a strange love triangle

Rating: 8/10 (21 November 2005)

Victor has been arranged by his parents to marry Victoria; who also is forced by her parents. Victoria's parents though have an agenda to this arranged marriage. They are falling from their aristocratic status and are verging upon being beggars; hoping to gain money from the marriage. Victor isn't in any rush to be married, but he does hold feelings for Victoria. During the rehearsal Victor forgets his vowels and makes a fool of himself. While walking through the forest he practices his vowels and while placing his ring on what he thought was a stick; he becomes married to the corpse bride; Emily. Victor is then pulled into the underworld; which surprisingly is more colourful than the realm of the living. Victor trys to run away from Emily but she is a relentless bride, stopping him from getting to the living and marrying Victoria.
The Corpse Bride is a great yet strangle film on finding love in the strangest of places. Ending up being married to a cadaver is a great twist on the usual love story. Just like The Nightmare Before Christman, the stop motion animation is great, yet is more refined here and flows better and has much more detail to it. The blend of computer animation adds those touches that makes the animation flawless; its just astounding.
All the character are wonderfully made. All the characters have been made to the extent that they basically become caricatures, bar from the three main leads who have been made more humanised; being that their characters are more innocent while everyone else is more jilted and two faced. The bleak, gray Victorian setting suits the story perfectly; suiting that rigid and conforming way of the Victorian life. The underworld is so bright and colourful; juxtaposing that notion there is more fun in the after life than in the living.
The voice cast of Corpse Bride is great and perfectly casted. Johnny Deep is perfect as the timid Victor; he does have believable English voice. Helena Bonham Carter also is great as the Corpse Bride; making her so lively and a wonderful character. Emily Watson, Tracey Ullman, Joanna Lumley, Albert Finney, Richard E. Grant and the great Christopher Lee all flourish in their roles and really make them their own.
Though this is a short film, its a great film.