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Corpse Bride is a 2005 animated movie directed by Tim Burton and Mike Johnson, with music and lyrics by Danny Elfman. The film is set in a European village in the 19th century and follows the story of a young man named Victor Van Dort, voiced by Johnny Depp, who is betrothed to a rich and socially prominent young woman named Victoria Everglot, voiced by Emily Watson. Victor, who is shy and nervous, struggles to remember his wedding vows during the rehearsal, leading him to inadvertently propose to a deceased bride, the Corpse Bride, voiced by Helena Bonham Carter.

The Corpse Bride resides in the Land of the Dead, a subterranean world inhabited by other deceased characters. The environment is depicted as a gothic and macabre land, yet also whimsical and colorful, similar to the Land of Halloween in the Burton-produced film, The Nightmare Before Christmas. However, the Land of the Dead is marked by decay and entropy, as the characters in it gradually deteriorate until they are nothing but bones.

Desperate to return to the Land of the Living and marry Victoria, Victor convinces the Corpse Bride to help him back. However, as Victor begins to fall in love with the Corpse Bride, he must navigate the growing turmoil between the two women in his life. Meanwhile, the corrupt and powerful Lord Barkis Bittern, voiced by Richard E. Grant, seeks to wed Victoria for her wealth, leading to an intricate and suspenseful climax.

The animation used in Corpse Bride is distinct and unique, as it combines stop-motion animation with computer-generated imagery, producing a three-dimensional effect. For this, Laika Studios supplied the puppets and models, while a team of animators performed the nuanced movements frame by frame. The results are an evocative and haunting visual style that combines Burton’s signature gothic aesthetic with inspired nods to classical horror films, such as the Universal Monster movies.

The music in Corpse Bride is another noteworthy aspect of the film, with composer and songwriter Danny Elfman creating a whimsical and haunting score that sets the tone of every scene. The songs used in the movie are also rich with emotion and story-relevant lyrics, revealing the thoughts and feelings of the characters. The singing in the movie is performed by the actors themselves, with Depp, Watson, and Bonham Carter all showcasing their musical talents.

Despite dealing with dark themes such as death, loss, and betrayal, Corpse Bride is ultimately a story about love and redemption. It is a movie for both adults and children, with the sensibilities of a fable and the emotional depth of a drama. As a tale of romance and bravery, Corpse Bride stands out as one of the best animated movies of the 21st century.

Corpse Bride is a 2005 romance movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 17 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.4 and a MetaScore of 83.