Really Surprised!

not horrible nor great

Dreadfully Boring

it is the rare 'crazy' movie that actually has something to say.

. . . in one of the pop classics of the U.S. Bicentennial year, with a redundant opening line about Time slipping into the Future. The rockers who came up with this stuff seem to have been heavily influenced by Looney Tunes, particularly PORKY'S PARTY, the main theme of which is "Bra the Braless." Porky's Uncle Pincus sends America's favorite pig one silkworm from Hong Kong as a birthday present. Though this caterpillar can churn out nylons, bloomers, or top hats in mere seconds, his specialty seems to be brassieres. Since American Lingerie Pioneer Howard Hughes had yet to invent cantilevered, push-up, and rocket-cone boulder holders at the time PORKY'S PARTY hit the Big Screen, the many-hued melon-minders popping up here are of a kinder, gentler variety than Howard's future output. However, Warner Bros. was responding to an urgent need recently highlighted by National Geographic Magazine's photo spreads documenting the dangers of unbridled drooping among the naturalist ladies of developing nations. It was bad enough that America's own economy was sagging in the 1930s, Warner felt. Deflation was rampant, so it was up to America's Womenfolk to perk up their unemployed male peers with the Wonder of Silk.

I do like Porky Pig. There are other Looney Tunes characters that are stronger leads than him(ie. Bugs, Daffy) but Porky is still a likable and quite endearing character all the same. Porky's Party is one of the best of his early cartoons, not only is it hilarious but it allows Porky to be part of the action rather than just be a bystander who appears every now and then. The dog and the penguin are great supporting characters, both of them have some really great gags, the dog with the alcohol/hare tonic and the razor and the penguin with the wild but very funny gag of the top hat propping up inside him and when he disguises himself as a hat-stand. The last minute or so is wild chaos and in that unmistakable Bob Clampett style, which I loved. There is even a bird/ostrich character who turns up briefly, but with a visual gag involving a sign that still makes its mark. The animation is crisp and colourful, and the music is full of that vibrant energy you'd expect from Looney Tunes. Mel Blanc's voice work is spot-on as well. It is true that there is not much of a plot but the humour, animation and interplay between the characters makes that not matter at all. 10/10 Bethany Cox

If you've seen Porky Pig's cartoons during the first few years after he debuted, you may have noticed that they mostly cast him in various roles and situations: bullfighter, pilgrim, blacksmith. As far as I can tell, his only three cartoons during this era that had truly lasting significance were 1935's "I Haven't Got a Hat" (his debut), 1937's "Porky's Duck Hunt" (Daffy Duck's debut) and 1938's "Porky in Wackyland" (the ultimate exercise in zany surrealism). "Porky's Party" was one of the shorts where the Termite Terrace crowd came up with a routine situation and milked it, with rather childish results.There certainly are some funny scenes. I couldn't have predicted the stuff with the hat in the guy's body. But seriously, the whole thing looks better on the storyboard (the DVD includes the original designs as an special feature). If they'd continued casting Porky in these kinds of roles, that would have quickly been all for him, folks. Fortunately, when we entered WWII, his really clever roles took off. During and immediately after the war, there were "My Favorite Duck", "Porky Pig's Feat", "Brother Brat", "Baby Bottleneck", "Kitty Kornered" and "Little Orphan Airedale". In the post-war years, he often was the foil to Daffy Duck's craziness.

There's not much logic or plot in this gem of a cartoon, but it is side-splittingly funny from start to finish. Bob Clampett was on top form here, squeezing the most absurd slapstick comedy out of every tiny detail. Porky Pig has a birthday party with his dog, a penguin and a goose (reminding me of the Dodo from "Porky in Wackyland") as the guests. He gets a silkworm as a gift from his uncle in Hong Kong. The greedy penguin accidentally swallows the silkworm, so top hats keep popping up inside the penguin, which the goose then tries to flatten with a mallet. Meanwhile the dog gets drunk on hair tonic. My favorite moment comes near the end where the penguin, running away from the dog, disguises himself as a hat-stand. It cracks me up every time I see it! Despite all the cartoon violence, all the guests keep smiling and have a great time -- with the exception of poor old Porky, of course.This cartoon is included in The Looney Tunes Golden Collection volume 3.