Frankenweenie

Victor is a curious kid who makes little home movies with his dog Sparky as the star. When Sparky is killed by a car, Victor refuses to let his best friend go without a fight. He builds a makeshift laboratory in his attic and tries a crude technique to bring Sparky back to life. The revived dog comes home with a startling bolt neck and a look that unsettles the neighborhood, turning Sparky into something halfway between a pet and a cautionary tale. Rumors swirl, parents worry, and the town seethes with suspicion as Victor weighs the risks of science against the loyalty he knows Sparky has always shown. The question remains whether friendship can survive a second life.

Directed by Tim Burton, Frankenweenie is built on a concept by Leonard Ripps and released in 1984 by Disney as a short film. It marks an early mixing of everyday suburbia with a gothic sensibility that would define Burton's later work.

The short helped establish Tim Burton's signature mix of tenderness and dark flair, a tone he would carry into later work and into the feature remake. Sparky became a recurring symbol in his career, and the idea of reviving a pet would reappear in the 2012 Frankenweenie.

Critics treated the short as a deft mix of warmth and dark humor. It highlights a child's loyalty, the lure and danger of science, and the consequences of bending nature. The film balances a cozy family tone with a sly, offbeat horror that marks Burton's voice.