Frankenweenie in 60 seconds: my “Reel Faith” review — plus bonus feature notes and a video clip!
Frankenweenie, Burton’s best film in years, is available in a number of editions: four-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo with 3-D Blu-ray and digital copy; 2-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo, and 1-disc DVD.
Bonus features, available in both Blu-ray editions, are worthwhile, if modest: There is no commentary track, alas, but a 23-minute making-of featurette is one of the most interesting looks at the stop-motion process that I’ve seen. Part of the challenge of this particular project was shooting in black and white, and finding the right shades of grey (or occasionally color) to suggest the desired colors onscreen.
Burton’s original live-action Frankenweenie short is also included, along with a charming new stop-motion short starring Victor and Sparky, called “Captain Sparky vs The Flying Saucers.” In scarcely over two minutes, it recaptures the genre nostalgia and home-video aesthetic that has animated every incarnation of Frankenweenie. Here’s a clip:
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