Top 10 Nightmare Fuel Scenes in Coraline
#10: Other Mother Creates Coraline
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"Coraline" wastes no time in introducing audiences to its unsettling stop-motion-fueled horror. Backed by a haunting tune that serves as a great sample of the movie's overall soundtrack, the opening scene follows the Other Mother's mechanical hands as she transforms a doll of a girl into one of Coraline. This scene shows the procedure in detail, and the opening speaks volumes to the Beldam's persona despite only showing the villain's hands. Ripping the insides out of the doll en route to rendering it a featureless shell, the Other Mother then surgically stitches together her next victim.
#9: Other Mother Gives Coraline to 3
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Although peppered with creepy moments throughout, "Coraline" bides its time before fully exposing the nightmarish entity at the heart of the Other World. By the time Coraline finds herself stuck in a bug-themed room watching Other Mother feast upon cocoa beetles, however, the veil masking the Other World's terror has been completely destroyed. The only thing remaining is for the Other Mother to reveal the darkness underneath, which is a moment made all the more memorable by a countdown. All of Other Mother's forms are unnerving, but this transformation stands out for just how quickly it renders Coraline powerless.
#8: Other Wybie Will Smile No Matter What
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Coraline finds the real Wybie to be a bit too talkative, but the Other World version of the character is actually mute. The Other Wybie is instantly zapped of any agency by the Other Mother, as the alternate version is nothing more than a tool to lure Coraline into a false sense of security. When the Other Wybie momentarily frowns, the Other Mother immediately squashes the small act of rebellion by stitching a smile onto the character. The Other Wybie's crude grin is heartbreaking and horrifying, creating sympathy for a doppelganger who sadly never utters a single word.
#7: Other Father Becomes a Pumpkin
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Cleverly foreshadowed earlier on in the movie, in this moment, Other Father transforms from a likable parent with buttons for eyes to a malformed pumpkin with human body parts. This immaculately crafted design might inspire some to think twice before entering a pumpkin patch, but this scene's brilliance goes beyond just the visuals. Throughout the entire ordeal, Other Father pleads with Coraline for forgiveness while stating that Other Mother is pulling his strings. With Other Father's slurred speech, these ingredients combine to create a moment that is not just intense but also haunting.
#6: Bat Dogs & the Taffy Monster
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As April Spink and Miriam Forcible are already an odd pair in the real world, their Other versions have a lot to live up to. When things begin to crumble in the Other World, Coraline returns to the theater to find a massive candy wrapper waiting on stage and batdogs in attendance. In a well-paced sequence, the wrapper reveals itself to be home to Other Spink and Forcible, who’ve been transformed into a taffy monster that shrieks like a desperate banshee. Although the encounter does not last long, the taffy monster and batdogs are so weird and unnatural that they still leave a lasting impression.
#5: Coraline vs. Other Mother’s Hand
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After just barely managing to escape the Beldam, Coraline heads out to the well to throw away the key to the Other World. Unfortunately for the protagonist, nothing is ever simple, as Coraline finds herself in a struggle for survival against a disembodied hand. The Beldam's spidery body part stalks Coraline through the nearby woods before launching into a final desperate attack. The hand's movements are skin-crawlingly creepy, and its attack on Coraline is the most vicious in the movie. The hand is a creature backed into a corner, and it’s ready to kill its way out.
#4: The Ghost Children
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The Beldam did not suddenly decide to start stealing souls after taking a liking to Coraline. The villain has been collecting souls for quite a while, as illustrated by the three ghost children that Coraline meets during her timeout session. Being victims like her, they try to help Coraline during her struggle for survival, but that does not make them any less terrifying to behold. The children's backstories are the stuff of nightmares and establish them as sympathetic characters, while their spooky designs ensure Coraline's timeout does not translate into a lull in the horror.
#3: The Rats
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While first introduced as cute mice and an extension of Bobinsky's circus performers, the rats reveal their true forms after a bite from the cat. Gangly and sickly, the film’s rats are massive, disgusting, and... well-choreographed. While the Cat easily disposes of a single rat, the Other Bobinsky's army of rodents proves to be a touch more challenging. After the Other Bobinsky goes from a sprightly circus master to a suit filled with rats, Coraline gets up close and personal with one of the beasts... and we discover that musophobia is not required to fear these rats.
#2: Other Mother Offers Coraline Buttons
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From the outside looking in, it is obvious the Other World is not truly a magical wonderland filled with roast chicken and stunning gardens. But Coraline takes a while to catch on. It is only when the Beldam presents the protagonist with buttons designed to replace eyes that Coraline begins to see the truth. Considering everyone in the Other World has buttons, the Beldam's request is not surprising, but that does not make the sequence any less unsettling. This scene marks the point when cracks first begin to form in the Beldam's loving mother act. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. The Theater Because Sometimes “Strangely Comical” Is Heavy on the Strange April Spink & Miriam Forcible Because These Two Can Turn Tea or Taffy Into Tools of Terror Other Father’s Song Because This Jaunty Tune Foreshadows Sinister Plans Other Mother’s First Appearance Because Other Mother’s Reassuring Form Is Still Really Creepy
#1: Other Mother’s True Form
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Coraline's last-ditch effort to escape from the Other World boils down to a string of scenes that outdo each other in the horror department. Just when it seems the Other Mother could not possibly get scarier, the villain reveals herself to be a hideous spider-like creature that inspires a whole new set of nightmares. From the moment Coraline uses the Cat as a projectile to eliminate the Beldam's button eyes, the film achieves a level of ghastly brilliance that’s tough to beat. Even when Coraline manages to close the door linking the normal and Other worlds, the Beldam's frantic poundings and screeches continue to echo in the background.
