Frankenweenie (1984 film)

Did You Know?

• The short was included as an extra on The Nightmare Before Christmas DVD, Blu-ray and UMD, as well as the 2000 VHS.
• The short had its own 1992 VHS release and was also included in the Special Edition, Collector's Edition, and Blu-ray 3D releases of The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Plot

Victor Frankenstein, a young boy, makes movies starring his pet Bull Terrier Sparky. After Sparky is killed by a car, Victor learns at school about electrical impulses in muscles and decides to revive his dog. He builds elaborate machines in his attic that channel a lightning bolt, successfully bringing Sparky back to life. Victor is delighted, but Sparky later sneaks out and frightens the neighbors, who become suspicious of the Frankenstein family. Victor's parents discover the revived dog and plan to introduce him to the neighbors to calm rumors, but the meeting causes panic when the neighbors recognize Sparky as the creature. Sparky flees with Victor chasing him to an abandoned miniature golf course, where they hide in a windmill. The neighbors, now an angry mob, arrive and accidentally set the windmill on fire. Victor is knocked out, but Sparky rescues him from the flames and is crushed by the burning windmill. The neighbors, realizing their mistake, use jumper cables from their cars to recharge Sparky, reviving him. Sparky then falls in love with a poodle whose fur resembles the Bride of Frankenstein's hairdo.

Controversy

Disney fired Burton after the short was completed, claiming he had wasted company resources and that the film was unsuitable for young audiences. Originally planned for release alongside the summer re-release of The Jungle Book, it was rescheduled to accompany the Christmas re-release of Pinocchio on December 21, 1984. The short was then shelved, though it played in UK cinemas in 1985 before Touchstone Films' Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend. Following the success of Burton's later films, the short received a home video release in 1992.