Frankenweenie - Tim Burton, 2012


Frankenweenie follows the moving story of little Victor Frankenstein, who enjoys learning science and spending time with his dog Sparky.


Frankenweenie follows the moving story of little Victor Frankenstein, who enjoys learning science and spending time with his dog Sparky.

One day, Sparky dies in an accident and Victor makes the decision to bring him back to life. When Victor’s classmates copy his ‘formula’ and experiment on other animals, it results in disastrous consequences.

The film carefully juxtaposes views of ordinary town folk with an eerie atmosphere. Its use of black-and-white clearly supports the latter.

Frankenweenie does little to disappoint. It combines Tim Burton’s unique style with an engaging narrative that leads to various heart-warming moments in its climax.

Remade from one of Burton’s old projects, audiences will be able to see much of the director’s own childhood personality in Victor, a little boy who does not enjoy school, but likes making short science-fiction films in his own time. One of the monsters featured clearly resembles the eponymous creature of Godzilla (1954), one of Burton’s favourite films. However, it’s clear that Disney got their hands on the final product, underlined by its light-hearted ending.

Ultimately, Tim Burton’s homage to the Frankenstein story has moments of genius. The film would make most of the cinema-going audience happy, but those ardent Burton fans longing for another Corpse Bride may not be as satisfied.

Originally published on Concrete UEA 06/11/2012

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