When you lose someone you love, they never really leave you. They just move into a special place in your heart.
– Frankenweenie, 2012
I lost my first dog when I was just a child. Having owned Tiny since she was a baby made it that much more difficult to lose her, as she had become part of our family. Those who have owned animals understand the relationship that develops…the mutual loyalty that ensues. And just as we mourn for the animals we lose, so do the animals mourn for their owners (I witnessed this first hand with Niko when my father died).
At the heart of Tim Burton’s latest cinematic masterpiece, Frankenweenie, is a story about a boy and his dog. The film, which just debuted in theaters nationwide, is the first 3D, black and white, stop motion animated film to be released. If the film seems familiar, it is because Tim Burton released an animated short in the 80’s by the same name, which can be seen on the blu-ray and DVD versions of The Nightmare Before Christmas.
Inspired by Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the film details the story of Victor Frankenstein and his dog Sparky. The two are inseparable…best friends. Victor is fascinated with science and making films with his dog. But his parents are concerned that his interests are isolating him, so they encourage him to take up a more socially acceptable activity…baseball. Because Victor is an only child and keeps to himself, he is utterly devastated when Sparky is hit by a car at his very first game.
During one of Victor’s Science classes, his teacher Mr. Rzykruski (voiced by Martin Landau) demonstrates the effect of electric impulses on the muscles of a deceased frog. The wheels in Victor’s brain begin turning and he decides to see if recreating this scenario might bring his dog back to life.
In true Frankenstein fashion, Victor sets up a science lab of sorts in the attic of his home. After digging up Sparky and sewing him back together, he successfully revives his beloved dog, albeit with a few nuances. Victor knows that the people in his town won’t truly understand what he has done or why, so he keeps Sparky hidden in his attic. But soon, Sparky ventures beyond his confines and word gets around (as is typical in a small town) that he is alive.
With the Science fair up and coming, Victor’s classmates are devising ways to make their project award-worthy. Edgar (Atticus Shaffer) is the first to discover that Sparky is alive, and threatens to divulge his secret unless Victor shows him how he successfully brought his dog back to life. Soon, the rest of Victor’s classmates learn about Victor’s successful “experiment” and begin attempting to bring their own pets back to life with his formula. The result is truly monstrous!
Visually, the film is a masterpiece. Burton’s brilliant use of blacks, whites, and grays not only serve to help orient audiences to the time of day, but effectively set the mood and tone of the film. It was interesting to note the many variations of black and white throughout the film. Color (or lack of) helped to evoke emotion and heighten climactic moments throughout the film.
Stop motion animation is an early film-making technique whereby an inanimate object is moved in small increments and photographed to create the illusion of movement. As a homage to the classic horror film Frankenstein, the technique adds depth and an element of reality while still maintaining the look and feel of an old-fashioned horror flick, albeit, a family-friendly one.
While Tim Burton’s film-making style pervades the film, it has all of the heart you’d expect from Disney. The story was inspired by the death of Tim’s childhood dog, and young or old, you’ll likely relate to that special relationship you had with your very first pet.
Frankenweenie is now in theaters nationwide.
No compensation was received for this post. I was invited to screen the film which helped facilitate this review.
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