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Review : Tim Burton's Corpse Bride
Last Friday I took my girlfriend Kymberly to go see Tim Burton's Corpse Bride. This was not exactly a sequel to The Nightmare Before Christmas but it did have a reunion of the same director, composer and animation team. Actually it is just a good time when you get to see Tim Burton direct Johnny Depp. It is a sequel in heart.
The had major visual elements of German Expressionism Cinema and a sense of abstraction of the human form that reminded me of Al Hirschfeld. The look and feel of the movie is pure eye candy. The vast majority of the film as stop motion animation with a few computer animation elements but it was as painstakingly detailed and wondrous as Nightmare. Now that we can expect a whole slew of computer animated movies to hit the market each year this is a rare treat to see a stop motion animated film as ambitious as this. it had a wonderful organic feel it it and I loved how the land of the dead was full of color and life while the land of the living was distant, cold and gray.
Story is about an arranged marriage of aristocrat families and an accidental engagement with a tormented bride from the land of the dead and is based on an old Eastern European folk tale.
There were some well done musical numbers by Danny Elfman but it had much less music than Nightmare and there were no big numbers that you find yourself humming.
The rich hypnotic voice of Christopher Lee is always a treat and the next best thing to the late great Vincent Price.
This movie is much darker than your typical animated movie and is not just meant for kids. It is totally fine to bring small kids to and is rated PG. I love this and will no doubt see several times in it's theatrical run and I will gladly get this on DVD. It is a perfect film to see this October.
Jake at September 26, 2005 
Reviews
Comments
One day I will have $7.50. On that day, I will see the movie. Until then... well, I just read reviews.
Posted by: OGHC at September 26, 2005 7:16 AM
I have to say that I agree with your commentary. Tim Burton is my favorite director and somehow I unfortunately became spurned by him.
Coming into the movie it seemed like a rip off of Nightmare (which was good, but I really didn't want to see a sequal without the same charectors). However, like with Charlie and the Chochlate Factory I was mistake and plesantly surprised.
Posted by: Tony at September 26, 2005 4:00 PM
The Rankin-Bass animations that Tim Burton is so enamored with are bad enough, now we get to spend $7.50 (matinee) or $9.95 (evening, DC area) to watch it?
As a live action director, I'm impressed with Tim Burton's style and efforts. As a stop motion animation director, Tim Burton will never be a Ray Harryhausen.
I'll wait for "Corpse Bride" to show up on USA before I see it. One critic reviewed "Corpse Bride" as a "20-minute story stretched over 85 minutes" Considering the 19th century Russian folk tale as it source, that might be a fair assessment.
Posted by: Ken ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.8bitjoystick.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at September 27, 2005 7:04 AM
I went to this movie with my lady as well. We both loved it. I know that with Nightmare before etc, they used several removable heads to give the figures the appearance of speaking and expression, with this movie however I looked to me as though they used clay, or maybe even polyfoam. The mouths of the characters just seemed so fluid in theyr movement.
And Christopher Lee's voice was amazing. I only wish I could sound as cool as he does.
Posted by: Josh at September 27, 2005 3:40 PM
Why does everyone think Tim Burton directed The Nightmare Before Christmas? Stay for the credits once in a while.
Posted by: Shawn L at September 27, 2005 4:47 PM
I know Tim Burton did not direct Nightmere but since it is his story and he was the producer it is pretty much his flick.
Posted by: 8Bit Jake at September 27, 2005 6:38 PM
The story was NOT about an arranged marrige. if you payed attention, Victoria's parents were not pleased with her choice of being married, and Victors were very pleased for him to marry a girl of such presteige. The Lord that came in to the film, was an arranged marrige however. But that wasn't untill Victor accientally proposed to Emily.
Posted by: Henry at September 28, 2005 3:33 PM
