Young Adult Gothic Fiction: Monstrous Selves/Monstrous Others ed. by Michelle J. Smith and Kristine Moruzi (review)

Abstract

Children’s Literature Association Quarterly between the perceived requirements of mass audiences and the promise of additional credibility and cachet associated with cult cinema” (145). This chapter considers The Nightmare Before Christmas, Corpse Bride, Coraline, ParaNorman, Frankenweenie, The Boxtrolls, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Isle of Dogs, Rango, 9, and Kubo and the Two Strings, which generally challenge the doll-like conformism depicted in mainstream animation. One interesting pattern Brown considers that is especially prevalent in horror is a type of psychological diversity often excluded from discourses focused on race and gender. These films challenge the notion of innocent or idealized childhood via their engagement with death, trauma, and violence, all of which are mostly excluded from mainstream animation for children, despite being a real part of many children’s lives. Further, the child characters in these films celebrate individualism, as these characters do not socialize with popular cliques. In other words, these films likely cater to audiences outside of the mainstream, both socially and stylistically, the latter of which, as Brown demonstrates, often increases the movie’s appeal on the international market (176). Throughout this review, I have mostly avoided including the specific films Brown uses to support his claims, and this decision is only because he includes so many. Brown’s use of primary sources is meticulously balanced, never relying solely on one or two films for support. Instead, he discusses more than 100 movies throughout his text, proportionally balancing his analysis across the major studios he introduces in the first chapter: Disney, Pixar, DreamWorks, Illumination, Blue Sky, Sony, Paramount, and Laika. Although Disney and Pixar do receive much critical attention, a major strength of the text is Brown’s discussion on how the business practices of these studios influence tone, style, diversity, and narrative.