Film #7: Corpse Bride (2005)

Introduction

Corpse Bride (2005, Mike Johnson and Tim Burton)

The purpose of this essay is to identify the characteristics of German Expressionism in the film, “Corpse Bride” by Tim Burton.

Theory Discussion

German Expressionism was an early 20^th century German art movement that highlights the artist’s inner feelings or ideas over replicating reality. It is a film style that emerged into Germany from 1919-1926. It consists of numerous creative movements before World War I that reached a peak in Berlin during the 1920s. It is heavily influenced by Vincent van Gogh, Edvard Munch, and El Greco. According to Alissa Darsa (2013), expressionists were less concerned with producing pleasing compositions as they were creating powerful reactions to their work using bright, clashing colors, flat shapes, and gestural marks or brushstrokes. Expressionism was not limited to painting but was manifest in literature, architecture of Scandinavian, dance, painting, sculpture and cinema.  It is spread into cinema in terms of narrative, set and mise-en-scene.

German Expressionism style includes oblique camera angles, distorted bodies and shapes, bizarre and incongruous settings that are usually gothic in look and framing with low key lighting that creates dramatic shadows. The content is usually surreal and gothic, mostly about unnatural acts or realities. Most of the filmmakers migrated from Germany to USA, bringing along filmmaking practice to Hollywood, influencing horror films and film noir. Fritz Lang, who did Metropolis (1927) and Robert Wiene, who did The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) are examples of German Expressionist filmmakers. It has influenced some of the famous filmmakers of the 20^th century such as Alfred Hitchcock, Werner Herzog, and Tim Burton.

Synopsis

Corpse Bride is a British-American stop-motion animated musical fantasy film directed by Mike Johnson and Tim Burton in 2005. Victor Van Dort (Johnny Depp) and Victoria Everglot’s (Emily Watson) families have arranged their marriage. Upon meeting for the first time, they fall for each other. When Victor keeps on forgetting his vows during the wedding rehearsal, he went to a nearby forest and practices his wedding vows, placing the ring on a upturned tree root. The root turns out to be the finger of a murdered bride in bridal gown named Emily (Helena Bonham Carter), who rises from the grave, claiming that she is now Victor’s wife. Victor must get back aboveground before Victoria weds Barkis Bittern (Richard E. Grant)

Film Analysis

Corpse Bride contains some elements of German Expressionist. This film is recorded with digital cameras which makes it easier and faster to control the shots.

Firstly, the set of two universe which is the land of the living and the underworld of the dead. Wyre (2014) stated that Burton uses a restricted range of colours to maintain a gothic environment within the film. For example, he uses a lot of dark and unattractive colours such as black, different shades of blue and green. This makes the film to have a sense of heaviness and a shadowy figure with the absence of light that creates a dark and depressed mood towards the audience. The buildings in the real world are dark, gloomy with sharp and irregular shapes. In the universe of the dead, Burton showed a colourful world underneath us skeletal children and animals along with the bride, while in the real world, it is all dull and boring to live in.

Secondly, the character’s appearance. Victor has smooth and glossy hair with big round eyes as well as dark eye circles and a slender body shape. Being a shy and awkward man, his slender figure makes up for it, together with his clumsy movements. This makes the film to have a sense of heaviness and a shadowy figure that creates a dark and depressed mood towards the audience. It makes the characters in the film seem deceitful and evil. Emily the corpse bride has maggots living inside her head, and sometimes it would pop out from her eye. Even the maggot has makeup on. 

Thirdly, the camera shots. It is mostly straight cuts and shot-to-shot. Burton used a lot of backlighting and high contrast lighting. Low angle is mostly used in filming this film. The transitions are commonly continuity shots. Burton also uses camera angles to create romantic mood. For example, Burton zoomed the camera in to Victor and Victoria’s face when they first met each other, showing us that they favour each other.

Fourthly, it is the act of revolt. It means to be a rebel. For example, when Mr and Mrs Everglot went in Victoria's room and announced the news that she will be marrying Lord Barkis instead of Victor, which she does not want to, after her parents left her room, Victoria climbed out of her window to escape in search for help, but unfortunately, she was sent back to her house by Pastor Galswell.

Conclusion

In conclusion, German expressionist films is usually gothic in style, filmed in high contrast lighting and surreal. German expressionist films directed by Tim Burton should be watched by everyone. It is different from other films, which makes it unique. For example, Edward Scissorhands (1990) and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007). I love the phrase that Emily mentioned, “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.” It shows that dead people have feelings too. Most of Tim Burton's movies, Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter will be in it.
I'm a fan of Johnny. He's handsome.  

References:

1)     Darsa, A. (2013, December 26). Art House: An Introduction to German Expressionist Films. Retrieved from https://news.artnet.com/market/art-house-an-introduction-to-german-expressionist-films-32845

2)     German Expressionism. (n.d.) Retrieved from https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/g/german-expressionism

3)     Wyre, B. (2014, February 18). German Expressionism & Tim Burton. Retrieved from https://benwyre.wordpress.com/2014/02/18/german-expressionism-tim-burton/

4)     Tim Burton’s Relationship with German Expressionism. (2014, February 18). Retrieved from https://periangelomedia3.wordpress.com/2014/02/18/tim-burtons-relationship-with-german-expressionism/