Frankenweenie

Sad, I watched it after watching the remade version. I cannot believe Tim Burton was fired for making this. Yeah, I agree it is too dark for the 80s theme, but it's got matter. A simple, odd story about how far a kid can go to bring back his lovable dog Sparky!

The concept is inventive and Burton has done a stupendous job with both the versions. Music is spooky, screenplay is good and everything gels in this 30 minutes of classic thriller! Watch it before you watch the critically acclaimed 2012 remake!

WATCH OUT FOR: the serious slapstick!

Language: No | Sex: No | Violence: No

Ah, Tim Burton. One of the greatest and strangest directors in the world. I was lucky enough to have seen "Frankenweenie". It was one of the many wonderful extra features on "Nightmare before Christmas". I would highly recommend this to any Tim Burton fan. It is in fact probably a must. You get to see his early work. It is very interesting on his take of "Frankenstein". The story has some laughs. I think it was meant that way. So if you enjoy any of Tim Burton's stories, I think you will definitely enjoy this one. "Frankenweenie" is a great story. Tim Burton. He has come a long way from these days.

10/10

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

I just love this… A classic, immortal story enriched with personal ingeniousness! That's exactly what Tim Burton did here! His jolly little film introduces us to the 10-year-old Victor Frankenstein who can't bear the loss of his beloved dog. A car hit Sparky and Victor doesn't want any other dog to replace him. So, he sews him back in one piece and reanimates him electrically! This short only lasts a good half hour but that's more than enough time for Burton to inject memorable sequences, black humor and a healthy dose of social criticism. Burton mocks the life in small American villages, like he'd do it again later in his classic `Edward Scissorhands'. The director also knows the classic Frankenstein version by heart and terrifically reuses the settings and atmosphere here. Just look at that adorable scene with the miniature windmill near the end! An outstanding short with humor, a bit of tension … and even good acting! Frankenweenie stars Daniel Stern (C.H.U.D) and Shelley Duvall (The Shining). It can be found as an extra feature on the Nightmare Before Christmas Special Edition DVD, for example.

Though this is one of Burton's earlier, shorter, and less popular films, it is perhaps one of his most creative and early "spoofs" (though I would not truly call it a spoof.) Burton created a wonderful, childish look at the classic horror film on which this was based. The greatest scene of the movie is the pet cemetery, with the small tombstones displaying the types of pets buried there (a fishbowl for fish, a cat with X's as eyes, etc.) And the putt putt golf course that serves as the famous windmill scene. I must also commend Burton for choosing to make this film in black and white. During the first few minutes I was not sure if it was going to work, but after most of the film, I realized that it was perfect. Original, cute, and obviously Tim Burton, this film is good for everyone, regardless of what Disney thinks (I guess they were afraid that kids would start digging up the graves of their old dead pets and end of shocking themselves.)