PoT: Coraline (2009)

It's time to admit that things for PoT might have been in the oven for a bit longer than originally planned... But we're back!

While we were excited to talk about the movie that just celebrated its 15th anniversary, there were a few serious topics that we wished to address first:

First, there are the allegations of sexual assault against the author of Coraline (2002), Neil Gaiman, which were first made public in an online article on the British news website Tortoise Media on July 3rd 2024. During that initial investigation, two women had come forward with allegations against Gaiman, though, this number has since then risen to five women. Gaiman still denies any of these allegations, and the investigation is still ongoing. (as at October 2024)

Second, due to our discussion regarding the separation of 'art' from the 'artist', another author could not be omitted: J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series. Since 2017 she has made multiple comments and statements against the trans-community. She proudly claims the title of TERF, a trans-exclusionary radical feminist, and has made her support of anti-trans legislation public. She has since used her platform for transphobic rhetoric and hate speech.

As of now, the Harry Potter franchise is still relevant. There are still multiple projects in the works, and J.K. Rowling is still profiting from its relevancy. Moreover, Rowling has implied multiple times that she equalises support of 'Harry Potter' with support and validation of her transphobic beliefs.

I read my most recent royalty cheques and find the pain goes away pretty quickly. pic.twitter.com/s4gl9rlqxl

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) October 13, 2022

She also linked these points more directly in The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling, a podcast released in 2023 by Megan Phelps-Roper, where Rowling spoke about the reactions to her outspoken transphobia:

"Yeah, there was absolutely fury and incomprehension. [...] But at the same time, I have to tell you: A ton of Potter-fans were still with me; And in fact a ton of Potter-fans were grateful that I've said what I've said." - J.K. Rowling (Chapter 5, 15:27 - 16:16)

These comments showcase the difficulties of removing the artist from the equation, in a more contemporary climate.

Third, we at Wicked Weave wish to specify that we do not wish to condemn people that enjoy works that were created by people that have done bad things. Sherigan mentioned during the episode that how we deal when confronted with these situations is a question that should be directed inwards. One is allowed to mourn the loss of something they had once enjoyed, but one is also allowed to still enjoy the work for what it is on its own.

When we're talking about Coraline, we wish to talk about and highlight the amazing work that LAIKA studios and the film's director, Henry Selick, did when bringing the story to life on screen.

So it's finally time to talk about the actual topic of the podcast:

"Making up [an episode] about Coraline!"

It's rather easy to say that the movie itself is simply a marvel to look at. All throughout the episode, you'll hear us gushing about the brilliance of the stop-motion animation. The amount of work that went into the production, as well as the care behind the multitude of details, result in a work that holds up beautifully even after 15 years.

The main topic of our conversation is Coraline and her relationship with her family and neighbours. What does it mean to be a child? And what does it mean to be a child, when your parents don't have time for you? We're talking about the nature of parental neglect, as well as the dangers of seemingly endless attention and adoration.

We end up talking quite a bit about the vibes of Wybie, the importance of pro cat messages, and the dreadfully brilliant spiderification of the Beldam. Naturally, we'll round this off with another manga recommendation, this time for Inuyasha, before slowly returning to Mischief's main fascination: the art of stop-motion.

For this episode, we wished to highlight the work behind such a movie a bit more, and luckily LAIKA studios offers a multitude of behind the scenes videos for those that are interested. We've focused on prioritising the ones that we mentioned:

Additionally, a lot of information regarding the process of creating movies such as Coraline can also be found here. The Hidden Worlds: The Films of LAIKA was an exhibition at the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle, US from March 21st until August 11th 2024. The website is currently still active and includes information on the behind the scenes not only for Coraline, but also for their other work.

If stop-motion has proven to be of interest to you, let us just leave you all with one final video. LAIKA Studios did tease the title of their next work, Wildwood, which is based on the novel by Colin Meloy.

Intro-Music by aaroncookmusic “Lo-fi Jazz Chill Cafe” on audiojungle.
Background-Music by HotLoops “Lo-Fi Jazz Soul Loop” & “Lo-Fi Jazz Hop” on audiojungle.

Store Bell Sound effect by 'Sounds and Bells' on YouTube