Filthy Review - Bobby Yeah

Bobby Yeah (2011)

Review by Jude Felton

When you think of Stop Motion animation the films of Ray Harryhausen probably come to mind, or maybe even the Wallace and Gromit movies. Well, let me tell you that there is a dark side to Stop Motion, a very dark side indeed, and it comes from the mind of Writer/Director Robert Morgan.

I will admit that Bobby Yeah is my first foray into Morgan’s work, so I was a little unsure of what to expect. This movie came recommended though and I am so glad that I have had the opportunity to watch it. I will certainly be making an effort to watch more of his work when the chance arises.

Bobby Yeah is a bit of a thug, he likes nothing more than to go around his little world causing misery to others. Oh, and he likes to push buttons too. In fact he just can’t help himself when he spots one, he just has to push it regardless of the consequences. Today though, Bobby may well have gone too far. To sell this movie on a couple of sentences about a bully pushing buttons might not be that easy, but believe me when I say that this is one short movie you need to check out.

Visually, Bobby Yeah is the stuff of surreal nightmares. It’s as if the younger models of David Lynch and Tim Burton spawned an angry offspring. The animation is virtually flawless and only helps to bring this dark world to life. The creatures that inhabit this world, Bobby included, are quite unlike anything I have seen before. They help to create the feeling of menace and almost childlike innocence that pervades the movie.

This is cinema that isn’t afraid to push the boundaries of what can be seen on screen. It certainly isn’t mainstream viewing, yet it is instantly accessible. It just goes to show that there are fertile imaginations out there creating weird and wonderful worlds for us to explore.

Bobby Yeah’s running time is 22 minutes and just left me wanting more. Hopefully this won’t be the last we see of this disturbing little world. Even if it is, I will anxiously await Morgan’s next cinematic outing.

Original, disturbing and above all excellent. Bobby Yeah is just the tonic for those that want to see new and exciting films, whether they be animated or not.