Frankenweenie

1984 movie with such a dumb title that it shouldn't be nearly as good as it is

Rating: 14/20

Plot: Young Victor (ha ha!) loves his little dog Sparky (ha ha!) and casts him as the lead in homemade monster movies. Until Sparky gets struck and killed by a car that is. Oh, snap! In school the next day, Victor learns that electricity can be used to revive dead animals and decides to try it out with his beloved dog. Frankenweenie!

I never bothered to see this (probably because it's called Frankenweenie) even when I thought Tim Burton was all that back in high school. It's a little too cute and sweet for it to be something I'd typically be in love with, but it's worth watching. It's definitely got shades of Burton's later work with some Nightmare Before Christmas-like imagery in scenes that take place in a pet cemetery and a windmill and some dark and askew humor. The dog's also cute, even with its thick Frankenstein monster stitching and neck bolts. There's some good camera work, some nice crisp black and white cinematography. Apparently, this is being remade as a stop-motion flick.

By the way, I want to make sure everybody knows that I no longer think Tim Burton is all that.