Grass always looks greener on the other side

The term “The grass is greener on the other side” is a very common phrase. This phrase,

to outside spectators, means something or someone might appear to be living a glamorous and

luxurious life from their view, yet when they step into their reality, they see the truth of the

underlying issues that were being covered by the outer shell. This syndrome often occurs in those

who are not satisfied with what they already have. These people tend to look at their life and

compare it to someone of a different tier. The Coraline movie poster with the use of muted color

that goes hand in hand with lighting contrast, character analysis, and clay-like texture, is the

perfect visual representation of the phrase “the grass is greener on the other side.”

The little girl in the grey and muted setting signifies that the current place she is in, may

not be satisfactory in her eyes. This is referring to the common phrase “The grass always looks

greener on the other side.” The muteness also gives the viewer the feeling that the place she is in

is sad and lonely. Additionally, the area she is in not only appears to be grey but also foggy,

dusty, and aging. The contrast in lighting shows that the artist is trying to show the distinction

between two settings. The girl articulates this in more depth using *facial expressions idk what*

and she seems to be wanting an escape from the depressing place she is in. That escape she has

found happens to be through the small door that appears to be vibrant with a warm tone of

yellow light beaming through it. This warm tone lighting can represent a welcoming feeling, or

even an oasis to the little girl in the image.

The expression on the girl’s face seems to be fascinated. Her eyebrows are raised while

her eyes are widely glaring, and her mouth is open as if she is in astonishment at what she is

seeing. Her body language expresses how intrigued she is by the way that she is leaning in
towards the entrance of the mysterious small doorway. The black cat beside her is also looking

through the door, yet the cat portrays to show hesitation. The cat’s paw is lifted, and its paw is

leaning backward to show that there is resistance and doubt about the door. Although, there is

hesitation the cat is also showing curiosity by how it is leaning in with its upper body. This

shows that the cat remains careful, yet still curious. Another factor that is seen in the image is a

small doll that has the same appearance as the young girl. This can give the viewer an odd

feeling of suspense regarding the doll. The doll has black button eyes with a yellow coat. The

button eyes and the cat may have some significance due to the fact that there is a similarity in the

text used within the title in the movie poster. The title of the image utilizes a button for the “o”

and a cat going through a door as the “L.” This allows viewers to begin to recognize

foreshadowing that may occur in the movie. This leads the viewer to assume that these

characteristics or characters will play a major role in the movie Coraline.

From what can be seen in the image it is apparent that this art has the appearance of being

hand-made with a clay-like material. Henry Selick the director of this movie is widely known for

this form of animated cinematography. This specific form of animation style is named “stop-

motion.” The stop-motion art in the Coraline movie poster is another great way to show realism

and this even adds to the eerie feeling the director wants to give the viewers. For example, in the

director's previous work, the art form he uses gives the viewer the correct setting and theme in

which the movie is trying to depict, which is very commonly a dark, eerie, and pale theme in

these movies.