"Better a fallen rocket than never a burst of light."
~ Tom Stoppard, The Invention of Love

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Glendogie Bogey (2008)

 
In this, the second PC stop-motion spook-story, Jeff and Thurston have worked through some of the kinks in their friendship.  They’re now a bona fide investigating duo, hunting a sasquatch-like creature through the caverns beneath a golf course (if this film and its predecessor are to be believed, everything in Scotland rests on networks of monster-populated underground caverns.)
 
While Thurston remains uncouth and self-absorbed, he’s lost a great deal of his skepticism and takes to the case with relish.  Jeff has changed as well; he’s more confident and forceful than the pushover of the previous outing.  There are occasional regressions, but overall, his backbone is pretty well intact.  I could imagine PC playing this version of Jeff in a live-action project (although not with that hair.)  Also, he’s grown into the investigator role right along with Thurston – he’s ditched the Eleventh Doctor outfit and gone for an all-black look that suggests he fancies himself a spy.  It amuses me.
 
There are chases, moments of derring-do, and several puns on the word “bogey,” which in the U.K. can mean both “monster” and “booger.”  The main thrust of the piece, though, remains the interaction between Jeff and Thurston.  Jeff has acquired a sweet but accident-prone girlfriend, and Thurston is feeling a bit possessive of his ole chum.  He attempts to keep Jeff’s girlfriend from playing the Yoko to his and Jeff’s Beatles, and his machinations distract both men from the bogey-related task at hand.  This allows a big galumphing monster to slip into their midst unbeknownst, which sets the ball rolling for all manner of trouble.
 
I think I like Haunted Hogmanay a little better, but this is fun, and I like that it’s not just a repeat of the first story.  Jeff and Thurston’s dynamic has changed, the presence of Jeff’s girlfriend adds a different twist, and they’re even chasing a new type of paranormal creature.  Good on them.
 
Also, you can apparently use the same equipment for detecting both ghosts and sasquatch-like bogeys.  Who knew?
 
Last thoughts on this pair of stories:
 
Accent Watch
 
Scottish (toss two more projects in the BBC Scotland pile.)
 
Recommend?
 
In General – Sure.  If you like animation that isn’t made for kids (not inappropriate, just seems they’re not the intended audience,) go for it.
 
PC-wise – Maybe.  It’s amusing and pretty short.  I bet PC had fun making this.
 
Warnings
 
Add in a bit of swearing and some cartoon violence.

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