Corpse Bride was the first film that really got me interested in stop motion films! I first watched it around middle school so I would have been around 12. I have only seen a couple of films and one show that uses stop motion, but I wanted to discuss these films and show. Corpse Bride is still my favorite stop motion film!
This film started my love of stop motion because I was impressed by the aesthetic of the film and the Special Features section revealed the hard work that went into creating characters, scenes, and shots. It could take hours to do one scene.
Plot
Victor has an arranged marriage with Victoria who he ends up falling in love with. But, Victor is nervous and starts to make several mistakes during his wedding vows. He goes out into the forest to learn his vows, does them perfectly, and puts the ring on a branch which turns out to be Emily’s corpse. Emily is the corpse bride who takes him to the land of the dead and now he must escape the Land of the Dead to be with Victoria.
Setting
There are two main settings in the story: The Land of the Living and The Land of the Dead.
Land of the Living
The color schemes in this setting have a purposefully dull look to them with an emphasis on grey almost like a black and white film. This shows how the Land of the Living is dull and lifeless. The people are focused on behaving in a strict Victorian fashion and are not really living at all.
Land of the Dead
This world is colorful and vibrant with colors such as blue and green. This shows the the Land of the Dead is full of lively characters. Everyone is free to be themselves and have a fun time now that they are free from society’s rules.
Characters
The character design in this film is interesting because it changes depending on setting. The Land of the Living has characters with a simple color scheme of greys and blacks. The Land of the Dead has colorful characters who all have blue skin so it is easy to tell that they are dead or they are skeletons.
My favorite design is Emily’s wedding dress. I love the floral design, the long veil, and the delicate lace. She is also my favorite character. She is so sweet and caring. I related to her when I was a child because I felt misunderstood like her at the time.
Music
I love the music in this film! I quickly memorized all of the lyrics since I watched it so many times when I was younger.
My favorite piano piece is “Victor’s Piano Solo” because I love how beautiful it is. It reminds me a bit of “Moonlight Sonata” by Beethoven. My favorite song in Corpse Bride is “Remains of the Day.” It tells Emily’s story with a big jazz number. I love the singing and the jazz instruments in this song!
Favorite Parts
- “Victor’s Piano Solo” scene
- “Remains of the Day’ scene
- Scene where Victor sees his dog again
- Emily dancing in the moonlight scene
- Wedding Prep Scene in Land of the Dead
- Wedding Scene
- Finale
Why it Started My Love of Stop Motion
I was enthralled by the beauty of the scenes especially the scene where Emily dances in the moonlight and the finale. The lightning and design in this scenes impressed me. I was also impressed by the time and care that goes into making a stop motion film. Overall I think Corpse Bride is a beautiful film with an emotional story that still holds well today!
What is your favorite stop motion film? What did you think of Corpse Bride?
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