Corpse Bride

Corpse Bride is a 2005 stop-motion animated musical dark comedy film by Tim Burton. It is about a young man who, stressed by his upcoming wedding, goes for a walk to clear his head. When he returns, he's married to a corpse…

Directed by Mike Johnson and Tim Burton. Written by John August, Pamela Pettler, and Caroline Thompson.

There's been a grave misunderstanding.(taglines)

Victor Van Dort

• Victoria, t-tomorrow, we are to be... [struggles to say "married"] mmmm...mmmm...mmmm... [Victoria: "Married"?] Yes. Ha. m-m-married.
• You should've seen him with fur.
• Sir, I beg you to help. It means so much to me...us.
• I've got a...I've got a dwarf, and I'm not afraid to use him!
• [trying to practice his vows] With this hand, I will cup your... [unconsciously holds hands before his chest in a suggestive manner, and is then horrified] Oh goodness, no. With this candle, I will...I will... [loses confidence] I will set your mother on fire. [looking at the flowers Victoria gave him, and begins to have confidence] With this hand, I will lift your sorrows. Your cup will never be empty, for I will be your wine. Ah, Mrs. Everglot. You look ravishing this evening. What's that, Mr. Everglot? Call you "dad"? If you insist, sir. With this candle, I will light your way in darkness. With this ring, I ask you to be mine.
• [to the corpse of Scraps] Play dead...Oh, sorry.
• I'm already reeling, Mother. Shouldn't Victoria Everglot be marrying a lord or something?
• I-I-I do apologize, Miss Everglot. How rude of me to...Well...Excuse me.
• Please, there's been a mistake! I'm not dead!
• Mother never approved of Scraps jumping up like this. But then again, she never approved of anything.

Emily

• If I touch a burning candle, I can feel no pain. If you cut me with a knife, it's still the same. And I know her heart is beating, and I know that I am dead; yet the pain here that I feel, try and tell me it's not real, and it seems that I still have a tear to shed.
• Isn't the view beautiful? It takes my breath away. Well, it would if I had any
• We need to go up. Upstairs? To visit the land of the living.
• I've spent so long in the darkness, I'd almost forgotten how beautiful the moonlight is.
• [after her hand escapes her arm and dances up Victor's arm] Pardon my enthusiasm.
• If I touch a burning candle I can feel no pain. In the ice or in the sun it's all the same. And I feel my heart is aching, though it doesn't beat it's breaking. Yet the pain here that I feel...try and tell me it's not real. And I know that I am dead. It seems that I still have some tears to shed.
• Or perhaps he does belong with her, Little Miss Living, with her rosy cheeks and beating heart.
• I was a bride. My dreams were taken from me. Well now...now I've stolen them from someone else. I love you, Victor. But you are not mine.

Finis Everglot

• [to Victor] Out of the way, you ninny!
• There's an eye in me soup.
• [repeated line] Fetch me musket!

Maudeline Everglot

• Will the mortification never cease? It will be YEARS before we can show ourselves in public again!

Pastor Galswells

• ENOUGH! This wedding cannot take place until he is properly prepared! [to Victor] Young man, learn your vows.
• What in heaven's name? Who could that be at this hour? [opens door] Miss Everglot? What are you doing here? You should be at home, prostrate with grief!
• [after hearing about Victor and the Corpse Bride] Hmm. I believe I know the thing to do. Come with me. [snuffs out his candle by hand]
• [about Victoria] She's speaking in tongues. Of unholy alliances! Her mind has come undone, I fear.
• I now pronounce you man and wife.
• [in front of a crowd of skeletons] Begone, ye demons from Hell! Back to the void from whence you came! You shall not enter here! Back! BACK!!!

Bonejangles

• What a story it is. A tragic tale of romance, passion, and a murder most foul!
• [his eye rolls to the other side of his head] Hit it, boys. ["Remains of the Day" plays]
• Hey! Hold on there! I love a woman with meat on her bones. Heh heh heh heh heh!

Elder Gutknecht

• Why go up there when people are dying to get down here?
• I have it. A Ukrainian Haunting Spell! Just the thing for these quick trips.
• Dearly beloved, and departed, we are gathered here today to join this man and this corpse in marriage.
• Victor would have to give up the life he had forever. He would have to repeat his vows in the Land of the Living, and drink from the Wine of Ages. This would stop his heart forever. Only then would he be free to give it to you.

Maggot

• If I hadn't just been sitting in it, I would say that you've lost your mind!
• [pushing out the Corpse Bride's eye so he can look for Victor] I'll keep an eye out for him. [spots Victor] There he goes! There he goes! He's-He's getting away! Quick! Quick, after him!
• [to a villager] You don't know me, but I used to live in your dead mother.

Town Crier

• HEAR YE, HEAR YE! 10 MINUETS TO GO TILL VAN DORT'S WEDDING REHEARSAL!
• HEAR YE, HEAR YE! REHEARSAL IN RUINS AS VAN DORT BOY CAUSES CHAOS! [sees Victor, and makes it a point to let him know] FISHY FIANCÈ COULD BE CANNED! EVERGLOTS ALL "FIRED UP" AS VAN DORT DISASTER RUINS REHEARSAL!
• HEAR YE, HEAR YE! VICTOR VAN DORT SEEN THIS NIGHT ON THE BRIDGE IN THE ARMS OF A MYSTERY WOMAN! THE DARK-HAIRED TEMPTRESS AND MASTER VAN DORT SLIPPED AWAY INTO THE NIGHT! And now the weather: scattered showers...
• VICTOR VAN DORT ELOPES WITH CORPSE! HEARTBROKEN BRIDE TO WED WEALTHY NEWCOMER!
• In other news...THE DEAD WALK THE EARTH!!!

Dialogue

Victoria: Oh, Hildegarde...what if Victor and I... [gasps] I don't like each other?

Maudeline: Humph! As if that has anything to do with marriage. Do you suppose your father and I like each other?

Victoria: Surely you must, a little?

Maudeline and Finis: [look at each other in disgust] Of course not!

Maudeline: Get those corsets laced properly. I can hear you speak without gasping.

---

Town Crier: VICTOR VAN DORT ELOPES WITH CORPSE! HEARTBROKEN BRIDE TO WED WEALTHY NEWCOMER!

Nell Van Dort: Wealthy newcomer? It cannot be!

William Van Dort: Did he say "corpse"?

Nell Van Dort: Oh, don't be ridiculous. What corpse would marry our Victor?

---

Maudeline: [as the dead ran rampant] They must be from your side of the family!

Finis: Certainly not! If my Grandfather Everglot could see this, he'd be turning in his grave!

Grandfather: [booming] Finis! [they turn to see a skeleton who looks just like the portrait of Finis's grandfather, who says politely] Where do you keep the spirits? [shaking his goblet gently]

[After a short pause, Finis and Maudeline scream in terror and run into their room]

---

Pastor Galswells: [yelling] Begone, ye demons from Hell! Back to the void from whence you came! You shall not enter here! Back! Back!

Skeleton: Keep it down, we're in a church.

---

Emily: [recognizes Barkis] You.

Lord Barkis: Emily?!

Emily: YOU!

Lord Barkis: But...I left you.

Emily: For dead.

[The crowd gasps]

---

Lord Barkis: Touche, my dear.

Emily: [glares at him] Get out.

Lord Barkis: Oh, I'm leaving. [laughs evilly, then picks up the Wine of Ages] But first, a toast to Emily. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride. Tell me, my dear, can a heart still break once it's stopped beating? Hmm? [laughs evilly one last time]

Maggot: Let me at him! Let me at him! [Elder Gutknecht holds him back with his finger] No, don't-don't hold me back!

Elder Gutknecht: [to angry corpses] Wait! We must abide by their rules! We are amongst the living.

Lord Barkis: Well said. [drinks the Wine of Ages and dies]

Maggot: [amusing smile] Not anymore!

[Barkis is turned into a corpse as his face's color changes to blue]

Elder Gutknecht: Yup, you're right. He's all yours.

[The corpses laugh diabolically as they surround Barkis and drag him to the underworld]

Mrs. Plum: New arrival. [closes the door]

Taglines

• Rising to the occasion.
• There's been a grave misunderstanding...
• Can a heart still break once it's stopped beating?

Cast

• Johnny Depp as Victor Van Dort
• Helena Bonham Carter as Emily
• Emily Watson as Victoria Everglot
• Tracey Ullman as Nell Van Dort
• Paul Whitehouse as William Van Dort
• Joanna Lumley as Lady Maudeline Everglot
• Albert Finney as Lord Finis Everglot
• Richard E. Grant as Lord Barkis Bittern
• Christopher Lee as Pastor Gallswells
• Michael Gough as Elder Gutknecht

External links

• Corpse Bride quotes at the Internet Movie Database
• Tim Burton's Corpse Bride at Rotten Tomatoes
• Official site