#yes i reused the gif but it was necessary

[magijunkremoval]

Junk Removal Rancho Cucamonga

Clearing The Clutter: Your Top Junk Removal Questions Answered

Junk removal riverside services are a convenient and eco-friendly solution for removing unwanted items and clutter. Whether you're cleaning out your home, office, or garage, hiring a junk removal company can save you time, effort, and stress. You might have some questions if you're considering using such a service. This article address frequently asked questions about junk removal:

i. What Is Junk Removal?

Junk removal is a service provided by companies specializing in collecting, hauling, and disposing of unwanted items, debris, and clutter.

These items can range from old furniture and appliances to construction waste and general rubbish.

ii. How Does Junk Removal Work?

When you hire a Junk Removal Rancho Cucamonga service, a team of professionals will come to your location with the necessary equipment and vehicles.

They'll assess the items you want to remove, provide you with a quote, and if you agree, they'll start the removal process. The team will carefully load the items onto their truck and take them away for proper disposal or recycling.

iii. What Type Of Items Can I Get Rid Of With Junk Removal Services?

Junk removal companies can handle many items, including old furniture, mattresses, electronics, appliances, household junk, yard waste, and construction debris.

Some companies may have restrictions on hazardous materials, so it's essential to check with the service provider beforehand.

iv. Why Should I Hire A Junk Removal Service?

Hiring a junk removal service can save you time and physical strain, especially when dealing with heavy or bulky items. Additionally, these services are more environmentally responsible than merely dumping items in a landfill, as they strive to recycle or donate usable items whenever possible.

v. How Much Does Junk Removal Cost?

The cost of junk removal varies depending on factors like the volume of items, the weight of the load, and your location. Some companies may also consider the type of items being removed.

It's best to contact multiple junk removal providers for quotes and compare their prices.

vi. Can I Donate Items Through Junk Removal Services? 

Yes, many junk removal companies collaborate with local charities and donation centers. If your items are in good condition and can be reused, the company will often attempt to donate them to those in need.

vii. Is Junk Removal Eco-Friendly?

Most reputable junk removal services strive to be eco-friendly. They prioritize recycling and donating items that are still usable. Moreover, they responsibly dispose of the remaining waste, following local regulations and guidelines.

viii. How Quickly Can I Get Junk Removed?

Junk removal companies typically offer flexible scheduling options. Depending on their availability, you may be able to get same-day or next-day service. However, booking in advance is advisable, especially during busy periods.

ix. Do I Need To Prepare The Junk Before The Removal Team Arrives?

No, you don't need to worry about preparing the items for removal. The junk removal team will handle all the heavy lifting and loading. You only need to show them what you want to be removed, and they'll take care of the rest.

Conclusion

Junk removal services offer a hassle-free way to declutter your space and dispose of unwanted items responsibly. 

By hiring a professional team, you save time and effort and contribute to environmentally-friendly waste management practices.

Be sure to research and choose a reputable Junk Removal Victorville company that meets your needs and preferences.

Find Us On Google Maps: ( Magi Junk Removal )

#Youtube

[nancy-drew]

NANCY DREW 2x18: THE ECHO OF LOST TEARS

#nancydrewedit #cw nancy drew #nancy drew cw #nancy drew spoilers #nancy drew #ace hardy #nace #yes i am cheating and reusing gifs but this is necessary #naceedit

[littlemulattokitten]

which of your stories did you have the most fun writing? who are your favorite characters in HP and why? which is the hardest to write?

My original drafted reply to this didn't save like I told it to so I'm tilted but here we go again!

which of your stories did you have the most fun writing?

All of my fics have been fun to write at some point, but some are certainly more fun than others. The Chosen was fun to write. Obnoxious was fun even when the angst was thicker than peanut butter. The Diary is a lot of work but there are some scenes that I had more fun writing than I realized I'd have and there are plenty to come that I know will be a blast. (When Hermione gets into a verbal sparring match with either Tom, I'm having a great time lol.) I greatly miss The Fourth Blood Princess, because that one was probably my ultimate favorite to work on, but its such a niche premise that it got almost no readership. I do hope to work on it again in the future though.

who are your favorite characters in HP and why?

I'll stick to people who have a visible personality in canon, even though many of my favs are favs because of fanon.

Tom Riddle (hot Slytherin morally gray boi is hot)

Severus Snape (All time favorite from canon and in fic. I connected with his personality a lot, and elements of his backstory. Like Hermione, he carried Harry through the series without anyone realizing it)

Hermione of course (The Real Main Character of the series, fight me)

Draco (JKR did him wrong, he deserved better, but again a complex Slytherin character)

I think those are the only characters I love who don't come with a disclaimer really. Many of my other favorites are problematic if you really look at the source material again.

which is the hardest to write?

I'm not sure if this question refers to which characters are the hardest or which fics are the hardest but I'll answer both.

Characters that are difficult to write? Mainly Hermione. If you've read my fics you'll notice that I tend to keep away from her POV when possible. In Diary its necessary but if I could write that entire fic successfully from just the two Tom POVs, I probably would. I love Hermione, but she's a pain in the ass to write because she's so fucking smart that you have to intentionally build in weakspots for her in order to keep her from being too Mary Sue and overpowered.

Yes, she has canon weaknesses. She's spacey sometimes or hyperfocused on school work. But I refuse to reuse the "she missed xyz because she was too busy reading" excuse for letting things get past one of the most observant characters in the damn series.

Some people can pull off selectively-clueless Hermione really well and I commend them for it. I can't do it without feeling cheap, usually.

Example: Diary!Hermione. I have a literal list that I update as the story goes on of what emotional and psychological aspects are at play that can realistically prevent her from being immediately aware of the behavior changes Young Tom is exhibiting around her constantly. I have my damn carfax for why this kid isn't making the leaps of logic she's capable of where Young Tom is concerned, because if I didn't build those details into her character, her reactions and non-reactions wouldn't feel right. Know what I mean?

Hardest Fic? Sometimes that answer is Diary, purely because of the amount of things I have to keep track of everytime I go to write a chapter or add a scene that didn't exist in the original version. But in reality, the fics that are genuinely difficult to write, not just tiresome or a lot of work?

The Lady and Obnoxious.

The Lady requires me to meticulously space out the murders with how much of Hermione's backstory Tom is allowed to know. Nevermind pacing their relationship, making time skips not feel awkward, etc. The Lady is a balance of styling the writing approach as well as the plot. And I never have the energy to even attempt that headspace most of the time.

Obnoxious is a different beast. It was meant to be a oneshot, then plot developed. The main story that needed told has technically been told, but there are scenes I still want to book-end this fic with. Scenes I planned when I thought the fic would only be 5 chapters. But in my brain, the fic is "done" so it's a literal chore trying to work on finishing it finally. Similar situation with Boats, except that story isn't done being told lmao. The main conflict resolved but the secondary hasn't.

Sorry for the delay on this reply anon, but thank you so much for the ask!

#anon #anon asks #kyla says things

[witchofapollo]

Blood Magick 101

One of the most common things I am asked besides how to begin in witchcraft is, “What is Blood Magick? Is it real?”

The short answer is...yes, but not in the way you think. Please keep in mind while you read this that a lot of closed religions use blood as an integral part of their practice and how it affects their practice is usually very different from how it affects the general open practices. This post does not apply to those closed packages as I do not practice them or possess any in-depth knowledge of how they work, but rather the general open practices with blood. If you are a member of one of those closed religions, however, please feel free to add onto this post with your experiences!

What is Blood Magick?

When we hear the phrase, “Blood Magick”, we might think of sacrifices, cutting our hands open with sacrificial blades, or, if you’re like me, you think of the big “no-no” practice that universally brands you as evil in the video game series, Dragon Age. This is all a result of popular media displaying this magick as such. In reality, blood magick is not as exciting as it is portrayed in media and can, in fact, be totally painless! General Blood Magick is when you use blood as a source of energy for your spell, ritual, charm, etc. It can reap benefits, but it very unstable and your results might not be what you expect. While the blood used is usually your own, it doesn’t need to be. I have known witches who have used game animal blood! Wherever you get your blood, it is important to receive it ethically!* 

How can I be safe when using Blood?

It is important for you to use certain protocols when dealing with blood, before any magick is in involved. Here are some general ones I’ve learned from a phlebotomist:

Never reuse needles

Never share needles

Do not attempt if you are anemic or you have any blood clotting disorder/ are on any blood-thinning medication such as Plavix

Always dispose of needles properly so that there is no chance for children, animals, garbage men, or even yourself can get poked. They actually make containers for you to dispose needles in. 

If you use a sharp object to acquire blood, ensure that the area you are using it on is clean and the needle is always sterile beforehand

Always know the source of the blood you are using, but also be sure to never get blood in any open wounds, cuts, or in your eyes. If this happens with blood you are not familiar with, immediately go to an emergency room to get preventative care. 

DO NOT INGEST BLOOD. IT IS DANGEROUS AND CAN LEAD TO A LOT OF DISEASES PLUS POISONING

It’s actually preferable if you use sanitary disposable gloves when handling blood, but at the very least, thoroughly clean any skin that got blood on it immediately.

If, at any time, you can not control the bleeding, go to the emergency room. You might need stitches. 

Do not try to acquire blood from any vein or vessel nor should you use any sharp object near one.

DO NOT HANDLE A SHARP OBJECT WHILE INTOXICATED IN ANY WAY. Look, I drink and don’t judge others who do so or like to get high. I know a lot of witches incorporate drugs into their craft. However, never use a sharp object when intoxicated. Your control and judgement will be compromised and you could seriously injure yourself without knowing. If it is absolutely necessary, collect the blood beforehand. 

Why would I use Blood Magick?

Blood magick is used when you need to infuse your very essence or a small part of your life energy into a spell, if using your blood, or the essence of a particular animal or their life energy. It is one of the most powerful ways you can charge give energy to a spell. If you are not very experienced in this, you should only use it in very desperate circumstances when all other options have been exhausted. I have seen witches use deer blood in a spell calling upon Artemis, the Greek God of the Hunt (among other things) and I have a friend who used blood magick when trying to save her house from foreclosure when she was told there was almost no chance she could save it, even with the proper budgeting and payments. 

Wait, you said I should only use it regularly if I was very experienced in it... what are the Magickal dangers of it?

Think of using Blood Magick as if using rocket fuel in a normal car. If you are an engineer, you might be able to build a car that can use rocket fuel reliably, but, if not, you most likely would build a non-functional or unreliable car, or worse, a car that just explodes. 

When you use blood, I mentioned that you are putting your very essence and energy into the spell. This very much ups the chance that you will be directly affected by the outcome of the spell, even if it was done for or on someone else. This goes double with any curses or hexes. It is also possible that you might get too much of the result you wanted or your result way too soon. If you are using animal blood, it is possible that it’s correspondence won’t agree with the purpose of the spell or the animal’s essence is just plain unwilling to cooperate. 

If you use unethically-sourced blood, you also open yourself up to the negative energies of the source including unsavory paranormal activity. It might take several rounds of cleansing to get rid of that energy. 

How much blood would I need for most spells?

Usually the tiniest drop of blood is necessary, if even needed. It would be equivalent of a finger prick when checking blood sugar levels. 

How would I use the blood?

It depends on the spell and the caster! I’ve seen it dripped on paper where the incantation is written out and I’ve also seen it mixed in a bowl of herbs (not for consumption). Generally, if you ask me, I will tell you that you most likely don’t need it for the spell you are doing. 

Please be safe, everyone!! 

*Ethically sourced is a very broad phrase, but I am referring to blood that is retrieved either from yourself, a willing participant who know what you are using it for and has given consent, animals that have respectfully and lawfully been hunted and consumed, or animals that have been respectfully and lawfully hunted and honored. You should never poach animals or steal blood from any scientific/medical institution, deceased persons, or receive the blood from a living human who is misguided or unknowing of your intentions with the blood.

#witchblr #witch #witchcraft #witches of tumblr #witches of color #witchy #blood magic #pagan #paganism #pagans of color #pagans of tumblr #wicca #wiccan #occult #magic #magick #new age #aesh speaks #blood magick #spells #ref

[theangrypokemaniac]

Since I rant enough about the wizening Ma and Pa received in Sinnoh it's only right to wreak bloody rhetorical vengeance elsewhere:

However harsh it may be, I'm glad Takeshi Shudo isn't alive to witness the hateful desecration of his legacy.

...

In a universe where no one's allowed to age, why are the modern Jessie and James so withered and decrepit?

Dragon Ball has been on for more than three decades. Its stars were permitted to grow up, because the head can cope with the opportunities this offers.

Yet Goku, Krillin, Bulma et al bear a greater similarity to their younger selves than these gurning invertebrates do to Team Rocket, wearing a papery approximation of their skin.

Akira Toriyama is actually concerned about his life's work, still coming up with interesting concepts, brand-new characters, and most importantly, values his audience by keeping to the established canon.

If a Dragon Ball fan reads this, I am so jealous of you.

Consider yourselves fortunate not to have seen the thing you loved the most pulverised and the resulting glutinous mass moulded back into makeshift sloppy cadavers.

Look at the state of that man! That's a good picture these days!

Why have the eyelid lines turned into upside down bags?

And why has she collected her lashes for this particular screen shot?

On eyes with a strangely feline slant...

Has she had a face lift?

Get yer money back on that one, love.

And why has he marks under his eyes and round his flapping gob to add the hint of exhaustion?

And why don't her lips reach the edge of her mouth anymore?

And why must he display Beaver Toof, as if he's only got six pegs left?

Giving it to him but not her implies she's lost the lot, needing to gum objects for a result.

And why do her low-slung ears consist only of lobe?

And why can you see his featureless lugs? Why does his barnet stand outwards in tentacles like he's taken to wearing a floppy Starmie?

What's that's meant to be, purple dreadlocks?

And why is her hairline curved and absolutely straight, like a bad wig, apart from the perfunctory bits to the side, which I guarantee won't alter their position throughout the run?

Hair used to move about, now by law there's a set pattern which cannot change. Stamp that life out immediately.

And what's that flaccid growth between his weary peepers? Is that meant to be fringe?

PFFFT!!!

And why are her digits just as thick and oblong as his?

It ain't fingers. It's trotters.

And why's he got a back to his throat, but she hasn't?

And why are we forced to witness it? You can see all the way to his dangler!

The great gaping pink cave looks like the end of Looney Tunes when Porky Pig pops up and stammers: "That's all folks!"

Remember a lack of Beaver Toof? And triangular mouths?

Remember when Meowth was a cheeky, spirited little cat, not a middle-aged human midget, an emaciated wreck bored of it all?

Remember when it wasn't deemed necessary to expose us to internal organs?

And when James was a handsome, hysterically camp dandy, not a creepy, snot-ridden science dweeb?

And when Jessie was a beautiful, stylish young girl, hot-tempered but loyal, not a sullen, cold, reptilian, Botoxed-to-the-gills gorgon?

Remember when Team Rocket were fun? And attractive?

Remember when they had joy in their hearts in spite of their poverty? And vim? And hope?

Remember them acting with flair and imagination?

Remember when their schemes had variety?

Remember when they had more than a single disguise per era?

Remember when they had many occupations? And were good at them?

Remember when they'd have a go at everything and weren't reduced to flipping condemned meat in a grotty burger van FOR THREE YEARS?!

Remember when those in charge didn't despise them, when they got happy endings?

Remember split screens? And face faults? And background tones? And purple streaks down your cheeks?

Remember big, bright open eyes, not shrunken, sagging and empty holes afflicted by glaucoma?

Remember when Jessie had eyelashes?

Remember when Pokémon was an anime?

And when James had a fringe, not a bent swelling like a balloon animal?

And when the artist could be arsed to draw Meowth's Charm properly?

Remember when the voices weren't nails down a blackboard?

When Meowth didn't sound like a wedge of coal grinding beneath an oil-deprived door?

When Jessie's dulcet tones had a wider range that just screechy, and weren't reminiscent of a cacophonous banshee clawing her way from a bog, using her own mug as a shovel?

When James speaking didn't suggest he was at best, suffering sinus difficulties, and at worst, constantly battling to swallow his own sick from looking at her?

Mind you, I'm grateful the 4Kids cast are no longer here. They deserve better, and their presence would only validate the crude bastardisations.

Every time the guttural howls reach my poor ears a chill runs through my system, and reminds me of The Pokémon Company sacking the real dub crew in preference for a job done on the cheap.

Remember speed lines? And Pokéball-throwing animation?

Remember a new motto performance in each installment, not the same stock footage reused again and again?

Remember when it rhymed?

It shows.

Remember remembering it?

Remember when Team Rocket would walk down the street in their uniforms and no one took a blind bit of notice despite the organisation operating there?

And they didn't fanny about in one scabby polyester costume every minute they were travelling, even when NO ONE KNOWS WHO THEY ARE?

Since Unova, whilst confronting Ash and this era's soon-to-be-forgotten companions, you get this exchange:

Moron-Of-The-Week: "Who are Team Rocket?"

Ash: "They're bad guys who steal other people's Pokémon."

EVERY SINGLE BLOODY TIME!!!

WORD-FOR-WORD IDENTICAL!!!

The writers have such deep appreciation for their work they're sending in cut-and-paste scripts.

Remember blasting off when something blew up, not an explosion from nowhere, or giving it the slip with a jet pack, or abduction by a Care Bear?

Remember when the eyebrows matched the hair?

Remember when he wore it long?

Remember blue shock? And sweat drop? And hammerspace? And comedy violence?

Remember her jagged hairline? And it being RED!!!

Remember proper highlights to it, rather than the odd white lump now and again, as if sweating like a pig, or their heads are infested with giant space ticks?

Remember when they were in all the episodes? And were main characters? And on the introduction sequence?

Remember when Jessie and James used to hug? And hold hands?

And bicker as only a couple can, but you knew they'd never cope alone?

Remember when they'd fly into each other's arms under the flimsiest pretext?

Remember when they meant more to one another than just being a pair of unconnected and disembodied wraiths coincidentally walking down the same road?

And they had more than civil interactions?

Remember when she loved him as much as he loved her?

And no one else could ever take his place?

And canon wasn't infected with the ruinous depiction of her as a hard, heartless bitch barely tolerating him until someone 'better' came along, at which point she'd fuck off without a backwards glance?

'Better', as in a scabby, satchel-mouthed, gormless cretin, just to add surly insult to merciless injury.

Never has such a life-long and hardcore defender of the faith flipped into an ardent Rumishipper as I did after that episode, once I'd swept up the fragments of my soul.

Remember when they were sympathetic?

Remember when they showed human warmth?

Remember when they cared about each other?

Remember when they weren't just a jangling, distorted mess of half-recollected traits?

Remember when they weren't really evil?

Remember Rocketshipping? That was a thing once, believe it or not.

Remember when they had a conscience?

Remember when actually wicked characters turned up, and Team Rocket ALWAYS sided with Ash, rather than the nauseating spectacle of suddenly being best buds with the Boss?

Remember when they had contact with the Twerps?

Remember when Team Rocket and the Twerps loved each other in secret and would endanger themselves to save their 'enemies'?

Everything that was once good and winning about them was sucked out, degree by degree, to leave the corpse, hollow and dead, strung up on wires as a grim marionette.

I'm sure most who see this will vehemently disagree, that I'm completely wrong, that THEY like them.

Yes, you like this three, but you don't like Team Rocket. This is not them. You have yours, and I have mine, but let's not pretend they are the same.

Why, if there is no difference, would I be so hostile, when they meant so much too me?

Did you ever wonder where the original fans went, why they all departed en masse? It's not because they 'moved on' or 'matured'.

They didn't leave Pokémon. Pokémon left them.

As the makers rely so heavily on repetition (sorry, nostalgia) they arrogantly expect us to still be here, having blithely welcomed our memories minced and our canon ripped up or ripped off, apparently.

We're intended to put up with watching them lay waste to ťhe series's body, clinging on for when a rotting bone is pulled up now and again and waved at us, before they chuck it aside to continue the dismemberment.

It's been eaten from the inside out, explaining the facial collapse. Behold the beauty on show:

You see what I mean, don't you?

Don't you? No, because otherwise you'd say the same.

How anyone feels able to describe three deformed freaks as 'hot' or 'cute' I will never comprehend.

The uniform collar protrudes like a solid pipe, emphasising the pencil necks.

It gives the impression of wrinkled, leathery tortoises peering out of their shells to secure a tasty lettuce treat.

Is that pretty? No.

Is it so surprising I don't care for my favourites to resemble melted waxwork skeletons of their own dæmonic counterparts?

S&M is a most fitting name, for this is torture.

In the film Death Becomes Her, Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn vie for the attention of Bruce Willis, both taking a serum giving everlasting youth and slimness.

The catch is it confers immortality, but not invulnerability, so when pushed down the stairs Meryl survives but is dead, her neck broken, thus she's zipped up in the morgue fridge.

When Goldie is shot with a canon she too rises, internal organs blown out.

The rest of the adventure involves the pair losing the war against time, patching up and painting over peeling grey skin, holding onto loose limbs as their bodies fall apart.

This obviously is the case here. The trio lapped the potion up at the close of Sinnoh, experienced a fatal accident and are now steadily crumbling to mush before us.

According to grave-diggers the head always goes first, so there you are then.

I have a suspicion that Giovanni lured all three to his crypt, experimenting on them to engineer his ultimate super soldier, which explains their flat, plastic appearance. Those since Unova began are the cyborgs, the real ones locked in his cellar.

You may notice I have about the lowest opinion possible of the current writing team, as they deserve.

Why should I have any respect for vindictive halfwits like this, who hate Team Rocket so much they're going out of their way to distort and uglify them, expressing the resentment in celluloid?

Jessie, James and Meowth lost their only defender in Takeshi Shudo. From that point they descended from loveable, hapless tragic figures to self-parodies (Hoenn) whiney, irritating divs dumping one another at every interval (Sinnoh), robotic, amoral scum (Unova and Kalos) and now physically repulsive minor additions (Alola and Galar). Is that trajectory all accidental?

It not that it's a new 'style' (for want of a better word), as were that the case, this hideousness would apply to the entire cast, but it's only done to Team Rocket. How could that be unless motivated by malice?

Given the sub thesps are obliged to prostrate themselves in the dust, begging fans to make their appreciation known, it smacks of desperation.

They wouldn't need to ask that were the trio treated as an integral component. They must sense the objections and are thus drumming up support to avoid the dole queue.

Are those in charge so resentful of their presence it manifests in mutilating them, keen to do anything that may alienate the fanbase, so at the first sign of a dip in popularity they can leap upon it as the perfect excuse to write Team Rocket out?

Why be surprised? These are imbeciles who reject their own canon at the close of every generation, so why care about someone else's?

If people have to harangue the writers with grovelling praise of their retcons, rehashes and all-round twatting about, butter 'em up sufficiently, with the implied threat of deserting the franchise should Team Rocket be ejected, taking their purses too, all so the smug, avaricious berks deign to put the trio in the next generation, that proves they don't want them, so how can what they write for their characters be objectively of any worth?

Team Rocket would've departed by now, were there not a palpable worry their absence might ring the death knell of the whole thing, turning off the financial tap, which is what matters.

Therefore they are retained, grudgingly, and only so long as the clamour continues at its current decibel level. If that drops it's over, and don't expect a romantic resolution. Why should pleasing you be a concern when you're to leave with them?

Ask yourself: how much of your devotion is based on what they are right now, and how much is from who they used to be?

How long can they live off past glories?

The offences done in Unova and Kalos were bad enough, but remarkably Game Freak found further depths to plumb, therefore it can only get worse.

I have of course retained the loveliest for last:

Be still, my beating heart.

No, really, be still. Stop infact. 

Planet of the Apes.

#Team Rocket #Jessie #James #Meowth #Alola #GIFS

[ducktracy]

147. little beau porky (1936)

disclaimer: this cartoon contains racial stereotypes and caricatures. while perhaps not as extreme in depiction as other cartoons, the racism and stereotypes are still very much there and deserve addressing. i do not at all condone these depictions, i find them gross and wrong, but to gloss over them would be just as wrong. thank you for understanding.

release date: november 14th, 1936

series: looney tunes

director: frank tashlin

starring: joe dougherty (porky), billy bletcher (ali-mode, le commandant)

frank tashlin’s second cartoon, and it’s yet another foreign legion short. bosko had one, buddy had one, and now porky has one. porky would have another legion short in 1940 with bob clampett’s ali-baba bound. this time, a bumbling yet eager porky is ready to go out and get the treacherous ali-mode. unfortunately, his snobbish commandant dismisses him to camel scrubbing duties, deeming him incapable of the mission. but no matter—while holding up the fort, porky receives an unexpected visitor.

the opening sequence is an impressive one at that. essentially a montage of silhouettes at the foreign legion, the execution is very well done. a silhouette trumpets a fanfare, while another shot displays the shadow of a flag being raised, the shadow reflecting across both the floor and the wall. a legionnaire begins a drum march, and we get this lovely marching scene, the silhouettes weaving in and out as they travel across various walls, some receding into the distance, some not. all in all, a very impressive scene that displays frank tashlin’s eye for staging and cinematography. this rigjt here is why he’s one of my favorite directors—his cartoons are so innovative in approach.

next, we pan across a long wall, getting to a sign that reads LE COMMANDANT. the mystery of offscreen jangling is solved as le commandant himself pompously marches on screen, his plethora of medals clanging profusely against his giant chest with each step. man, i would NOT want to animate that. (i find myself saying this often in some of tashlin’s cartoons) the animation of the commandant turning around to face the audience isn’t as smooth, feeling a bit rough around the edges (maybe an assistant did it?) but the scene of him marching along is very strong and humorous.

another rolling pan—tashlin and clampett both liked their pans, clampett especially (the entire first minute of falling hare is basically one giant pan to save budgets)—od the legionnaires, all standing at attention. though they vary in all shapes and sizes, their respect for the commandant is front and center. each stiff as a board, going down the line... and then there’s porky, slouched over asleep as he leans on the guy next to him. a lovely display of devotion and veneration. the commandant takes notice, barking “PORKY PIG! ATTENTION!”

porky snaps awake and dutifully stands at attention. in fact, he tries so hard to prove that he has been dutifully standing still the entire time that he kicks his leg out to snap it back in position, knocking over the entire line of legionnaires in the process like bowling pins. another “ATTENTION!” reverses the bowling pin soldiers, who all pile up back into place, cleverly accompanied by the reverse sound effects of bowling pins being knocked over. the commandant calls for porky once more, and there’s a long, drawn out, hilariously timed pause as porky doesn’t move. one more “PORKY PIG!” snags his attention. porky stutters profusely (more than usual), “wh-wh-w-who-uh-wh-who-uh-who-uh-who-uh-wh-who, me-uh-m-mm-me-uh-me-mmm——me?” great combination of sound effects as the commandant mocks porky furiously, the angry jangle of his medals drowning out his retort as he stutters back “YE-YE-YE-YE-YE-YES Y-YO-YOU-UH... YES, YOU!!!”

with a dutiful march forward, porky arrives at the commandant’s side and gives a salute. “FORWARD MARCH!” the commandant turns around, his giant saber sheath knocking porky to the ground. porky recovers, and we get this wonderful scene of porky mocking the commandant. he winks at the audience, shoving his hat forward on his face (almost like daffy in baby bottleneck. listen, if there’s a will to connect anything to that cartoon, there’s a way) and following in time with the commandant, swinging his belly around pompously and all, even popping one eye open at the audience as if to make sure they’re still watching. he gives another wink, completely oblivious that the commandant has stopped his march. porky climbs up the saber sheath, bumping into the commandant’s arm and tumbling down to the ground. he recovers in no time with a dutiful salute.

“YOU, SCRUB MY CAMEL! AND BE CAREFUL YOU DO NOT HURT HIM!” the commandant orders. porky makes his way towards the camel, situated by a wash tub and a ladder for convenience, giving a high pitched “okey-dokey”—seemingly a failed catchphrase of his? i can’t recall which shorts the phrase was used in, but it was used in more than one. might be porky in the north woods or porky the wrestler. i guess we’ll find out regardless. now that i think about it, not counting this one, we only have 5 more dougherty porky cartoons left. how time flies!

porky scrubs his brush against a bar of soap, whistling a jolly rendition of “fella with the fiddle”. he climbs the ladder and prepares to scrub the camel, when the camel lies down on the ground in protest. porky shrugs, making his way back down to the ladder, the camel standing back up. thinking for a moment, porky winks at the audience and inconspicuously saunters to the ladder slowly, whistling nonchalantly, when he scrambles to the top of the ladder as fast as he could, just in time for the camel to duck again. what ensues is a great scene of porky repeatedly climbing up and down the ladder, the camel standing and sitting when necessary. combined with carl stalling’s score, the musical timing is excellent as both porky and the camel rocket back and forth, the ladder eventually breaking under porky’s weight, porky flopping to the ground and glaring at the audience in exasperated defeat.

elsewhere, an urgent legionnaire bounds through the desert on his camel. animation is smooth and bouncy as the legionnaire bounces up and down on the camel, not unlike a similar gag in porky in egypt. a guard spots the legionnaire and pulls a lever to open the doors into the legion. eventually, the legionnaire slides off of the camel’s neck, still galloping frantically. grabbing a paper, he yells “le commandant, le commandant!”, tripping over a rock in the process. the paper flies over to the commandant, who glares at it with steely eyes as the paper floats around him like a paper airplane. finally, the commandant uses his sharp, needle point beard to pierce the paper in place.

another amusing facial hair gag as the commandant’s mustache furls into a pair of glasses. the animation is a little rough, but the joke is still there. the telegram (or, in this case, camelgram) alerts the commandant that ali-mode’s gang is on the attack, and that he must come at once. great detail of the hole pierced through the paper from the commandant’s beard.

next up is a lovely sequence of overlays. a legionnaire trumpets a fanfare, and images flash by one by one of the preparations. legionnaires running through the barracks, shouting and yelling, grabbing their rifles, and embarking on their camels. another great cinematographic trick of tashlin’s that works in his favor, successfully adding moodiness and a sense of adventure.

all of the legionnaires stream out on camelback, with porky not too far behind, jauntily making his way towards the exit. now i know for certain this animation was reused in porky in egypt, or at the very least inspired from. porky’s sense of nonchalant confidence is interrupted when the commandant yanks him back by the camel’s tail. we then get another tashlin favorite, characters getting up close and personal to the screen. the commandant barks at the screen, “where do you think YOU’RE going!?” cut to a closeup of a tearful porky lying on the ground. “we need MEN, not CAMEL SCRUBBERS!”

with that, the commandant leaves on his camel, catching his hat that flew off his head with his saber. porky grovels on top of a fitting accompaniment of “am i blue?”. “shucks! so i’m a camel scrubber, huh? i’d rather be a camel scrubber than an old jingle bell general.” this is the most controlled delivery i’ve ever heard joe dougherty give, and probably the longest. he really does have talent, he can voice act, and he sounds good once he gets his stutter under control, but i think people are so put off by his stuttering that it’s easier to pity him than commend him. i’ve also seen all of this cartoons before, though, so maybe i’m used to it.

pan to a threatening poster of ali-mode. WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE — “PREFERABLY DEAD”! porky shuffles up to the poster, rambling about how he isn’t afraid of ali. “i’d like to meet him face to face. i’d punch him in the jaw, the big sissy!” caught up in moping, staring at the ground, porky finally glances at the poster. his tough guy act is extinguished immediately as he screams and dashes to barricade the open door shut. even better, porky rushes back to the poster, dismissing it as “i wasn’t scared! i just felt a draft.”

next cut reveals the legion being viewed by a pair of binoculars, belonging to none other than ali-mode himself. he whistles to signal for his gang to follow. there’s some wonderfully bouncy animation as ali tiptoes to the door of the legion. as i mentioned in the disclaimer, the stereotyping is certainly there (and he’s also... inexplicably in blackface? the lips aren’t too noticeable, but when they are they are rather prominent), and i’m not defending his depiction, but in terms of technicalities he is a very good villain. billy bletcher’s vocal talents shine with this next scene, and his overall animation is very smooth, flouncy, and calculated. he isn’t as harshly caricatured as other depictions i’ve seen (but that’s not for me to decide in the first place), but it was enough that it turned me off from this cartoon for awhile, and i forgot how many good qualities this cartoon had.

ali knocks on the door, mimicking the sound of porky, who’s nailing boards to the other side of the door. porky shudders, tentatively hammering a few times, with ali knocking right back. porky looks at his camel and hilariously declares in a womanly falsetto, “it’s an echo!” ali also mimics the falsetto, bletcher’s just as entertaining as dougherty’s. “it’s an echo!” porky (poorly) yodels, eagerly awaiting a response. ali yodels right back with an impressive, jazzy twist. i’m not sure if that’s bletcher doing the entire thing or not, but kudos to him if so! porky, thinking it’s himself, announces to the camel “pretty good, huh?” ali mocks porky’s stutter, answering “p-pr-pre-pre-pretty g-g-g-good, huh?” finally, his egotism gets to him. “HECK! that’s PERFECT!”

now realizing he’s most definitely not conversing with an echo, a timid porky dives under his camel for safety and asks “who’s there?” ali puts on his womanly falsetto. “i’m a poor little sheik with no place to sleep. won’t you please let me in?” sound familiar? it should—it was used in disney’s the three little pigs in 1933, with “sheep” in place of “sheik”. with bletcher’s disney connections, the line is all the more amusing. funnily enough, frank tashlin would head to disney in 1938 after leaving schlesinger’s. porky checks to see who’s outside, and recognizes the man plucking his machete as ali-mode. another porky “catchphrase” (really just a frequent reuse of a clip) as he exclaims “uh oh!”

ali demands to be let in, slamming on the door repeatedly as porky refuses. yet ANOTHER “catchphrase” as porky insists “no, no, a thousand times no!” tashlin’s next cartoon, porky in the north woods, would have porky nailing a ton of signs that day “NO” on a bunch of trees, eventually ending with a giant sign that reads “A THOUSAND TIMES NO!” ali-mode speaks in pig latin to his followers, eventually yelling “AMSCRAY!” his followers dig in the ground, making it to the inside of the legion. porky hacks away at a palm tree, which falls and konks all of the enemies on the head in succession, sending them flying back outside.

the climax fires at rapid pace, almost too rapid for coherency. i’d rather take too fast than too slow, though, and it isn’t TOO detrimental to the cartoon. it adds a sense of urgency and exhilaration, and forces you to be captivated so you don’t miss any details. a gunman fires his machine gun at porky, who’s running up a tower. the stairs disintegrate beneath him from the shower of bullets. porky reaches his own machine gun and fires back from his respective tower, the bullets breaking the gunman’s perch and sending him toppling into a water well. he lands in the bucket, causing the handle on the well to spin repeatedly and smack the guy firing next to the well.

ali-mode is making his way up towards the tower, poking his head out of the floor hatch. porky stomps down on the hatch, which sends ali flying down his ladder and down to the ground. this charade is repeated again, as is the handle smacking gag as another gunman falls into the bucket and smacks the bystander. when porky goes to squash ali a third time, he misses the door and falls right down with ali. ali flops onto porky’s camel, who beats him senseless with its humps. very amusing, quick animation. porky whistles for the camel, and the camel bucks ali into an open barrel of syrup. with that, ali-mode is taken care of, the camel repeatedly licking his face.

iris in to the familiar jangling of the commandant’s medals. in fact, it’s a different commandant: a smaller, piggy, stuttering commandant, marching along with his medals twice as long as his body width. porky whistles for his camel, and even his camel struts out, his humps decorated and his tail high in the air. iris out.

not porky’s best cartoon ever, but this is a VERY good entry, especially for the dougherty era. maybe the best one yet. i haven’t seen this short in full since i first watched it in november, because i was so put off by the stereotyping. it’s not nearly as abundant as i remembered it to be, but they’re still very much there and deserve addressing. with that said, though, and i’m not defending the depiction, ali-mode is a good villain. billy bletcher’s vocals are absolutely phenomenal, whether it be voicing the commandant or ali. lots of falsettos, lots of yelling, even yodeling. that, combined with the amusing character acting where ali tricks porky into thinking he’s an echo at the door, makes for some amusing entertainment. also, porky was full of personality in this one, probably the most we’ve seen thus far. i’ve noticed that tashlin’s porky is a lot more personal than tex’s at this time, ub iwerks’, and bob clampett’s in 1937. lots of winking towards the audience or talking to the audience. there’s a scene in porky’s railroad where porky has a closeup on the ground, straight up lamenting towards the audience. tex avery was, of course, the fourth wall master (as we’ll soon see in the village smithy, one of my favorites), but tashlin harnesses a much more personal feeling that is still sardonic and amusing.

the pacing of this cartoon seems to be at opposite ends: it’s a rather lengthy cartoon, running over 8 minutes. the beginning seems a bit too slow, and the end too fast, but in all it’s a highly entertaining cartoon that’s worth of watch. again, there are stereotypes and caricatures, so view with discretion. i don’t try to be like “this short is racist. watch it!” (though i know that’s what i sound like), but i do think it’s worth at least a one time watch. there’s a lot to absorb and learn from this one: voice acting, character acting, camera angles, silhouettes, overlays, etc. it’s worth a watch.

link!

#i think this is my longest review yet #lt #little beau porky #reviews #looney tunes #long post #tashlin #racism tw #i’m putting this in the actual looney tunes tag bc i want people to see em