Corpse Bride

In the quaint, 19th-century European village of Vasiliyevka, a young man named Victor Van Dort is preparing for his highly anticipated wedding to the beautiful and gentle Emily. As custom dictates, Victor's father, Bonejangles, begins making arrangements for the union, delighting in the thought of marrying off his socially awkward son to secure an advantageous alliance. Before the big day, Victor has been instructed by his father to practice his vows in order to avoid humiliation at the altar. To satisfy his father's demands, Victor sneaks away to a secluded willow tree, where he attempts to recite his marriage vows to a nearby tree. However, fate has other plans, and Victor, already nervous and flustered, accidentally pledges his love to the tree, unaware that death is lurking nearby, gathered to observe the solitary figure's antics. A loose twig snaps, calling attention to Victor's misplaced declarations of love. Death itself, animated in the form of a skeletal guard, bursts out of the grave and attempts to snatch Victor's soul. In his haste, he accidentally drags Victor with him down into the underworld, ensuring the young man's eternal life among the departed. Upon his arrival in the "Land of the Dead", Victor is face to face with the imposing figure ofBonejangles, Victor's deceased father, who now regales his life once spent in the afterlife. Victor soon discovers that in order to marry the daughter of the funeral director, the deceased must obtain the consent of their respective parents prior to exchanging their vows. Oblivious to the fact that he is now in the afterlife, Victor proceeds with caution, thinking that he is still in the world of the living. He is then presented to the mysterious Corpse Bride, Emily. She reveals, through a melodic melancholy serenade known as "Tango de los Muertos," that she had been betrothed to Victor's father, Bonejangles, years ago, and holds Victor responsible for the unfinished promise. Delusional and distressed by his predicament, Victor is unsure of what to do. Over the next few days, Victor comes to accept his predicament, trying to make the best of his situation and befriend Corpse Bride, who introduces herself as Emily. As Victor navigates the vast expanse of the Land of the Dead, he encounters various characters, including a fragile and feeble 'Magician', a wealthy Widow Rabbit, and her trio of young girls who sing about their numerous potential boyfriends in a tantalizing song known as "Remains of the Day". Their colorful presence amidst the otherwise bleak landscape provides Victor with solace and an almost sense of belonging. During this time, a rather distressed Emily engages Victor in an endearing courtship. Their whimsical rendezvous is further amplified by a picturesque music score provided by Danny Elfman. Because Emily refuses to accept the uncertainty of their love being the primary reason Victor's existence in the Land of the Dead will be prolonged, Victor dreams of a way to set things right by ensuring their love can transcend the realm of his imminent doom. On the night before the scheduled wedding to his Corpse Bride, Victor manages to escape the Land of the Dead and return to Vasiliyevka in search of help from his real fiancée, Emily, the beautiful and kind soul who had been left behind when he was dragged off by Death. Seeing his ghostly presence on the night of the scheduled wedding, Emily is initially perplexed and then deeply concerned for her would-be husband's safety. Victor, torn between two loves and two worlds, reveals to the grieving Emily the truth about his predicament and the obligations that have led him to the Corps Bride. Gathering up the courage to return to the land of the dead, Victor takes the step he fears most, and returns to complete his dead father's plans of marrying the Corpse Bride. Upon his return to the Land of the Dead, he finds his bride, ready to exchange their eternal vows. As it unfolds, Victor's unswerving assertion of love succeeds in breaking the curse that was binding him to the Corpse Bride. The young lovers are rewarded for their persistence by the gift of mortality, allowing Victor to return to Emily's arms in the world of the living.