As much as I love Jack Skellington, he’s got both Christmas and Halloween on lock. But what about my girl Emily? Twenty years ago, Tim Burton gave us "Corpse Bride," and she’s still left out of the Burton canon conversation far too often.
This article is part of Trick or Stream, a seasonal series where Tom's Guide writers share their favorite horror movies and thrillers.
For anyone worn out by endless three-hour epics, this one-hour-and-sixteen-minute stop-motion animated gem is the perfect length — haunting, heartfelt and just enough.
Two decades later, Emily deserves her crown among pop culture’s most iconic undead brides. And this Halloween, it's a treat you can stream on both HBO Max and Peacock ... but not for long. The movie is leaving both platforms in a matter of days.
The story beneath the 'Corpse Bride' veil
Co-directed by Burton and Mike Johnson, "Corpse Bride" stars Johnny Depp as Victor, an awkward groom-to-be who accidentally marries a corpse while rehearsing his vows. Helena Bonham Carter voices Emily, the Corpse Bride herself, who’s thrilled when Victor unknowingly slips a ring onto her skeletal finger. Burton regulars Depp and Bonham Carter give the film that familiar gothic charm, with Emily Watson, Tracey Ullman and Joanna Lumley rounding out the stellar cast.
Set in the Victorian era — yes, the Victor and Victoria thing is deliberate — the film mixes dark whimsy with sharp social commentary. Class and gender expectations drive much of the plot: Victoria’s broke aristocrat parents look down on Victor’s fish-merchant family, even as they use the marriage to save their own status. Beneath the humor and the gorgeous stop-motion animation, Burton sneaks in pointed critiques of hypocrisy, sexism, and how women like Emily were used and discarded.
The love triangle here feels fresh. Instead of the tired “which brooding guy should I pick?” trope, Victor must choose between a living fiancée and a dead bride, and, in doing so, decide whether he wants to embrace life or give up on it. If he chooses Emily, he must literally drink poison to join her in the afterlife. The story works as both a gothic romance and a metaphor for self-worth: Victor’s journey isn’t about which woman he chooses, but whether he chooses to live for himself.
Why 'Corpse Bride' still matters
Where "The Nightmare Before Christmas" leaned on showstopping songs, "Corpse Bride" lets Danny Elfman’s music breathe between quieter moments. His score colors the story without overwhelming it — playful, haunting, and deeply human. The film’s stylized animation gives every character a peculiar grace, from bone-playing skeletons to bug-eyed ghosts, each etched with hints of their deaths.
It’s easy to overlook "Corpse Bride" next to Burton’s bigger hits, but that’s exactly why it stands out. Compact, beautiful, and emotionally resonant, it reminds us that love, death, and self-acceptance don’t need a sweeping runtime to hit home. Emily may be long dead, but her story still deserves to live on.
Stream "The Corpse Bride" on HBO Max or Peacock
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