Tim Burton rewatch! The short film Frankenweenie (1983) was a big calling card for Burton, an overnight cult fave that opened a lot of doors for him in Hollywood. But how is it, exactly?  

Here’s what happens: In the suburbs, young Victor is heartbroken when his beloved dog Sparky dies. A science class on electricity inspires Victor to bring his dog back to life, with unexpected results.

Origin story: When young Mary Shelley was on vacation with her husband and their (cough!) friend, Mary was inspired by various sources to write a tale of the macabre, about a doctor playing God with science by attempting to revive the dead. That tale became a novel, Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus, become one of the most adapted and parodied stories of all time. Frankenweenie was Burton’s turn at Shelley’s tale, another of his short films produced by Disney, who at the time was funding shorts to cultivate up-and-coming talent.

Outsider theory: Victor is not an outsider, what with his family and large group of friends. No, it’s the dog Sparky who’s the outsider this time. A classic “misunderstood monster” straight out of Shelley (or James Whale, really). Sparky just wants to be a good boy, but everyone reacts in terror upon seeing him.

Reality breaks through: While the movie mostly evokes the late ‘50s/early ‘60s, the scene where Sparky frightens a neighbor girl doing aerobics is absolutely 1980s.

Best bits: Victor’s dad: “Don’t you understand the implications of this thing? I just don’t know what this means.” Victor: “It means you don’t have to go through housebreaking another dog.”

What’s all this, then? Frankenweenie can be found on both the Nightmare Before Christmas DVD and Blu-ray in an “uncut edition.” I assume this is because, at 35 minutes, the short had to cut down to squeeze into a 30-minute runtime to air on TV.

Thoughts on this viewing: We’re definitely in Tim Burton land now, where classic goth visuals butt up against pop culture kitsch. While Burton would later remake this, it’s really a template for Edward Scissorhands, with a misunderstood monster in the suburbs. Overall, it’s cute and inoffensive, with occasional visual flourishes that make it worth seeing.

Next: I know what you are, but…

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