They say that every dog has its day, but after Disney
released 26 year-old animator Tim Burton on the grounds that his live-action short
was too scary for whippersnappers, few reckoned on him having his. Too dark his
30-minute short may have been, but 28 years later, and countless box office
smashes under his belt, the Magic Kingdom decided to give the kid another chance. Which was
nice. The result is Frankenweenie, a feature-length version of the same film
Disney wanted to put to sleep.
After unexpectedly losing his beloved dog Sparky, young
Victor (Charlie Tahan) harnesses the power of science to bring his best friend
back to life - with just a few minor adjustments. With Victor at school, Sparky
decides to visit a few of his old stomping grounds, but his excitement in being
back means that Victor's fellow students, teachers and the entire town soon
learn that getting a new leash on life can be monstrous.
The sprogs might not like it, but for old-school horror
fans, dog lovers, and those that prefer scissorhands to golden tickets,
Frankenweenie is the dog’s biscuits. With countless nods to some of horror’s
greatest monsters, the beautifully realised boy and his dog tale, and that
dark, quirky humour (especially in the final act) that works best when it’s
animated, Burton’s open-to-question return to a minor classic results in a wistful,
witty and wonderful film – top dog! DW
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