This 12 minute film is about Bob, a dentist, being depressed about turning 40 years old, while his wife, Margaret, is nervously planning a surprise birthday party which goes horribly wrong. Bob comes home and immediately goes upstairs to change. The guests await his return, all hiding downstairs in the living room. When Bob does come down, he wearing no pants so Margaret does not signal for the guests to arise. Bob meanwhile rants on about how he hates all his boring friends, the very friends hiding in his living room.

Bob's Birthday was a co-production of Channel 4 Television, The National Film Board of Canada and Snowden Fine Animation. This 12 minute film was made over a two and a half year period. The animation was done in London at Snowden Fine's studio on swinging Carnaby Street and the post production was done in the Montreal studios of the NFB.

The voice of Bob is played by the TV writer and producer Andy Hamilton. Margaret was played by the co-creator, Alison Snowden. Both of them had minimal experience as professional actors and this resulted in a more naturalistic style. Other actors featured in the short include the comedian Harry Enfield who played a number of characters.

If you want to see this film you can buy it from the NFB on a video called "Neurotica" which includes other good short films including David and Alison's film George and Rosemary. In the U.K. the film is on a BFI collection called "Bob's Birthday and the Best of British Animation" which is available from Connoisseur Video.

Awards include: Academy Award (Oscar), Canadian Academy Award nomination, Chicago Film Festival, Annecy, Cinanima, Toronto Short Film Festival, Ottawa Animation Festival, Cardiff Animation Festival and a BAFTA nomination.

Credits:

Written and directed by
Alison Snowden and David Fine

Voice Talents
Bob: Andy Hamilton
Margaret : Alison Snowden
Other voices : Harry Enfield, Tessa Wojiczak, Sally Grace, Andrew Maclachlan Animation Alison Snowden, David Fine, Janet Perlman, Neville Astley, Paul Stone

Music:
Patrick Godfey

Producer for the NFB:
David Verrall

Exec Producer for the NFB:
Barry Angus McLean

Commissioning Editor for Channel 4:    
Clare Kitson

A Snowden Fine Animation for Channel 4 Television

Co-produced with The National Film Board of Canada

© Snowden Fine/NFB/Channel 4

Here's what the press said about Bob's Birthday:

"It's a wonderful film. Fresh, funny, perceptive and a better comment on mid-life crisis than I've seen in much more serious and pretentious films."
Leonard Maltin

"Turning 40 has never seemed more catastrophic or more hilarious. It's like Homer Simpson being surprised by Monty Python." Jack Mathews, Newsday

"A hilarious squib of a film."
Alexendar Walker, London Evening Standard

"Bob's Birthday is sharp and funny about mid-life, social embarrassment, potted plants, dental floss and the difficulty of blowing up balloons for a party without getting a headache"
Adam Mars-Jones, The Independant (U.K.)

"...the real coup is to pack so much wit and wisdom into a 12 minute script"
Tristan Davies, The Daily Telegraph (U.K.)

© Snowden Fine/NFB/Channel 4