The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Some 100 theater-goers were treated to a viewing of the new animated film "Coraline" along with seeing real puppets used in the film and an extended Q&A session with set construction crew member Lars C. Larsen.

Larsen stepped in for assistant art director Morgan Hay who was originally scheduled to speak but had to cancel due to a family emergency.

Sisters Movie House owner Lisa Clausen said, "I knew the community would help in any way they could and it all came together! Lars was amazing, delightful! What a great night!"

Both before and after the film, Larsen showed off some puppets and models from the actual movie.

Larsen stated that his job, set construction, was "the easiest of all the jobs in a stop-motion picture."

His work was on some of the most dynamic scenes in the movie, such as the mouse circus, the portal between universes, and lastly, the disintegration of the world scene. But it was always "a fight with physics," he said, noting that, "you have to be patient to make a stop-motion picture."

"Coraline" isn't your typical child's fantasy story - especially not with its terrifying characters, its bizarre setting, and of course, its eye-popping animation, even when you're watching it without 3-D glasses as was the case at Sisters Movie House.

The premise is simple; a young girl escapes into a parallel universe, familiar, yet oddly creepy. The artistry of this film turns this simple idea into an extravagant circus for the eyes and the ears. "Coraline" is the first stop-motion film in 3-D.

With visits by such Hollywood A-listers as "Twilight" director Catherine Hardwicke, a featured appearance by Agent Maxwell Smart's sports car and now a wonderful evening with Lars C. Larsen, Sisters Movie House is making Sisters shine bright in the film galaxy.