video transcript

[UPSOT] Tim Burton returns to his stop-motion animated roots with "Frankenweenie," a tale about a young boy who uses Frankenstein-like science to bring his dog back to life. The black-and-white feature opened the London Film Festival on Wednesday (October 10). It's Burton's most recent collaboration with Walt Disney after his 2010 hit "Alice in Wonderland". It's also a remake of his 1984 short film of the same name. Disney bosses at the time felt it was too scary for youngsters, and Burton was fired as a result. 20 years on and the director is finally able to tell the story that's so personal to him. SOUNDBITE: Tim Burton, director, saying (English): "The fun thing for me was going back, cause it's such a memory piece for me is to think about the other kids in school, all the monster movies and things that I love so it became, it didn't feel like I was remaking the short, it felt like a whole new project." The movie was inspired by Burton's own childhood and his relationship with his dog. And the director reckons the grim nature of the narrative would have never put young viewers off in the first place. SOUNDBITE: Tim Burton, director, saying (English): "I never made a scary film, you know. I mean Walt Disney has made many scary films you know. So I never considered it scary." "Frankenweenie" will be released in the UK from next week (October 17). Meanwhile a new addition to the film festival meant film fans were able to attend special screenings across the country simultaneously to Wednesday's premiere.