“Opal” by Jack Stauber (Review Analysis and Explanation)

In this video I give an explanation for what I think "Opal" by Jack Stauber means, in so much detail that my video is longer than the short film he's created. Hopefully you will also leave the video with a brief understanding of Jack's catalogue of creations. I hope you enjoy my Analysis and Review.

Timecodes:
0:00 Introduction
2:17 Summary
9:09 Apology (Minor I'm Thinking Of Ending Things Spoilers)
9:36 Analysis
15:42 Review
17:14 Outro

Other sources of footage and music:

[CandyPawz]

I saw a detail someone pointed out that the real Opal in the billboard is much healthier than Claire, having a full round face like all the other characters while Claire is the only one that's small and malnourished looking. There's also the fact that instead of eating a burger, she dances with it, not knowing what you're supposed to do with a burger.

[gemstonegynoid]

Jack stauber definitely is getting up there. This is his third appearance on Adult Swim now, after a small 2 minute short and the large Shop: a pop opera. I certainly hope he keeps getting work on adult swim.

[marceline]

Another detail of note:
*Claire doesn't know what you DO with a burger.* She's clearly malnourished in the real timeline, which leads into her doing what she assumes you do with a burger in her dream world at the intro, so that's why there's that weird burger scene. Though it might sound weird, if you look back on the scene with that point of view, it makes a lot more sense, although it is somehow even MORE depressing than before. Even in her dream family, she doesn't look nearly as well-fed as the billboard shows Opal.

[underoverachiever]

Here’s some crazy details, Opal seemingly has no idea how to hold a burger at the beginning of the short. she’s likely malnourished, since her grandfather can’t make food, her father only cares for himself, and her mothers an addict.

The dancing lips don’t dance, because the blind man has never seen someone dance before, because, well, he’s blind.

The mother’s hair is extremely thin, in comparison to other characters, likely because she uses cocaine, which causes hair thinning and hair loss.

When Opal notices the billboard, during the We See You Opal reprise, burgers cover the billboard lights, likely Opal pretending that it’s not a billboard, but real.

When Opal’s mother says a daughter to hold her hair, this is literal, since her mother would need to have Opal hold her hair while the mother vomits due to alcohol.

[jolenes]

Took a second watch for me to realize that “ghostly effect” is the lace curtain hanging in Opal’s bedroom window 🤯🤯

[someman]

It's like Coraline, except the fake family is *actually* better.

[questionablemotivegirl]

The mother almost admits to her faults by saying "I feel terrible for what I-" but then she interrupts herself and says this "I feel terrible" she's so close to finally saying that it's her fault yet at the end of her sentence she chickens out, not being able to accept the consequences of her actions.

[Jade]

Imagine Jack makes a short called Claire and it’s a direct sequel to Opal.

[blockpartyrobotleague]

I love how the grandpa's "you're not Claire" line works as misdirection of the audience on first watch, and reinforces the horror on rewatch.

The first time you watch it, it makes sense to assume that he initially misidentified Opal as Claire because he can't see her, and then correctly realises that this girl isn't Claire and that a stranger has broken into his house. The movie continues on to the dad scene with the twist still hidden from the audience.

But when you know the twist - that Opal was Claire the whole time - the idea of the grandpa not recognising his own granddaughter and screaming at her to get out of his house is far more upsetting...

[deskinem_rooted]

Always found it interesting that the music played with the weird ghostly effect coming out of the window/door is called ‘Crying’

[KendoKetsu]

I realised something about The Mother's montage, and why The Father is so narcissistic.

During The Mother's montage, you can see her hitting The Father, and as he is calling 911 on the phone, he is hit again, and his face, which is normal in this scene, begins to melt and deform like the one you can see behind the mirror. She abused him, and broke his face, and he then also became corrupt, due to The Mother's Actions.

[niko]

It’s clear that this man is *bald* based on his glasses.

[msbellebelle]

On the topic of Claire's dad and his terrifying face! In the comments of Opal, someone mentioned that the ugly face could possibly be yet another metaphor for narcissistic people; on the outside they might look pretty, but on the inside, they might seem like an absolute monster. Claire would most definitely know what her father was like inside, which makes sense as to why he appears so gross in her imagination.

[deaconsim]

there is one thing he did not mention with the "We See You Opal" song note the line "Your troubles are MILES away." we see on the billboard in the corner saying that the place "Opals Burgers" is 9 MILES away its another small detail that i don't blame you for missing I'm not saying the video is bad in anyway, Keep up the work.

[drewmungus]

Someone in the Opal comments mentioned that the mother's flashback looks like her trying to call 911 before she gets hit (by her husband maybe?) and drops a baby (presumably Claire) which is why she repeatedly mentions being guilty, and sings about a little girl falling. I personally found it interesting that she says "so you decided to be a person today" (I think that's what she says) whenever she recognizes Claire, though I'm not sure what the significance is. I love all of the subtly Jack puts in his work!

[happenedbychance]

"Go on Opal, you can do it!" It sounds more based on encouragement to me. Perhaps she wished that her mom gave her more encourageement?

[dingdongbells]

I think the mother is best summarized in her own dialogue with the words

"I feel so TERRIBLE about all the things that-"

*Stops midsentence*

"I feel TERRIBLE!"

Now, I'm not gonna put words in her mouth, but I really strongly feel they were about to be "I feel so terrible about all the things that I've done" but she quickly realized that she was about to admit her own guilt, so she stopped herself short of saying that.

[ketamineotaku]

My mother worked as a Child Development Councilor for a few years, so when Opal released I told her to watch it and she had a hard time because it is a realistic depiction of how a child in an abusive and neglectful household would use their imagination to create a "perfect" life based on what they see in the world around them.

[soggyrats]

if you look at the way the three are trying to break down the door they're all different. The mom isn't really trying to break down the door, she's just kind of standing there. The dad isn't trying hard but you can tell it's bothering him, he just hits the door lightly. The grandpa is pounding on the door trying to open it. The mom is the closest to accepting her issues and the most likely to fix her issues. The dad isn't ready to accept his issues but when he does with some help he will fix them. The grandpa is too far gone and possibly blames Claire for his issues.

[lesleychandel]

When you mentioned that Claire is similar to the word for clear in French I immediately thought how Opal is similar to opaque.

Her real family sees through her but her fake family doesn't.