“Mummy, why is the film broken?” – confused child to parent

“Ugh. I didn’t know this was old. That means it’s sh*t” – tweenager lured in thinking they were going to see Johnny Depp.

“How can you charge full price when there’s no f**king colour?!” – angry mother to long-suffering box office cashier.

Just a few of the things you’ll be hearing down your local multiplex come October when Disney release Tim Burton’s eagerly awaited (by film nerds like you and I at least) animated adaptation of his 1984 live-action short. So why the hubbub? Because in an unusual move Disney have allowed full artistic control to Burton, and in a loving tribute to the 1931 classic, he’s chosen to render the film in beautiful black & white. A brave move indeed in these times. (It is in 3D though.)

Anyway, mainstreamers be damned, this looks wonderful. Have a look at the first full length trailer below and tell us we’re wrong…

Official Synopsis:

‘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.

A stop-motion animated film, “Frankenweenie” will be filmed in black and white and rendered in 3D, which will elevate the classic style to a whole new experience. In Tim Burton’s “Frankenweenie” young Victor conducts a science experiment to bring his beloved dog Sparky back to life, only to face unintended, sometimes monstrous, consequences.’

As you would imagine, the voice cast will bring together many returning Burton alum, including Winona Ryder (EDWARD SCISSORHANDS), Martin Landau (ED WOOD), and Catherine O’Hara (BEETLEJUICE). Under-appreciated comedic actor Martin Short (INNERSPACE) also joins the cast, with I AM LEGEND’s Charlie Tahan starring as the young Victor Frankenstein.

FRANKENWEENIE will hit cinemas October 17th.

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