Disney recently released a teaser clip f0r its upcoming monster movie parody, Frankenweenie.
The new version of the film is much longer than the original Frankenweenie short that Tim Burton did for Disney years ago, and includes all of the plot points originally intended for the first one, which was actually supposed to be a feature-length presentation.
This new video is not quite a trailer, but not quite a featurette:
Honestly, I’m not sure quite what they’re going for here. The clip kicks off like it’s going to be a short film or some kind of promotional prequel, but then it’s just a voice-over character intro that doesn’t tell us anything more than the initial teasers. Nevertheless, it is clever and and even a bit funny.
The original Frankenweenie film was not feature-length, so I suppose it shouldn’t be a surprise that there is a lot more going on. I guess, in my head I pictured the same story just very drawn out. Obviously, I should have known better than to expect so little from Tim Burton, even when remaking one of his own films.
Nevertheless, it stoll seems more like a children’s film than the cross-demographic work I believe it was intended to be. Perhaps Burton is counting on the film’s sheer cuteness to overwhelm parents and their kids, but unlike Nightmare Before Christmas or Corpse Bride – other dark, family, stop-motions from Burton – I can’t see many childless adults showing up for this one in theaters.
The synopsis of the film is thus:
From creative genius Tim Burton (“Alice in Wonderland,” “The Nightmare Before Christmas”) comes “Frankenweenie,” a heartwarming tale about a boy and his dog. After unexpectedly losing his beloved dog Sparky, young Victor harnesses the power of science to bring his best friend back to life—with just a few minor adjustments. He tries to hide his home-sewn creation, but when Sparky gets out, Victor’s fellow students, teachers and the entire town all learn that getting a new “leash on life” can be monstrous.
Here is the theatrical trailer:
Frankenweenie is slated to hit theaters on October 5, 2012.
