Tim Burton's Frankenweenie

In 1984, Tim Burton directed Frankenweenie, a 30 minute short film for Walt Disney. Shot in black and white, it would disgust the top men at Disney who found it too shocking and they thought it would upset young children. So, Burton was sacked by Disney. However, Frankenweenie gained a cult status, it was seen by Paul Reubens, who was looking for a director for Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, he loved it and he gave Burton a call. The rest as they say is history, and we all know what followed. Now, hot off the success of Alice in Wonderland, Burton has returned to film that was his stepping stone to greater things, and now, Burton is going to remake Frankenweenie as a feature length 3D stop motion film!!

It's about young Victor Frankenstein, who has a dog called Sparky, who is run over by a car. When Victor learns of electricity impulses to the muscles, he comes up with an idea to bring Sparky back to life. It works, but it has dire consequences.

It's brilliant that Tim Burton has chosen to go back and expand on what was a brilliant little short film. The script is ready, the casting is underway, and it'll be out for late 2011. Plus, Burton has another film coming out around that same time, Dark Shadows!! So, this'll be like 2005 again, when Burton brought out Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Corpse Bride out close together!!

It's underway!!



Anything Tim Burton does is unmissable, and to see him return to stop-motion is joyous news, as got his start doing that. Look at Vincent (1982), short but sweet, and it had his inimitable style. He produced The Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach, both directed by Henry Selick, and both had brilliant stop-motion. I bet he finds a part for Johnny Depp in this...

The film will star Winona Ryder, Martin Landau, Martin Short and Catherine O'Hara!!

Good to see him working with old friends again!! And it'll be released on March 9th 2012 in 3D!!

I've never seen Frankenweenie. I shall have to seek it out before this new one.

It's on the DVD for The Nightmare Before Christmas!!

It is? I've had that for ages as well!

Then watch it!!

Production details and Synopsis for Frankenweenie!!

What do you think of that Gimli??

Oh yes oh yes oh yes oh yes oh yes oh yes!

I knew you'd be happy.

Indeed. After The Hobbit, Brave and maybe Batman, the two Burton films are the ones I'm most looking forward to this year.

Here's something I discovered about the film. Even though Christopher Lee said he would NEVER play Dracula again, he's voicing Dracula in Frankenweenie!! But it'll be on TV in the film...

Still cool though!!