成長就像是要通過一道道緊鎖暗門的探險之旅,總是充滿了未知和誘惑。每個人都會禁不住好奇心的驅(qū)使,打開門,一探門后的世界。2009年上映的電影《鬼媽媽》(Coraline)講述的就是這樣一個成長故事。故事的主人公是個名叫Coraline的12歲小女孩。她好奇心很強(qiáng),滿腦子奇思妙想。她的父母靠編寫園藝書籍為生,但由于事業(yè)失意,他們舉家遷到遠(yuǎn)離城市的鄉(xiāng)下,住進(jìn)了租金便宜的Pink Palace。在Pink Palace這棟偏僻老舊的公寓里,Coraline意外發(fā)現(xiàn)了一道通往"完美世界"的門。在好奇心的驅(qū)使下,Coraline走進(jìn)了那道門,有了一次奇特的成長經(jīng)歷......
《鬼媽媽》改編自英國當(dāng)代奇幻文學(xué)大師Neil Gaiman于2002年發(fā)表的同名小說。原著發(fā)表當(dāng)年即奪得了最著名的世界恐怖文學(xué)大獎"布拉姆·斯托克獎(Bram Stoker Award)",次年又勇奪著名的世界科幻/奇幻文學(xué)大獎"雨果獎(Hugo Award)"。這部影片充滿了濃郁的哥特風(fēng)格,由《圣誕夜驚魂》(The Nightmare Before Christmas)的美國著名導(dǎo)演Henry Selick執(zhí)導(dǎo)。2009年6月,該片還在國際頂尖的動畫評獎節(jié)--法國昂西動畫節(jié)上獲得了"最佳動畫長片"大獎。
影片一開始便將一個凄冷的世界呈現(xiàn)在我們眼前:陳舊的房屋、了無生氣的花園、枯寂無聲的山崗,到處死氣沉沉。Pink Palace徒有虛名,浴室墻上爬滿了囂張的小蟲子,久置不用的水龍頭流出來的是污濁的黃水......房子里的一切都令Coraline感到厭煩!父母更是令她失望。他們忙于工作,連頓像樣的飯菜都沒做過,就更別提時刻關(guān)注Coraline的感受了。
[窗外淅淅瀝瀝下著小雨,Coraline給媽媽講述她昨天遇到同齡男孩Wybie以及發(fā)現(xiàn)一口古井的經(jīng)歷,竭力想引起媽媽的注意。]
Coraline: I almost fell down a well yesterday, Mom.
Mom: Uh-huh.
Coraline: I would've died.
Mom: That's nice.
Coraline: Hmm. So, can I go out? I think it's perfect weather for gardening.
Mom: No, Coraline. Rain makes mud. Mud makes a mess.
Coraline: But, Mom, I want stuff growing when my friends come to visit. Isn't that why we moved here?
Mom: Something like that. But then we had the accident.
Coraline: It wasn't my fault. You hit that truck.
Mom: I never said it was.
Coraline: I can't believe it. You and Dad get paid to write about plants, and you hate dirt.
Mom: Coraline, I don't have time for you right now, and you still have unpacking to do. Lots of unpacking!
Coraline: That sounds exciting!
媽媽無意聽Coraline的歷險故事,也不許Coraline外出種花,只轉(zhuǎn)交給Coraline鄰居小男孩Wybie送來的一個小布偶。受到媽媽冷落的Coraline拿著小布偶去找爸爸。
Coraline: Hey, Dad. How's the writing going? Dad!
Dad: [通過電腦屏幕的反光] Hello, Coraline and [轉(zhuǎn)身看到了那個布偶] Coraline doll.
Coraline: Do you know where the garden tools are?
Dad: It's ... it's pouring out there, isn't it?
Coraline: It's just raining.
Dad: Hmm. What'd the boss say?
Coraline: [模仿媽媽的聲音] "Don't even think about going out, Coraline Jones!"
Dad: Hmm. Then you won't need the tools. [失望的Coraline故意將門弄得嘎吱作響,爸爸只好回過頭] You know, this house is 150 years old.
Coraline: So?
Dad: [隨手抓起一個本子扔給Coraline] So explore it. Go out and count all the doors and windows and write that down. List everything that's blue. Just let me work.
Coraline完全被忙于工作的父母忽視了,她的生活孤單寂寞,她的傾訴無人肯聽。僅有的幾位鄰居不僅屢屢叫錯她的名字,而且似乎都有些行為怪異:樓上的Mr. B (Bobinsky) 簡直就是個瘋子,想要訓(xùn)練跳鼠表演馬戲;樓下的Ms. Spink姐妹肥胖臃腫,屋里擺滿了當(dāng)年雜技團(tuán)演出時的海報;唯一的同齡人Wybie還是個說話饒舌的男孩,初遇Coraline時就"伙同"一只神秘的黑貓捉弄她......這便是Coraline眼中的現(xiàn)實世界--一切都令人不滿。
白天,Coraline在數(shù)Pink Palace有多少道門時,無意中發(fā)現(xiàn)了一扇奇特的門。它是這里的第十四道門,非常小,打開門后依然是磚墻。但就在那天夜里Coraline再次打開這扇門時,門后卻出現(xiàn)了一條散發(fā)著神秘光芒的通道〔3〕。Coraline禁不住好奇心的驅(qū)使,爬過通道來到了"另一個世界"。她驚訝地發(fā)現(xiàn),這個世界簡直就是現(xiàn)實世界的翻版,只是這里所有的人和物的眼睛都是紐扣!更令她驚訝的是,這個神秘的世界似乎正等待著她的到來!
[Coraline賭氣沒吃爸爸做的難以下咽的晚飯就上床睡覺了,此刻,饑腸轆轆的她一踏入門后的世界便被誘人的飯香引到了廚房??烧谧鲲埖娜丝瓷先ゾ尤幌袷瞧饺绽锫暦Q決不下廚的媽媽!]
Coraline: Mom? What are you doing here in the middle of the night?
Other Mom: You're just in time for supper, dear.
["媽媽"轉(zhuǎn)過身來,眼睛赫然是兩粒黑色的紐扣!]
Coraline: You're not my mother. My mother doesn't have ... buuuuu ...
Other Mom: Buuuu ... buttons? Do you like them? I'm your other mother, silly. Now go tell your other father that supper is ready. Well, go on. He's in his study.
[Coraline推開"爸爸"的書房門,卻看到不會彈琴的"爸爸"端坐在鋼琴前,他的眼睛也是兩粒紐扣!]
Other Dad: Hello, Coraline. Wanna hear my new song?
Coraline: My father can't play piano.
Other Dad: No need to. This piano plays me.
["爸爸"在鋼琴的操縱下,為Coraline彈曲唱歌。一曲終了,Coraline想起自己來這里的目的。]
Coraline: I'm sorry, but she said to tell you the food is ready.
現(xiàn)實世界中,媽媽忙于工作,對Coraline漠視、專制;爸爸雖然能理解她,但也不能忙里偷閑陪她玩。而在門后的"完美世界"中,"媽媽"為Coraline精心準(zhǔn)備美食,對她倍加呵護(hù),視為掌上明珠;"爸爸"幽默風(fēng)趣、多才多藝,還為Coraline譜曲唱歌,珍愛有加。所以,盡管初次來到"完美世界"的Coraline對長著紐扣眼睛的"完美父母"有些害怕,但最終還是和他們共進(jìn)晚餐,并住進(jìn)了他們?yōu)樗臏?zhǔn)備的公主臥室。可這些似乎只是個美夢,Coraline早上醒來,發(fā)現(xiàn)自己依然身處破舊的Pink Palace,周圍的一切依然不如人意?,F(xiàn)實世界的冷漠、孤寂與完美世界的溫馨、有趣形成了鮮明的對比,父母的持續(xù)漠視、鄰居們頻頻說錯自己的名字則更是加劇了Coraline對現(xiàn)實生活的不滿。Coraline開始蠢蠢欲動,殷切期待夜晚到來后能再次進(jìn)入"完美世界"。而"完美父母"似乎早已預(yù)知她的到來,為她準(zhǔn)備了更大的驚喜。
[Coraline前往花園叫"爸爸"回來吃飯,但眼前的景象令她驚嘆不已。]
Coraline: Ah! Oh!
[隨著"爸爸"的螳螂車從花園一角出現(xiàn),奇花異草在悠揚(yáng)的音樂聲中綻放舞動,整個花園變得流光溢彩。]
Other Dad: Hey.
Coraline: I love your garden!
Other Dad: Our garden, Coraline. Hop (跳躍) on, kiddo (孩子). I wanna show you something.
[Coraline乘螳螂車飛到了花園上空,發(fā)現(xiàn)花園居然是按照自己的樣子打理的。]
Coraline: I can't believe you did this.
Other Dad: Mother said you'd like it. Boy, she knows you like the back of her hand.〔4〕
奇幻花園令人流連忘返,美食又讓人欲罷不能,而"媽媽"之后的安排更令人驚喜:有Mr. B絕妙的跳鼠馬戲團(tuán),有吃下玉米排出爆米花的公雞,有會射出棉花糖的大炮,甚至還有男孩Wybie。一切都符合Coraline的口味,甚至原本饒舌的Wybie都是被"媽媽""修理"過(嘴巴被縫上了)才送來陪她玩的。面對這樣一個夢幻天堂,Coraline開始有些樂不思蜀了。
再次一覺醒來又回到現(xiàn)實的Coraline越發(fā)覺得現(xiàn)實世界一刻都難以忍受。于是盡管尚在白天,她也趁著媽媽外出購物,第三次進(jìn)入了"完美世界"。這次,"媽媽"不僅為她奉上了姐妹花精彩絕倫的表演,還讓她參與其中,成為整場表演最引人注目的人。Coraline興奮至極,開始希望永遠(yuǎn)留在這里??墒郎蠜]有免費的午餐,要享受就得付出慘重的代價!
[表演結(jié)束了,Coraline依然興奮不已。]
Other Mom: You could stay here forever if you want to.
Coraline: Really?
Other Dad: Sure. We'll sing and play games, and Mother will cook your favorite meals.
Other Mom: There's one tiny little thing we need to do.
Coraline: What's that?
Other Dad: Well, it's a surprise.
["媽媽"遞給Coraline一個盒子,Coraline打開盒子,發(fā)現(xiàn)里面赫然躺著兩粒黑色的紐扣!]
Other Mom: For you, our little doll. Black is traditional. But if you'd prefer pink or vermillion (朱紅色) or chartreuse (黃綠色) ... Though you might make me jealous.
Coraline: No way! You're not sewing buttons in my eyes!
Other Mom: Oh, but we need a "yes" if you want to stay here.
"媽媽"在滿足了Coraline無休止的各種愿望后,終于表明了她的真正意圖--給Coraline的雙眼縫上紐扣,將她永遠(yuǎn)留在門后的世界。Coraline驚恐地跑回臥室,希望一覺醒來自己能像前兩次那樣返回現(xiàn)實世界,可這次她失敗了。曾經(jīng)迫不及待想來"完美世界"的Coraline此刻只有一個念頭--逃離!但逃離談何容易,曾經(jīng)捉弄過Coraline的神秘黑貓倒是試圖幫Coraline逃跑,但卻以失敗告終。Coraline被遭到拒絕的"媽媽"無情地關(guān)了起來。
[被關(guān)起來的Coraline遇到了三個靈魂被困的鬼孩子。]
Coraline: Why are you all here?
Ghost Children: The beldam (惡婆).
Sweet Girl Ghost: She spied (暗中監(jiān)視) on our lives through the little doll's eyes.
Boy Ghost: And saw that we weren't happy.
Tall Girl Ghost: So she lured us away with treasures and treats.
Sweet Girl Ghost: And games to play.
Boy Ghost: Gave all that we asked.
Sweet Girl Ghost: Yet we still wanted more.
Tall Girl Ghost: So we let her sew the buttons.
Boy Ghost: She said that she loved us.
Tall Girl Ghost: But she locked us here.
Ghost Children: And ate up (吞噬) our lives.
Coraline: Well, she can't keep me in the dark forever. Not if she wants to win my life. Beating her is my only chance.
從三個鬼孩子那里,Coraline終于徹底明白了事情的真相。原來,"媽媽"利用小布偶的眼睛偷窺小孩,一旦發(fā)現(xiàn)小孩對現(xiàn)實世界不滿,就會引誘他們打開那扇神秘的小門,自投她的羅網(wǎng)。最終,小孩會被吃掉,變成沒有眼睛四處飄蕩的鬼魂。幸運(yùn)的是,"完美世界"的"啞巴"Wybie及時趕來,幫助Coraline逃了出去??煞祷噩F(xiàn)實世界就意味著徹底逃脫了嗎?
Coraline逃回家,卻發(fā)現(xiàn)父母雙雙失蹤。她請Wybie幫忙,可卻被Wybie無情拒絕。她尋求姐妹花的幫助,卻只得到一塊用途不明的三角形石頭。唯有神秘黑貓始終不離不棄,在它的指引下,Coraline才頓悟:自己的父母原來是被"媽媽"綁架了!憤怒的Coraline終于明白,要想幫助眼睛被偷走的三個鬼孩子,解救被困的父母,她就必須重返門后的世界,打敗可惡的"媽媽"--蜘蛛精。在黑貓的陪伴下,勇敢的Coraline再次踏入"完美世界",決心迎戰(zhàn)蜘蛛精,救回父母。
[按照黑貓的建議,Coraline想誘使正在做飯的蜘蛛精同她玩一個"游戲"。]
Coraline: Why don't we play a game? I know you like them.
Other Mom: What kind of game would it be?
Coraline: An exploring game. A finding things game.
Other Mom: And what is it you'd be finding, Coraline?
Coraline: My real parents.
Other Mom: Too easy.
Coraline: And ... and the eyes of the ghost children.
Other Mom: Huh. What if you don't find them?
Coraline: If I lose, I'll stay here with you forever and let you love me. And I'll let you sew buttons into my eyes.
Other Mom: Hum, and if you somehow win this game?
Coraline: Then you let me go. You let everyone go. My real father and mother, the dead children, everyone you've trapped here.
Other Mom: Deal!
聰明的Coraline根據(jù)蜘蛛精的提示,利用姐妹花給的三角形石頭找到了三個鬼孩子的眼睛。但蜘蛛精給她限定的時間到了,父母卻仍不見蹤影。Coraline和一直陪伴她的黑貓再次落入了蜘蛛精之手。
[蜘蛛精要求Coraline交出鬼孩子們的眼睛,但Coraline決定最后一搏,她拿著鬼孩子們的眼睛在蜘蛛精面前虛晃一下。]
Coraline: Hold on. We aren't finished yet, are we?
Other Mom: No, I suppose not. After all, you still need to find your own parents, don't you? Too bad you won't have this.
[蜘蛛精得意地?zé)龤Я薈oraline的三角形石頭。而一個鬼孩子的眼睛則暗暗提醒Coraline千萬別交出眼睛--交了,蜘蛛精也不會放她走。Coraline瞥到了那扇緊鎖的第十四道門,心生一計。]
Coraline: I already know where you've hidden them.
Other Mom: Well, produce them.
Coraline: They're behind that door.
Other Mom: Oh, they are, are they?
[Coraline根據(jù)鬼孩子們的提示,發(fā)現(xiàn)了困著父母的玻璃球,她克制住欣喜,繼續(xù)哄騙蜘蛛精打開那扇門。]
Coraline: Go on. Open it. They'll be there. All right?
[蜘蛛精吐出了她從Coraline那里搶來的唯一一把鑰匙,打開了門。]
Other Mom: You're wrong, Coraline. They aren't there. Now you're going to stay here forever.
Coraline: No, I'm not!
[Coraline猛地將懷里的黑貓扔向蜘蛛精,蜘蛛精被抓掉了紐扣眼睛,瞎了。Coraline乘機(jī)抓起困著父母的玻璃球,打算逃跑。]
Other Mom: No! No! No! You horrible cheating girl! No! Where are you?
Coraline最終夾掉了蜘蛛精的一只爪子,把蜘蛛精鎖在了第十四道門里。父母得救了,三個鬼孩子也找到了眼睛,靈魂終于得到了自由。并且,現(xiàn)實世界的Wybie最終相信了Coraline所說的一切,及時幫Coraline毀掉了深夜妄圖偷走鑰匙釋放蜘蛛精的那只爪子。鑰匙被扔進(jìn)了Coraline初來Pink Palace時發(fā)現(xiàn)的那口深不見底的古井,蜘蛛精永遠(yuǎn)被困在了第十四道門里。籠罩著Pink Palace的黑暗消散了。
書稿敲定的父母在花園里種上了郁金香,了無生氣的花園開始有了色彩。那些曾經(jīng)看似怪異的鄰居們也紛紛前來幫忙種花,一掃這里的沉悶。經(jīng)歷過這次事件的Coraline此刻心態(tài)和看問題的視角發(fā)生了極大的改變:父母禮物背后的關(guān)愛在她眼里被放大了,簡陋的家在她眼里變得溫馨了,冷漠怪異的鄰居們變得友善熱情了。Coraline終于能停止對父母寵愛的無限索求,懂得不應(yīng)事事苛求完美。她學(xué)會了發(fā)現(xiàn)并珍惜現(xiàn)實生活中的美好,開始在成長的路上闊步前行。而對于每個走在成長路上的人,影片海報上的那句宣傳語似乎同樣值得銘記:Be careful what you wish for!
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