An Exercise In Nonsense

Absolutely brilliant

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

This is a decent Looney Tunes cartoon that somehow managed to be nominated for an Oscar. While this made little sense, there was some justice in life as the wonderful DER FUEHRER'S FACE from Disney took the actual award.I think part of the reason I am less than thrilled with this cartoon is that I couldn't help think of two main problems. One, the 1933 Disney version of the Three Pigs was a much, much better tale--with better laughs and much better animation. The story here in PIGS IN A POLKA just seemed like a copy. Two, while this is a pleasant cartoon, compared to the other toons being made by Warner Brothers at the time, this is pretty limp. I'd much rather have seen Daffy Duck or the Studio's latest creation, Bugs Bunny, instead of seeing these pigs dancing to Brahms' "Hungarian Dances".Overall, good but far from great. If you are looking for it yourself, I suggest you buy the Looney Tunes Golden Collection and avoid the version I saw. I saw it on a DVD entitled "Cartoon Crazys: And The Envelope Please". This is a rather poor compilation of supposedly award winning and nominated films. Poor because several of the films are very lame and are NOT award nominated, the prints are rather bad and parts of some of the cartoons are missing! In the case of PIGS IN A POLKA and THE DOVER BOYS cartoons, the entire opening and closing is missing--and you'd never know they were Looney Tunes cartoons! While these cartoons both have lapsed into the public domain, clipping the cartoons like this and not acknowledging the people who made this is just plain sleazy.

Friz Freleng's 'Pigs in a Polka' is a terrific parody of both Disney's 'Fantasia' and Disney's Oscar winning Silly Symphony 'The Three Little Pigs'. Freleng, always a dab hand at the musical cartoons, sets the Three Little Pigs story to Brahms' Hungarian Rhapsody. On first viewing, I was disappointed in the comparative lack of gags in the cartoon but I was missing the point. The humour here comes from the characters' actions and how impeccably Freleng synchs them up with the music. The cartoon really comes to life the instant the high kicking Wolf makes his appearance. From here on in, there is no dialogue whatsoever, just beautifully choreographed sequences in which the Wolf tries to gain access to the brick house of the third pig. Like the cartoon it parodies, 'Pigs in a Polka' was nominated for an Oscar but unfortunately, unlike Disney's cartoon, it did not win. While it is less well known than it should be, 'Pigs in a Polka' still retains a high level of respect in animation fan circles and its cult reputation is richly deserved. You only have to look at the superb final moments in which the Wolf falls down an elevator shaft, collapses and the iris closes on his face all in perfect time to the music, to know that 'Pigs in a Polka' is a class act.

"Pigs in a Polka" is a very good Warner Bros. cartoon, and it comes to no surprise that Friz Freleng directed it. Set to the various Hungarian dances of the great composer Johannes Brahms, this cartoon is essentially a humorous ballet of the Three Little Pigs story. As an avid music lover, Friz Freleng was aware that he needed to KNOW the music of Brahms in order for this cartoon to be effective, and he definitely succeeded. All of the action & dancing are perfectly in sync with the music, thus providing a nice variation to the usual Three Little Pigs story.My favorite highlights from "Pigs in a Polka" include the following (but watch the cartoon first before you read any further). With a New York accent, the Big Bad Wolf reads his Fantasiaesque introduction with elegant musical accompaniment. While Pig #3 is working hard at building his house, Pig #1 and Pig #2 frolic together and play their instruments, with Pig #2 having a dopey smile on his face as Pig #1 spins him around. The Wolf is quite funny during his opening Russian kick-dance down the road (with his outstretched arm signalling a turn). After the Wolf's gypsy dance, Pig #1 and Pig #2 hilariously dress up in similar getups with mischievous smiles on their faces! And later on, the Wolf pretends to be a poor old gypsy woman, but Pig #3 sees through his facade and, literally, changes his tune! In closing, let me just state two oddities about "Pigs in a Polka." First, the ending of this cartoon is quite abrupt, leaving the audience hanging. And second, the Three Little Pigs all look like Porky, but they aren't!

When Disney did the first The Three Little Pigs, I wonder if he knew he was starting a cottage industry at the very least and The Animators Lifetime Employment Act at most. I suspect more different animators have taken a turn at the Pigs than any other characters in the history of animation. There have been military takes (Blitz Wolf), Pigs as con artists (a meeting with Bugs Bunny) and musical takes, like this one. This is one of the better uses of classical music tied to animation (the best short to do so is Rhapsody in Rivets), with the action on screen fitted to the corresponding musical scoring. This was nominated for an Oscar and periodically plays on Cartoon Network. Recommended.