Tim Burton's Corpse Bride (2005)
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AUDIENCE SCORE
Critic Consensus: As can be expected from a Tim Burton movie, Corpse Bride is whimsically macabre, visually imaginative, and emotionally bittersweet.
Tim Burton's Corpse Bride Videos & Photos
Movie Info
Tim Burton returns to the dark but fanciful animated style of The Nightmare Before Christmas with this stop-motion black comedy. Victor (voice of Johnny Depp) lives in a small European village in the 19th century, where he is pledged to marry Victoria (voice of Emily Watson), a partnership arranged by their parents. The two only meet the day before their scheduled nuptials, and Victor performs disastrously in the wedding rehearsal. Later that evening, while he is walking through the woods and … More
| Rating: | PG (for some scary images and action, and brief mild language) |
| Genre: | Action & Adventure, Animation, Kids & Family, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Comedy |
| Directed By: | Mike Johnson, Tim Burton, Mike Johnson |
| Written By: | Michael Cohn, John August, Pamela Pettler, Caroline Thompson |
| In Theaters: | Sep 16, 2005 Limited |
| On DVD: | Jan 31, 2006 |
| Box Office: | $53.3M |
| Runtime: |
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Cast
as Victor Van Dort
as Corpse Bride
as Victoria Everglot
as Nell Van Dort/Hildeg...
as William Van Dort/May...
as Maudeline Everglot
as Finnis Everglot
as Barkis Bittern
as Pastor Galswells
as Elder Gutknecht
as Maggot/Town Crier
as General Bonesapart
as Bonejangles
as Mrs. Plum
as Emil
as Solemn Village Boy
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LoginCritic Reviews for Tim Burton's Corpse Bride
All Critics (187) | Top Critics (40) | Fresh (156) | Rotten (31) | DVD (37)
As fun as the film occasionally is, it just plays like a compilation of greatest hits.
Visually, Burton is at his most Edward Gorey-esque in the austere, storybook Victorian land of the living, whilst his contrasting comic underworld summons the spirit of Poe, the personality of Harryhausen and the ephemera of his own back catalogue.
The Corpse Bride may be a bit too melancholy to find a real family audience, but for an adult who hasn't quite given up on happily ever afters and strange goings on in the dark woods, it's just the ticket.
Another Burtonesque blur of wise-guy nudging and romantic exhilaration
"Better Off Dead" would have been a better title choice for Tim Burton's self-indulgently macabre attempt at creating an animated underworld of gleeful singing corpses.
There is a BEETLEJUICE-type of manic energy %u2014 a sense of imagination run riot that makes the film always worth watching, even when the story loses traction
Audience Reviews for Tim Burton's Corpse Bride
By turns funny and moving with some great songs, this is a lesser-seen but still great effort from Tim Burton. Full review later.
Super Reviewer
Another beautiful dark gothic whimsical fairytale from the mind of Burton, but one wonders that he is just trying to recapture (maybe even copy) previous glory from his first clay-mation feature.
On visuals this is amazing, just like 'Nightmare' plus of course its Burton's work which is a winner for me. But this film doesn't quite hit the mark, the songs aren't catchy and the characters don't have the same appeal. I didn't like all the skeletons, they aren't characters, just skeletons, nothing much appealing about them.
The human characters were much better than the dead ones, the old Victorian style of costume that was used really looked good and added that gothic feel. The voice work was great, again using a perfect of cast of kooky character actors/actresses to make the magic.
Its visually where the film is best of course, the colours used are all faded, dark, almost black and white. Wonderful palette which always looks good but its missing the magic and indepth imagination of 'Nightmare'. Close for more genius but not quite the gothic dream I hoped for.
Super Reviewer
There's been a grave misunderstanding.
Good animated film. Great story and animation. Loved the voices and i hope Tim Burton and Johnny Depp keep on making these fantastic fantasy movie magic films filled with pure originality and tons of crazy. Go see it!
Blue-tinted, eye-ball-popping, maggot-infested beauty Emily has become known as the Corpse Bride after waiting for her fiancé where the couple planned to rendezvous before getting hitched. When her groom arrives, he kills her, and she rests in the ground to wait for her soul mate, whether he knows he is the Corpse Bride's groom or not. It's a cold dark night, the moon is full, the stars are bright and the forest is a little bit creepy. Wandering through the black mangled trees, Victor just can't memorize his wedding vows. Victor's hesitance towards marriage causes him to jumble the words. Two prominent families have arranged their children to be married in order to overcome financial difficulties. As the objects of betrothal, Victor and Victoria met for the first time the night before their wedding. It only makes sense that Victor, a groom with cold feet, would have trouble remembering tedious wedding vows. Thus Victor ends up in the dark forest ringing his hands and muttering his vows, the vows that the Corpse Bride hears, bringing her out of the grave. Victor suddenly finds himself married to another woman, a voluptuous bombshell bride who also happens to be dead. Whisked away to the Land of the Dead, Victor finds out that living amongst corpses is not as easy as it seems. Heads easily loose their owners and eyes never seem to stay in their sockets, an adjustment that Victor seems reluctant to accept. Once taken into the Land of the Dead, it is nearly impossible to return, causing Victor to choose between risking Victoria's life or giving up his own.
Super Reviewer
Tim Burton's Corpse Bride Quotes
| Corpse Bride: | Pardon my enthusiasm. |
| Victor Van Dort: | I like your enthusiasm. |
| Barkis Bittern: | I was betrothed, once along time ago but tragedy bestowed my love. |
| Finis Everglot: | Everything will go as planned she will marry. |
| Victoria Everglot: | No i'm telling the truth. Victor needs my help. |
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