Bob's Birthday

Alison Snowden, UK/Canada 1994, 12 minutes

Bob is middle aged, slightly balding, bored and generally fed up with life. When his wife decides to throw him a surprise birthday party Bob decides to change his life for the better, only he's forgotten to tell all his guests.

Alison Snowden's treatment of what is really a very delicate subject could not be more amusing or engaging. Essentially a story of dissatisfaction and mid-life crisis Bob's Birthday is actually a warm, endearing and fascinating story. Presented in a very familiar animation style, the fluidity and confidence with which the characters flow and move over the screen shows the talent and ability of the animation team behind this short. The voices (minor celebs included) also richly suit and echo the feelings of the characters superbly, articulating many of the unexpressed emotions behind the players

All said this short richly deserved last year's animation Oscar. It deserved it not only for its animation itself but for the combination of a superb story, remarkable voice skills, and the way all the relative parts and components of the piece gelled to make a stunning, sombre, yet hilarious animation. It certainly ain't Wallace and Gromit but it'll make you laugh and cry in equally the same way. Bob's Birthday, simply stunning.

Review by Andrew Hesketh
Taken from EUFS Programme 1997-98