Frankenweenie '84: My Dark Little Rom-Com Heart Aches (Theory Time!)

Okay, rom-com lovers, hear me out! I know, I know, it's Tim Burton, it's kinda goth-y, it's about a dead dog... but Frankenweenie (the OG short from '84, not the stop-motion one) is totally a weird prototype rom-com! Stick with me. Victor's love for Sparky is SO PURE. Like, unwavering, ride-or-die kind of love. And he literally BRINGS HIM BACK TO LIFE!!! That's some next-level commitment, right? Way more dedication than most rom-com leads show, tbh. It's basically a meet-cute involving lightning and grave robbing. Call me crazy? I'll wait. My theory is that it's all about dealing with loss and finding a way to keep love alive, even in the face of, you know, canine mortality. The fear surrounding Sparky's reanimation is a metaphor for the anxieties that come with ANY big relationship step. Like, will Sparky actually be Sparky? Will he still love Victor? Is this thing I'm doing totally insane and going to blow up in my face? Sound familiar, anyone? Then when the townsfolk freak out and hunt him down, it's like dealing with your partner's crazy family or disapproving friends, lol! And the ending? Okay, it's a bit bittersweet, sure, but it's also hopeful. Sparky's alive, Victor's learned a lesson, and even the grumpy neighbors grudgingly accept their undead pup. So basically, it's a rom-com with a monster movie twist, and the monster is love itself. Or, uh, a reanimated bull terrier. Whatever. Thoughts? Am I alone in seeing the romantic heart beating beneath the black and white surface? Also, I'm not sure who directed it?! I'm bad with remembering directors. (P.S. I totally cried when Sparky got hit by the car. Don't judge.)