Synopsis
Set back in the late 1800s in a Victorian village, a man and woman by the names of Victor Van Dort and Victoria Everglot are betrothed because the Everglots need the money or else they’ll be living on the streets and the Van Dorts want to be high in society. But when things go wrong at the wedding rehearsal, Victor goes into the woods to practice his vows. Just as soon as he gets them right, he finds himself married to Emily, the corpse bride. While Victoria waits on the other side, there’s a rich newcomer that may take Victor’s place. So two brides, one groom, who will Victor pick?
Cast
Helena Bonham Carter…Corpse Bride
Emily Watson…Victoria Everglot
Tracey Ullman…Nell Van Dort
Paul Whitehouse…William Van Dort
Joanna Lumley…Maudeline Everglot
Albert Finney…Finis Everglot
Richard E. Grant…Barkis Bittern
Christopher Lee…Pastor Galswells
Michael Gough…Elder Gutknecht
Jane Horrocks…Black Widow Spider
Enn Reitel…Maggot
Deep Roy…General Bonesapart
Danny Elfman…Bonejangles
*Disclaimer* I didn’t make notes while watching this film so the quotes and scenes may be a little out of order. Sorry about that!
Best character
Would it be ridiculous for me to say Scraps? Every time there’s a dog in a film they have to be the best character.
Favourite scenes
*I do not own the rights to any videos in this post, no copyright infringement was intended. All rights go to the production studio*
Best quotes and one liners
VICTOR: With this hand I will lift your sorrows. Your cup will never empty, for I will be your wine. – Ah, Mrs. Everglot. You look ravishing this evening. What’s that, Mr. Everglot, call you “Dad”? If you insist, Sir. – With this candle, I will light your way in darkness. With this ring, I ask you to be mine.
VICTORIA: Hildegard, what if Victor and I don’t like each other?
MAUDELINE: Hmpf! As if that has anything to do with marriage. Do you suppose your father and I “like” each other?
VICTORIA: Surely you must, a little.
MAUDELINE: Of course not!
CORPSE BRIDE: Isn’t the view beautiful? It takes my breath away. Well, it would if I had any.
CORPSE BRIDE: [about Victor’s dead dog, Scraps] What a cutie.
VICTOR: You should have seen him with fur.
CORPSE BRIDE: We need to go up. Upstairs? To visit the land of the living.
ELDER GUTKNECHT: Land of the living? Oh, my dear.
CORPSE BRIDE: Please, Elder Gutknecht.
ELDER GUTKNECHT: Now, why go up there when people are dying to get down here?
PASTOR GALSWELLS: [holding the dead off] Begone, ye demons from Hell! Back to the void from whence you came! You shall not enter here! Back… back… back.
SKELETON: Keep it down, we’re in a church!
CORPSE BRIDE: Maybe perhaps he does belong with her. [sarcastic tone] Little Miss Living, with her rosy cheeks and beating heart.
CORPSE BRIDE: I was a bride. My dreams were taken from me. But now – now I’ve stolen them from someone else. I love you, Victor, but you are not mine.
Final thoughts and fun facts
You may notice I’m mentioning a certain actor in this review, it’s obvious why.
I love this film so much, I’m a huge fan of stop-motion films, especially ones that are more horror-themed.
The puppets were 25 to 28 centimetres (9.8 to 11 inches) tall, and some of the stages were so large that animators could actually fit through the set doors with minimal crouching. Also, the puppets used neither of the industry standards of replaceable heads or replaceable mouths, but instead used precision crafted clockwork heads, adjusted by hidden keys. This allowed for unprecedented subtlety but was apparently even more painstaking than the already notoriously arduous animation. One animator even reported having recurring nightmares of adjusting his own facial expression in this fashion.
At the beginning, Victor lets go of a butterfly. Victor and Emily pass a butterfly when they arrive in the land of the living. At the end, when Victor lets Emily go, she becomes a swarm of butterflies. All the butterflies have the same colour palette as Emily. This symbolizes Victor giving Emily her freedom.
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Like this post? Why not read this one too: Re-Watch Review: Gilmore Girls S2-EP12
[…] Like this post? Why not read this one too: Re-Watch Review: Corpse Bride […]