Media Response One: Ancient Forms of Storytelling

Analyzing "How Coraline Borrows From Ancient Forms of Storytelling," By Lessons From The Screenplay

By: Nina Borja

    The video, “How Coraline Borrows From Ancient Forms of Storytelling,” by Lessons From The Screenplay, states that Coraline does more than the retro technology of stop-motion animation to tell its story. Michael, the video narrator, argues that Coraline uses underlying fairytale structures, grotesque imagery, and ghost story elements to shape the protagonist’s journey. Michael states that incorporating all these ancient forms “lends power to the story by reinforcing one of its central themes.”

    Michael goes into detail about how significant each of these storytelling elements is in enhancing the protagonist’s journey throughout the plot. Michael believes that the central theme of the film could not have been achieved to the same extent without the foundations of fairytales, grotesques, and ghost stories. A symbolic aspect of this critique is when Michael compares Coraline to some of the most beloved and recognizable fairytales such as Cinderella, and Snow White.

    Michel’s specific comparison between Coraline, Cinderella, and Snow White are all stories that share the common fairytale element of the “difficult mother-child relationship.” Interestingly enough, Michael notes that Henry Selik, director of Coraline, associates the movie mostly as a combination between Hansel and Gretel and Alice in Wonderland. Michael continues this point to say that these three stories share grotesques and ghost-like elements. Within Coraline, familiar and friendly gradually become foreign and threatening. By the end of the film, these grotesques emphasize the theme of "the perfect world is actually rotten and terrifying."

    Lessons From The Screenplay believes Coraline is an excellent example of a modern film that leverages the power of some of storytelling’s oldest forms in fairytales, grotesques, and ghost stories. Michael ends his video essay by saying that once again the deep effects of these elements reinforce a timeless theme shown time and time again; chasing something newer or something seemingly better can prevent us from appreciating what we already have. These ending judgments declare the intricacies of formulating a thorough and well-thought-out critique as noted by Orlik in his discussions of media criticism.