Frankenweenie Directed by: Tim Burton Starring: (voices of) Charlie Tahan, Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara Rating: Not Yet Rated Release Date: October 5, 2012
TRAILER SCORE: 9/10
Thoughts by TSR: Tim Burton is a talented director who has made some excellent films, but his recent output has left a lot to be desired. I long for another great film from the man who made one of my favorites of 2003, Big Fish, which is why I’m thrilled that Frankenweenie looks so impressive. There’s so much to like about this trailer, from the gorgeous black-and-white animation to the delicately balanced tone. Trailers have been known to lead astray, but I have a lot of faith that this will be a very enjoyable way for moviegoers of all ages to celebrate the Halloween season.
This trailer shows a bit more of the plot, but I’m still most struck by the tone. It’s perfectly in line with Burton’s best, in that it does a nice job of mixing fun with more creepy and melancholy moments. There’s funny stuff on display (“Rise Colossus! From your tomb!”), but there’s some underlying sadness (“I don’t want him in my heart. I want him here with me”) that I hope is reflected in the film. The look of the picture is fantastic as well. Not just the beautiful black-and-white photography, but also the design of the sets and characters – especially the Igor kid. I already feel like he could end up being one of my favorite characters of the year based solely on the way Atticus Shaffer says, “With lightning! And boom! And ssss!”
It will take a lot for Tim Burton to win me back completely, but doing another stop motion animation film is a big step in the right direction.