I had animation in this week – Coraline. It is a stop motion directed by Henry Selick in 2009. Coraline was actually a dark fantasy children’s novella by British author Neil Gaiman, published in 2002. When talking about dark fantasy, it makes me relate to different words to express it – horror, fantasy, adventure… Dark fantasy is the most general and the main theme of the whole film. But then, there is no way to be a clear theme to show the feeling of one film. And now, the people categorized a film into different major genres and sub genres to support the film. In this blog, I would like to discuss about the hybrid genres of film.

Genres are any forms or types to communicate in any mode. A basic genre for film is drama, and most of these dramatic films can fall into long list of genres. The plot of film nowadays is changing, more and more diversifies to fulfil different needs of different individuals. From the time we only have those major genres like action, adventure, drama or horror until now we have so many sub genres like detective, mystery, romance, and thriller. As the time is changing now, the film genres become not only static but evolutionary. Sub genres are also evolution into minor sub genres – chase films, martial arts films, slasher films and more. Because of genres are evolving, it turns out a mixture of several genres for one film, which is called hybrid genres. In Coraline, I can tell that the most general and the main theme of film is fantasy, and it comes to adventure and little bit of horror.

Coraline is talking about a teenage girl and her parents moved into an old house and lived with others tenants. She found out there is a locked door and after she asked her mother to unlock it, they found out it has been bricked up. But then she awakened by mice squeaky sound. She followed the mice and discovered the bricked up door had become a magic tunnel that lead her to other world. In this other world, there have the same creatures with the real world. She met her “other parents”, who are completely different with her real parents – they take time to accompany her which her real parents doesn’t as they are too busy. Only a little strange thing is – the eyes of the people are buttons. She started to look forward for the other world, at the same time, the “other mother” offered her to stay but with condition – she must sew buttons into her eyes. She was scared and rejected, when return back to her real world, her parents are missing. She deduced “other mother” kidnapped them; she went back and rescues them with her intelligent and brave.

Coming back to our topic, Coraline is a hybrid genres film. The major genre is dark fantasy. From the opening credit, we can see gothic style. They said, opening credit can convey the message of a film. 

Then, there is non human hands are sewing a human doll. The colour tone and the background music matched to manufacture the dark fantasy. 

There is other genre for the film – fairy tale. It shows from the magical tunnel that led to other world. The colours used are fantastic like galaxy. In the other world, it’s like a magic world. 

The toys, the animals, the plants have their own life – can talk, will shine, move their own. The garden in other world, there is surrealistic garden – the plants are actually a portrait of protagonist and entire through colours and lively animation.

Then, we have some other genres – horror, action, adventure and comedy. Firstly, we have horror. From the beginning of the film, there is always a dark colour tone to bring out the strange atmosphere. 

In the real world, the lightning in the old house are always dull. But in the other world, the lightning is warmth. 

However, you can still find out the strange – the buttons were sewn on the eyes. When protagonist realise the other world is strange, she started resist the world and want to back to real world. The fairy tale started to collapse, the other father also not active anymore. 

The other mother no longer disguise, showed her real identity – a witch that trapped three kids in her world. The three kids have become ghost kids, trapped in the other space. And here, it included some supernatural genre. The other mother want to make sure protagonist is happy in other world, so she pin the boy’s mouth to make sure he is happy always. The fantasy tunnel became a forgotten tunnel – full of dust. The witch also did a doll of her real parents – sewing them together to warn her. Honestly, that is really scary.

Next, we have action and adventure as this film has the chase scene. These two genres showed in the climax of the film, protagonist have to fight and win to rescue her real parents. But there are many difficulties since it’s a world created by the witch, fairy tale become the monster that keep stopped her. 

When she almost escape from the other world after rescue the ghost kids, the witch lose control and trapped her into a spider nest. Protagonist have to escape from there, the duel here is tension and irritation because the witch is keeping up with protagonist.

Lastly, we have comedy, as a minor genre in this film. 

There are some supporting roles – Mr. Bobinsky, and Pink Sisters. 

From the establishing shot, we can see Mr. Bobinsky is doing exercise on the top of the roof. He always comes out with a funny way. And yes, our Pink Sisters. 

Their way of communicate always make the audiences laugh. These three supporting role added some humour for the film.

In conclusion, most of the film nowadays, or we can say all the film is categorized in many genres. Coraline combine the major genres of dark fantasy and fairy tale, with other genres of horror, action, adventure and comedy. I like Coraline, it never make me feel bored. When the other mother shows her real identity is out of my expectation. I would like to recommend this to others too.