Tim Burton Brings Frankenweenie Back to Life and Gives His Fans the Scoop at Comic-Con 2012
In 1984, the mind of Tim Burton gave us the story of a boy who loves his dead dog so much that he brings him back to life. Back then, it was just a short, but Burton always imagined that it could be more. Now, 28 years later, Disney has given him free reign to re-tell this slightly creepy, but heart-felt tale in a new full-length film, Frankenweenie. Film Equals was at Comic-Con to hear all about it from the man himself.
Burton’s fans are nothing if not enthusiastic; Hall H was filled with six thousand of them, all eager to hear about his latest project, and Burton did not disappoint them. Not only was an extended trailer shown, but he debuted two clips from the film that promise a plot far beyond a boy re-animating his pet. It seems that the boy’s hometown of New Holland gets more than its fair share of lightning, but no one can figure out why. It’s this lightning that allows the boy to bring back the dead, but there are unanticipated side effects. And when other kids get their hands on the technology, things quickly spiral out of control, throwing his small town into chaos.
Everyone knows that Burton grew up in Burbank and has a love-hate relationship with suburbia. In this film, he reached back into his childhood to bring classmates from his youth to life on the screen. He seems most enthusiastic about these supporting characters. The one thing that may be lacking in this film that the rest of his movies have given his fans is characters they can emulate in cosplay. At one point, a group of people dressed in costumes from the Mad Hatter to Delia Deets approached the microphone to ask him a question. While he loved seeing them, I wonder if anyone will be able to cosplay Frankenweenie next year. I wouldn’t put it past his fanbase, though.
If you are in that fanbase, you are going to be very happy with your idol’s latest offering. Even if you’re not, though, I imagine you will find a lot to love about this film. It seems to be the perfect blend of the macabre and the whimsical, something Burton has always done better than most. One fan asked him if he ever planned to return to darker films such as Sleepy Hollow. Burton just smiled and reminded us that there is darkness in everything. I don’t believe a truer statement about his filmography has ever been uttered.
Frankenweenie rises again in theatres on October 5th, 2012.
