Soundtrack Review: Coraline (2009)

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This is a review of the motion picture score Coraline by Bruno Coulais.

“The imagination of Bruno Coulais is staggering as some of these cues goes beyond the call of duty to make Coraline even more fantastic than it already is”

The animated movie Coraline is already being tipped as the year’s first real Oscar contender and not without reason. A lot of it has no doubt to do with the wondrous music created by French composer Bruno Coulais. Before this year I was a bit on the fence with this one because I didn’t get his particular style in a movie nominated for an International Film Music Critics Award last year. The movie was La Planete Blanche and featured some really experimental music, but now it all falls firmly into place. It was all a prelude to what he had in store for Coraline.

Track List

1. End Credits (*****)
   
2. Dreaming (****)
3. Installation (*****)
   
4. Wybie (***)
5. Exploration (***)
6. Other Father Song (by They Might Be Giants) (****)
7. The Supper (*****)
   
8. Bobinsky (****)
9. Fantastic Garden (****)
10. Coraline Fly (****)
11. Trap For The Mices (****)
12. Mice Circus (****)
13. Dreams Are Dangerous (*****)
    
14. Sirens Of The Sea (****)
15. In The Bed (*****)
    
16. Spink And Forcible (****)
17. It Was Fantastic (*****)
    
18. Ghost Children (*****)
    
19. Let’s Go (*****)
    
20. Playing Piano (*****)
    
21. Wybie That Talks (****)
22. Cocobeetles (****)
23. Alone (****)
24. Dangerous (*****)
    
25. Reunion (***)
26. Coraline Dispair (*****)
    
27. The Theater (***)
28. The Famous Mister B (***)
29. You Know I Love You (****)
30. Mechanical Lullaby (****)
31. The Hand (****)
32. The Party (****)

Danny Who?

Remember Danny Elfman of old? The pal of Tim Burton? That was an amazing partnership and created wonderful scores like Batman, A Nightmare Before Christmas, Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands to name a few. Why am I mentioning all this Elfman stuff? Because I am trying to explain what Coraline sounds like. It’s like we went back in time and there was a new Burton movie called Coraline with Elfman scoring except it isn’t. It’s Bruno Coulais turn to shine the way Danny Elfman did when he was Danny Elfman. I mentioned in the intro about experimental music, but it’s just perfect for Coraline. There are wonderful use of instruments, choirs and singing throughout that can only make you want to see the movie if you haven’t already. For those of you who have, you’ll know what I mean.

Bruno Coulais might be inspired by Danny Elfman, but he has perhaps gone one step further because his scores tend to be even more experimental than Elfman used to be. There are so many highlights here, but let’s start at the beginning and what could be better than start at ‘End Credits’? That’s just brilliant if you ask me and it’s an excellent little cue that features a fantastic choir that sings in French I believe. I don’t know who is the amazing voice we can hear in for example ‘Installation‘ which a woman sings the main theme of Coraline. If anyone knows, please let me know. It adds something to this soundtrack, a wonderful presence who combines well with the wonderful world of Coraline and the experimental sounds of Bruno Coulais. Speaking of the main theme, we hear it in it’s full instrumental form in the cue ‘In The Bed’.

The Dark World of Coraline

Some of the score sounds a bit light and cheerful, but I can’t help to feel that the overall tone of Coraline is dark and creepy. ‘The Supper’ is dark and delicious. Sounds like it came from the disturbed world of Dexter Morgan from the TV show Dexter (composed by Daniel Licht). ‘Dreams are Dangerous‘ is another dark theme that sounds a bit like the style of Thomas Newman. Bruno Coulais excellent skill here is to brilliantly use the best bits of tried and tested music and make it his own. ‘Ghost Children’ is a brilliant cue that sounds exactly like ghost children if you ask me. It has a simple build-up and uses a lonely synth with some eerie children ghostly sounds in the background. ‘Dangerous’ gives a powerful performance with a experimental jazz-like opening before it gives you chills along the way with strings and horn. ‘Coraline Despair’ adds to the overall feeling of dark orchestration and it goes well with what I have read, that the movie might be scary for kids.

Experimental Feast

There are so much to praise here that the cues that aren’t top notch gets easily forgotten. I have already mentioned the way Coulais experiments with different styles and sounds and ‘Playing Piano‘ is a great example of how it changes even inside songs. It sounds almost epic as a Lord of the Rings type choir opens the cue and it only gets more interesting. Just when you think it will explode in an amazing feast of horns, strings and percussion it turns it all around with some ambient dripping sounds and a jazz-like theme takes over. This is brilliant stuff, and I also love that the majority of the cues slides into each other like a massive cue.

Another brilliant touch by the producers is the inclusion of a new original song by They Might Be Giants called ‘Other Father Song’ that lasts an amazing 31 seconds. The lyrics is fast and fund and appropriately starts with “Making up a song about Coraline” which is exactly as it sounds. I bet they just made it up for fun on the tour bus or something. Excellent stuff! Another is the inclusion of the song ‘Sirens of the Sea’ which features what I only can describe as two old women singing a imaginary song.

Conclusion

Hats off to Bruno Coulais for creating a feast for the ears as I’m sure the movie Coraline is a feast for the eyes. The imagination of Bruno Coulais is staggering as some of these cues goes beyond the call of duty to make Coraline even more fantastic than it already is. I have nothing to say except run out and buy this, watch the movie, do both, but just do it. This is already a contender for score of the year and we’re only counting February!

Listen to Coraline by Bruno Coulais below:

Other articles of interest:

• Soundtrack Review: Watchmen (2009)
• Soundtrack Review: Race to Witch Mountain (2009)
• Soundtrack Review: August Rush the score (2009)
• Soundtrack Review: Dragonball Evolution (2009)
• Soundtrack Review: The Lazarus Project (2009)

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