‘Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride’: The re-animated and the romantic (2005)

(Published October 3, 2005, PDI-Entertainment)

By Oliver M. Pulumbarit
Contributor

As its title might suggest, “Tim Burton’s The Corpse Bride” is a working marriage of eccentricity and brimming artistry that the filmmaker is proud of. He did put his name in it after all, just as he proudly integrated his distinct fascination with extra-dimensional oddities into the film. His worlds often swirl with magic and macabre mystery, lovingly created for viewers of all ages to visit.

This animated film, however, while it’s attractively packaged as something that everyone can enjoy immediately, has really mature topics that younger kids may not understand off the bat. But it’s an ideal opportunity to introduce them to complicated matters like sacrifice, arranged marriages, the importance of vows, and contentment.

Burton, utilizing many nicely designed stop-motion animation puppets, tells the folk tale-inspired story well. But some of his frequent collaborators are key to realizing this rich and enigmatic dream world.

Good old Johnny Depp adds another likeable persona to his long list of varied identities, giving voice and soul to Victor, a shy young man betrothed to the similarly reclusive Victoria (Emily Watson). Supernatural entanglements seem to be a given in some of Burton’s films, so it’s unsurprising that it gets weird pretty quickly when Victor accidentally marries the re-animated Corpse Bride (Helena Bonham Carter).

There are two contrasting dimensions that we’re introduced to--the lands of the living and the dead--and it takes time for the story to unfold. But unfold it does, making everyone sympathetic and real, so it’s really sad to see the bizarre love triangle resolved.

The stop-motion animation is pretty impressive, although it’s not explored as much as it was in “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” mostly because of the parameters of this more streamlined story.

Still, design-wise, the caricaturish look of the characters are exciting, unlike, say, some of the unimaginative, super-slick CGI creatures of “Shrek” and its ilk. The visuals capture much about the characters (Victor is thin and wobbly; the town crier is bell-shaped and intrusive, etc.), giving the tale much of its freshness and mystique.

“Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride” is also the twelfth collaboration between the director and Danny Elfman, whose compositions seem to be sounding more and more alike, but the playful and oft-foreboding music fits this stylish and spirited movie rather well.