Frankenweenie (2012)

Young Victor conducts a science experiment to bring his beloved dog Sparky back to life, only to face unintended, sometimes monstrous, consequences.

Director:

Tim Burton

Writers:

Leonard Ripps, Tim Burton (original idea),

Stars:

Catherine O'Hara, Martin Short, Martin Landau

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 8 wins & 25 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Catherine O'Hara	...	Mrs. Frankenstien / Weird Girl / Gym Teacher (voice)
Martin Short	...	Mr. Frankenstein / Mr. Burgemeister / Nassor (voice)
Martin Landau	...	Mr. Rzykruski (voice)
Charlie Tahan	...	Victor Frankenstien (voice)
Atticus Shaffer	...	Edgar 'E' Gore (voice)
Winona Ryder	...	Elsa Van Helsing (voice)
Robert Capron	...	Bob (voice)
James Hiroyuki Liao	...	Toshiaki (voice)
Conchata Ferrell	...	Bob's Mom (voice)
Tom Kenny	...	New Holland Townsfolk (voice)

Storyline

When young Victor's pet dog Sparky (who stars in Victor's home-made monster movies) is hit by a car, Victor decides to bring him back to life the only way he knows how. But when the bolt-necked "monster" wreaks havoc and terror in the hearts of Victor's neighbors, he has to convince them (and his parents) that despite his appearance, Sparky's still the good loyal friend he's always been.

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Plot Keywords:

dog | back to life | monster | science experiment | experiment | 

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Taglines:

The electrifying dog is back from beyond the grave

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Genres:

Animation | Comedy | Family | Horror | Sci-Fi

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for thematic elements, scary images and action

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 October 2012 (USA)

Also Known As:

Chó Ma Frankenweenie

Box Office

Budget:

$39,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$11,412,213 (USA) (5 October 2012)

Gross:

$35,287,788 (USA) (22 February 2013)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Walt Disney Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min

Sound Mix:

Datasat Dolby Digital

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Mr. Rzykruski looks a lot like Vincent Price, an actor by whose films Tim Burton was influenced.

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Goofs

On the chalkboard the word "Life" above the drawing of Sparky disappears in a following scene.

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Quotes

Victor Frankenstien: You said yourself, if you could bring back Sparky, you would!
Mr. Frankenstein: Yes, but that was different because we couldn't! It's easy to promise the impossible.

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Crazy Credits

Towards the end of the traditional theme music, the Disney logo during the opening credits turns black and white and lightning strikes around the castle.

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Connections

References Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town (1970)

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Soundtracks

"Carousel"
Written and Performed by Craig Austin
Courtesy of Sound Design

User Reviews

Burton goes back to basics and back on form

The term 'A Tim Burton Film' has almost become a cliché in itself these days in that it basically refers to a film being weird almost for the sake of being weird, especially Tim's remakes, or 're-imaginings' as they are often called. Being the cynical bugger, I regarded Frankenweenie with a little scepticism, especially as I am an animal lover and do not want to see one die in any film, let alone a kid's film! However, I found Frankweenie a pleasant surprise. I remember hearing in an interview that Burton, as a fan of horror films as kid, wanted to make the kind of film he would have loved at that age. This is what lies at the very heart of what makes Frankenweenie such a success; it is obviously a very personal film and made with total compassion and affection. After all the big budget remakes, Frankenweenie is a much welcome reminder of why Tim Burton is popular and regarded as a unique director.

However, when a film is personal to the director it can of course become over indulgent and alienate a lot of the audience and sometimes lose sight of even any clear narrative. An element of restraint is necessary, and I am pleased to say that I felt Frankenweenie demonstrated a perfect balance of this. This is a film that adults and children can all enjoy and relate to. Despite being all in black and white, this is a film children will enjoy; there is enough heart and a sense of adventure, as well being told from the perspective of a child. Victor's position as a slight outsider to the norm is one that is easy to relate to, and many of us do. There are also countless nods and winks to various horror films that adults will enjoy, these all always tremendous fun as well as respectful to their original source. Of course, it goes without saying that people of any age who are animal lovers (like myself) and have experienced the companionship an animal can give you will find a genuine emotional connection to this film.

There is also style to the substance, with some important underlying moral messages within the narrative that keeps Frankenweenie being a film with a good narrative structure and character arcs. The inevitable 'dramatic' scenes towards the end, though they feel inevitable, they still are good fun and never feel they have to be there as they fit in perfectly with the tone of the film, mirroring perfectly scenes from past horror films in consistently fun way. My one issue was an aspect of the ending. I don't want to give anything away, but there is a certain aspect of the ending that was a little inconsistent with a moral message that had up until then been a major theme of the narrative. Of course, this is essentially a kid's film so I am sure that may have had something to do with it, which I understand. I know that Frankenweenie was not a major box office success, and I understand why, I was a little guilty of having reservations against it myself. However, now it is available to buy, it is a film I would strongly recommend to kids and adults alike.

Made with passion and heart, Frankenweenie is Tim Burton's most personal for a long time. It is all the better for it as Frankweenie is very accessible, involving and great fun for viewers of all ages