Tim Burton's Corpse Bride 4K Ultra HD

After just meeting each other for the first time, Victor (Johnny Depp) and Victoria (Emily Watson) are scheduled to be married the next day. But Victor is a little nervous about the whole situation and goes for a walk in the woods. While practicing his vows, he places the wedding ring on an old tree branch—he thinks—but instead it turns out to be the skeletal finger of the "Corpse Bride" (Helena Bonham Carter), who immediately accepts Victor's proposal of marriage. After the new missus drags Victor to the very strange Land of the Dead, he realizes that he has come to love his intented bride, Victoria. But his dead wife isn't too happy about Victor's love for the living and wonders what she can do to make Victor truly hers. Set in the same style as another Tim Burton film, "The Nightmare Before Christmas," this movie is sure to delight those of all ages. (Tricia Spears)

Special features include 10 featurettes: "Digging Up The Past: The Minds Behind The Corpse Bride – New (HD 08:26), "‘Til Death Do Us Art” A Corpse Bride Reflection - New (HD 06:18), "Danny Elfman Interprets The Two Worlds" (HD 04:56), "Inside tTe Two Worlds Of The Corpse Bride" (HD 04:03), "Making Puppets Tick" (HD 06:33), "The Animators: The Breath Of Life" (HD 06:38), "Tim Burton: Dark vs. Light" (HD 03:39), The Corpse Bride Pre-Production Galleries (HD 13:28), "Voices From The Underworld" (HD 05:59) and "The Voices Behind The Voice" (HD 07:36); and a Movies Anywhere digital copy.

The 1.85:1 2160p HEVC/H.265 Ultra HD Dolby Vision/HDR10 picture, reviewed on a VIZIO Quantum X P85QX-JI UHD/HDR display, was digitally animated using the Red Komodo, Red V-Raptor and Phantom Flex4K-GS camera systems and sourced from a 4K master Digital Intermediate of.a new 4K restoration –– in all its macabre romance and glory The animation and puppetry is wonderful and unique in appearance. The figures are drawn with smooth facial contours. The environment reveals incredible detail and texture. The imagery exhibits impressive detail and dimensional depth. The image appears three-dimensional, not only popping out of the screen but also reaching deep into the screen plane. The dullest of scenes, many appearing mostly as shades of gray, are expertly rendered, with every minor detail in the sets and features of the puppets perfectly crafted. While this may be one of the least colorful animated movies ever, it still manages to wow the viewer. The color palette shifts from a desaturated palette and, at times, a virtually black-and-white one to one that exhibits colorful rendering. Colors are nicely saturated with warm and rich hues and nuanced hue shading. HDR contrast is excellent. Black levels are solid and deep with excellent texture, Shadows are well defined. White levels and illumination appear perfectly rendered. Resolution is superb. It is truly amazing just how detailed both the puppets and the set pieces on which they interact truly are, with superb clarity and resolution. Character features are sharp and detailed. Costumes are rendered with detailed texture. Object texture is amazingly fine in detail. This is one of the best visual offerings of a classic catalogue title or otherwise. The disc is simply marvelous, no matter how dull some of the movie may look. This is an extraordinary picture with satisfying imagination of animated and puppet imagery. (Gary Reber)

The repurposed Dolby Atmos/Dolby TrueHD 7.1-channel soundtrack is dynamic with excellent stereophonic soundstage imaging and pinpoint placement of sounds, both static and panned. The orchestra/choral score is terrific and occupies a wide and deep soundstage which extends to the surrounds. There is quite a bit of singing. The music provide a strong bass foundation. The surrounds provide direction of character, chatter and sound effects, such as crows and their loud caws. Foley sound effects are a showpiece and bring to life the picture. Atmospherics are subtle. Sound effects are enhanced with deep bass and .1 LFE energy, but generally reserved in level. Dialogue is clean and clear throughout with soundstage direction. Dialogue is completely ADR produced with satisfying integration.

The Immersive Sound element is comprised of an extension of the orchestra/choral music to the height layer as well as loud singing and directional dialogue, and sound effects such as a loud bell, loud crows, door slams, thunder and subtle rain, horse-drawn carraige and more. This is an extremely effective height layer enhancement of the sound field which enhances spherical surround dimensionality.

This is wonderfully crafted holosonic® spherical surround soundtrack that delivers impressive dimensionality for an impressive home theatre experience. (Gary Reber)