I suggest this Halloween season that you “treat” yourself to Tim Burton’s latest film. “Corpse Bride” won’t be a trick.
If you have enjoyed any of Burton’s other
cinematic offerings such as, Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, Nightmare Before Christmas and Sleepy Hollow you’re in for a twisted and sweet fairytale Burton style.
You do not have to be a Tim Burton fanatic like I am to enjoy this film. The movie appeals to both men and women, and married couples in particular.
The story is based on a Russian folk tale about an arranged marriage. The prospective groom’s family is nouveau riche hoping to move up the social ladder. The bride to be is the daughter of a family of high social standing hoping to keep up appearances and hide the fact that they are penniless.
The groom is afraid of being trapped in a loveless marriage. This is also a love story where one partner sacrifices their happiness for the sake of the other.
Burton shows the land of the living as a cold, dull and colorless world where the groom, Victory, played by Johnny Depp lives. Juxtaposed to it is the corpse bride’s world, the land of the dead, a carnival like happy world of color and fun.
The land of the living is full of selfish parents, bombastic and cranky minister and a mysterious stranger with bad intentions. The land of the dead is full of cheerful singing skeletons, a disembodied head and zombies.
The corpse bride, whose voice is played by Helena Bonham Carter, is a truly wonderful character.
She is both beautiful and grotesque at the same time, with her partially exposed rib cage, skeletal arm and leg. You may be asking where the beautiful part comes in. Her beautiful skin is light blue accented with dark blue hair and a tattered wedding dress.
The greatest bits in the film, from the bride rising from the grave and when the skeletons and ghouls cross over to the world of the living, is reminiscent of The Night of the Living Dead.
There is of course, a nod to the Tim Burton fan in the film, referring to his earliest film project.
Although you may think the film is just for kids with its PG rating and non stop motion animation, but you would be wrong. The film deals with adult relationships and problems.
If you’re a twisted child at heart you will love this film. This truly is a ghoulish good time at the movies and an excellent Halloween treat, which will make you laugh and bring a tear to your eye.
PG
Directed by Tim Burton,
Music and Songs by Danny Elfman,
Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.
The Voices of: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter,
Emily Watson, Albert Finney and Christopher Lee.
Based on a Russian folktale.
Running Time: 1 hr. 15 min.
Is Adam tricking you? Let us know. If you have seen the film email to give us your input. nathasha@audacitymagazine.com . There is also the Online Forum where you can discuss scary movies with other Audacity readers.