History WesternAnimation / Frankenweenie

* AdaptationalPersonalityChange: Victor in the original short is an ordinary kid who films monster movies with his PreciousPuppy and turns to science to save his beloved pet from the grave. He's pretty calm and dresses in the normal clothes of the time period. Here, Victor is also an introverted and passionate scientist; his parents try to encourage him to go out and do things like play baseball.

** The angry mob and burning windmill are oft repeated homages to the 1931 ''Film/{{Frankenstein}}''.

* AdorablyPrecociousChild: Victor.

* AffectionateParody[=/=]{{Homage}}: Of not only ''Film/{{Frankenstein|1931}}'', but 1950's [[ScienceFiction sci-fi]] {{horror}} films. The second trailer is even called "Homage."
* AlternativeForeignThemeSong: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4Iuv7PaU8k "Wonder Volt"]] by Creator/KaelaKimura is the theme song for the [[UsefulNotes/{{Japan}} Japanese]] version.
* AmbitionIsEvil: Edgar, Bob, Nassor and Toshiaki's desire to win the science fair leads to all hell breaking loose.
* AnimationBump: Actually ''inverted'' with the 2012 remake. Burton noted that, during the production of ''WesternAnimation/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.

''Frankenweenie'' is an unusual film from the mind of 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.

Victor Frankenstein is a young boy with an interest in science. He doesn't really have many friends, but he really does love his dog Sparky, and even creates movies starring him. After Sparky is killed 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.

* Reality Ensues: After seeing the kaiju-ified Shelley, Nassor sets his pet hamster Colossus on Shelley. While it's set up to seem like Colossus has a hidden skill that will help him fight, it turns out that [[spoiler:[[he really is just a hamster and gets [[CurbStompBattle curbstomped]] by Shelley].

* SportsDad: Victor's dad wants him to try a sport and randomly picks baseball. While Victor is playing baseball, Sparky chases a ball onto the road, being hit by a car and dying, which is what starts the plot.

* 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]].

* RunningOverThePlot: Sparky the dog gets fatally hit by a car, then Victor brings him back to life [[LightningCanDoAnything with lightning]].

* TorchesAndPitchforks: Well, just torches -- it ''is'' suburbia, after all. Still, even torches out of nowhere is pretty out there.

* 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 dead pets into monsters by accident and almost getting the town destroyed.]]

** 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]]?
** None of the other kids are seen or mentioned after the chaos in the town 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...]]
** In fact, the movie ''has'' no epilogue! This seems to be par for the course for Burton.

* [[PoorCommunicationKills Poor Communication Kills Your Career]]: Mr. Rzykruski, in all of his hamminess, is very passionate about science and teaching it to others. This, unfortunately, translates to him trying to defend his position as science teacher by saying that he "rip[s] open the children's heads to get to their brains."

%%* PropheticName: Heh heh. ''Sparky''.
%%* PunnyName: Edgar "E" Gore.
%%* Reality Ensues: What else would you expect when you [[spoiler:[[CurbStompBattle send a hamster to fight Godzilla]]]]?
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Victor's parents are very understanding and supportive of their son's hobbies and quirks, even after learning he brought his dog back to life, though Edward is a little pushy at getting Victor to try sports, only because he worries Victor doesn't spend much time with people other than Sparky, which he doesn't. Best shown when they are the only ones to speak up for Mr. Rzykruski at the town hall meeting.
* {{Reconstruction}}: Of the original ''Frankenstein story''. Victor Frankenstein here does resurrect a creature from the dead, but it's his beloved pet. As a result, he dotes on Sparky both before and after the accident, treating him with love and affection. He even makes sure that Sparky has the proper food to eat: electricity! It allows Sparky to remain normal and a PreciousPuppy in turn. [[spoiler:The other pets, in contrast, have more in contrast with Franksenstein's monster in that they are rampaging mindlessly because they weren't resurrected with love or care]].
* RetroUniverse: WordOfGod says that while the setting appears to be TheFifties, it's not quite that, yet not quite present day either, with the closest reference to a modern-day event being a parent complaining how [[PlutoIsExpendable Pluto doesn't qualify as a planet anymore]], which happened in 2006.
%%* TheRival: Toshiaki.
* RodentsOfUnusualSize: Played straight with the dead rat Edger reanimates, causing it to grow to the size of a child. Averted with [[spoiler:Colossus, whose name remains non-indicative even after re-animation as a hamster mummy]].
* SayingTooMuch: [[spoiler:How the other kids find out Victor's come up with a way to bring animals back to life. The other kids accuse Edgar of lying about his "invisible fish," and in his rush to defend himself Edgar insists that Victor ''can'' bring animals back to life; that's how Victor brought ''Sparky'' back... Oops!]]
* ScienceIsBad: Resoundingly defied. The townsfolk believe this, and are shown to be unambiguously wrong by the only actual qualified scientist in town.
** Also played with. While Mr. Rzykruski says science is neither good nor bad, he also says that it can be used both ways. He says that science needs love to work well.

** Elsa is named after Elsa Lanchester, who played the title role in ''Film/BrideOfFrankenstein'' (that she is basically [[Film/{{Beetlejuice}} Lydia Deetz]] just adds to the fun). Her poodle Persephone gets her very own ''Bride of Frankenstein'' beehive hairdo, compliments of a static charge from Sparky.

*** [[spoiler:Nassor getting wrapped up in streamers and then falling into a matryoshka-shaped cabinet riffs on Karloff's being mummified alive in the 1932 film.]]

* {{Suburbia}}
* ThatPoorCat
* TheEndOrIsIt: The ''trailer'' ends with this phrase! So does Victor's home movie.

* LiesToChildren: Mr. Rzykruski's lecture on lightning is full of this trope, describing electrons as if they're people eager to emigrate to a new region.
** Although if you ignore his choice of a metaphor, he does manage to get the "mechanics" of how lightning works correctly, including the fact that it's not ''just'' a bolt striking down on the ground.
** However, he gets the charge of electrons wrong.

* LogoJoke: The Disney logo plays as normal with slightly altered music, but near the end, a ScareChord is played and the music [[LastNoteNightmare becomes creepier]]. The logo follows suit as [[DeliberatelyMonochrome color is drained from it]], an OminousFog appears around the castle and a [[ItWasADarkAndStormyNight storm]] replaces the previously starry sky as the word "Disney" appears.
* LyingFingerCross: [[spoiler: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. 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 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.]]
* MadScientist: Subverted. There's an eccentric scientist, but he is the ''OnlySaneMan''.
** Also [[spoiler:Toshiaki]].
** Not to mention Victor himself, of course. He's just an unusually moral one, knowing what he's doing is taboo.

** Mr. Burgermeister's surname is also his occupation.
** Shelley refers, of course, to Mary Shelley -- the author of the original "Literature/{{Frankenstein}}" (as well as being a [[PunnyName pun]] on the fact that it's a tortoise).

* 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.

* NeverMyFault: When Bob breaks his arm doing a science experiment, no one considers that Mr. Ryzkruzki had no control over the experiment they were going to do, and the parents latch onto him as a scapegoat rather than maybe monitor their kids' homework. Victor's parents argue to at least give the man a chance to defend himself.

* {{Notzilla}}: [[spoiler: Shelley the turtle is turned into a cross between Franchise/{{Godzilla}} and Film/{{Gamera}}.]]
* ObviouslyEvil: Mr. Rzykruski looks to be this with a creepy tall body, long face, and jagged teeth. However this is subverted as he is actually very nice and the [[OnlySaneMan only sane adult]]. That is, when he isn't [[NoSocialSkills brutally insulting people to their face]].

* OneSteveLimit: Averted. There are two characters named Bob; the fat kid and Mr. Burgermeister.
* OnlySaneMan: Mr. Ryzkruzki of all people is this as a science teacher. While he is hammy and good at insulting people without meaning to, he understands that science is not inherently good or bad. As he tells Victor, what matters is your intention with science: are you going to do something out of love, or out of glory? Intentions will determine the outcome. Once he exits the movie, the kids go off-the-rails.

* BigShadowLittleCreature: The reveal that Colossus is ironically named (though to be fair, he ''did'' appear to be quite hefty ''for a hamster'').

** Not to mention there's a headstone reading "Shelley."

%%* GoodParents: Victor's parents, Susan and Edward Frankenstein.

* HammerSpace: Where Toshiaki pulled out his video camera.

** It's okay to be "weird" -- as long as you're careful about the consequences of your actions.

* HeroicDog: [[spoiler:Sparky at the film's climax; he's the one who leads the town to where Mr. Whiskers has taken Elsa, he's the one who beats Mr. Whiskers, and he ultimately helps Victor and Elsa get away... At the cost of his own life, since Mr. Whiskers drags him back into the burning windmill to die along with him.]]

** The were-rat gets killed when it accidentally bites one of Sparky's bolts, causing it to shrink back into a dead rat.

* TheIgor: Subverted. The trailers made it look like Edgar "E" Gore was going to be one of these, but while undeniably inspired by the concept, Edgar doesn't actually get to fill the role of being a MadScientist's assistant and Victor doesn't want him to.
** However, Edgar share some of the personality traits of Creator/BelaLugosi's Ygor character in the sense that he is less servile than the typical Igor, and that he openly encourages the resident Frankenstein to experiment with re-animation.

* InscrutableOriental: Toshiaki.
* IdiotBall: What exactly was going through [[spoiler:Nassor's]] head by having [[spoiler:his resurrected yet normal hamster going against Toshiaki's mutated tortoise]]?
** Drunk on power, perhaps?
* [[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, it seems Victor is one of the most normal kids at that school.

%%* IKnowYouKnowIKnow
%%* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: [[spoiler:Mr. Whiskers.]]
%%* JapaneseRanguage: Toshiaki has a mild form of this.
* JumpScare: There is one when [[spoiler:the re-animated rat shows itself on camera]].

* AttackOfTheTownFestival

* 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, both times, the same exact recording of the shout is used, and both times, his parents are gripping him by the arms so he won't impulsively run forward into danger.
* BigShadowLittleCreature: The reveal that Colossus is ironically named.
** Although to be fair, he ''did'' appear to be quite hefty ''for a hamster''.

* BizarreBeverageUse: Toshaki and Bob try to make a jetpack using shaken-up bottles of soda. Unfortunately, it only works for a little bit and Bob breaks his arm.
%%* BlackComedy

%%* ABoyAndHisX: A Boy and His Undead Dog.
%%* BunnyEarsLawyer: Mr. Rzykruski.

* ComedicWorkSeriousScene: ''Frankenweenie'' is [[LightmareFuel horror elements played comedically]], but what kickstarts the plot is when a dog named Sparky is hit by a car and dies. This causes a lot of sadness for the Frankensteins, especially Victor, which is what causes him to reanimate him.
%%* CoolTeacher: Mr. Rzykruski, who inspires young Victor.

* DiscOneFinalBoss: [[spoiler:Shelley is electrified and brought back to her/his tiny and dead state. It was by this time that you probably forgot about Mr. Whiskers.]]
* 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]].

* AlternativeForeignThemeSong: [[https://vk.com/video34105333_166257317 "Wonder Volt"]] by Creator/KaelaKimura is the theme song for the [[UsefulNotes/{{Japan}} Japanese]] version.

* WideEyesShrunkenIrises: Weird Girl’s eyes have these.

*** Mr. Whiskers becomes a combination of [[spoiler:Film/{{Dracula|1931}} and Film/{{TheFly|1958}}.]]

* AdultFear: The scene where Sparky runs into the road to fetch Victor's flyball. All Victor can do is watch, and gives a BigNo. At the funeral, his dad has a MyGodWhatHaveIDone expression; it was his idea to put his son in baseball to help him socialize, and realizes he was indirectly responsible for Sparky's death.

Victor Frankenstein is a young boy with an interest in science. He doesn't really have many friends, but he really does love his dog Sparky, and even creates movies starring him. After Sparky is killed 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 was first made as a short film in 1984 by Tim Burton for Creator/{{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 of day in American theaters (it was initially supposed to be attached to reissues of ''WesternAnimation/{{The Jungle Book|1967}}'' and then ''WesternAnimation/{{Pinocchio}}'' prior to this), though it managed to secure a [[ShortRunInPeru theatrical run in the UK]]. Despite the trouble, the film caught the attention of Creator/PaulReubens, who would champion Burton for directing on his film ''Film/PeeWeesBigAdventure'', which would be Burton's feature length film debut.

* ArtisticLicenseBiology: For a movie that [[{{Anvilicious}} reveres science so much]], it sure has some strange ideas about what science can do. Somewhat justified in that it's an EscapistFantasy about bringing your pet back to life after a senseless accident.

* BilingualBonus: Toshiaki at one point mumbles something in Japanese.

** RobertCapron playing a character who suffers an accident resulting a broken arm, similar to Rowley in the ''Literature/DiaryOfAWimpyKid'' films.

%%* DeliberatelyMonochrome

** Weird Girl seems inspired by Staring Girl from Tim Burton's book of poems "Literature/TheMelancholyDeathOfOysterBoyAndOtherStories".

This was Disney's last theatrically released horror film, until ''Film/ReadyOrNot2019'' (albeit via Creator/SearchlightPictures).

* BittersweetEnding: On the one hand, [[spoiler:the adults realize they were being jerks towards Sparky and his humans when Sparky pulls a HeroicSacrifice saving Victor and Elsa from a burning mill. They help revive Sparky a second time, and he renews his budding romance with Elsa. On the other, the rest of the kids had to relive their pets dying a second time while becoming carried away with resurrecting them. They will also probably be grounded forever for causing an undead rampage]].

* AdaptationExpansion: The 2012 remake expands the cast and story of the original.

* ArtisticLicenseBiology: For a movie that [[{{Anvilicious}} reveres science so much]], it sure has some strange ideas about what science can do.

** It's okay to be "weird" -- as long as your careful about the consequences of your actions.
** Science is a labor of love, and should be practiced by people who are passionate and have good intentions. If not, the results will be disappointing at best, and horrific at worst.

* HeroicDog: [[spoiler:Sparky at the film's climax; he's the one who leads the town to where Mr. Whiskers has taken Elsa, he's the one who beats Mr Whiskers, and he ultimately helps Victor and Elsa get away... At the cost of his own life, since Mr. Whiskers drags him back into the burning windmill to die along with him.]]

* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Victor's parents are very understanding and supportive of their sons hobbies and quirks, even after learning he brought his dog back to life, though Edward is a little pushy at getting Victor to try sports, but only because he worries Victor doesn't spend much time with people other than Sparky, which he doesn't. Best shown when they are the only ones to speak up for Mr. Rzykruski at the town hall meeting.

** Also played with. While Mr. Rzykruski says science is neither good or bad, he also says that it can be used both ways.

* HardTruthAesop: It's okay to be "weird" -- as long as it's the right kind of weird.