Corpse Bride

Tim Burton's Corpse Bride is a 2005 stop-motion-animation film based on a 19th century Russian-Jewish folktale version of an older Jewish story. It was directed by Tim Burton and Mike Johnson, and filmed at Vinton Studios in London. more...

It stars Johnny Depp as the voice of Victor and Helena Bonham Carter as the voice of the Corpse Bride. This is the first animated film in which Johnny Depp has been a voice actor.

The movie bears a striking resemblance to The Nightmare Before Christmas, a stop-motion movie directed by Henry Selick and based on a Tim Burton poem, which Corpse Bride director Mike Johnson worked on as an animator. It is also reminiscent of another Burton effort, Beetlejuice, especially in the scenes depicting the underworld and its deceased denizens. Some commercials for Corpse Bride are even accompanied by songs from The Nightmare Before Christmas (specifically, "What's This").

Plot

The story is set in a cold, gloomy Victorian era town, a parody of aristocratic England. A young, nervous man by the name of Victor Van Dort, son of rich fishmongers Nell and William Van Dort, is due to be wed to beautiful young Victoria Everglot, daughter of bankrupt (as well as ugly and unpleasant) aristocrats Maudeline and Finnis Everglot. Victor isn't too keen on the idea of an arranged marriage until he meets Victoria face-to-face. After messing up his wedding vows at the wedding rehearsal, Victor is banished to the forest by the pastor to learn his vows. There he practices his vows, and discovering what he takes to be a tree root protruding from beneath the ground, places his bride's wedding ring on it. No sooner has he done so than Emily, the Corpse Bride, emerges from beneath the earth, dressed in a moldy, flowing wedding dress, and declares Victor her husband. She was mysteriously killed on her wedding day and has been waiting for her groom to come and claim her ever since. She whisks Victor away to the surprisingly colourful, vibrant, and musical Land of the Dead.

At first, Victor deceives Emily, convincing her to return them both temporarily to the Land of the Living under the pretense of introducing her to his parents. Victor meets Victoria and confesses his love for her, but a betrayed Emily spirits him away while Victoria watches helplessly. While Victoria tries to convince her pastor and parents that Victor needs help, Victoria's parents Maudeline and Finis plan to match up their daughter with the handsome (and presumed rich) drifter Barkis Bittern. Unbeknownst to the others, Barkis intends to kill Victoria and make off with her fortune, which he mistakenly believes is still viable.

A newly-deceased friend of Victor delivers the news of Victoria's engagement to Victor himself. Victor, thinking that Victoria is marrying Barkis willingly, severs all ties with Victoria, agreeing to drink poison as part of an above-ground ceremony that will make his marriage to Emily official. The residents of the Land of the Dead storm the town, and in the ensuing chaos, the newly-wed Barkis learns that Victoria is penniless.

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