Frankenweenie (1984)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Tim Burton

Writers:

Tim Burton (idea)
Leonard Ripps (writer)

Release Date:

1 December 1994 (Spain)

Genre:

Short | Comedy | Family | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

A comic twist on a classic tail!

Plot:

When young Victor's pet dog Sparky (who stars in Victor's home-made monster movies) is hit by a car...

Plot Keywords:

Monster | Dog | Neighbor | Young Boy | Dog Actor

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Shelley Duvall	...	Susan Frankenstein
Daniel Stern	...	Ben Frankenstein
Barret Oliver	...	Victor Frankenstein
Joseph Maher	...	Mr. Chambers
Roz Braverman	...	Mrs. Epstein
Paul Bartel	...	Mr. Walsh
Sofia Coppola	...	Anne Chambers (as Domino)
Jason Hervey	...	Frank Dale
Paul C. Scott	...	Mike Anderson
Helen Boll	...	Mrs. Curtis
Sparky	...	Sparky
Rusty James	...	Raymond

Runtime:

29 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Certification:

Australia:G | Argentina:Atp | Chile:TE | Spain:T | USA:PG | West Germany:6 | Peru:PT

Company:

Walt Disney Pictures

Trivia:

Tim Burton was fired from Disney for "wasting" their resources on films like this which they deemed too scary for family viewing. That did not stop Disney from releasing it on VHS after Burton became famous, although only in a censored version. The The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) DVD is its first uncensored appearance on home video.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: At the beginning, when the movie of Victor is played, you can see four people in the shadows, clapping. When the lights are on, you can only see Victor, his mother and father in the room.

Quotes:

Ben Frankenstein: I guess we can't punish Victor for bringing Sparky back from the dead.

Movie Connections:

References Vincent (1982)

A cute take on the legend

Along with Vincent, this short is featured on the DVD of The Nightmare Before Christmas. Since I first read about it here on IMDb, I've wanted to watch it. It's a delightful little film version of Frankenstein, seen from a child's perspective, and with charm and a sweet sense of humor. You'd be hard pressed to find a film that, whilst remaining somewhat dark, still manages to appeal to the kid in all of us so well. Most anyone can enjoy this. The fact that Burton was fired from Disney for making this kind of film is quite sad. This short displays beyond any doubt that Tim could easily have handled great children's films. The plot is well-written and moves along nicely. The scene of Sparky's demise is almost painful to watch, as it is so easy to see where it's going, how it'll end. But Burton holds us there, keeps us in a position where we can only watch, anticipating what will happen but do nothing. The way the story develops and ends works very well. I shouldn't write it out in detail, as it is far too great to spoil. The acting is solid, with few, if any, performances lacking. The characters are credible, if slightly grotesque at times(a trait Burton brings to most of his projects, be they about the living or otherwise). The writing is very good all-round. The humor is neither cruel nor juvenile... just about everyone can laugh at it. It is at times somewhat dark, though. Not much left to say... I enjoyed this simply shot, fun little movie, a sign of great things to come for Tim Burton. I recommend this to any fans of him and anyone looking to watch alternate re-tellings of the great novel. 7/10