“I was a bride. My dreams were taken from me. But now – now I’ve stolen them from someone else.”
Every little girl grows up dreaming of the day she will don a gorgeous white dress and become a bride. At least that’s what we’re told. For centuries, fairy tales and fables have reified an iconic depiction of matrimony that leaves little room for individuality. The reality is that marriage is different for every couple and there are a million different ways to be a bride. Tim Burton’s stunning claymation classic Corpse Bride helps to redefine the concept of marriage with a pair of women set to wed the same man.
On the eve of their wedding day, Victor (Johnny Depp) and Victoria (Emily Watson) have trepidation. Not only have they never met, their greedy parents have arranged the match to fulfill a variety of selfish goals. Both resign themselves to a loveless life and go through the motions of their parents’ plans. But when Victor struggles to recite his vows, he runs off to practice them in the woods and winds up resurrecting/marrying Emily (Helena Bonham Carter), a corpse who died on her wedding day. Held to his promise, the frightened groom prepares for life among the dead while an even more terrifying predator makes a play for his would-be wife.
In the latest episode of Bloody FM’s The Lady Killers Podcast, co-hosts Jenn Adams, Sammie Kuykendall, and Rachel Reeves unpack the layers of this undead love triangle that manages to merge the living and the dead. What does Emily’s dress reveal about her concept of love? Why must Victor memorize his wedding vows? How does Victoria feel about marriage and have her parents ever been kind? They’ll answer these questions and more while sharing their love for this stunning film.
Stream below and subscribe now via Apple Podcasts and Spotify for future episodes that drop every Thursday.