History WesternAnimation / CorpseBride

Victor, the son of some [[NouveauRiche newly wealthy]] [[SelfMadeMan fishmongers]], is entering into an ArrangedMarriage with Victoria, a beautiful young woman from an ImpoverishedPatrician family. The couple find out that despite their differences, they [[PerfectlyArrangedMarriage actually rather like each other]], and everything is going swimmingly...except for the tiny problem of Victor being too nervous to memorize his wedding vows. He goes into the forest to practice them but, unintentionally, gives the speech (and engagement ring) to the vivacious and fun-loving [[WightInAWeddingDress Emily]], who [[AccidentalMarriage thinks they are now married]].

Oh, did we mention [[BoyMeetsGhoul Emily is a zombie]]?

* MythologyGag: Victor's quill that he uses to draw in the opening is curled at the tip, just like the hill from [[TheNightmareBeforeChristmas that other Tim Burton stop motion animated movie]].

''Corpse Bride'' is a 2005 romantic comedy musical film directed by Mike Johnson (who previously worked on ''Literature/JamesAndTheGiantPeach'' and ''WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas'') and Creator/TimBurton, and a SpiritualSuccessor to Creator/HenrySelick's ''WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas'' (of which Burton was the producer, chief designer and story writer). The film mixes GermanExpressionism elements, {{stop motion}} animation by Creator/CosgroveHall and Creator/{{Laika}} (in their first official project), {{goth}}ic melodrama and macabre sense of humour, and is based on an old Yiddish-language Jewish folk tale from Russia with songs composed by Creator/DannyElfman,

Oh, did we mention [[AttractiveZombie Emily is dead]]?

''Corpse Bride'' is a 2005 romantic comedy musical film directed by Mike Johnson (who previously worked on ''Literature/JamesAndTheGiantPeach'' and ''WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas'') and Creator/TimBurton, and a SpiritualSuccessor to Creator/HenrySelick's ''WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas'' (of which Burton was the producer, chief designer and story writer). The film mixes GermanExpressionism elements, {{stop motion}} animation by Creator/CosgroveHall and Creator/{{Laika}} (in their first official project), {{goth}}ic melodrama and macabre sense of humour, and is based on an old Yiddish-language Jewish folk tale from Russia with songs composed tby Creator/DannyElfman,

''Corpse Bride'' is a 2005 romantic comedy musical film directed by Mike Johnson (who previously worked on ''WesternAnimation/JamesAndTheGiantPeach'' and ''WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBefore Christmas'') and Creator/TimBurton, and a SpiritualSuccessor to Creator/HenrySelick's ''WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas'' (of which Burton was the producer, chief designer and story writer). The film mixes GermanExpressionism elements, {{stop motion}} animation by Creator/CosgroveHall and Creator/{{Laika}} (in their first official project), {{goth}}ic melodrama and macabre sense of humour, and is based on an old Yiddish-language Jewish folk tale from Russia with songs composed tby Creator/DannyElfman,

''Corpse Bride'' is a 2005 romantic comedy musical by Creator/TimBurton and Creator/DannyElfman, and a SpiritualSuccessor to Creator/HenrySelick's ''WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas'' (of which Burton was the producer, chief designer and story writer). The film mixes GermanExpressionism elements, {{stop motion}} animation by Creator/CosgroveHall and Creator/{{Laika}} (in their first official project), {{goth}}ic melodrama and macabre sense of humour, and is based on an old Yiddish-language Jewish folk tale from Russia.

** Finis' grandfather at one point, while holding a wine glass, asks "Where do you keep the spirits?" Since he is a reanimated skeleton, kids will assume he is asking where his spirit is, but older kids and adults will know he's referring to the alcoholic beverage known as spirits.

* PoorCommunicationKills: A lot of grief might have been avoided by Victor explaining from the beginning that the vows he made to Emily were a mistake. Instead, he tries to lead her along as a way of getting back to the land of the living, only coming clean after she finds him with Victoria and is thus too upset to see his line of reasoning.

* PuddleCoveringChivalry: Mayhew does this for Victor's mother during the opening scene.

** Victor and Victoria. Originally it's an arranged marriage for social purposes, but they both fall for one another when they meet for the first time without their parents around.

* InfantImmortality: Averted. Though no children are seen dying on-screen, two residents of the underworld are skeletal children.

* DoubleStandard: Emily holds Victor to his AccidentalMarriage, drags him off to the afterlife, and refuses to let him return to the woman he's already engaged to, yet she's treated as the sympathetic one by her peers while Victor is wrong for turning her down. Yet when Barkis holds Victoria to their marriage vows and refuses to let her be with Victor out of spite, it's perceived as villainous and reprehensible by the onlookers.

* ArrangedMarriage: Victor and Victoria have been betrothed by their families so that Victor's NouveauRiche parents can mingle with the aristocracy while Victoria's ImpoverishedPatrician parents can finally have money again. It turns out to be a PerfectlyArrangedMarriage upon meeting; they find that they get along very well. At the very least, it seems that they care for each other.

** When the zombies arrive in the real world, one goes after a little boy...who innocently asks "Grandpa?" before the zombies get to be reacquainted with their loved ones.
* BettyAndVeronica: Okay people, I have the script! Victoria, you will play the part of the sweet and gentle Betty. The part of the lively and happy-go-lucky (but [[BrokenBird secretly]] [[TheWoobie troubled]]) Veronica goes to Emily!
* BewareTheNiceOnes: The dead are a surprisingly friendly, fun-loving bunch, certainly more pleasant than most of the living... But you don't want to get on their bad side.
* BigBad: [[spoiler:Lord Barkis Bittern not only conspires to butt into Victor and Victoria's arranged marriage for the latter's fortune (which he doesn't realize [[ImpoverishedPatrician doesn't exist anymore]] until it's too late), but was also the one who murdered and robbed Emily in the first place.]]
* BigGuyLittleGuy: The Napoleon-like guy and his buddy.
* BigLittleMan: Finis Everglot is first shown talking face-to-face with his wife. Then the camera pans out and it turns out he is standing on a stool and really half her height.

* BoyMeetsGhoul: Victor meets a dead girl, and ends up accidentally married to her.
* BouquetToss: Before leaving Emily throws her bouquet, which is caught by an elderly woman. The elderly woman then tosses it again from being startled by a maggot on her shoulder, whereupon it is caught by Victoria.
* BrokenAesop: A number of fans of the film have commented that the "Don't run away from your problems" message rings rather hollow since, by all appearances, the world of the dead ''is'' legitimately better off than the world of the living. This may also be why [[spoiler:Victor ends up with Victoria and not Emily]] in the end, since the latter scenario could be fairly easily interpreted as ''pro-suicide''.
* BureaucraticallyArrangedMarriage: Victoria's parents do not care at all for their daughter's happiness and are using her for their own benefits.

* CirclingMonologue: When Emily finally confronts her murderer.

* CoolOldGuy: Elder Gutknecht. He's TheSmartGuy of the Underworld, facilitates Victor and Emily returning to the Land of the Living and later uncovers the loophole in her marriage vows (as well as the unfortunate way to correct the loophole).

* CoversAlwaysLie: Very minor example (to the point that it seems more like a mistake than anything), but the orientation of Emily's rotting features as seen in the movie (her left arm, her right leg, the small opening on her left cheek, etc.) is reversed on the cover art (her right arm is now the skeletal one, the opening is on her right cheek, etc.).
* CreepyCrows: Murders of crows appear all over the place, in both worlds.

* TheDeadCanDance: The corpses in the Underworld appear to be constantly partying and giving elaborate musical numbers. Add murder wounds and decomposition, and you've got some pretty impressive moves!
* DeadToBeginWith: Emily.

* DeathGlare: Emily after finding Victor with Victoria. [[HurricaneOfPuns And she is dead]]. Barkis gets another one from her at the end.
* DefangedHorrors: Cute skeleton children abound, and even the skeleton dog.
* DeliberatelyMonochrome: The world of the living is almost entirely black and white, whereas the underworld is more vibrant and colorful.
* DemBones: A whole bunch o' dem.
* DevilInPlainSight: Barkis.
* DidNotGetTheGirl: [[spoiler:Only in this case, Emily did not get the boy.]]
* DisneyAcidSequence: The musical segment of "Remains of the Day."

* DoWithHimAsYouWill: At the end of the movie it's revealed that [[spoiler:Barkis killed and robbed Emily after he talked her into eloping with him,]] so the residents of the Land of the Dead want to punish him. Elder Gutknecht restrains the crowd, stating that they are in the land of the living, so they have to abide by their rules. That is until [[spoiler:Barkis drinks the poison wine meant for Victor, so the rules of the dead apply to him now]]. The elder's response is: "All yours."
* DuetBonding: Played with. As Victor and Emily get off to a very bad start, the duet starts off competitive and bitter, but they eventually get along through the music.

* ExactWords: The would-be marriage of Victor and Emily doesn't count because the marriage vows were never binding. 'Until death do us part', indeed...

* FauxAffablyEvil: Barkis attempts to make himself presentable and tries to put on a charmingly polite demeanor in order to wed Victoria. Even so, it's ''clear'' to viewers that his intentions are no good.

* JerkassHasAPoint: Emily’s father was right [[DatingWhatDaddyHates to refuse consent]] for her to marry [[spoiler:Barkis Bittern]], since her suitor murdered her for her money.

* PrankDate: Emily's attempt to elope with [[spoiler:Lord Barkis]] perfectly fits the "Malicious Trap" version of this trope.

* TheReveal: [[spoiler:Lord Barkis Bittern the '''killer'''. Buh buh BUUUUUHHHH!!!]] Also an {{Unreveal}} -- in "The Remains of the Day," when Bonejangles tells Emily's story in silhouette, his shadow briefly takes on [[spoiler:Lord Barkis']] appearance.

* BaitAndSwitch: Elder Gutknecht's dramatic drink-mixing is really just for refreshment, and he actually starts the spell afterwards.

* CurseThatCures: While being dead isn't exactly a picnic what with the gradual decomposition the dead suffer, it has its upsides. For one thing, you can't feel pain anymore; for another, any illnesses you had to deal with in life are now gone, seemingly. Mayhew, who died of a coughing-related illness (probably lung cancer or lung fibrosis, judging from his near-constant pipe-smoking), actually was fairly happy at the turnaround.

* DarkIsNotEvil: In this film the living are far scarier than the dead, and much less colorful for that matter.

* DeliberatelyMonochrome: The world of the living is almost entirely black and white, whereas the underworld is brightly-lit and colourful.

* DullSurprise: [[spoiler:The recently-deceased Mayhew is rather calm about suddenly running into his employers' disappeared son in the ''land of the dead.'']] Though considering he's in the tavern and he's been dead for a little while, chances are, he picked up the local word on the street and got caught up with what was going on. So he would've heard about the marriage.
* EeriePaleSkinnedBrunette: Victor van Dort is the king of this, thanks to the colour palette of the Land of the Living (and even then, he's paler than most of the other breathers).
* {{Elopement}}: This was Emily's plan with [[spoiler:Lord Barkis]] because her father disapproved.

* {{Expy}}:
** Victor looks like the grown-up version of [[http://www.helderdarocha.com.br/blog/tim_burton_vincent.jpg Vincent]], the child protagonist of one of Burton's earliest stop-motion works. This is even {{lampshaded}} in the movie.
--->'''Lord Everglot''': We shall continue as planned, with or without Vincent.\\
'''Lady Everglot''': Victor.\\
'''Lord Everglot''': Whatever.
** Also, the maggot was a Creator/PeterLorre impersonation.

* EyepatchOfPower: One of the skeletons in the Underworld has one.

* FlyInTheSoup: At one point in the movie the dead go to the land of the living and crash a celebratory dinner. Lord Everglot says "there's an eye in me soup" and lifts it with his spoon just before everyone freaks out at the undead corpses that just appeared around everyone at the dinner table.

* FriendlyNeighborhoodSpider: There are some friendly, talking black widow spiders in the world of the dead. One of them is a close friend of Emily, the titular corpse bride.

* MinorInsultMeltdown: Victor does this to Emily after she finds out about Victoria. "Why can't you understand? It was a mistake! I would ''never'' marry you!" Geez, Victor, couldn't you phrase that [[KickTheDog any more painfully?]]

* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: Lord Barkis '''Bitter'''n.

* NoNameGiven: Variation in Emily's case; her name is only spoken a grand total of three times in the film proper and it's easy to miss if one does not pay attention, especially for younger viewers. Heck, the credits list her as simply "Corpse Bride". Even most of the production staff didn't refer to her by proper name.

* EvilIsPetty: Having failed to acquire Victoria's non-existent family fortune, Lord Barkis clings to the fact that she's his wife, determined not to leave empty-handed.

* SpiritualSuccessor: ''Corpse Bride'' may as well call ''WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas'' "Daddy."

* ExactWords: The would-be marriage of Victor and Emily doesn't count because the marriage vows were never binding. 'Until death do us part', indeed...

->''"There has been a grave misunderstanding."''

Victor, the son of some [[NouveauRiche newly wealthy]] [[SelfMadeMan fishmongers]], is entering into an ArrangedMarriage with Victoria, a beautiful young woman from an ImpoverishedPatrician family. The couple find out that despite their differences, they [[PerfectlyArrangedMarriage actually rather like each other]], and everything is going swimmingly... Except for the tiny problem of Victor being too nervous to memorize his wedding vows. He goes into the forest to practice them but, unintentionally, gives the speech (and engagement ring) to the vivacious and fun-loving [[WightInAWeddingDress Emily]], who [[AccidentalMarriage thinks they are now married]].

* ZombieApocalypse: Subverted, as the living gradually recognize their lost loved ones among the ranks of the dead. The dead, far from meaning harm, are overjoyed to share a few words with their living relatives, and are back on Earth only to attend a wedding. Further, they don't shamble, ''[[TheDeadCanDance they softshoe]]''.