In the spirit of Halloween, I’ve decided have my two favorite spooky stop-motion animations compete for the titles of “Creepiest”, “Most Epic”, “Most Creative”, and “Most Fun”. So grab some candy corn and lets get started! (Warning: There will be a plot spoilers, so watch the movies first if you haven’t seen them yet :))

First in the category of creepiest, both films definitely have that aspect down. In Corpse Bride, the bride herself’s introduction and rise from the grave inciting major chills. The underworld layout of  dancing skeletons and insects, no matter how colorful and whimsical, can get creepy at times, especially with the worms crawling around inside Emily’s head. However, this title must go to Coraline. The thought itself of carving out eyeballs and sewing on buttons in its place is terrifying, let alone the actual images of button eyed parents. The “other mother’s” body shape towards the end of the movie had morphed into a contorted spider witch, and the lighting of this movie itself was more sinister than the jolly atmosphere of Corpse Bride‘s underworld. The sickly sweet nature of the “other world” was uncomfortable on its own, not to mention the mysterious and spooky tasks Coraline had to accomplish to save the day, including fighting a severed hand.

Next, we have the most epic category, which gets a little more challenging. Again, both films were plenty epic. The scene in Corpse Bride with all of the dead people from the underworld going up to the living world was a grand moment indeed, along with the previously mentioned scene where Emily reaches up and drags Victor down with her to the underworld. And in Coraline, the several tasks that she had to get through were all filled with anticipation and close calls, especially when she manages to barely escape the “other world”. The winner for this category goes to Corpse Bride however, because for me, there were more people involved in the climax scenes, making it even more epic and there were more risks taken in general.

Thirdly, in the most creative category, it gets even MORE difficult to choose. Both films are incredible works of art with unique stories. Corpse Bride revolutionizes the idea that the world of the living is drab, and cold, while the underworld is full of parties, color, and joy. The accidental marriage between a human and a dead woman and their adventures is not something you see in an average movie. And in Coraline, you have an unhappy girl craving attention from her distracted parents, be taken in to an alternate universe where things are a little too perfect. Having button eyed people and a woman claiming to be your mother, wanting to suck your soul also isn’t your average blockbuster. Although this is a virtual tie, I must give this one to Coraline, especially because I became very fascinated by the fact that a voodoo doll that looked like Coraline showed up and lured her into a world of button eyed family and friends. Also, the characters such as the divination sisters and circus artist were quirky and unusual.

Lastly, we have the “Most Fun” category, choosing specifically which movie was the most enjoyable to watch. Coraline’s relatable character, intriguing plot, and eccentric characters were no doubt a lot of fun to watch. However I must give this title to Corpse Bride because the underworld itself was a huge party with dancing and singing. There was more comic relief in this movie and it provided multiple character perspectives on the several different dramatic plot lines going on. Coraline itself isn’t necessarily a “feel good” movie, whereas Corpse Bride in my opinion, can be very cheerful at times.

Well, there you have it folks, a Corpse Bride versus Coraline rundown. I hope this got you into the mood to watch some good old Halloween classics tonight, because it did for me! Happy Halloween!