After watching Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie, viewers may be left wondering what kind of breed Sparky is. Released in 2012, Frankenweenie is an innovative re-telling of the classic tale Frankenstein, that utilizes stop-motion animation and black and white coloring to create a spooky story. In Frankenweenie, Sparky tragically dies, but his owner is unwilling to allow death to stand in the way of being with his furry friend. He conducts an experiment and is able to bring his beloved Sparky back to life.
Although Sparky is meant to be a little unsettling, he still remains a lovable canine character. While viewers get to learn a lot about Sparky through the course of Frankenweenie, one thing they never do find out is what breed of dog he actually is. For those wanting to discover what breed of dog Frankenweenie‘s Sparky actually is, here’s everything viewers need to know.
Sparky Is A Bull Terrier In Frankenweenie
Although a little spooky, Sparky is still a beloved four-legged movie character. With many animal characters, audiences are left feeling attached and wanting to know as much as they possibly can about them. That has left audiences wondering what kind of breed of dog Sparky is. In Frankenweenie, Sparky the dog is actually a bull terrier. And, as it turns out, the inspiration behind the character is actually even more adorable than the Frankenweenie dog himself.
Tim Burton’s Inspiration For Frankenweenie Explained
The story behind Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie is almost as wild as the movie itself, and Burton’s important inspiration for the film may have been the reason audiences got to see it at all. Burton worked for Disney as a storyboard artist and animator and there he created a short stop-motion animated film in 1984. The short was originally supposed to air alongside a re-release of The Jungle Book but when the movie was given a PG classification by the Motion Picture Association, it could no longer be put with the U-rated film. The PG rating made Disney skittish, as they shelved the film and ultimately fired Burton for wasting resources.
Burton was still determined to bring Frankenweenie to life, though, and it may have been because of who it was originally based on. In an interview with Reuters, Burton explained that Sparky was based on a mutt named Pepe that his family had when he was a child. He explained that he and Pepe had a strong connection, and he felt like his first love. Unfortunately, the dog was not able to live very long due to a disease. This experience made him think about how devastating it is that pets aren’t around forever and how complicated that is for a kid to grasp.
So, although audiences didn’t get to see Frankenweenie back in 1984, they still got to see Burton’s vision come to life in 2012. His desire to bring the beautiful relationship between a boy and a dog was able to be brought to the screen, and Burton got to pay homage to his own beloved furry friend.
