Shout Out / ParaNorman

• The film is one to bad '70s B-Grade horror flicks in general... exactly the type Norman likes to watch on TV.
• The concept of the film is remarkably similar to Return of the Living Dead Part II. To recap, the film is (mostly) a Black Comedy centered on a group of people led by a kid which includes his older sister and a guy she's into trying to survive a Zombie Apocalypse that was caused by the kid's bullies.
• The opening credits are introduced by the camera doing a high-speed zoom through some eerie woods.
• A number of references to Halloween are scattered about:
  • The Halloween Theme Tune is Norman's ringtone.
  • Uncle Prenderghast peering out from behind a hedge watching Norman at school and disappearing a split second later is similar to two shots from the original Halloween (1978) of Michael stalking Laurie at school and on the way home.
  • Neil startling Norman by standing outside his window in a hockey mask also mirrors a shot from the first Halloween in which Laurie/the camera looks down from a second-story window to catch a glimpse of Michael Myers, in his white mask, next to washing hanging on a clothesline.
    • Neil's mask itself is a Friday the 13th Jason Voorhees type hockey mask — but he really does intend to play hockey.
• The name of the town (Blithe Hollow) is a mash-up of the titles of two ghost stories — Blithe Spirit and Sleepy Hollow.
• One of the board games under Norman's bed is titled "The Hand of Fate."
• There's a bar called Bar Argento and a vending machine with a Suspiria (1977) logo on the side.
• There's a candy bar called Cuj-Oh's in the vending machine.
• Norman trying to yank the book away from the hands of his dead uncle is reminiscent of Frederick Frankenstein's similar predicaments with his grandpa's book.
• Norman's friend being called Neil may be a shout out to Neil Gaiman, given that he wrote the source material for Laika's previous success Coraline (as well as The Graveyard Book, which shares some similarities with ParaNorman.)
• Judge Hopkins is named for the title character of the Tigon horror film Witchfinder General, based on real life witchhunter Matthew Hopkins.
• Neil's dog is named Bub.
• There are several shout-outs to Scooby-Doo, although, of course, they don't have a live dog:
  • The police officer uses the phrase "those meddling kids."
    • She even says "Jinkies" when they come across the mob.
  • For part of the movie, the kids are driving around in a van like the Mystery Machine.
  • Salma, the smart one, could be a shout out to Velma, the smart one.
    • Confirmed by the commentary. And the reason they call Salma instead of bringing her along because that's what would happen in real life. The gang wouldn't bring Velma on the dangerous adventure, they'd call her whenever they needed information.
  • Does this◊ remind you of the title card for The New Scooby-Doo Movies?
• Alvin wonders why, when faced with a zombie apocalypse, they should have to go someplace as lame as the library.
• The refrigerator magnets spell Redrum.
• Norman tells Courtney not to use "the z-word."
• One of the ghosts Norman greets on the way to school is named Bruce.
• The confrontation between Norman and Aggie during the film's climax is eerily similar to that of the ending of The Fountain, right down to the color palette and music.
• After centuries of having Sleeping Beauty read to her, is it any surprise Aggie would use her own barrier of thorns to obstruct Norman from reaching her lair?

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