31 Days of Halloween: Day 18

Day 18

Tim Burton's The Corpse Bride (2005)



The claymation extravaganza continues with The Corpse Bride. Another collaboration with Tim Burton and his muse, Johnny Depp, in a deep, dark and twisted tale of an arranged marriage that almost never happens when the groom accidentally weds a corpse instead.

Victor, voiced by Depp, is a nervous wreck about his upcoming nuptials to Victoria, until he meets her and falls in love. But, needing to practice his vows, he heads into the woods and repeats his vow...and ends up married to a corpse that happened to be in the area (yup...he put the ring on her and everything...and he didn't know).

What ensues is a fun arrival into the land of the dead (underneath the land of the living...appropriately enough) which includes an explanation of how Emily, the corpse bride, ended up down there. Unfortunately, he tale is not a happy one (she was killed and left for dead while waiting for her betrothed).

While it is a predictable story...what isn't nowadays...I still find it fun and clever. Danny Elfman does a great job as well, again, though I do feel that Nightmare is the more classic and more creative musical he has come up with. I do also really like the shapes of the characters. From the tall and statuesque mother-of-the-bride to the short and stout father-of-the-bride and both of Victor's parents (also thin and stout...though in reverse), each character has a distinct build that I find is fantastic.

While it's not Nightmare Before Christmas, I feel that its a great second venture into the world of claymation for Tim Burton and his crew. Be sure to check it out!


Similar Movies

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1994)


Up Next

The Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

31 Days of Halloween: Day 17

Day 17

Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)



Ah, claymation. My mother hates it. This is actually one of her least favorite movies...ever. I can't remember if its the claymation she doesn't like...or the story...but every time I mention this movie or watch it, she makes a comment.

Its ok. Having grown up around the time of the Christmas claymation stories (Rudolph, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, The Year Without A Santa, etc) I guess I just grew up liking those kinds of movies. But, I can understand if people don't like them. They can be choppy and unbelievable. Even in Nightmare, you can see the strings of items that they needed to make fly but couldn't do it without the fishing lures.

This is a great movie musical...and I think Danny Elfman does a fantastic job with the music and the lyrics. Creepy and Christmas-y...pretty impressive (no, not traditionally at the same time). You can keep the songs in your head and they are great to sing along to (I have the soundtrack...so trust me on this).

To me, Jack Skellington is a great Disney character. Sure...he's a skeleton, so he's kind of creepy. But he wants to take over Christmas and do it their own way. How cool is that?! He just wants a change in his life. What Disney story doesn't? Look at The Little Mermaid, Aladdin or Beauty and the Beast. Each of these stories have a main character that wants something different for themselves, claiming that there's something bigger and better waiting for them...and they find it.

In Jack's case, he finds it...but is doesn't go the way he would like. He ends up almost ruining Christmas and as Jack's enemy, the Boogie Man, locks Santa away...it looks like Christmas might be gone for good. Can Jack save the day?

Of course....but you can check it out for yourself!!


Similar Movies

The Corpse Bride (2005) (coming so soon...you can taste it!)
Edward Scissorhands (1990)
Sleepy Hallow (1999)


Up Next

The Corpse Bride (2005)