Movies

I am told that this story originated as an Eastern European folk tale. A young man (Johnny Depp), promised by his family to give his hand in marriage finds himself in a most unfortunate situation. In his nervousness he meanders into the forest to clear his head before the wedding. The end result of his trip into the trees is less of a clear head and more of a new bride; a Corpse Bride (Helena Bonham Carter).

Now married to the Corpse Bride, he is taken to the city of the dead and left wondering if he will ever see the light of day again, let alone the woman he was to marry.

Tim Burton's movies exude style. Whether he uses actors or stop-motion animation, you are in for a treat. Corpse Bride is no exception, it is a visual schmorgesbord.

The music was done by Danny Elfman, whose name should speak for itself. If it doesn't, the man's resume is quite impressive. The songs were fun, though a little muffled. It was hard to tell if it was the fault of the theater in which I watched, or the songs themselves. It was such that the backround voices and music sometimes drowned out lead vocals. This left me lost during a song or two but I was able to move on.

I will chalk it up to a flaw in the story of old, and not in the representation presented by Tim Burton, but I do not believe I was the only one who found himself in a dilemma towards the end. Watching the movie you see the feelings Victor (Depp) has for Victoria, the woman he is to marry. You obviously pull for him to find a way to be with her, right? Well right....kinda. What about Corpse Bride? It was not her wish for fate to lead her to this place, so how can you have Victor turn his back on her?

I will not tell you the resolution, but I will say that I thought it a bit lacking. Overall, however, the movie was good. I am glad I went to see Tim Burton's Corpse Bride.

Burton left me with another dilemma, though less intentionally. Here I am torn between wanting to see more of the stop-motion animation like Corpse Bride and The Nightmare Before Christmas and wanting more (Johnny Depp starred) movies like Edward Scissorhands and Sleepy Hollow...and Ed Wood (you think these two like working together?).

I guess I will opt for both, but while we all wait I think you will have fun at Tim Burton's Corpse Bride.

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