 Tim Burton’s CORPSE BRIDEMPAA Rating:
 for some scary images and action, and brief mild languageReviewed by: Douglas Downs Offensive
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience:
Family
Genre:
Clay animation, Action/Adventure, Comedy, Kids/Family
Year of Release:
2005
     Rising to the occasion / There’s been a grave misunderstanding. Producer’s Synopsis: “Set in a 19th century European village, this stop-motion, animated feature follows the story of Victor, a young man who is whisked away to the underworld and wed to a mysterious Corpse Bride, while his real bride, Victoria, waits bereft in the land of the living. Although life in the Land of the Dead proves to be a lot more colorful than his strict Victorian upbringing, Victor learns that there is nothing in this world, or the next, that can keep him away from his one true love.” Tim Burton has always been known as a very innovative Director. His films certainly have a style all their own. “Corpse Bride” is no exception. The puppets that he used were made from stainless steel armatures covered with silicon skin. This was also the first stop-motion feature to use the new Apple Final Cut Pro during the editing process. This was also the first feature to be made with commercial digital still photography cameras (Canon SLR cameras with Nikon lenses) instead of film cameras. The detail in this movie is so refined that it took animators 28 separate shots just to make the bride blink. Mr. Burton used a 55-week shoot, during which 109,000,440 frames had to be set up and filmed. He even used routines from a 1929 film called “Skeleton Dance” to create his own skeletal performance. I once heard an actor make the passing comment “We all let Tim make movies, because it would be scary to see what he would do other wise.” Yes, his genius is a bit unusual, but the results are always visually stunning. The “Corpse Bride” contains and interesting tongue-in-cheek feel for the confrontation between the living and the very lively dead. This is not one of those ghoulish zombie horror flics. “Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride” is whimsical and romantic—although half its characters are the rotting dead—and it has a wacky sensibility to boot. The headwaiter at an Underworld restaurant really is just a head. A skeleton chorus line does high kicks. And the Corpse Bride of the title is forever dropping a hand, an arm or a leg bone. No wonder the Second-Hand Shoppe sells—you guessed it!—hands.It’s all accomplished with stop-motion puppets, which Burton used so effectively in 1993's The Nightmare Before Christmas, a film he co-wrote with Caroline Thompson and produced, but did not direct. This time Burton co-directed (with Mike Johnson) at the same time he was filming his hit Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, taking along that film’s star, Johnny Depp, as the hapless hero who accidentally wins the heart of a dead woman on the day before he is to be married to someone else. “Corpse Bride” was written by Nightmare’s Thompson, plus John August and Pamela Pettler. The music is alright and they do help to advance the plot. Yes, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” fans.Danny Elfman composed the music for this movie too. The “Corpse Bride” certainly resurrects the spirit of “The Nightmare Before Christmas” (though with an even better look because the jerky stop-motion movements of the characters, in which the camera is stopped and the figures rearranged, have been smoothed out digitally). It also has the eerily goofy tone of The Nightmare Before Christmas, which revolves around Jack Skellington, the long dead skeletal hero of Halloweentown, who accidentally discovers Christmastown and decides to bring all its merriment home by taking over the role of Santa Claus. Burton clearly delineates the Land of the Living—in this case Victorian England—from the Land of the Dead by emphasizing blues and grays and dull mauves in the color palette of the human world, while the Land of the Dead is presented in festive, gay tones. It’s up above where Victor (voice by Depp) has been forced by his social-climbing mother and fish-canner father into an arranged marriage to the wispy Victoria Everglot (Emily Watson), a young woman he has never laid eyes on, but who comes from a long socially stellar line. That Victoria’s parents are down to their last shilling is a fact Victor Van Dort and his parents aren’t aware of, nor is anyone else, for that matter. Although Victoria’s parents Maudeline (Joanna Lumley of Absolutely Fabulous) and Finis Everglot (Albert Finney) are unpleasantly disdainful of their intended nouveau riche in-laws, they need the money. 'How could our family have come to this?' moans Maudeline upon meeting the unprepossessing Victor. A spoiler turns up at the wedding rehearsal in the dashingly pompous form of Lord Barkis Bittern (Richard E. Grant). The rehearsal turns chaotic when Victor can’t remember his lines and the austere, long-faced pastor (Christopher Lee) sends Victor off into the night, humiliated, to learn his vows. Victor dashes off to the woods, where he accidentally meets the Corpse Bride (Helena Bonham Carter, who is Burton’s real-life love). A woman who’d been left at the altar and later murdered for her jewels by her intended bridegroom, she comes to believe that Victor has proposed to her! To add to the fun, the Corpse Bride, whose name is Emily, is a dead ringer—pardon the expression—for Angelina Jolie, or at least an Angelina Jolie with a chunk missing from her cheek and a worm with the voice of Peter Lorre popping out of an eye socket from time to time. (Maudeline Everglot looks very much like the wicked stepmother in Walt Disney’s Cinderella.) It’s not long before the terrified and befuddled Victor begins to like the more cheerful and open atmosphere of the Underworld, a big change from the stifling world of Victorian England. After all, there are those high-kicking skeletons, the rainbow of colors, the ghoulish fun and someone to love him for himself, no matter if her eyeball occasionally falls out. But can a marriage between a living man and a dead woman have much of a future? It’s a question “Corpse Bride” gets to, well, the bottom of in a nifty series of one-liners, inventive sight gags and wild insanity. The Underworld looks a bit like the environs of Halloweentown, and the funny bits come so fast you might have to see it again. Burton and Co. are having a ball and run with the concept. The Underworld, after all, is such a happy place that “people are dying to get down here.” The piano Victor plays is a Harryhausen, an insider joke that pays tribute to master stop-motion animation genius Ray Harryhausen. When Emily falls for Victor she explains that he 'takes my breath away… or would if I had any.' Yet with all this daffiness, “Corpse Bride” maintains a wistful, sentimental tone. There is left-behind Victoria, after all. In her brief moments with Victor she has discovered her soulmate. And that gives all the film’s craziness a grounding in the real world of the living that’s touching and heartfelt. I do not agree with Burton’s concept of death, but I did enjoy this piece of rare cinematography. Violence: None / Profanity: Minor / Sex/Nudity: Minor Year of Release—2005 / USA release: September 23, 2005 (wide).  Neutral - The good things about this film is that there are no sex scenes (Victor, Victoria, and the Corpse Bride are all pretty virginal for the most part), little profanity (a priest utters the word “Hell” but it is only in reference to shooing away the dead corpses and skeletons from coming into church; it wasn’t used in a vulgar manner), and it’s a wonderfully made film in the manner of Tim Burton’s previous creation “A Nightmare Before Christmas.” According to the Internet Movie Database, it took 55 excruciating weeks to do thousands of individual shots of each character’s bodily movements. Positive - This movie was exceptionally good. I went with my daughter and we both enjoyed it. I love being able to go to the movies and not have all that trash from the world put in it. Overall, it was a great movie… Positive - This movie is an amazing feat; I have seen both of Tim Burton’s films that went to the theatre this year and to have two well made movies in the course of four months is stunning. I keep hearing about all of these dark, occultic references in the movie. To an extent, it is a dark movie (the sun is not shining, and it is night through 99% if the movie)… Neutral - I went to see this movie with my five year old brother who loves scary movies. I think that the movie is wittty, interesting, and unique. However, I do not recommend taking a five year old to see this movie. It is very dark (not scary for an adult). He wanted to leave with onle 10 mins left in the movie. Neutral - Why do some Christians keep on harshly judging Tim Burton for having a “demonic” imagination? If you think he’s so evil, maybe you should pray for him or something. Or maybe you should stop judging him, as that goes against the Bible. This movie is not as dark as any of his old school stuff (like Nightmare Before Xmas, Beetlejuice, etc.) I think Burton has actually lightened up a lot, compared to what he did back in the 80's and early 90's. This movie is actually pretty kid friendly; it’s cute. Not as kid friendly as “Charlie,” as the subject matter is pretty dark, but parents should use their own judgment. When I was a kid, I had no trouble watching Burton’s movies but if you think it might be too scary, don’t take em! Negative - This movie is an abomination. Don’t be fooled. It is not a good scare for any misguided Christian parent who still lets their children celebrate Halloween. I only stayed to watch the entire film so I could honestly warn others about its disturbing content. It is sickening, morose and dangerous for children or adults. As a Christian parent, hopefully your first instincts would be that this is necromancy and absolutely contrary to God’s word. Positive - Let me state at first, that this movie does not, repeat NOT, reflect the Biblical view of death and what awaits an unsaved (or saved) individual. Yes, it does treat death as many picture it, a place where you meet your friends and have a great time of dancing, drinking and laughing. In this, it does a diservice to all in doing death this way. However, what can one expect from someone who does not know the truth? Positive - I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. The movie quality was extremely pleasing. It was funny and a very nice alternative for movie watching during this October month when many others are watching the cut and slash movies that usually dominate the theater during Halloween. No foul language. No sexual content. Appropriate and enjoyable for the whole family. Positive - Another amazing film from Tim Burton, a man with true creative vision in a sea of poor execution and boring visuals. The man is an amazing director, and I have a massive amount of respect for him and all his work, and the way he has defined such an unimitable style, that is instantly definable as Burton’s. Positive - I really enjoyed this film. I caught the Ray Haryhausen tribute as well and that set the tone for me. I thought this film had the best parody of a bar band since the original Star Wars. Did anyone else catch the Ray Charles send up playing piano? Positive - …I liked it a lot. Mind you, this film’s portrayal of the afterlife is not Biblical, but that doesn’t change the fact that it is a good film, with several redeeming aspects: Positive - Love the movie. Have seen both Charles and the Chocolate Factory and “Corpse Bride” which Tim Burton made at the same time. Found the style is unique and awesome in both films. I like the plotting and witty witty conversation. If Charles and the Chocolate Factory reminds you the red colour and rainbow with bitter, then Corpse Bride takes the greyish blue with peace. What I can say more? I love the movie and I love the tone, the style—and how Emily got into Victor’s heart. Remember the piano duet which Victor and Emily reconcilated? Comments from young people
Neutral - …although I was not particularly offended by the film (though I realise more sensitive people would be), I simply found it repetitive, the action seeming to drag somewhat in the middle. My younger sister (9 years old) wanted to go see this movie, but I recommended that she go and see Wallace and Gromit instead as I felt there were some scenes in the film that would be too dark and scary for younger children. Although the film seems to promote love and creativity, there are dark overtones to the entire film, in particular; that Victor must kill himself to remain married to the Corpse Bride. However, this is probably to be expected from a Tim Burton movie, I still would not recommend it to young children, nor those who are particularly sensitive. Positive - I want to start off by saying that this is a fairytale, fiction movie and that was based off a 19th century Russian folk tale, so you might want to read into that before making assumptions about this film. This movie was absolutely beautiful! The scenery and the characters were very well done and it was a lot smoother then “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” I am really hoping that this will win an award this year for best animated film, because it deserves it. They did so very well with the expressions and even the singing details! Positive - …a really cute movie!! The animation was wonderful, and the voices were really cool!! I think that this movie is perfact for all ages!! Positive - I took my 8-year-old neice to see this one, and we both loved it. It’s very interesting, fun, and I think a visually stunning film. My one complaint is that the vocal talents seem to be mostly tone-deaf and often break into tone-deaf harmonies, in minor keys that really pain my ears. As with any film made by the world that deals with death, you may have to explain what the Bible has to say about those subjects to your children. After the film, my neice and I were able to talk about just that. So as long as children understand it’s all “make-believe” and not based on truth, then it’s a great family film. Positive - …the first thing I thought after seeing it was “Wow.” I simply loved this movie. The animation was wonderful, compared to his earlier masterpiece, “The Nightmare Before Christmas”, which was a little choppy at some points. The characters were wonderful; the script was superb, and the plot was awesome. Positive - This movie was good. I… saw it with my niece and nephew; they thoroughly enjoyed it. As a teenager I even found myself laughing at some of the comic qualities. This is in no way an offensive movie, and I would reccomend it. Movie Critics
…The animation is astounding, and the story and characters are just as compelling. …an unexpectedly touching celebration of love told in a quirky and inventive style. …most certainly not a film for the youngest children. …dark subject matter… …silly theology …a staggering visual achievement …a gothic work of art… …exceedingly clever, with dialogue that kids and adults alike will be eagerly quoting… |
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