A spooky tale of love, death and the differences between the living and the dead. Corpse Bride is a stop motion animated film from director Tim Burton. Johnny Depp voices Victor Van Dort, the son of rich fishmongers who is betrothed to Victoria Everglot (Emily Watson), daughter of penniless aristocrats. He falls in love with her.
The Story
In an era where computer-generated animation is more dazzling than it is involving, Corpse Bride is a breath of fresh air. Directed by Tim Burton, it’s morbidly whimsical and features finely-tuned character designs, all done in the stop-motion claymation style favored by the director of Edward Scissorhands and Danny Elfman’s memorable score.
The story centers on Victor Van Dort (Johnny Depp) who is about to partake in an arranged marriage to Victoria Everglot, daughter of a wealthy fishmonger family. His parents hope that the marriage will boost their social standing. During the rehearsal, Victor keeps messing up his lines and accidentally marries himself to Emily (Helena Bonham Carter) who insists that they’re now husband & wife & wants to take him to the land of the dead where she lives.
John August’s script is solid, and the cast of characters (including Richard Grant as Lord Barkis, Christopher Lee as Count Galswells, Erin Reiter as the funny maggot-channeling Corpse Bride & a great sounding Peter Lorre-sound-alike in the role of the town crier) works well together. The film loses points though for a few instances of weak jokes and for a rather abrupt ending.
The Visuals
In a world of glitzy computer-generated animation that is often more dazzling than it is, Corpse Bride stands as a gothic work of art. From the thin insect stick-like or fat, squat and barrel shaped puppets to the stark contrast between the monochrome land of the living and the vibrant Land of the Dead, every frame is a feast for the eyes.
While it may not be quite on the same level as The Nightmare Before Christmas, Corpse Bride is a gothic fairy tale with a darkly humorous story and an enchanting, melancholy atmosphere. The movie is a delight from beginning to end, although it could have used more memorable musical numbers.
A must see for any fan of Tim Burton, Corpse Bride carries on in the tradition of Edward Scissorhands and The Nightmare Before Christmas with a dark romantic fairy tale that is both entertaining and thought-provoking. It is an excellent choice to enjoy during the Halloween season, as it helps remind us that death should not be feared and that true love is worth any price.
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The Music
After the success of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” Tim Burton teamed up again with composer Danny Elfman. While the songs in Corpse Bride may not stand out like the Oompa Loompa tunes, they are quite good and help create a dark world that is both exciting and fun.
The stop motion animation is astounding, with each frame requiring hours of work to complete. The ghoulish creatures have spindly limbs and exaggerated features that give them a comical, yet gothic look. From the monochrome Land of the Living to the riotously colored Land of the Dead, each frame is an elaborate gothic work of art. The primewire film is also an excellent example of how a movie can be funny and scary at the same time. While it is never truly frightening, it does portray the death of a young girl in a way that could be triggering for children. Parents should consider this before allowing kids to see the film.
The Voices
The animation is top-notch in this film that is more than a bit dark. It may not appeal to all children (though my 11 year old enjoyed it), but for those who can handle a little macabre, Corpse Bride is a delightfully charming and wondrous movie with amazing “how did they do that” visuals.
Its 19th Century European setting recalls a time when marriage vows really meant something. The empathetic Victor Van Dort (voiced by Johnny Depp) is willing to go through with the arranged marriage to Victoria Everglot (voiced by Emily Watson) even though he doesn’t love her. He’s not the only one to make such a sacrifice as the corpses (voiced by Joanna Lumley, Albert Finney, Christopher Lee and others) refuse to violate the laws of the living world in order to save their loved ones from death.
While it isn’t quite on par with the director’s previous stop motion adventure, Nightmare Before Christmas, Corpse Bride is still a very enjoyable and charming film with interesting character designs and a wonderful score by Danny Elfman.