Tumgik
#essentially caricature him and make him geometric and in his more comic inspired style
ducktracy · 2 years
Video
INCREDIBLY solid opening courtesy of the ace direction of Frank Tashlin, solid animation by Bob Bentley, as well as the vocal talents of Tedd Pierce and Mel Blanc.
Tashlin’s cinematography is immediately the most eye-catching, especially his use of camera pans. the scene of Porky sliding down the staircase is INCREDIBLY well executed; the fast pan, crescendo in music and sound effects all coming to a halt in an instant with a sloooow downward pan (not a complete stop, which would break the momentum), softer clarinet score and lack of screeching brake SFXs make for an easy transition in tone and speed and for a great laugh. 
LOTS of continuity between shots too that really ease the flow of scenes, from the crossfade of the church bells ringing (or, being hit with a mallet for that matter) to the horizontal concealed camera pan as Porky leaves the house in profile when the entryway is at a 3/4 angle.
Porky’s casting as a child as opposed to full-grown adult feels very purposeful in regards to the plot (he gets suckered into smoking a cigar after betting a bully and is launched into a Busby Berkeley-esque nightmare sequence about the dangers of smoking) rather than plain confusion in terms of who he’s supposed to be or what he’s supposed to do. the sailor cap he wears almost feels a bit tongue-in-cheek and a facetious commentary to really sell his innocence and youth.
i think this is a GREAT example of the authenticity exclusive to Porky that other characters lack--his complaints about being wrapped around his mother’s finger feel genuine and is a rather universal feeling that audiences could/can relate to. there are PLENTY of jokes packed in such a short time (such as Porky’s mother as a whole--major props to Tedd Pierce for INSANELY FUNNY VOICE ACTING) but there’s also a very STRONG sense of authentic, endearing charm to this little scene that’s not as strong in other cartoons with other characters
#gee can you tell what i'm writing a review of?#i'm just parroting a lot of what i'm typing in Blogspot at the moment but i wanted to post a video somewhere because it's really REALLY good#great decor on the house too from the art deco interior to the decidedly Californian exterior#the design on the priest is a lot of fun really geometric and rubbery#i've never been huge on Tashlin's '38 Porky design but i certainly have a lot of appreciation for it and that he was trying to find ways to#essentially caricature him and make him geometric and in his more comic inspired style#it shows really strongly in his hooves. his hooves/legs are drawn exactly like how Tash draws legs and shoes in his comics and other cartoon#s and the actual black part of the hooves kind of mimic the way he draws shoes and the legs/skin mimic the pants IT'S REALLY NEAT#and that MUSIC SCORE. a score of 'Daddy's Boy' it's so fitting and it's beautiful so so beautiful#that ending resolution chord/those final two notes as it fades to black really gets me emotional HAHA it's just so gorgeous and so warm and#almost a little melancholic but so sympathetic and endearing too#this is why i love the black and white Porky cartoons even if they're boring (this one certainly is not it's a wonderful cartoon) i feel lik#e the pure novelty of their genuineness whether that's executed in Porky himself or the music scores (often the latter depending on what era#/short we're dealing with in the black and white Porkys) is just. so worthwhile in itself. you don't get this honesty with anyone else Porky#can certainly be a performer and a very good one at that but i love the sheer honesty and genuineness of his character that shines in moment#s like these because i feel like he's so relatable that way and so LIKABLE#WHEW. uh. i like Porky Pig. i like Frank Tashlin. i like cartoons. that is all (no it's not)#lt#wholly smoke#tashlin#vid#analysis#also... UND CRAUSSING THE STREET WITHOUT GETTING *BOOMPED*
74 notes · View notes