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* BilingualBonus: Toshiaki at one point mumbles something in Japanese.
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* [[KilledOffforReal Killed off for Real]]: Averted twice by Sparky Frankenstein. [[spoiler: But played straight with Mr Whiskers.]]
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* [[spoiler: ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: What ultimately happens to Mr. Whiskers.]]
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* [[spoiler: ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: What ultimately happens to Mr. Whiskers.]]
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* IJustWantToHaveFriends: Edgar, according to the junior novel.
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** Elsa's last name is Van Helsing.
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** Elsa's last name is Van Helsing.[[Literature/{{Dracula}} "van Helsing"]].
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* ProductionPosse: No JohnnyDepp or HelenaBonhamCarter, but Burton has worked with WynonaRyder and Martin Landau before.
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Also another kid
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* ThePowerOfLove: This is why Victor's attempt to bring Sparky back to life worked, and the lack of it is why [[spoiler: the other kids eventually bringing animals back to life doesn't work and just turns them into monsters.]]
to:
* ThePowerOfLove: This is why Victor's attempt to bring Sparky back to life worked, and the lack of it is why [[spoiler: the other kids eventually bringing animals back to life doesn't work and just turns them into monsters. But Nassor, who also expressed a desire to be reunited with his pet, also succeeded. Sort of.]]
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* OneSteveLimit: Averted. There are two characters named Bob; the fat kid and Mayor Burgermeister.
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* [[IJustWantToBeNormal I Just Want My Son To Be Normal]]: Victor's father wants his son to get out more, and play baseball, because he doesn't want people to think he is weird. Which is ironic as by looking at the other kids Victor is one of the most normal kids at that school.
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* ObviouslyEvil: Dr. Rzykruski looks to be this with a creepy tall body, long face, and jagged teeth. However this is adverted as he is actually very nice and the [[OnlySaneMan Adult]].
to:
* ObviouslyEvil: Dr. Rzykruski looks to be this with a creepy tall body, long face, and jagged teeth. However this is adverted as he is actually very nice and the [[OnlySaneMan Adult]].only sane adult]].
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* ObviouslyEvil: Dr. Rzykruski looks to be this with a creepy tall body, long face, and jagged teeth. However this is adverted as he is actually very nice and the {{Only Sane| Man }}Adult.
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* ObviouslyEvil: Dr. Rzykruski looks to be this with a creepy tall body, long face, and jagged teeth. However this is adverted as he is actually very nice and the {{Only Sane| Man }}Adult.[[OnlySaneMan Adult]].
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* ObviouslyEvil: Dr.Rzykruski looks to be this with a creepy tall body, long face, and jagged teeth. However this is adverted as he is actually very nice and the {{Only Sane| Man}}Adult.
to:
* ObviouslyEvil: Dr. Rzykruski looks to be this with a creepy tall body, long face, and jagged teeth. However this is adverted as he is actually very nice and the {{Only Sane| Man}}Adult.Man }}Adult.
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* ObviouslyEvil: Dr.Rzykruski looks to be this with a creepy tall body, long face, and jagged teeth. However this is adverted as he is actually very nice and the {{Only Sane| Man}} Adult.
to:
* ObviouslyEvil: Dr.Rzykruski looks to be this with a creepy tall body, long face, and jagged teeth. However this is adverted as he is actually very nice and the {{Only Sane| Man}} Adult.Man}}Adult.
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* ObviouslyEvil: Dr.Rzykruski looks to be this with a creepy tall body, long face, and jagged teeth. However this is adverted as he is actually very nice and the {{Only Sane| Man}} Adult.
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* MummyWrap: Nassor ends up mummified by streamers and trapped inside a cabinet.
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* ObviouslyEvil: Rzykruski. Though adverted as he is actually very nice.
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* DirtyCoward: The mayor, who hides behind his niece when the monsters attack then flees for his own life. Don't worry though, he shortly gets his LaserGuidedKarma.
* ObviouslyEvil: Rzykruski. Though adverted as he is actually very nice.
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* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Mr. Rzykruski attempts to give one of these to the townspeople after they blame him for the "science experiment" that resulted in one student breaking his arm. He labels their behavior insane, explains that he was trying to expand the students' minds, and that their charges against him are unfounded. [[spoiler: The speech doesn't work; he's fired and his science teacher position is replaced by the gym teacher, who knows nothing of science.]]
to:
* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Mr. Rzykruski attempts to give one of these to the townspeople after they blame him for the "science experiment" that resulted in one student breaking his arm. He labels their behavior insane, explains that he was trying to expand the students' minds, and that their charges against him are unfounded. [[spoiler: The speech doesn't work; he's fired and his science teacher position is replaced by the gym teacher, who knows nothing of science. It also didn't help at the fact he stated all of this by calling them idiots and wanting to crack the kids heads open in his description.]]
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* RealityEnsues: What else would you expect when you [[spoiler: send a hamster to fight Godzilla]].
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* [[spoiler: ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: What ultimately happens to Mr. Whiskers.]]
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* RetroUniverse: WordOfGod says that while the setting appears to be TheFifties, it's not quite that, yet not quite present day either.
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** Weird girl seems inspired by Staring Girl from Tim Burton's book of poems, The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy and Other Stories.
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** Weird girl Girl seems inspired by Staring Girl from Tim Burton's book of poems, The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy and Other Stories.
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** Weird girl seems inspired by Staring Girl from Tim Burton's book of poems, The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy and Other Stories.
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* CameBackWrong: Not Sparky himself but [[spoiler: the other animals Victor's classmates try to revive.]]
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* ThreeDMovie: Victor's home movie is one.
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*** [[spoiler: Nassor's getting wrapped up in streamers and then falling into a matryoshka-shaped cabinet riffs on Karloff's being mummified alive in the 1932 film.]]
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** Also, how did Weird Girl [[spoiler: cope with the death of Mr. Whiskers?! Did she get a new cat? Is she still friendly with Victor? We don't see her among the townsfolks after her cat dies...]]
** Toshiaki, Edgar, and Nassor are never seen or mentioned after the chaos in the town square.
** Toshiaki, Edgar, and Nassor are never seen or mentioned after the chaos in the town square.
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** Also, how did Weird Girl [[spoiler: cope with the death of Mr. Whiskers?! Did she get a new cat? Is she still friendly with Victor? We don't see her among Victor?]]
** None of thetownsfolks after her cat dies...]]
** Toshiaki, Edgar, and Nassorother kids are never seen or mentioned after the chaos in the town square.square. [[spoiler: Nassor's stuck in a cabinet, but the others may just be hiding given that their parents will probably ground them for life...]]
** None of the
** Toshiaki, Edgar, and Nassor
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''Frankenweenie'' is an unusual film from the mind of TimBurton. The movie is a remake of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankenweenie_(1984_film) a short movie with the same name]] that he made in 1984.
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''Frankenweenie'' is an unusual film from the mind of TimBurton.Creator/TimBurton. The movie is a remake of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankenweenie_(1984_film) a short movie with the same name]] that he made in 1984.
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[[quoteright:220:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Frankenweenie_1_5611.png]]
[[caption-width-right:220:It's ALIVE!!!]]
''Frankenweenie'' is an unusual film from the mind of TimBurton. The movie is a remake of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankenweenie_(1984_film) a short movie with the same name]] that he made in 1984.
Victor Frankenstein is a young boy who creates movies starring his dog, [[ThemeNaming Sparky]]. After Sparky is hit by a car, Victor learns at school about electrical impulses in muscles, and gets the idea to bring his pet back to life. He creates elaborate machines which bring down a bolt of [[LightningCanDoAnything lightning]] that revives the dog. While Victor is pleased, his neighbors are terrified by the animal, and when the Frankensteins decide to introduce the revitalized Sparky to them, they become angry and afraid. The movie stars [[Film/TheShining Shelley]] [[{{Film/Popeye}} Du]][[FaerieTaleTheatre vall]], [[TheWonderYears Daniel]] [[HomeAlone Stern]], and [[Film/TheNeverEndingStory Barret Oliver]]. The movie was first made as a short film in 1984 by TimBurton for Disney, which resulted in his termination from the studio under the idea the movie was too scary for children. The film was [[ScrewedByTheNetwork shelved]] and didn't see the light in U.S. Theaters but managed a [[ShortRunInPeru theatrical run in the U.K.]] Despite the trouble, the film caught the attention of Paul Reubens who would champion Burton for directing on his film ''PeeWeesBigAdventure'' which would be Burton's feature length film debut.
The film is getting a feature length remake as a [[AuthorAppeal Black and White Stop-Motion Animation]] film in 2012 with Tim returning as director and his long time composing partner Creator/DannyElfman. The cast includes [[Film/HomeAlone Catherine O'Hara]], WinonaRyder, [[Film/EdWood Martin Landau]], [[MarsAttacks Martin Short]], [[DiaryOfAWimpyKid Robert Capron]], [[WesternAnimation/{{Thundercats 2011}} Atticus Shaffer]], [[Film/IAmLegend Charlie Tahan]] and [[TwoAndAHalfMen Conchata Ferrell]]. This version expands the story with some of Victor's fellow students discovering Sparky's miracle revival and deciding to create their own monster animals out of pets both living and dead. This only serves to bring more chaos to the town.
----
!!This film contains examples of:
* [[ABoyAndHisX A Boy and His Undead Dog]]
* ActorAllusion:
** Clips of ChristopherLee from ''HorrorOfDracula'' appear in the movie (the Frankensteins are watching it on TV).
** WinonaRyder's character Elsa looks a lot like Lydia from ''Film/{{Beetlejuice}}''.
* AttackOfThe50FootWhatever[=/=]{{Kaiju}}: [[spoiler:Toshiaki's turtle, Shelley. [[{{Gamera}} He's really neat]].]]
* AttackOfTheTownFestival
* AdaptationExpansion: The 2012 remake, which expands the cast and story of the original.
* AffectionateParody[=/=]{{Homage}}: Of not only {{Frankenstein}}, but 1950's Sci-Fi Horror films. The second trailer is even called "Homage".
* AllStarCast: ...just look up.
* AnimationBump: Actually ''inverted'' with the 2012 remake. Burton noted that, during the production of ''CorpseBride'', many people thought the puppets moved with such fluidity that they mistook the animation with that of actual CG. He thought it undermined the beauty of the artform, and thus decided to make the animation cruder for this film.
* AvoidTheDreadedGRating: Inverted; according to the book ''Burton on Burton'' Disney wanted a G rating on the 1984 short film but the movie was given a PG rating. Though Burton asked the MPAA what he could do to get a G rating, the MPAA said there was nothing he could do to have the rating changed.
* BigBadDuumvirate: Toshiaki and Nassor.
* BigNo: Twice, both from Victor. For added dramatic effect, he's even in ''the exact same pose'' both times: both times, he has the exact same expression on his face, and both times, his parents are gripping by the arms so he won't impulsively run forward into danger.
* BigShadowLittleCreature: The reveal that Colossus is ironically named.
* CatsAreMean [[spoiler: when fused with a possibly-rabid, possibly-vampire bat via mad science!]]
* CreepyChild: This being a TimBurton production, pretty much every kid in the thing is a tad disturbing in their own way, but Weird Girl takes the gold.
* DisneyDeath: The first example of a death doesn't ''quite'' count because the audience knew going into the theater that this movie was about a boy bringing his dead dog back to life. [[spoiler: The ''second'' example of a death counts, because Sparky dies a second time after Mr. Whiskers drags him back into a burning windmill, said burning windmill then killing both Mr. Whiskers and Sparky. However, this time Victor's parents give Victor explicit permission to bring Sparky back to life...which at first doesn't appear to work. Victor is all set to remember Sparky in his heart and move on, when Sparky finally wakes up and starts playing around with Persephone.]]
* DogStereotype: Played straight with Persephone, at least in terms of "Poodles are always female", averted with Sparky. Bull terriers are usually portrayed as large and vicious, but Sparky is friendly, affectionate, and good with kids, which more accurate to how the breed is in real life.
* DoubleAesop: Victor and "the rest of the town in general" each learn an Aesop. For Victor, it's [[spoiler: science isn't good or bad, but can be used for either one, so don't conduct or help others conduct experiments for the wrong reasons.]] For "the rest of the town in general", it's [[spoiler: don't be so sure of yourself if you don't know what you're talking about, even if you're an adult.]]
* {{Expy}}:
** Victor Frankenstein is essentially a younger (and less meek) version of [[CorpseBride Victor Van Dort]], he also resembles the title character of Tim Burton's short film ''Vincent'' (unsurprising since Victor Van Dort was basically a grown-up version of the character).
** Mr. Bergermeister is obviously the descendant of Finis Everglot.
** Mr. Rzykruski is one of VincentPrice.
** Elsa van Helsing looks a lot like [[Film/{{Beetlejuice}} Lydia Deetz]]. Helps that both are played by WinonaRyder.
** Nassor is one of BorisKarloff.
** Edgar is basically the son of PeterLorre.
* DramaticIrony: Disney hiring Burton to remake the very film they fired him for.
* FamilyUnfriendlyDeath: [[spoiler: Mr. Whiskers, after being transformed into a [[AxCrazy homicidal feline/bat hybrid monster]] by Weird Girl's attempt to replicate Victor's experiment, gets impaled by a flaming beam within the New Holland windmill while fighting Sparky. They don't show the impact, but you do see the aftermath.]]
* GoodParents: Victor's parents, Susan and Ben Frankenstein.
* HeyItsThatVoice: Frank Welker provides the voice of Sparky Frankenstein.
** [[DiaryofaWimpyKid Rowley]] voices Victor's classmate Bob.
** {{Dee Bradley Baker}}, {{Christopher Lee}} and {{Tom Kenny}} are in this.
* LightningCanDoAnything: Played straight. It even does different things to each animal brought back from the dead (based on "uncontrolled variables").
* MadScientist: Subverted. There's an eccentric scientist, but he is the ''OnlySaneMan''
* [[spoiler: LyingFingerCross: Edgar crosses his fingers when he promises to Victor that Edgar won't tell anyone about Victor's method of bringing animals back to life. To be fair, he ''does'' at first keep Sparky's existence ''specifically'' a secret, but he tells the other kids about his "invisible fish" in order to win favor and eventually he lets the part about Sparky slip without meaning to, which is what leads to the other kids trying to resurrect dead pets back to life as well.]]
* MeaningfulName: Nassor's name means "victor" in Egyptian.
* MissingTrailerScene: The homage trailer shows Weird Girl holding the paper with Mr. Whiskers'..."message" to Victor in the shape of a skull and crossbones. In the movie, it's just a turd in the shape of a V.
* PerpetualSmiler: Edgar, the creepy hunchbacked kid who discovers the resurrected Sparky.
* PersonalityPowers: All of the monsters the kids raise from the dead resemble them in some way.
** The short Japanese student Toshiaki makes a {{Gamera}}-esque turtle.
** The Igor-like Edgar creates a hunchbacked rat.
** The creepy pale weird girl turns her cat into a [[TheFly monstrous hybrid]].
** The tall Boris Karloff inspired Nassor creates a hamster mummy.
* PunnyName: Edgar E. Gore.
* TheRival: Toshiaki.
* ShoutOut:
** Sparky pre-transformation looks very similar to another [[FamilyDog Burton canine]].
** Persephone the poodle gets her very own ''Bride of Frankenstein'' beehive hairdo, compliments of a static charge from Sparky. That her owner is basically [[{{Beetlejuice}} Lydia Deetz]] just adds to the fun.
** Mayor Burgemeister is named for Burgermeister Meisterburger of SantaClausIsCominToTown fame.
** Nassor and his mummy hamster are a reference to Boris Karloff's role in the 1932 version of ''TheMummy''. Nassor's flat hair is also a reference to [[{{Frankenstein}} Frankenstein's monster]], a role that Karloff famously played.
** The mutated Sea-Monkeys are a reference to ''Gremlins''. Instead of sunlight, they [[WeaksauceWeakness explode when salt hits them.]]
** The goldfish is pretty much a straight-up shout-out to ''The Invisible Man'', right up to it starting to go mad [[spoiler:before disappearing altogether.]]
** Toshiaki's [[spoiler:giant turtle monster]] looks like [[spoiler:Franchise/{{Gamera}}]]. The fact that he's Japanese [[{{Kaiju}} only puts a spotlight on the comparison]]. Also, its name is [[spoiler: "Shelley", and the extra "e" is [[Creator/MaryShelley no coincidence]].]]
** And the Mr. Whiskers/Bat hybrid monster is a reference to ''TheFly'', though the actual monster is more reminiscent of ''JeepersCreepers''.
* StrangeGirl: The appropriately named "Weird Girl", who interprets an omen out of a ''cat's litter box''.
* StrawNihilist: Nassor, who has a bleak, "doomsday" view on life.
* {{Suburbia}}
* TheEndOrIsIt: The ''trailer'' ends with this phrase! So does Victor's home movie.
* ThePowerOfLove: This is why Victor's attempt to bring Sparky back to life worked, and the lack of it is why [[spoiler: the other kids eventually bringing animals back to life doesn't work and just turns them into monsters.]]
* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Mr. Rzykruski attempts to give one of these to the townspeople after they blame him for the "science experiment" that resulted in one student breaking his arm. He labels their behavior insane, explains that he was trying to expand the students' minds, and that their charges against him are unfounded. [[spoiler: The speech doesn't work; he's fired and his science teacher position is replaced by the gym teacher, who knows nothing of science.]]
* ToiletHumor:
-->'''Weird Girl:''' Mr. Whiskers left a message.
-->'''Victor:''' Did you get that from the litter box?
* TorchesAndPitchforks: Well, just torches-- it ''is'' suburbia, after all.
* {{Uberwald}}: At least, the closest one can make American suburbia into this trope. Many of the characters have Germanic last names (Frankenstein, Van Helsing, Meisterburger), and the town of New Holland celebrates a Dutch Day.
* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: [[spoiler: Two examples. First, Mr. Whiskers is responsible for the resurrected Sparky leaving the house the first time and causing trouble, providing quasi-justification to the Mayor's feelings of animosity towards Sparky. Second, Edgar finds out Victor's secret, and then tries to use it to win favor for himself by means of an "invisible fish". This causes a chain reaction that eventually leads to Edgar letting slip the fact that Victor's methods can resurrect animals, which is what leads to the other kids turning their pets into monsters by accident and almost getting the town destroyed.]]
* WeCanRebuildHim: Victor decides to go this route in bringing Sparky back from death. Unfortunately, [[spoiler:Toshiaki decides to do the same thing with other animals in order to one up Victor, which goes horrifically wrong.]]
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: The invisible fish does not come up again after its apparent disappearance.
** Also, how did Weird Girl [[spoiler: cope with the death of Mr. Whiskers?! Did she get a new cat? Is she still friendly with Victor? We don't see her among the townsfolks after her cat dies...]]
** Toshiaki, Edgar, and Nassor are never seen or mentioned after the chaos in the town square.
----
[[caption-width-right:220:It's ALIVE!!!]]
''Frankenweenie'' is an unusual film from the mind of TimBurton. The movie is a remake of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankenweenie_(1984_film) a short movie with the same name]] that he made in 1984.
Victor Frankenstein is a young boy who creates movies starring his dog, [[ThemeNaming Sparky]]. After Sparky is hit by a car, Victor learns at school about electrical impulses in muscles, and gets the idea to bring his pet back to life. He creates elaborate machines which bring down a bolt of [[LightningCanDoAnything lightning]] that revives the dog. While Victor is pleased, his neighbors are terrified by the animal, and when the Frankensteins decide to introduce the revitalized Sparky to them, they become angry and afraid. The movie stars [[Film/TheShining Shelley]] [[{{Film/Popeye}} Du]][[FaerieTaleTheatre vall]], [[TheWonderYears Daniel]] [[HomeAlone Stern]], and [[Film/TheNeverEndingStory Barret Oliver]]. The movie was first made as a short film in 1984 by TimBurton for Disney, which resulted in his termination from the studio under the idea the movie was too scary for children. The film was [[ScrewedByTheNetwork shelved]] and didn't see the light in U.S. Theaters but managed a [[ShortRunInPeru theatrical run in the U.K.]] Despite the trouble, the film caught the attention of Paul Reubens who would champion Burton for directing on his film ''PeeWeesBigAdventure'' which would be Burton's feature length film debut.
The film is getting a feature length remake as a [[AuthorAppeal Black and White Stop-Motion Animation]] film in 2012 with Tim returning as director and his long time composing partner Creator/DannyElfman. The cast includes [[Film/HomeAlone Catherine O'Hara]], WinonaRyder, [[Film/EdWood Martin Landau]], [[MarsAttacks Martin Short]], [[DiaryOfAWimpyKid Robert Capron]], [[WesternAnimation/{{Thundercats 2011}} Atticus Shaffer]], [[Film/IAmLegend Charlie Tahan]] and [[TwoAndAHalfMen Conchata Ferrell]]. This version expands the story with some of Victor's fellow students discovering Sparky's miracle revival and deciding to create their own monster animals out of pets both living and dead. This only serves to bring more chaos to the town.
----
!!This film contains examples of:
* [[ABoyAndHisX A Boy and His Undead Dog]]
* ActorAllusion:
** Clips of ChristopherLee from ''HorrorOfDracula'' appear in the movie (the Frankensteins are watching it on TV).
** WinonaRyder's character Elsa looks a lot like Lydia from ''Film/{{Beetlejuice}}''.
* AttackOfThe50FootWhatever[=/=]{{Kaiju}}: [[spoiler:Toshiaki's turtle, Shelley. [[{{Gamera}} He's really neat]].]]
* AttackOfTheTownFestival
* AdaptationExpansion: The 2012 remake, which expands the cast and story of the original.
* AffectionateParody[=/=]{{Homage}}: Of not only {{Frankenstein}}, but 1950's Sci-Fi Horror films. The second trailer is even called "Homage".
* AllStarCast: ...just look up.
* AnimationBump: Actually ''inverted'' with the 2012 remake. Burton noted that, during the production of ''CorpseBride'', many people thought the puppets moved with such fluidity that they mistook the animation with that of actual CG. He thought it undermined the beauty of the artform, and thus decided to make the animation cruder for this film.
* AvoidTheDreadedGRating: Inverted; according to the book ''Burton on Burton'' Disney wanted a G rating on the 1984 short film but the movie was given a PG rating. Though Burton asked the MPAA what he could do to get a G rating, the MPAA said there was nothing he could do to have the rating changed.
* BigBadDuumvirate: Toshiaki and Nassor.
* BigNo: Twice, both from Victor. For added dramatic effect, he's even in ''the exact same pose'' both times: both times, he has the exact same expression on his face, and both times, his parents are gripping by the arms so he won't impulsively run forward into danger.
* BigShadowLittleCreature: The reveal that Colossus is ironically named.
* CatsAreMean [[spoiler: when fused with a possibly-rabid, possibly-vampire bat via mad science!]]
* CreepyChild: This being a TimBurton production, pretty much every kid in the thing is a tad disturbing in their own way, but Weird Girl takes the gold.
* DisneyDeath: The first example of a death doesn't ''quite'' count because the audience knew going into the theater that this movie was about a boy bringing his dead dog back to life. [[spoiler: The ''second'' example of a death counts, because Sparky dies a second time after Mr. Whiskers drags him back into a burning windmill, said burning windmill then killing both Mr. Whiskers and Sparky. However, this time Victor's parents give Victor explicit permission to bring Sparky back to life...which at first doesn't appear to work. Victor is all set to remember Sparky in his heart and move on, when Sparky finally wakes up and starts playing around with Persephone.]]
* DogStereotype: Played straight with Persephone, at least in terms of "Poodles are always female", averted with Sparky. Bull terriers are usually portrayed as large and vicious, but Sparky is friendly, affectionate, and good with kids, which more accurate to how the breed is in real life.
* DoubleAesop: Victor and "the rest of the town in general" each learn an Aesop. For Victor, it's [[spoiler: science isn't good or bad, but can be used for either one, so don't conduct or help others conduct experiments for the wrong reasons.]] For "the rest of the town in general", it's [[spoiler: don't be so sure of yourself if you don't know what you're talking about, even if you're an adult.]]
* {{Expy}}:
** Victor Frankenstein is essentially a younger (and less meek) version of [[CorpseBride Victor Van Dort]], he also resembles the title character of Tim Burton's short film ''Vincent'' (unsurprising since Victor Van Dort was basically a grown-up version of the character).
** Mr. Bergermeister is obviously the descendant of Finis Everglot.
** Mr. Rzykruski is one of VincentPrice.
** Elsa van Helsing looks a lot like [[Film/{{Beetlejuice}} Lydia Deetz]]. Helps that both are played by WinonaRyder.
** Nassor is one of BorisKarloff.
** Edgar is basically the son of PeterLorre.
* DramaticIrony: Disney hiring Burton to remake the very film they fired him for.
* FamilyUnfriendlyDeath: [[spoiler: Mr. Whiskers, after being transformed into a [[AxCrazy homicidal feline/bat hybrid monster]] by Weird Girl's attempt to replicate Victor's experiment, gets impaled by a flaming beam within the New Holland windmill while fighting Sparky. They don't show the impact, but you do see the aftermath.]]
* GoodParents: Victor's parents, Susan and Ben Frankenstein.
* HeyItsThatVoice: Frank Welker provides the voice of Sparky Frankenstein.
** [[DiaryofaWimpyKid Rowley]] voices Victor's classmate Bob.
** {{Dee Bradley Baker}}, {{Christopher Lee}} and {{Tom Kenny}} are in this.
* LightningCanDoAnything: Played straight. It even does different things to each animal brought back from the dead (based on "uncontrolled variables").
* MadScientist: Subverted. There's an eccentric scientist, but he is the ''OnlySaneMan''
* [[spoiler: LyingFingerCross: Edgar crosses his fingers when he promises to Victor that Edgar won't tell anyone about Victor's method of bringing animals back to life. To be fair, he ''does'' at first keep Sparky's existence ''specifically'' a secret, but he tells the other kids about his "invisible fish" in order to win favor and eventually he lets the part about Sparky slip without meaning to, which is what leads to the other kids trying to resurrect dead pets back to life as well.]]
* MeaningfulName: Nassor's name means "victor" in Egyptian.
* MissingTrailerScene: The homage trailer shows Weird Girl holding the paper with Mr. Whiskers'..."message" to Victor in the shape of a skull and crossbones. In the movie, it's just a turd in the shape of a V.
* PerpetualSmiler: Edgar, the creepy hunchbacked kid who discovers the resurrected Sparky.
* PersonalityPowers: All of the monsters the kids raise from the dead resemble them in some way.
** The short Japanese student Toshiaki makes a {{Gamera}}-esque turtle.
** The Igor-like Edgar creates a hunchbacked rat.
** The creepy pale weird girl turns her cat into a [[TheFly monstrous hybrid]].
** The tall Boris Karloff inspired Nassor creates a hamster mummy.
* PunnyName: Edgar E. Gore.
* TheRival: Toshiaki.
* ShoutOut:
** Sparky pre-transformation looks very similar to another [[FamilyDog Burton canine]].
** Persephone the poodle gets her very own ''Bride of Frankenstein'' beehive hairdo, compliments of a static charge from Sparky. That her owner is basically [[{{Beetlejuice}} Lydia Deetz]] just adds to the fun.
** Mayor Burgemeister is named for Burgermeister Meisterburger of SantaClausIsCominToTown fame.
** Nassor and his mummy hamster are a reference to Boris Karloff's role in the 1932 version of ''TheMummy''. Nassor's flat hair is also a reference to [[{{Frankenstein}} Frankenstein's monster]], a role that Karloff famously played.
** The mutated Sea-Monkeys are a reference to ''Gremlins''. Instead of sunlight, they [[WeaksauceWeakness explode when salt hits them.]]
** The goldfish is pretty much a straight-up shout-out to ''The Invisible Man'', right up to it starting to go mad [[spoiler:before disappearing altogether.]]
** Toshiaki's [[spoiler:giant turtle monster]] looks like [[spoiler:Franchise/{{Gamera}}]]. The fact that he's Japanese [[{{Kaiju}} only puts a spotlight on the comparison]]. Also, its name is [[spoiler: "Shelley", and the extra "e" is [[Creator/MaryShelley no coincidence]].]]
** And the Mr. Whiskers/Bat hybrid monster is a reference to ''TheFly'', though the actual monster is more reminiscent of ''JeepersCreepers''.
* StrangeGirl: The appropriately named "Weird Girl", who interprets an omen out of a ''cat's litter box''.
* StrawNihilist: Nassor, who has a bleak, "doomsday" view on life.
* {{Suburbia}}
* TheEndOrIsIt: The ''trailer'' ends with this phrase! So does Victor's home movie.
* ThePowerOfLove: This is why Victor's attempt to bring Sparky back to life worked, and the lack of it is why [[spoiler: the other kids eventually bringing animals back to life doesn't work and just turns them into monsters.]]
* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Mr. Rzykruski attempts to give one of these to the townspeople after they blame him for the "science experiment" that resulted in one student breaking his arm. He labels their behavior insane, explains that he was trying to expand the students' minds, and that their charges against him are unfounded. [[spoiler: The speech doesn't work; he's fired and his science teacher position is replaced by the gym teacher, who knows nothing of science.]]
* ToiletHumor:
-->'''Weird Girl:''' Mr. Whiskers left a message.
-->'''Victor:''' Did you get that from the litter box?
* TorchesAndPitchforks: Well, just torches-- it ''is'' suburbia, after all.
* {{Uberwald}}: At least, the closest one can make American suburbia into this trope. Many of the characters have Germanic last names (Frankenstein, Van Helsing, Meisterburger), and the town of New Holland celebrates a Dutch Day.
* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: [[spoiler: Two examples. First, Mr. Whiskers is responsible for the resurrected Sparky leaving the house the first time and causing trouble, providing quasi-justification to the Mayor's feelings of animosity towards Sparky. Second, Edgar finds out Victor's secret, and then tries to use it to win favor for himself by means of an "invisible fish". This causes a chain reaction that eventually leads to Edgar letting slip the fact that Victor's methods can resurrect animals, which is what leads to the other kids turning their pets into monsters by accident and almost getting the town destroyed.]]
* WeCanRebuildHim: Victor decides to go this route in bringing Sparky back from death. Unfortunately, [[spoiler:Toshiaki decides to do the same thing with other animals in order to one up Victor, which goes horrifically wrong.]]
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: The invisible fish does not come up again after its apparent disappearance.
** Also, how did Weird Girl [[spoiler: cope with the death of Mr. Whiskers?! Did she get a new cat? Is she still friendly with Victor? We don't see her among the townsfolks after her cat dies...]]
** Toshiaki, Edgar, and Nassor are never seen or mentioned after the chaos in the town square.
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