The Feint of Uncanny Sense Relevant to Light and Color in the animated film Coraline based on Freud's Theory

The uncanny is a complex and often unsettling psychological experience that involves a mixture of difficult emotions such as fear, uncertainty, anxiety, and discomfort. Sigmund Freud described the uncanny as the strange feeling that arises when something familiar suddenly appears strange or alien, often triggered by the unexpected return of repressed memories or ideas. This study explores how the uncanny is visually and emotionally communicated in the animated film Coraline, directed by Henry Selick, with a particular focus on the role of color and lighting as crucial aesthetic elements that shape the film’s psychological atmosphere.

This paper investigates how color and lighting contribute not only to the emotional depth of the film but also to its thematic structure. It closely analyzes the interplay between color and light in Coraline to understand how these elements reflect the psychological and emotional shifts within the story. Special attention is given to the contrast between the muted, subdued tones representing the real world and the initially bright but progressively darker hues symbolizing the other world. These deliberate color choices are essential in creating the uncanny atmosphere that pervades the film.

Through a detailed examination of selected scenes, the research highlights director Henry Selick’s skillful use of color to evoke uncanny elements such as doubling and the ambiguous boundary between animate and inanimate objects. These visual techniques effectively emphasize the underlying emotional currents of fear, anxiety, and the unknown that are central to the film’s mood. For example, the dull and washed-out palette of the real world conveys feelings of boredom and loneliness, sharply contrasting with the other world’s initially warm and inviting colors.

As the narrative develops, however, the vibrant colors of the other realm gradually shift toward darker, more threatening tones, signaling growing menace and anxiety. This progression aligns with traditional symbolic meanings of color in art and cinema, where specific hues are associated with psychological themes like fear and evil. For instance, deep blues represent supernatural terror during Coraline’s desperate attempts to escape the Other Mother’s house. Reds and oranges dominate the confrontational scenes, communicating anger, panic, and aggression. Green appears sparingly but powerfully, highlighting moments of horror, especially when the true sinister nature of the other mother is revealed.

In conclusion, this study argues that color and lighting are more than decorative elements in Coraline. They function as vital narrative tools that deepen the film’s emotional resonance and psychological complexity. Through intentional manipulation of color palettes and lighting contrasts, the film intensifies the viewer’s psychological engagement and enhances its storytelling. This research contributes valuable insight into how filmmakers use visual aesthetics to evoke complex psychological experiences and emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary approaches combining film studies and psychoanalytic theory.

The findings provide meaningful implications for scholars and practitioners interested in the symbolic and emotional power of visual elements in cinema. Future research could build on these ideas by investigating uncanny representations in other media or by exploring how Individual or cultural differences influence audience responses to color and lighting in uncanny movies.