Directed by Chris Butler and Sam Fell, ParaNorman (PG) combines quirky humor, spine-tingling adventure, and delightfully creepy supernatural elements. This stop-motion animated 3-D feature film from LAIKA, the studio that produced the critically acclaimed Coraline (2009), premieres in theaters on August 17.
The action is set in the small New England town of Blithe Hollow, home to Norman Babcock (voiced by Kodi Smit-McPhee), a shy 11-year-old with an extraordinary gift. Norman has the ability to see and speak to the dead, and in fact communicates quite frequently with neighborhood ghosts, a habit that results in being misunderstood by family members, bullied at school, and ostracized by almost everyone. However, when the community is threatened by the fallout from a 300-year-old witch’s curse—and a ghoulish group of centuries-old zombies—Norman must rely on his unique talents, and the help of a hastily assembled band of youngsters, to save Blithe Hollow from destruction.
Other characters include Courtney (Anna Kendrick), Norman’s perfectly coiffed cheerleader sister; Neil Downe (Tucker Albrizzi), his asthma-suffering, accident-prone classmate and would-be best friend; Mitch Downe (Casey Affleck), Neil’s muscle-bound older brother; Alvin (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), accomplished bully and one of Norman’s most vocal tormentors; and Mr. Prenderghast (John Goodman), the town’s resident eccentric.
On the Web
The film’s official website offers a video trailer that provides a taste of the movie’s amazing stop-motion animation and unique storytelling approach. Youngsters can also read character bios or scroll through various scenes (Norman’s house, Blithe Hollow Middle School, Neil’s backyard, etc.) to find out more about the plot and investigate different click-on features (e.g., viewers can “Explore Norman’s Head” and find out more about the puppet’s construction and animation). Kids will get a kick out of toying with the “Stop-Motion Zombie Lab,” which allows individuals to create their own short animated film.
An engaging behind-the-scenes video introduces this movie-making process and invites viewers to give it a whirl. Working in beginner or expert mode, users choose a setting, props, and a zombie puppet, and then manipulate their character’s various body parts, “shoot” a photo of the pose by clicking on a camera icon, reposition, shoot again, etc. (voice-overs can be typed in along the way and the panels can be easily edited). When finished, the mini movie plays back to reveal an animated marvel complete with credits and background music (the finished product can be uploaded and shared with friends via Facebook or Twitter).
A link provides access to “Weird Wins,” a site that “tells the story of the weird and wonderful makers of ParaNorman, and of the weird and wonderful people they made it for (we’re talking about you, weirdo).” Video interviews (often paired with production footage and movie clips) introduce the personalities and abilities of these self-admitted misfits, geeks, and outsiders who have all grown gracefully into their current-day roles as talented artists and filmmakers. A new featurette will be added each week, and those already posted include director/screenwriter Chris Butler discussing his inspirations and his Norman-esque childhood, and a look at the “Face Bakers” and how they go about manufacturing an astounding multitude of visages for each character in order to change mouth shape and expression. In addition to revealing behind-the-scenes wonders, this site celebrates creativity and individuality and conveys a message similar to that of the film: the very things that make a person different from the crowd are often his or her greatest gifts.
Book Tie-ins
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers has published several titles based on the movie. Two offerings geared toward younger children (K-Gr 3) feature color-drenched covers that depict the familiar characters with crisp, stylized artwork and interiors illustrated with full-color film stills. Attack of the Pilgrim Zombies! invites youngsters in with a grabber of a cover image: the flabbergasted faces of Norman and his crew are viewed through the ragged and boney (literally) legs of a recently risen individual, making the characters’ expressions all the more telling. Focusing on specific plot elements, this picture book describes the boy’s hair-raising initial encounter with a group of unruly undead (long-ago residents of Blithe Hollow) and reveals how he uses his courage and otherworldly communication skills to save the day. Clear writing, brisk dialogue, and lighthearted touches keep the action moving quickly, and well-chosen film images clarify events and add atmosphere.
Meet the Ghosts, a Level 2 entry in the “Passport to Reading” series, introduces the protagonist, touching upon his unique ability, his role as outsider, and his realization that “there is a reason why he is special. He is the only one who can save the town!” Simple vocabulary, an easy-to-follow plot, and artwork that supports the text with visual clues will encourage beginning readers and satisfy moviegoers.
Elizabeth Cody Kimmel, author of the “Suddenly Supernatural” series and numerous other works for young readers, has penned a movie tie-in novel, ParaNorman (Gr 4-7; Little, Brown). The ghost-whisperer’s adventures are recounted with an appealing mix of compassion, humor, and suspense. The book clearly conveys the protagonist’s point of view, defining his initial role as social outcast and detailing how he grows from a loner who tries to remain under the radar into an individual who learns to embrace his own strengths, forge connections with other (living) folks, and ultimately step into the shoes of hero…and friend.
Snappy dialogue, an informal narration, and wry observations keep the tone light, but the story also zings along with fast-paced fright-filled action, eerie details, and grandly gruesome descriptions of decrepit zombies who leak goopy brain matter and shed moldy body parts. The writing is lively and accessible, and supernatural occurrences are described with lyrical language and a sense of wonder. The colorful book jacket shows Norman on the run from his putrefied pursuers (and shadowy neon-green hands), and each chapter begins with a teaser quote and a full-page sepia-toned illustration. Utilizing crisp lines, off-kilter angles, and dramatic shading, the artwork references the movie animation while also incorporating a sleek graphic-novel style. A solid choice for middle-grade movie fans.
A Look Behind the Curtain
Just how is a script transformed into a stop-motion animated film? In The Art and Making of ParaNorman (Chronicle, 2012; Gr 6 Up), Jed Alger describes this mind-bogglingly detailed endeavor, “a process that would ultimately consume more than three years of intense creative effort from a huge team of people, a process built of art and craft and science, a process so complex its best comparisons are with the space program, at one end of the technological scale, and with the building of ancient cathedrals at the other.” Well-organized chapters blend detailed explanations with commentary from movie creators and examples of specific challenges encountered and overcome.
Writing with an involving sense of immediacy, the author walks readers through the various departments of LAIKA, describing preproduction (storyboarding and masterminding from the edit suite), character design (from concept sketches to sculpting three-dimensional maquettes), the cutting-edge technology used to create the huge number of replacement faces needed for animation, puppet crafting (from skeleton to casting and molding to costumes and hair), building the intricately designed sets, the complexities of the shooting process, and special effects and finishing touches.
The pages are jam-packed with full-color illustrations including concept art, character designs, maquette sculpts, set photos, details of textiles, film stills, and more, along with photos of the artists and filmmakers at work painting faces, assembling trees, rigging scenes, and even sculpting a “squelchy silicone brain” destined to be trod upon by a puppet’s stiletto heel. The enthusiasm this creative and diverse bunch has for their work shines through in both the images and the pull-out quotes displayed across the pages. Informative and fun to browse, this handsome volume is a great choice for movie aficionados as well as readers with an interest in investigating the wonders of this unique animation process and aspiring artists looking to explore possible career paths.
Publication Information
AUERBACH, Annie, adapt. ParaNorman: Attack of the Pilgrim Zombies! pap. $3.99. ISBN 978-0-316-20989-2; ebook $3.99. ISBN 9780316209854.
ROSEN, Lucy, adapt. ParaNorman: Meet the Ghosts. pap. $3.99. ISBN 978-0-316-20982-3; ebook $3.99. ISBN 9780316209847.
KIMMEL, Elizabeth Cody. ParaNorman. illus. by Ross Stewart. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-0-316-20986-1; ebook $9.99. ISBN 9780316209830.
ea vol: Little, Brown. 2012.
ALGER, Jed. The Art and Making of ParaNorman. Chronicle. 2012. Tr $40. ISBN 978-1-4521-1092-9.