Two more of 2012’s animated staples are heading to the home video market, one a critical success, the other a commercial success. First up is Disney’s and director Tim Burton‘s second attempt at FRANKENWEENIE, this time in the form of stop-motion animation, all in black and white, which was presented in 2D and 3D. The film made a very modest profit worldwide ($66 million total), but fell far under expectations. Yet, the pic was well-received with critics and even took home the best-animated feature award from the New York Film Critics Awards.
I thought it was a lot of fun and much more inventive than your standard fare. It’s definitely not a mainstream kids flick, though, which is probably why it didn’t slay the box office. A little dark and scary for youngsters and in black and white to boot, it was a tough sell out of the gate.
In contrast, there’s HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA from Sony Pictures Animation, which is a by-the-numbers kiddie fare romp with vibrant colors, cliched characters, and a snooze-filled story. It also took in $296 million worldwide. The Adam-Sandler led pic raked in the cash, while being (in my opinion) an inferior pic, especially compared to FRANKENWEENIE. I was especially disappointed, since I’m such a big fan of director Genndy Tartakovsky‘s work in the past. Overall, the two films present an interesting dynamic and further drives home the point that audiences prefer the standard fare over the more nuanced.
Here’s the release info:
FRANKENWEENIE
Directed by: Tim Burton
Starring: Charlie Tahan, Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, Martin Short, Martin Landau, Robert Capron
“Frankenweenie” is 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.
Specs:
– All-new original short “Captain Sparky vs The Flying Saucers”
– Behind-the-scenes featurette with Tim Burton “Miniatures in Motion: Bringing ‘Frankenweenie’ to Life”
– Showcase of the film’s touring exhibit, “‘Frankenweenie’ Touring Exhibit”
– Tim Burton’s live-action short of the same name, and more.
– Available in 2D, 3D, and combo pack.
Release Date: January 8, 2013
HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA
Directed by: Genndy Tartakovsky
Starring: Adam Sandler, Selena Gomez, Andy Samberg, Steve Buscemi, Kevin James, Cee-Lo Green
Welcome to Hotel Transylvania, Dracula’s lavish five-stake resort, where monsters and their families can live it up, free to be the monsters they are without humans to bother them. On one special weekend, Dracula has invited some of the world’s most famous monsters – Frankenstein and his wife, the Mummy, the Invisible Man, a family of werewolves, and more – to celebrate his daughter Mavis’ 118th birthday. For Dracula, catering to all of these legendary monsters is no problem – but his world could come crashing down when a human stumbles on the hotel for the first time and takes a shine to Mavis.
SPECS:
– “Goodnight Mr. Foot” Mini-Movie: Directed and Animated by Genndy Tartakovsky
-3 Deleted scenes
– “Problem (Monster Remix)” Music Video by Becky G Featuring will.i.am
– Behind the Scenes of “Problem (Monster Remix)”
– DVD – ROM link to Hotel T website
– Commentary with Director Genndy Tartakovsky, Producer Michelle Murdocca, and Visual Effects Supervisor Daniel Kramer
3D Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and Blu-ray™ Combo Pack Exclusives Include:
All DVD Bonus Features, Plus:
– 2 Featurettes: “Meet the Staff and Guests: Voicing Hotel Transylvania” and “Making the Hotel”
– 3 Progression reels
– Available in 2D, 3D, and combo pack.
Release Date: January 29, 2013