director- Shows the other mother is changing

c. 

Physical- way more pointy elbows, neck head

Costume- greys, better fitting, more skin showing, tighter, beetle shell shape on the back

Lighting- darker, artificial

Feel- sketchy, untrustworthy, off

Director- Shows the audience that something is wrong withe the other mother

d. 

Physical- Pointy elbows, head, long neck, skin and bone, much taller

Costume- dark black and red, more bug like

Lighting- warm, orange, artificial

Feel- unsafe, scared, uncomfortable, intimidating

Director- Shows us that the other mother isn't perfect like Coraline thought.

e. 

Physical- no skin, metal skeleton, needle fingers, extra legs, looks like a giant metal spider.

Costume- dark, rags, ripped and dirty

Lighting- artificial, dark, green

Feel- grotesque, evil, terrified/horrified

Director- Grabs attention, shows the other mother is evil and wants to steal Coraline's soul.

The theme of looks can be deceiving is shown through the gradual change of the other mother from a honey sweet woman to a vinegar sour metal spider. At the start of the film the other mother appears short, curvy and wearing the same clothes as Coraline's real mother. This makes the audience feel safe, happy and relaxed towards the other mother. The dircetor did this to show us that Coraline feels at home with the other mother in the other world. However, the other mother changes slowly throughout the film until she finally becomes a skeletal, metal spider who wants to trap Coraline in her other world. When we frist meet the other mother she is in a warm oragen light that makes her feel safe, but by the end she is surrounded by a dark and green light which makes her seem evil, grotesque and horrifying. Selick shows these changes to help the audience to be and this shoes the theme looks can be desiving.