Frankenweenie appears in an aspect ratio of approximately 1.85:1 on this Blu-Ray Disc. From start to finish, the image looked great.
At no point did sharpness falter. The movie always presented crisp, concise visuals, and I discerned nary a hint of softness.
No issues with jagged edges or shimmering appeared, and I saw no signs of edge enhancement either. Print flaws weren’t a problem as the movie lacked any specks, marks or other defects. It looked wonderfully clean and fresh.
Black levels looked terrific, as the movie always demonstrated deep, rich tones. Contrast was excellent, and shadows also appeared smooth and appropriately delineated. Across the board, this became an appealing image.
While not quite as strong, the DTS-HD MA 7.1 soundtrack of Frankenweenie also worked well. Because the movie didn’t feature a lot of slam-bang action, I didn’t expect a lively soundfield. However, the speakers filled out the room well and added a lot to the package.
The score presented solid stereo imaging in the front and also meshed to the rears with good involvement. Some isolated dialogue came from the various speakers, and effects added a nice sense of the surroundings.
The elements cropped up in all the appropriate locations and formed a vivid feel throughout the flick. The smattering of more active sequences used the spectrum to positive effect and worked very well.
Audio quality was satisfying. Speech seemed natural and crisp, with no edginess or issues connected to intelligibility. Music was bold and dynamic.
The score presented nice oomph and showed fine clarity, and effects were similarly well-defined. Those elements sounded accurate and vivid at all times. This was a solid soundtrack that added to the film.
This set includes both 2D and 3D versions of Frankenweenie. The picture comments above reflect the 2D edition – how does the 3D compare?
In terms of visual quality, both seem very similar. The 3D image looked equally sharp and precise, with blacks and shadows that also came across with richness and depth. I thought the 3D presentation matched the 2D.
For the movie’s first two acts, the 3D imaging remained fairly subdued, as the elements favored a general sense of depth – and did so well, as the image showed a nice sense of dimensionality. More active “pop-out” elements occasionally arose but they seemed rare.
This changed with the film’s more action-oriented third act. During the final half-hour or so, the 3D material became more dynamic and involving.
Those moments redeemed the presentation. While the first hour seems perfectly satisfactory as a 3D image, it’s not until Frankenweenie turns into a crazed monster movie that the picture jumps off the screen. Those scenes make this a fun 3D presentation.
An original short called Captain Sparky vs. The Flying Saucers lasts two minutes, 26 seconds. This lets us see another one of the stop-motion flicks Victor creates. It’s cute but not much more than that.
Two featurettes follow. Miniatures in Motion: Bringing Frankenweenie to Life goes for 23 minutes, six seconds and includes comments from producer Allison Abbate, director Tim Burton, executive producer Don Hahn, animation director Trey Thomas, puppet hospital supervisor Andy Gent, puppet designers/developers Peter Saunders and Ian MacKinnon, modeler Josie Corben, junior model maker Paul Davies, art director Alexandra Walker, director of photography Peter Sorg, assistant art director Barry Jones, lead painter Roy Bell, foliage and small props Maggie Haden, lead animators Antony Elworthy and Tobias Fouracre, and animation supervisor Mark Waring.
We learn a little about the film’s roots/development but mostly examines the animation process. We hear about character design and storyboards, the creation of the puppets, sets and props, lighting and photography, and the stop-motion animation.
“Motion” covers a nice array of technical topics in a satisfying manner. It’s too bad we don’t get a commentary, but this nonetheless acts as a solid overview.
Frankenweenie Touring Exhibit fills four minutes, 36 seconds and lets us see a show that promoted the film. Exhibited at Comic-Con and elsewhere, we see the collection of Frankenweenie artifacts it displayed and also hear a few remarks from Abbate, Burton and Hahn. It gives us a decent look at some of the original stop-motion components.
Next we find the Original Live-Action Frankenweenie Short from 1984. It runs 30 minutes, three seconds and offers an enjoyable film. While it’s not great, it’s mostly successful and entertaining.
We also get a Music Video for “Pet Sematary” by the Plain White T’s. They offer their take on the song the Ramones recorded for the 1989 Steven King-based film. It’s an utterly toothless take on the song, but the video’s mildly interesting; while it’s mostly a mix of movie clips/lip-synch, it has decent production values.
The 2D disc opens with ads for Wreck-It Ralph, Oz the Great and Powerful and The Muppet Movie. These also show up under Sneak Peeks along with promos for Once Upon a Time, Peter Pan, Disney Parks, Planes and Return to Neverland. No trailer for Frankenweenie appears here.
The 3D disc includes 3D trailers for Oz the Great and Powerful and Planes.
A third disc provides a DVD Copy of the film – with two of the Blu-ray’s extras.
28 years after the original short film, Tim Burton reworked Frankenweenie with mediocre results. While I respect and admire the artistry of the appealing stop-motion animation, the story and characters lack much to make this an enjoyable ride. The Blu-ray delivers excellent visuals, solid audio and a few interesting supplements. Maybe someday Tim Burton will return to form, but Frankenweenie gives is another disappointment, albeit one that becomes more fun in 3D form.
To rate this film visit the prior review of FRANKENWEENIE