Movie Horrors: Corpse Bride

In Tim Burton's familiar stop-motion style, Corpse Bride takes on a dark fantasy narrative that holds the essentials of Halloween.

The animation is set in a Victorian village. Two young adults from completely different backgrounds are preparing for an arranged marriage forced upon them by their parents; the two are scared, in fear of not liking the other and being reduced to a marriage they never wanted and cannot escape.

Despite their worries, Victor Van Dort and Victoria Everglot finally meet and instantly fall in love. During a wedding rehearsal, Victor forgets his vows, runs away, and attempts to practice them alone in the nearby forest. Victor recites his vows and places the ring on a nearby root, which happens to be the finger of a murdered bride named Emily.

Emily is awakened by Victor's vows, and believes he has saved her and is to be her groom and love. She takes him to the Land of the Dead to meet with her friends and relatives. Victor attempts to explain how coincidental it all is, and plans to get back to Victoria for their wedding.

The animation uses musical as exposition to tell the viewer various little facts and pieces of history about Emily and how she came about her demise; it adds a higher level of engagement that keeps the viewer interested in its Halloween themes and gothic style. It also adds to the sheer craziness of those in the Land of the Dead; their inability to care or feel for others is often displayed. After all, they're dead. What's to worry about?

Given it's an animation, Corpse Bride is far from a horror, but it contains the dark and depressing tones, yet lovable things that make Halloween great.