OTHER GARDEN IS CREEPY! - Coraline Explained - Scene 14 | The Fangirl Scene-ic Saturdays

We take a journey through the Other World's garden with the Other Father and then Coraline gets to meet Other Wybie and yet... the girl isn't afraid!
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[@dominiknovosel883]

13:35 The Beldam probably couldn't replicate Coraline's friends incarnate because the only reference she would've had was a picture frame of them, so she'd have to guess at crucial details like their body type, height, hair, etc. If any of these things were off, I imagine Coraline would become pretty alarmed.

[@grimgrinning_gh0st]

Can we just take a minute and appreciate the amount of detail that went into the garden. This whole movie is visually stunning, but the garden is just so special. Laika took time to show us all aspects of the garden it's just beautiful.

[@whimsicalwinner]

There might be some symbolism regarding the garden plants. Snapdragons symbolize deception & deviousness. They're the only plants that (at first) outwardly interact with Coraline and could be foreshadowing the Other Mother's true nature/ill intent. The Bleeding Hearts Flowers symbolize unconditional love, representing the Other Mother's "love" for Coraline. Additionally, Coraline's changing reactions to the flowers seem to parallel her feelings toward the Other Mother. At first, Coraline is fascinated by the Bleeding Hearts as she is with the Other Mother's love, attention & affection. However, once the Beldam reveals herself, Coraline seems uncomfortable and disgusted by the flowers, similarly to the way she now feels towards the Beldam's overbearing "love" for her.

[@Neytiri935]

Very fascinating insight into the garden.

[@YasmeenMO]

The flowers that appear in the garden are the same one show in the beginning where coraline put the seed plant package in the window when it raining

[@PancakeRights]

I'm not really shocked by the snapdragons scene. I say this as a young person who feels like Coraline. I never got physical touch from my father which is the hole that Coraline is filling in her heart- her real parents neglecting her. So the real moral of the story is parents should never neglect their children and believe them

[@kawaiidragons7732]

7:12 The tickling seeming like something uncomfortable is mirrored by the shadow of the flower with it's jaw around her eye Also the snapdragons seem like the only beings without button eyes, and they seem like the only things that could be taken as uncomfortable, maybe a backup for the tickling not being well received? It would have her correlate the lack of buttons as a worse situation, with the other father and his eyes being close enough to swoop in and further reinforce that button eyes are a good thing

[@renee_is_pink]

She's also clearly not an anxious child, cause I was a ball of terrorized stress worried about strangers darkness and monsters, but my younger sibling had no self preservation instincts until age 12 maybe 13.

[@brandiarmstrong2902]

I'll forgive Coraline her lack of self-preservation, at least the first time she meets the "other mother." If I were in a situation like that, I would probably assume I'm dreaming and be like, "okay, cool. I'm gonna go with it for now, and tell my mom, or maybe that weird neighbor kid, about it tomorrow. He sure was weird, but maybe he'll leave me alone if I seem like I'm crazy enough to dream like this. And as for mom... maybe I won't tell her, actually. She'd probably just say, "that's nice, eat your slop," and then roll her eyes at dad. Well, maybe that's why I'm dreaming about food..." I might be over-thinking it, but putting myself in her shoes helps me not want to slap her so much! CORALINE! WAKE UP! THIS IS NOT A FUN DREAM!

[@kaitlinowens2714]

Could the reason the snapdragons are the only ones to interact with Coraline be something to add to the other father’s knight shining armor on a white horse imagery going on in this scene? They attack her because they are the dragons that her father in shining armor save her from.

[@karlalaney8845]

I always though that coraline atleast goes back to the real world once, which is when wybie helps her to escape and the portal is all gray and covered in cobwebs, but then when she goes back to save her parents that’s when she’s stuck forever

[@IsabellaManoutcharian]

I agree, I think the other mother made the real portal uglier to make coraline think “this isn’t right” and not go through

[@izukumidoriya7425]

I believe the other mother didn’t make copies of Coraline’s original friends because her only reference for them was through a photo that was at an angle. She couldn’t pin point their actual size and she probably wasn’t going to risk creating versions that looked off, as it would break the immersion for Coraline.

[@PancakeRights]

Hey Fangirl. Thank you for lightening up each Saturday! I hope your mental health is better now that you've gotten engaged and moved on from your past relationship. I'm a 16 year old who has been watching your Coraline videos since childhood! I can confidently agree that as an 11 year old I wouldn't be doing half the shit that Coraline is! Tbh I've always been pretty sensible and never involved in risky behaviour. I don't do anything with risk. My anxiety in some ways is helpful for me because it sets boundaries as a young person. Most young people are more sensible than a lot of adults believe, at least that's the way I feel it is in the UK! Most of us aren't on our phones all the time, most of us know safety, most of us are grateful and have valid opinions and parents aren't always right! I definitely think that the major reason for Coraline having a risky attitude is because of her parents being neglectful and strict and not taking her opinion into account when moving. Don't you agree, Fangirl? Her parents, well, do yell and neglect her emotions and the father... ugh... disgusting food. She's a preteen moving across the country to a bland and dirty location with neglectful and strict parents, what else to expect who agrees like this comment and video ❤

[@m39947]

Could it be possible that the other world is in the backrooms? Because in the other world, everything is creepy and almost unexplainable, but it also gives a sign of safety for Coraline to trust the other parents. (Kind of like in the backrooms). Because the other mother wants to trap Coraline, but in order for her to do that, she has to do everything for coraline to trust her. It's exactly like the backroom residents do.

[@MeemahSN]

The backrooms have never been a symbol of safety, though. The original post painted them as an inherently untrustworthy place.

[@Bombiedude.]

And what I found scary as hell when I first saw the movie is the garden including the robot mantis went from a paridise for coraline to a sort of nightmare place she had to counter to save the kids eye

[@orleansartist6095]

The Snapdragons tickling reminded ne how much I hated tickling as a kid. Because it might make you laugh, but it can make you laugh until you cry if the person tickling you doesn't know when to quit. Personally I violently hated any ticking whatsoever because of this. And how helpless it makes you feel. Mayne this is an allegory about how Coraline is being forced to be happy at a time wheen she is in danger.

[@mistingwolf]

The snapdragons did always bother me. I feel bad every time they're cut down. Snapdragons themselves seem to have contradictory meanings in flower language, from grace and strength to deception, dark magic and witchcraft.

[@a.t.m873]

I always loved the garden in the shape of coraline's face. Thanks for always talking about both the book and movie since there are MAJOR differences between them.

[@sighingsaichania7033]

I made it to the end!😀 I do like the concept of snap Dragons being alive. I have seen it before in Ever After High. The fact that the other father cuts the snapdragons for Coralin is quite a shocking moment.

[@TheFangirlWatches]

My daughter never got into Ever After High so I haven't watched that one, but I am really curious to learn more about their Snap Dragons now!

[@sighingsaichania7033]

It is just one scene from an episode, but I can't remember which one. Not much, lore, but the Snapdragon is super adorable, in my opinion!

[@bitterflywing]

To be fair, in the graphic novel, Coraline is 10, but a very advanced 10 year old. She's also never sold on anything, and is real quick to sense danger. She's also calm cool and collected to where when the other father slides the buttons over, she tries to play it cool saying "I don't think so..." The graphic novel is a lot more your type because Coraline actually makes it out in a really genius way.

[@Timmyjg2004]

Your videos bring a smile to my face

[@Bombiedude.]

And what I find freaky is when coraline enters the garden the 2nd time looking for the ghost eye it is actually attached to one of the levers of the other fathers mantis tractor and I think thats why the beldam modified it with his piano hands, because she knew the other father was trying to save coraline and that's why he was chasing her against his will

[@bellerosecrafts8014]

my little sister pointed out that the pumpkins have CAT faces carved into them!!!!! which is very odd to me if the other mother really hates cats

[@gracecochran8243]

I never noticed the moon before. That’s especially interesting as later in the movie it “resets”. Could the shoes be other wybie’s? Like when the other mother “kills” him aren’t there shoes? I might be remembering it wrong.

[@MysticSparkleWings]

Warning for long comment ahead 😅 • On Coraline's Self-Preservation: I'm fairly certain that in general yes, I had stronger sense of self-preservation than Coraline tends to present when I was 11...BUT I wasn't thrust into a fantastical world that in many ways seemed to be the escape from day-to-day life I dreamed about. At that age I desperately _wanted_ to be a part of a magical, most likely dangerous, world way more than I did the real one, and so if I'd been offered the opportunity like Coraline, then yeah I'm pretty sure I would have both intentionally and accidently overlooked a lot of typical "this is a bad idea" flags that I normally wouldn't have for more mundane dangers. Afterall, it's a world full of the fantastic-"Surely" for every fantastic way _into_ danger, there's a fantastic way _out_ of it there. Or, "this isn't real anyway-even the mundane real-world interludes-and I'll wake up before the worst can happen to me." • Shoes by the door: Is it possible they're so big because they're a kind of shoe-cover for walking in the garden when it's muddy or something along those lines? Either it's a nod to Mel's aversion to tracking dirt in the house so the Beldam feels her Other Mother disguise is more convinving/compelling, or it's a sign that she _says_ she doesn't mind mud but she's lying/still wants to keep her house or shoes nice and mud-free. • The Flowers: Might be worth noting when the Other Father first appears, all the flowers behind him are blue, as opposed to the flowers blossoming for Coraline which are largely warm colors. An interesting color representation that Coraline and the Other Father are on "opposite sides" as blue and orange are opposite colors...But also, the "Other Father" is still aligned with Coraline, as Coraline has blue hair, and there are no purple flowers in the garden even though purple is a arguably a more common flower color than blue...And a little bit later the Other Mother will be associated with that strong vibrant purple. Maybe more telling on that idea: The purple for the dragonfly wings of Coraline's hairclip in the garden face look to be made from a glass greenhouse, not flowers. Perhaps a symbol of the Beldam's intent to trap/"enclose" her like a flower in a greenhouse? Even more so since a dragonfly is a bug and we know how the Beldam treats _bugs_ later on... • The Snapdragons: I love these guys. They're one of the strongest _Alice in Wonderland_ parallels in the movie. Their presence could be the Beldam's further attempt to convince Coraline this is a "safe" world-"See, we have very literal plants like the Bread-and-Butterflies and Rocking-Horse-Flys, this is a fun dreamland like that popular children's book..." Because it's very likely after years/centuries of capturing children, it would make sense if the Beldam is familiar with stories likely to be familiar to the children that she can bank on as "pro-fantasy-world propaganda." Same as she may bank on the button-eye-doll as a familiar, "trustworthy" toy for a lot of kids. If they are a more Wonderlandian-Parallel on the Beldam's part, it could also be that like a lot of the strange creatures in Wonderland have a roll to play and they're happy to do it, the Snap Dragons are happy to be picked as used as decoration, but that feels like more of a stretch. Alternatively, it's possible the Snap Dragons are more "alive" than the other plants because they're not the Beldam's creation, but a kind of manifestation from the OtherWorld itself-That would explain why they're maybe-carnivorous, have normal eyes, and give the Other Father even more reason to cut them down; They're a separate, unique presence of danger and may be competing with the Beldam for Food of the human child variety. Also: The fact that they're Snap _Dragons_ ties in even more with the "knight on a white horse" idea-The Other Father is the "knight" that slays the "dragon." • The Moon: I'm not sure why but I kind of always assumed the Moon in the Other World works more like the Sun in the real world; That the phase changes were more like how the Sun changes appearance/positions based on the time of day, especially since the moon doesn't ever seen to change it's location in the sky. So by that logic, the phase changes would seem to indicate more the passing of a few hours or a day, not many days/weeks.

[@the-strange-one]

the snap dragons could have been what the beldam used to prevent the previous kids from escaping and the tickling that they do to coraline might have been them training to despose of her body after she had her soul taken and got the buttons sewn for all we know that is exacty how the beldam got rid of the ghost kid's body's and thats why they have eyes to see what they are doing (love the scene-ic saturday vids btw)

[@denisejeffries2675]

The other father does come across to me as a knight in shining armor or protector role in regards to the snap dragons. In this scene it is harmless tickling and a show of his “charm” or gallantry. But later in the film Coraline is attacked by snap dragons. And though he doesn’t save her from the plants and is apologizing to her for being controlled by the other mother, he says he doesn’t want to hurt her. He continued to play a final role of goodwill by giving her the “eye” she was seeking. Those snap dragons are bad news 😂

[@morbidcuriosity969]

I think claiming Coraline has no stranger danger and comparing the other mother to a stranger offering her candy is a bit unfair. The other mother is not a stranger. She made her food, she gave her entertainment, she gave her a warm place to sleep, she has her moma face! By day one the other mother has made Coraline feel safe. In Coralines mind the other mother could not be more different from an obviously creepy stranger

[@morbidcuriosity969]

Coraline is essentially being groomed

[@ratlady10101]

This is the way I feel. It kind it kinda takes away from the whole point that Coraline is being extremely tricked and manipulated. I think people forget how easy it is to be manipulated when you're that young.

[@TheFangirlWatches]

I disagree, because, even though Coraline is being psychologically manipulated all over the place, in a few more scenes Coraline IS going to finally feel that stranger danger when the buttons come into play (although, the point is fair that all of these things probably got the previous children to accept the button eyes). Yes, it is her mother's face, but it would be like if we suddenly had a Snapchat filter on our living face 24/7 - our children would be the first to realize it's not right. And the button eyes initially freak Coraline out when she first enters the Other World, but then she never even questions them again. And, I'll grant you, during her first visit she thought it could be a dream, so she might be more reckless because of that, but she knows it's real by the 2nd visit, and she's getting wary but dismissing it every time. It is strange though, when I've complained about Watership Down or Soul being too mature for movies aimed at kids, people chime in that "you aren't giving kids enough credit, they understand more than you think!" But when I do give a kid that credit that she should be more savvy than she's acting, I get the opposite complaint that I'm being too hard on her as an 11-year-old.

[@ilj382]

CORRECTION: when a moon gets smaller, it is waning.

[@TheFangirlWatches]

Oh drat, did I get it backwards? This is why I prefaced it by saying I’m not well-versed in moon things. >.

[@TheStormBolt-gf8qi]

Yesss love your videos

[@TheFangirlWatches]

Thank you!

[@Bombiedude.]

Another thing I noticed on the robot is that it spits out stuff from its mouth which that is really odd and the same level of oddness is how it can shoot water out of the adomen and the thorax is where the driver seat is like this machine that the beldam probably built is odd on so many levels

[@trixxart777]

I personally head cannon that the other Dad wore the funky monkey slippers to impress Coraline because based off his shoes shown in this scene he tends to wear less quirky shoes iver that or they changed it to black to make him look more like a pumpkin

[@teeprince279]

I wonder if the moon that is getting closer and closer to new moon, symbolises the energy or time the other mother has left to lure coraline in before she cannot longer hold up the illusions later when they are playing the game it was also showing the time passing with the full moon and the button pushing before it.

[@ilj382]

You are right, the moon is getting closer to new (waning) and not waxing like the video mistakenly defines. I think you're right that the waning moon represents the other mother's ebbing strength. I hope The Fangirl sees your comment, I would like to know if she agrees with you too.

[@ghess5001]

I love your Coraline videos!!!!!

[@BBMacsWorld]

Are Snapdragons perhaps Coralines favourite flower? Or do they represent something about the other mother? I'm also wondering if Mantis's represent something? Considering Coraline has that Frame holder and the other fathers robot 🤔

[@jadepeppermint2734]

I felt sorry for those flowers but then again i thought i was a bit odd

[@user-sh8dw3of9t]

Great video! Thank you so much!

[@Julia13jd]

9:58 At what point did you notice that the Dragonfly Hairpin is a small greenhouse?

[@TheFangirlWatches]

Oh, I should have called that out, but I noticed that so long ago I guess it was old news to my brain

[@hectornerioiv4069]

I have thought about the snap dragons before but I figured that it would be a extension of the Other Mother and they would know what they were there for so they most likely were ok with getting cut down.

[@christopherb501]

7:27 "Motile", you mean?

[@trixxart777]

also I don't understand how the other farther eats since he isn't real

[@hoodwinkedwriting4237]

Are the flowers really eating meat? I always took it as them eating chocolate because it melts in the flower-dragons mouth so easily