Bobby Yeah (Robert Morgan, 2012): UK

Reviewed By Sherona Gibson:  Viewed at the AFI Fest 2012

Country: UK Year: 2011 Director: Robert Morgan Screenwriter: Robert Morgan Producer: Robert Morgan Executive Producer: Alain de la Mata Cast: Bobby Yeah Running Time (minutes): 23   This is no Nightmare Before Christmas, you might want to keep the kids home. Robert Morgan director of his latest film, Bobby Yeah, is a stop-motion  23 minute masterpiece that took four years to complete. Like many experimental stop-motion films Bobby Yeah lacks dialogue, yet  more than makes up for it with the nightmarish imagery. Bobby Yeah begins when a petty thug named Bobby who comforts his lonely and dark existence by stealing.   He abducts the beloved lardaceous carrot-like pet worm from its owners; some very dangerous characters. Secretly bringing it back to his hideaway, he uncovers a secret red  button amid its mucilaginous body; he pushes the button, releasing a bizarre and nothing short of grotesque mutation.  Creatures began morphing out of the foul refuse of the deceased worm. Every new and distinct creature has its own button,  Bobby just can’t stop pushing their buttons. Later Bobby gets a button of his own, and then the question becomes will he be able to restrain himself from pressing it, knowing the gruesome consequences. The puppets are very realistic and purposefully misshapen, this effect adds to the revolting tone, and while disgusting the audience isn’t the only aim here, the real repugnance lay in overly sexualized creatures. It’s apparent that the underlying themes here relate to inquisitiveness, creating life, causing death, birth, rebirth and self-defeating behaviors. While it’s clear that this particular film won’t go past the festival circuit, Morgan has a technical and conceptual skill  that would rival Tim Burton.