ParaNorman
First stop-motion film to use full-color 3-D printers.
ParaNorman, a 2012 stop-motion animated comedy horror film from Laika, was directed by Sam Fell and Chris Butler, with Butler also handling the screenplay. It holds the distinction of being the first stop-motion movie to employ a 3-D color printer for crafting its characters' faces. The story centers on Norman Babcock, voiced by Kodi Smit-McPhee, a boy with the ability to see and talk to ghosts. He is tasked with lifting a centuries-old witch's curse that hangs over his Massachusetts hometown.
The concept originated with Butler, who saw an opportunity to address the difficulties of growing up by weaving social commentary into a zombie film aimed at children. Production unfolded over three years at Laika's Hillsboro, Oregon facility, with the animation phase itself lasting roughly two years starting in late 2009. Rather than standard 3-D cameras, the studio used sixty Canon EOS 5D Mark II DSLR cameras to capture the film. The musical score was composed by Jon Brion.
Released by Focus Features on August 17, 2012, ParaNorman earned positive reviews for its animation and writing. It performed modestly at the box office, bringing in $107 million against a $60 million budget. The film received nominations for both an Academy Award and a BAFTA in the Best Animated Film category.
In the fictional town of Blithe Hollow, Massachusetts, 11-year-old Norman Babcock is an outcast who regularly converses with the dead, including his late grandmother and various local spirits. His family and peers largely dismiss his claims, leaving him isolated. He finds a friend in Neil Downe, another bullied child. After a school play reenacting the town's execution of a witch 300 years prior, Norman's estranged great-uncle, Mr. Prenderghast, insists that Norman must soon take over a protective ritual. Prenderghast dies of a heart attack shortly after.
During the play, Norman has a vision of the witch hunt, which embarrasses him and leads to a conflict with his father, Perry, who grounds him. His mother, Sandra, explains that Perry's harshness stems from fear for his son. The next day, Prenderghast's spirit appears, instructing Norman to perform the ritual with a specific book before sundown, then crosses over. Encouraged by his grandmother's ghost, Norman retrieves the book from Prenderghast's corpse.
Quick Facts
- Director
- Sam Fell / Chris Butler
- Producer
- Arianne Sutner / Travis Knight
- Writer
- Chris Butler
- Music
- Jon Brion
- Cinematography
- Tristan Oliver
- Editing
- Christopher Murrie
- Studio
- Laika
- Distributor
- Focus Features (North America) / Universal Pictures (International)
- Released
- 3 August 2012 · Mexico · 2012 · 08 · 17 · United States
- Runtime
- 92 minutes
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The idea of ParaNorman came from Chris Butler, who thought making such a movie for kids could help express the challenges kids face growing up, after realizing that zombie films often contained a degree of social commentary. Production of the stop-motion animation took place at Laika's studio in Hillsboro, Oregon for three years, with the animating stage lasting about two years and beginning in late 2009. Instead of using traditional 3-D format cameras, the studio had sixty Canon EOS 5D Mark II DSLR cameras film the movie. Jon Brion composed the film's musical score.
The plot centers on Norman Babcock, an 11-year-old outcast who speaks with the dead. After his great-uncle Mr. Prenderghast dies, Norman must perform a ritual to protect the town from a witch's curse. He eventually learns the witch was a young girl named Agatha Prenderghast, a medium wrongfully executed. Norman helps her find peace, and the town accepts him as a hero.
The voice cast includes Kodi Smit-McPhee, Jodelle Ferland, Bernard Hill, Tucker Albrizzi, Anna Kendrick, Casey Affleck, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Leslie Mann, Jeff Garlin, Elaine Stritch, and John Goodman. The film was released on August 17, 2012, by Focus Features.
Reader's Guide
ParaNorman received positive reviews from critics, who praised its animation and script, and was a modest box office success, earning $107 million against a budget of $60 million. It was nominated for an Academy Award and a BAFTA for Best Animated Film. The film is notable for being the first stop-motion film to use full-color 3-D printers for replacement animation, building on techniques pioneered by Laika's previous film Coraline. The final fight scene blended stop motion, CGI effects, and hand-drawn animation. The film's social commentary, addressing bullying and misunderstanding, was a deliberate choice by Butler, who saw zombie films as vehicles for such themes. Its legacy includes advancing stop-motion technology and demonstrating the viability of independent animated features with dark, mature themes.
Did You Know?
- ParaNorman is the first stop-motion film to use a 3-D color printer to create character faces.
- The film was shot using sixty Canon EOS 5D Mark II DSLR cameras instead of traditional 3-D format cameras.
- The idea for the film came from Chris Butler, who wanted to use zombie film conventions to address challenges kids face growing up.
- The film's score was composed by Jon Brion.
More in Children's horror films 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced