Frankenweenie (2012) Dir: Tim Burton
Instagram post:
I remember watching this Tim Burton directed sci-fi animation once, some years ago, and not thinking all that much of it. However, tastes change - and I figured it was worth a go, especially considering the love I often see for the film.
First and foremost, I love that the film is in black and white. This, coupled with the fact that the film is stop motion animation, means that the film has a very unique visual appeal. Said animation was very nice to see - I for one am a big fan of stop motion in film. It might even be my favourite form of animated cinema.
It pays homage to classic horror films, such as the original 'Frankenstein', with its aesthetics, while also firmly belonging to the Burton family of films. I particularly enjoyed the look of the resurrection scenes, which had lots of neat little shots that I appreciated a lot.
The music of Danny Elfman accompanies a heartwarming story that had the feel of more child-friendly 'Pet Sematary' and 'Frankenstein' adaptations. I enjoyed the lighthearted nature of the film - I think it walked the line between interesting adaptation and family adventure quite nicely.
I think Charlie Tahan made for a rather endearing protagonist. He was able to illicit innocence and intelligence quite effectively, thus showing his character's two main qualities very well.
Both Catherine O'Hara and Martin Short played numerous characters in the film, and both did so very well. Each character felt their own, and, unless you were really listening for it, I doubt many would notice that any of the roles were played by the same people.
The supporting performances of Atticus Shaffer, Martin Landau and Winona Ryder prove to be well-conceived and in keeping with the feel of the film. Shaffer was particularly good at portraying his character's creepy persona.
Overall, while I wouldn't say this film is Burton's best or anything like that, I would say that it has a charm to it that I very much enjoyed, and I think it is visually absolutely wonderful. I'm glad I decided to give this another go, it was definitely worth doing so.
Comments