Frankenweenie is Tim Burton's first live-action short film, shot for Disney in the mid-80s, and has enough imaginations to overpass some overbearing cheesiness at times. It's a sign of things to come for Burton, and the story and some of the side characters remind one of Edward Scissorhands (no one understands this 'creation', and becomes an outcast despite good intentions). As a fable it ends on a pretty silly note, almost too much so to take. But it's got a genuine heart to it though, and it's probably a very personal work for Burton aside from being a clever homage. The beginning of the film, for example, showing a movie made by the son with the dog Sparky, seems like it's taken autobiographically from Burton's life as a kid. The story, just in the cover art on the VHS tape (the original one, albeit a cut version), tells all about what needs to be known.
What is then remarkable, and what makes it a lively and funny trip of a quickie for kids, is how visually creative it is. The shots taken from Frankenweenie's POV are downright charming, and the physical reactions from the neighbors to the new and improved dog almost makes the film worth seeing just for those parts. The lead boy, played by Barret Oliver, is actually quite bland for the lead and doesn't do much except sulk, or act quasi-happy, and not very well either. But his work doesn't matter in the end as much as the side characters, or the parents (Duvall and Stern) who are good enough for what it's worth. In the end, Frankenweenie is kind of like an expensive student short film, where a style is emerging but not fully formed, and at the same time there's real entertainment to be had. As a kid, more so than now, I watched it with more enthusiasm, but years later it's still a fun ride. 7.5/10
What is then remarkable, and what makes it a lively and funny trip of a quickie for kids, is how visually creative it is. The shots taken from Frankenweenie's POV are downright charming, and the physical reactions from the neighbors to the new and improved dog almost makes the film worth seeing just for those parts. The lead boy, played by Barret Oliver, is actually quite bland for the lead and doesn't do much except sulk, or act quasi-happy, and not very well either. But his work doesn't matter in the end as much as the side characters, or the parents (Duvall and Stern) who are good enough for what it's worth. In the end, Frankenweenie is kind of like an expensive student short film, where a style is emerging but not fully formed, and at the same time there's real entertainment to be had. As a kid, more so than now, I watched it with more enthusiasm, but years later it's still a fun ride. 7.5/10