Death Becomes Her
Cast: Voices of: Helena Bonham-Carter, Johnny Depp, Emily Watson, Albert Finney
Director: Tim Burton
I can picture A Corpse Bride taking place before the events of The Nightmare Before Christmas, or at least in the same world. Both share the same dark humor, slight melancholy, and penchant for characters to break into song when they wish to pour out their feelings.
This story focuses on three main characters. There is Victor (Depp), a generally nice young man who is somewhat weak-willed and indecisive. There is Victoria (Watson), a lovely and shy young lady who is the daughter of the local rich family who, it turns out, aren’t so rich after all. But they do have history. And, lastly, there is the bride (Bonham-Carter), a young lady who has died. Victor, after fleeing a wedding rehearsal, accidentally manages to marry himself to her. And wind up in the Land of the Dead.
It’s not so bad a place, really. But he’d rather be up with the living. He flees and his dead bride follows, as death can be very persistent – or at least she is. After that the plot moves along well-worn lines, throwing in a scheming villain for us to root against. Cleverly done, but the mood, atmosphere, and the look are the main ingredients, and they deliver. I would definitely recommend this one, as it’s mostly harmless family-friendly fare.
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