At the sight of the full moon, the man's hands bulged, gradually getting bigger. Then his torso, legs, and feet grew until they nearly doubled in size. The man had grown to 10 feet tall and was covered in thick fur! But wait—his ears seemed to grow, only they hung low. And he seemed to sprout a tail that resembled a rabbit. What was this creature? It’s the Were-Rabbit.
This scene from Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit is a fantastic example of classic horror. One thing that made this movie exceptional was the Claymation, which brilliantly conveyed both humor and horror.
If you're unfamiliar with Claymation, it’s an animation that uses clay to create real sets and characters. It relies on stop-motion, where the clay is molded into different positions in each frame and then played at high speed to mimic movement. Claymation is a very tedious form of animation. For example, Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit used 122,400 frames (or images) for 85 minutes of film. But despite how intricate the process is, it’s definitely worth it. Some of the best horror films, like The Nightmare Before Christmas and Coraline, use Claymation. Even live-action films like Beetlejuice occasionally use Claymation to enhance their environment.
So, what makes Claymation so effective in horror films? One reason is the level of detail. Every frame must be perfect, and everything has to flow smoothly. This attention to detail works well for horror because you can see every little change when something terrifying happens. For example, when her “Other Mother” starts transforming in Coraline, you see her body slowly thinning, her face becoming hollow, and her limbs elongating until she’s a tall, bony monster. Thanks to Claymation, the transformation looks elegant and terrifying at the same time.
Another reason Claymation works well in horror is the way characters move. Since the figures are made from clay, they must move in strange, often eerie ways to avoid falling apart. A good example is Oogie Boogie from The Nightmare Before Christmas, whose odd, jerky movements make him feel more menacing. This type of movement adds to the character’s creepiness, creating a sense of unease that’s unique to Claymation.
If you're intrigued and want to dive into some Claymation horror films, here are my recommendations:
The Nightmare Before Christmas (One of my favorite films, not too scary for younger kids)
Corpse Bride (Beautifully written with a great soundtrack)
Coraline (Probably the scariest of these films, with fun but eerie characters)
ParaNorman (Similar to Coraline but not as frightening)
Frankenweenie (Not my favorite, but fans of Tim Burton often enjoy it)
Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit (More comedy than horror, but still packed with classic horror elements that feel like Frankenstein).
Claymation is a unique style of animation, and it's definitely one of my favorites—whether in horror or other genres. I wish more movies were made this way because it brings a special charm that’s hard to replicate in other forms of animation.
Thanks for reading, but now I have a question: What's your favorite Claymation movie or show? Let me know, and always remember—keep on shivering!
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