Top 10 stop-motion films

One of the most iconic and original forms of art is the classic stop-motion type of artwork. Since the very early 1900s, stop-motion has been used in movie making and has captivated audiences with its hauntingly unique style. When people think of stop-motion the name Tim Burton might come to mind, since he is the most modern stop-motion magician of this age however the art style has been going on for decades.
With animation increasingly becoming more and more focused on CGI and 3D technology, it is always a rare treat to see a film animated in a more classic and older style. Not only do these films take years to make because of the in-depth and time consuming filming process but one can see the love that is put into that style of animation.
Coming later this year a new stop-motion film from Laika Studios (known for Coroline and Paranorman) will be released called The Boxtrolls. The film is based on the novel, Here Be Monsters by Alan Snow. Fans of dark fantasy and of stop-motion will have something to look forward to this fall when The Boxtrolls comes out.
In honor of the artistic style, here is a list of some of the top ten best stop-motion films.
[new page=Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer]
10. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
One of the first most notable stop-motion using puppets is the classic 1964 Christmas special movie, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Produced by the famous Rankin/Bass, who has basically made every single memorable Christmas special, the heartwarming film has been a staple in Christmas time traditions ever since it first aired. Narrated by Burl Ives, the film is an excellent and lovable retelling of the story and song of Rudolph the reindeer with the nose that glows red.

[new page=Frankenweenie]
9. Frankenweenie
In 2012, director Tim Burton released his film Frankenweenie which told the story of a boy who turns his beloved deceased dog into a reanimated corpse. Back in 1984, before Burton’s work with stop-motion became truly recognized, Burton had made a short film called Frankenweenie as well. His 2012 film was basically a longer remake of his original work. Being in all black and white color, the film gives off a certain feel that fits perfectly with the morbid yet adorable story of a boy who loves his dog more than anything. It is also a nod to the story of Frankenstein in which the whole story is based on.

[new page=Vincent]
8. Vincent
Before Tim Burton was ever famous for his works such as the previously mentioned Frankenweenie, he released a short-film in 1982 that would forever be one of his legendary works called Vincent. Although the film is only about six minutes in length and has never actually been officially released, the early works of Burton’s animation and the iconic voice of Vincent Price narrating the short makes it an amazingly dark masterpiece. Price had and is still one of Burton’s lifelong idols and the story of Vincent focuses on the life of a seven year old boy who pretends he himself is Vincent Price and lives in a fantasy world filled of death, lost love and a bit of Edgar Allan Poe inspiration.

[new page=Gumby: The Movie]
7. Gumby: The Movie
Although receiving mostly unfavorable reviews and critiques, Gumby: The Movie encapsulates perfectly the animation style of using stop-motion clay and puppets. Gumby has always been well known for being one of the most popular claymation characters since the 1950s and the movie tried to mimic that same feeling of animation and comedy in the 1995 film. Fans of the original Gumby series were happy to see Gumby and his horse pal Pokey together again in the film and the pure nostalgia of the film is what makes it so deserving of a spot on this list.

[new page=Corpse Bride]
6. Corpse Bride
Yet another one of Tim Burton’s stop-motion masterpieces and his first actual stop-motion film he directed, Corpse Bride is another dark fantasy that has inspired audiences since 2005. The story features favorite Burton actors Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter who play the Victorian Era characters who go through trials of love and heartbreak. In this exceptionally dark film, Burton’s use of stop-motion and dark colors all somehow really bring to life this love-triangle of a story.

[new page=Fantastic Mr. Fox]
5. Fantastic Mr. Fox
In 2009, director Wes Anderson created a stop-motion comedy based off of Roald Dahl’s novel of the same name. Anderson and well known stop-motion creator, Henry Selick teamed up to create this incredible film adaptation of the popular book. The story is about Mr. Fox who outsmarts some farmers and builds his new home underground with the help of some other animal friends. Not only is the film by a great director but the film features voices of famous actors George Clooney and Meryl Streep, making it an all-star film.

[new page=Paranorman]
4. Paranorman
Paranorman is an amazing stop-motion film that tells the story of a young boy named Norman who can see and speak with dead people who struggles to fit in within his school, town and family. His Massachusetts town had been cursed by a witch many years ago which causes the dead to rise. A lot of inspiration in the film is clearly from the 1970s era and of early zombie films and the style fits perfectly with the stop-motion animation. Although not as widely popular as Laika Studio’s Coraline, Paranorman did well for itself and boosted the growing popularity of the studio.

[new page=James and the Giant Peach]
3. James and the Giant Peach
In 1996, director Henry Selik and producer Tim Burton paired up to create one of the most popular stop-motion films of our generation, James and the Giant Peach. Mixing stop-motion animation and live action, the film captured the whimsy and magic of Roald Dahl’s novel of the same name. The story is sad yet heartwarming and is about a boy named James who lives a horrible life after the death of his parents. In the desperation to find a new life, the young boy finds a haven within a giant peach where he meets many friends and travels to New York City within the giant peach. Overall the film captures what it is to be a child who still has hope and believes in magic.

[new page=The Nightmare Before Christmas]
2. The Nightmare Before Christmas
Tim Burton’s fantastical story of Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King, who yearns to bring the Christmas spirit to his Halloween Town is the story of one of the most popular stop-motion films of all time, The Nightmare Before Christmas. Still relevant and talked about to this day, fans have gone crazy for this film ever since it was released in 1993. One can still see characters from the film on clothing, accessories and all sorts of things up to this day with Jack Skellington being one of the most iconic characters in animation history. The film features several well-known songs which have been covered by famous artists and the extent to which this film is loved is unmeasurable.

[new page=Coraline]
1. Coraline
Based on Neil Gaiman’s dark fantasy novel, Coraline is a dark and magical story of a young, curious girl who finds herself realizing that what you think to be one thing really turns out to be something else and that all that glitters isn’t gold. The 2009 film directed by Henry Selik and released by Laika Studios, remains to this day and masterpiece when it comes to stop-motion and animation. The animation is like a dream and almost makes one feel as if they have entered an entirely new world. The movie itself, from the music to the characters to the story is entrancing and is an absolute pleasure to watch over and over.