The film was notable for being the first stop-motion feature and the first black-and-white animated film to be released in IMAX 3D .
Frankenweenie explores several of Burton's trademark themes: Frankenweenie -2012-
To understand the 2012 feature, one must understand the 1984 short. In the early 1980s, Burton was a disaffected animator at Disney. His style was deemed too dark and edgy for the family-friendly studio. He was given a small budget to direct a live-action short about a boy who brings his dog back to life. The resulting film, starring Shelley Duvall, Daniel Stern, and a young Barret Oliver, was a charming oddity. However, Disney executives at the time were horrified. They deemed it too scary for children and a waste of resources, resulting in Burton’s firing. The film was notable for being the first
Inspired by his eccentric science teacher, Mr. Rzykruski (voiced by the legendary Martin Landau, channeling Vincent Price), Victor learns about electrical impulses and the power of lightning. Driven by grief, he builds a towering lightning rod in his attic. During a thunderstorm, he successfully reanimates Sparky. His style was deemed too dark and edgy
But the heart of the film is the silent performance of Sparky. Because the dog doesn’t speak, the animators had to rely solely on physicality—the tilt of a head, the wag of a tail, the wet nose bumping against Victor’s hand. It is a masterclass in anthropomorphic animation.
Frankenweenie (2012) is not Tim Burton’s biggest hit, nor is it his most quoted film. But it is arguably his most personal. It is a story about an outsider artist who loves monsters, vintage horror, and his community. It is a film that believes a dead dog can be revived by science, but only sustained by love.