Frankenweenie director Tim Burton says his new Disney film is a nod to all those who lost a pet when they were young as well as a tribute to classic monster movies.

Frankenweenie is a black-and-white, stop-motion, 3-D movie about a young boy whose dog - his best friend - dies. He tries to bring him back to life using lightning, and some dubious science.

Despite the horror themes, it is a children's film, and Tim's dismissed suggestions it's too scary.

He said: "Not at all, I grew up watching monster movies, so for me it was nothing.

"This was also a very positive, simple way of exploring those [horror/monster] themes."

"Exploring it in a positive way just seemed like a good idea for me," he continued.

Frankenweenie hits cinemas in the UK on October 17.