Greetings, and welcome back to October Horror Fest! Today, I took a step back from the blood and gore and watched a highly recommended movie that I’m really surprised I haven’t seen yet. It’s a classic and is one of Tim Burton’s animated Halloween-centered films. It’s a movie full of love, heartbreak, and of course, some good spooks. Without further ado, sit back, relax, turn off the lights, grab some Candy and Popcorn, and let’s review…

Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride

Our film begins in Tim Burton’s classic styled towns. And of course, with another Burton staple, a music number. We are introduced to our main cast, and our Romeo & Juliet of this story (for now…). Enter Victor, an anxious but well hearted young man who is set to be married to Victoria, a young girl who wants to fall in love with a husband of her choosing, not one forced upon her. After the first number, Victor meets Victoria, and it’s love at first sight. After an awkward Victor beautifully plays the piano, he begins his recitals for the wedding with Victoria, which, of course, ends in disaster. He is already on thin ice with Victoria’s parents, and the situation gets even worse when Lord Barkis shows up. He is a wealthy man who seems to have some tricks up his sleeve…

We catch up with Victor, who is told by the priest officiating his wedding to learn his vows! Victor walks through the dark forest, practicing and practicing. Until, he looks at the moon, and does it perfectly. He says the vows beautifully, and puts his ring on a hand shaped twig in the ground. All is well, until crows start cawing. A corpse bride (insert “say that again” meme) comes out of the dirt, and begins to float towards Victor. Victor runs, but isn’t able to get far. The Corpse Bride kisses him, and he passes out.

Our boy Victor wakes up in the spirit “dead” realm, and is shocked. The Corpse Bride is there, as well as a whole band of colorful dead characters that resemble the world of Coco. Victor has questions, and they are answered in another musical number. It is explained that the Corpse Bride had fallen in love with a rich suitor from another town. However, her parents disapproved of the marriage. So she waited for him in the deep dark woods next to a great tree. And after she waited and waited in her wedding dress, he finally arrived. The rich suitor looked at his wife, and killed her.

At the end of this musical number, Victor escapes through the upstairs. After a little bit of espionage, the Corpse Bride finds him. Victor sits with her, knowing he can’t get away. He finds that her name is Emily, and she is already in love with him. She even found Victor’s departed dog Scraps as a skeleton, and gave him back to Victor. Victor, still desiring to go back home, tells Emily that she should meet his parents. She loves the idea, and they are able to get back up to the land of the living using a spell. Once there, Emily loves seeing the bright full moon. Victor however, takes the opportunity to find Victoria. He finds her, and basically confesses his love to her. All is going so well, until Emily finds them, tired of waiting in the forest. The two girls meet each other in a tense moment, until Emily pulls Victor back, and they travel back to the spirit realm.

Once there, Emily is heartbroken. She goes to her bed, and sheds a single tear. A conflicted Victor is left in the watchtower. In the land of the living, things are going even worse. Victoria’s parents, with burning rage towards Victor, agree to let Lord Barkis marry her. Victoria is heartbroken as well, and knows that she does not love him.

Back with our true Romeo and Juliet of this story, Emily sadly plays a few notes on her piano. Victor, urged on by Scraps, delivers Emily’s wedding bouquet back to her. They sit together on the piano, and Victor sincerely apologizes. They play together, and they hold hands. However, they are interrupted by Mayhew, a friend of Victor’s family, dying. He arrives in the spirit realm, and tells Victor the news. He was too late. Victoria is married to Barkis. Victor is sad, and leaves to go sit by himself. Emily also goes, but is confronted by one of the elder skeletons of the village. He tells her the other bad news. There is something wrong with her and Victor’s marriage. “Till death do you part” is of course a major part of the vows. But that’s just the thing, death has already done them part. The only option is for Victor to die. Emily breaks down, and falls to her knees, knowing she wouldn’t do it. However, Victor overheard this, and agreed. He loves Emily, and he is willing to do it. He makes the announcement, and everyone from the spirit realm goes up to the land of the living.

In a hilarious scene, they crash the after wedding dinner between Victoria and Barkis, and the rest of the family. Barkis hides, and reveals that his plan was only to get Victoria’s money. Victoria tells him the truth, her family is broke. The only reason she was marrying him was for her parents to get his money. Outside, the procession continues, and Victoria runs towards it. As Emily and Victor are ready to be married, and Victor is about to drink the poison, Emily stops him, noticing Victoria in the church. She loves Victor, but knows it is wrong for them to be wed (this broke my heart). She places his hand in Victoria’s, and gives them the go-ahead. However, Barkis bursts in the door. He says that Victoria is still his wife. And, a shocking revelation, he was the rich suitor Emily was to marry. He was the one that killed her. After an epic Fork v.s. Sword duel with Victor and Barkis (I’m being serious), Barkis drinks the poisoned wine. Unknown to him, he dies, and the rest of the spirits take it upon themselves to deal with him.

In the last moments of the movie, it all comes to a beautiful (but sad) end. Emily gives her bouquet of flowers to Victoria, and thanks Victor for finally freeing her. In the end, they freed each other. She opens the door to the church, and looks at the moon. She turns into beautiful butterflies that fly towards it, and the movie ends, Victor and Victoria hand in hand. Emily has finally, finally, been freed. She can move on…

That is the end of the Corpse Bride!!! This movie is a great one, and one that totally broke my heart. It is an instant classic, and a much needed switch up for horror fest. Thank you all so much for reading! And, remember, I’ve spent so long in darkness, I’d almost forgotten how beautiful the moonlight is.