Critic calls ‘Corpse Bride’ animation ‘marriage made in cinematic heaven’
With “Corpse Bride,” Tim Burton proves to his fans that his devotion to stop-motion animation ranks as a marriage made in cinema heaven. The painstaking old-school style requires moving puppets a fraction of an inch, shooting a frame of film and then repeating the procedure thousands of times. Fortunately for film lovers, Burton understands the eternal charm of the stop-motion process, which was used by Willis O’Brien for “King Kong” (1933) and by Ray Harryhausen for an assortment of fantasy titles, including “The 7th Voyage of Sinbad” (1958) and “Jason and the Argonauts” (1963).
The finished product lacks the slick quality of computer animation, but that’s part of the charm.
Burton, of course, proved that once before with “The Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993), which he co-produced and benefited from having familiar characters such as Halloween pumpkins and Santa Claus. “Corpse Bride,” which does slightly modernize the stop-motion process by using digital cameras to quicken the filming, also echoes some of Burton’s live-action titles, notably the looks and tones of “Beetlejuice,” “Edward Scissorhands” and “Sleepy Hollow.”
In the end, “Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride” (the film’s official title) doesn’t reach the highs of “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” but the PG-rated picture sprinkles a love story touching upon passion, greed, remorse and sacrifice with enough macabre charm to delight the filmmaker’s avid fans. (It should be noted that despite the animated elements, “Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride” is a mature offering with some unsettling images and violent plot twists.)
Based on a Russian folk tale, the Victorian-era story set in a European village follows a meek pianist, Victor Van Dorts (voice by Johnny Depp of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”), as his money-obsessed parents push him into an arranged marriage with the gentle Victoria Everglot (Emily Watson of “Angela’s Ashes”). The young woman’s opportunistic nouveau riche mother and father believe that her wedding with Victor will raise their social standing.
The nervous Victor keeps fumbling his wedding vows during practice sessions before a bullying pastor (voice by Christopher Lee of “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers”). He decides to leave the church, practice his vows outside and slips the wedding ring on what appears to be a frozen twig.
That, however, turns out to be the bony finger of the Corpse Bride (voice by Helena Bonham Carter of “Fight Club”), a young woman who was jilted and murdered and has been waiting for someone to come along and reanimate her. In short order, the Bride introduces Victor to the land of the dead, which is much livelier than the prim, proper, boring and repressed world of the living.
Much of the film’s charm results from the three-way romance between Victor, Victoria and the Corpse Bride as each tries to make sense of his or her situation. Rather than pitting the young women against each other and having them fight over the suitor, Burton and his creative cohorts have the ladies coming to terms with their relationships with Victor and moving on in mature ways that avoid stereotypical elements and introduce the characters to different destinies.
Burton also works in some nice messages, including a warning that no woman should ever define herself by marriage prospects or family expectations.
“Corpse Bride” offers the opportunistic Barkis Bittern (voice by Richard E. Grant of “Bram Stoker’s Dracula”), who attempts to take financial and emotional advantage of Victoria, as the villain of the piece. His grand gestures and non-threatening manner sabotage the broadly drawn character’s attempts to be a truly threatening presence.
Burton’s long-time musical collaborator, Danny Elfman, creates some appealing songs and scary musical sounds and, as usual, elevates the material.
In the end, “Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride” proves a marvelously morbid tale that stresses the preciousness of life and, perhaps even more, love.
Postscript: Sharp-eyed fans should watch for little touches in “Corpse Bride,” such as a piano embossed with the name “Harryhausen” as its manufacturer. Also keep in mind that Burton directed “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and “Corpse Bride” simultaneously, shooting the former during the day and the latter at night at two different London studios. His challenging joint effort ranks as quite a cinematic achievement.
FILM REVIEW
“Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride”
Grade: B+
Starring: The voices of Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Emily Watson, Richard E. Grant and Christopher Lee; screenplay by Caroline Thompson and Pamela Pettler; produced by Tim Burton and Allison Abbate; directed by Michael Johnson and Tim Burton.
Running Time: 76 minutes.
Parental Guide: PG rating (frightening images, action scenes, brief mild language, drinking scenes).
Web site: corpsebridemovie.com