Mr. Burgermeister is a character from Tim Burton's 2012 film Frankenweenie. He is the mayor of New Holland, and uncle of Elsa Van Helsing.
Background[]
Mr. Burgemeister is the Frankenstein’s next-door neighbor and Mayor of New Holland. A crotchety fuss-bucket, he is fanatical about his garden and can’t stand Sparky or anything else that threatens the perfection of his tulips. Mr. Burgemeister also asserts his authority over his niece Elsa by making her the reluctant star of his New Holland Dutch Day celebration.
Role in the film[]
Burgermeister first appears in the beginning of the film where Victor attempts to retrieve Sparky's baseball, explaining to Victor that his dog Sparky has been sneaking around his garden, furious of what Sparky did to his flamingo ornaments just before Victor walks away. Burgermeister then reads a newspaper headlining himself planning to open Dutch Day just as his niece Elsa Van Helsing passes through in a plan to go to school just as Burgermeister tells Elsa to remember that he is in charge of Dutch Day planning to make it perfect with no trouble. The next day, Mr. Burgermeister peeks at Victor who is planning to revive Sparky as he overhears Victor rummaging through the garage. Later that night, Burgermeister notices Victor on the roof during his plan to revive Sparky as he sees him through a window.
The next day, Burgermeister notices Sparky chasing Mr. Whiskers across the neighborhood as he reacts seeing his dog with a horrified expression. Later after Bob was injured after falling off a roof trying on a science experiment using soda bottles on his back, Burgermeister gives a speech during a PTA meeting to all the citizens while Bob's mother blames Mr. Rzykruski for being a menace to the citizens. Later at the Dutch Day festival, Mr. Burgermeister is present on stage presenting his niece Elsa to be this year's Dutch Girl which his niece feels uncomfortable in participating where she sings in front of the audience. However, the performance was disrupted when Shelley, the turtle revived by Toshiaki, arrives and causes rampage across the festival, followed by the Sea-Monkeys swarming Burgermeister inside a restroom which he manages to escape.
Later, Burgermeister is seen leading an angry mob of citizens planning to find the culprit responsible for the destruction of the festival which Sparky passes through. Seeing Sparky passing by, he approaches Victor's parents with Sparky being protected by them while Burgermeister, holding a torch, sees Sparky, thinking he is a hideous monster and upon seeing the Dutch girl wig of Elsa which was suddenly dropped, Sparky tries to catch up with Elsa while Mr. Burgermeister leads the angry mob against Sparky where they plan to kill Victor's pet dog. Throughout the chase, the angry mob equipped with torches, rakes, and other weapons chases Sparky across the city while Victor's parents attempt to find Sparky and reunite him home.
As the mob arrives at the windmill, Mr. Burgermeister raises his torch and tells the citizens to know where his niece is at, unaware that his torch is burning the windmill. Meanwhile in the windmill, Victor then uses a rope to rescue Elsa and Persephone which Elsa is suddenly reunited with her uncle, causing him to lose his torch. Later, Burgermeister and his niece watch over Victor who is mourning over Sparky, telling him that he will be on his heart which Sparky comes back to life again which Burgermeister notices Sparky showing affection with Persephone.
Trivia[]
- His face looks very reminiscent of Finis Everglot from Corpse Bride, a previous stop-motion picture hit co-directed by Tim Burton. However, Mr. Burgermeister is taller than Finis and not as mean.
- He did put his arm around Elsa when she was crying, showing that he does care for her, despite being so strict.
- The mayor was named after and crafted to resemble Burgermeister Meisterburger, the fun-hating mayor of Somber Town from the Rankin/Bass stop motion film, Santa Claus is Coming to Town.
- His first name is revealed to be Bob as Elsa says "Yes, uncle Bob."
- Burgermeister shows the same disliking Victor Frankenstein, like the way Finis Everglot shows his dislike for Victor Van Dort.
- His role as Elsa Van Helsing's uncle is a wordplay on a Dutch uncle, someone who issues frank, harsh, or severe comments and criticism in order to educate, encourage, or admonish someone. He sternly insists that his niece Elsa is going to be the star performer at the New Holland Dutch Day celebration.
- Burgermeister is derived from the word meaning "Mayor" in German.
Gallery[]
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