Animation studio LAIKA quietly made its name in 2009 thanks to its memorable work on Henry Selick’s Coraline. And in the years since, it has stepped out of that shadow to become one of the most interesting animation studios around thanks to its dedication to stop motion.
LAIKA showed great confidence in following Coraline with an even more horror-led family movie. ParaNorman was released on this day in 2012 and is one of the finest examples of tailoring horror to a broader audience without condescending younger viewers.
The story sees a boy, Norman Babcock (Kodi Smit-McPhee), living in the town of Blithe Hollow. Norman has the ability to speak to the dead, but nobody believes he actually can except for his new friend Neil (Tucker Albrizzi). Norman’s ability is called into action when an estranged uncle involves him in a ritual that’s supposed to nullify a centuries-old curse on Blithe Hollow.
Unfortunately, it goes horribly wrong and the undead are unleashed on the town. So Norman, friends, family, and townsfolk must group together to unearth the dark secret of the town and end the curse for good.
Not Another Kids Movie
From the jump, ParaNorman is keen to show off its creator’s obsession with the horror genre in subtle and unsubtle ways. The town itself takes its name from the novels Blithe Spirit and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Norman has John Carpenter’s Halloween theme as his phone’s ringtone, and the ‘bad’ horror movie he watches at the start is a homage to George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead. ParaNorman even riffs on iconic camera work from horror masters such as Carpenter and Sam Raimi.
The movie features some incredibly painstaking stop-motion set pieces. A road that stretched seventy feet had to be built for the chase sequence, and a spectral reveal saw animators use a combination of puppetry, blown ink, light bulbs, and CGI to create one of the more memorable moments. Even the scene where a ghost appears from a toilet took an entire year to animate.
There’s a touch of Spielberg to the dysfunctional family dynamic, and some interesting subversion of tropes (the ‘jock’ for instance) whilst embracing others warmly. This gives ParaNorman heart to go with its horror. Every character feels distinct, and this town full of zombies and puppets couldn’t be filled with more life.
If Coraline acted as a gateway to horror for kids and adults alike, then ParaNorman is the portal blowing open. It effectively weaponizes the safest aspects of the genre and still manages to sneak darker themes in there. It’s a film that should be a Halloween staple for any horror-loving family.
