Porky's Party
Encyclopedia
Porky's Party is a 1938 animated
short movie
directed by Bob Clampett, which starred Porky Pig
and his dog, "Black Fury", as well as two characters named Penguin
And Goose
y, and an unnamed silkworm. In this short, Porky prepares for his birthday party, but antics ensue.
. Porky and Black Fury look on in awe. Porky again gives the command, and this time, the worms sews a brassiere
, which Porky quickly disposes of bashfully. Porky and Black Fury then proceed to the bathroom, where Porky puts a sizeable amount of hair-growth formula on his head, producing no results. Regardless, he picks up a comb
, and combs his "hair." Then realizing that he must get ready some more, Porky hurriedly leaves the bathroom. Black Fury then takes the bottle of formula, seeing that it contains 99% alcohol
, and begins to taste and drink it. Not only does Black Fury become shaggy after ingesting the formula, but also becomes severely intoxicated, loudly shouting "Hap...py Birthday!" to the camera. Meanwhile, Porky puts the finishing touches on his cake
and ice cream
, when he hears a knock at the door. It is his friend Penguin, who gruffly mumbles "Happy Birthday, Porky", then rushes to the table and begins wolfing down ice cream. Goosey then saunters in the door, walking in his trademark loose, woobly fashion. Goosey holds out his hand for porky to shake, but Porky, upon doing so, realizes the hand is a prop, adorned with a sign reading "Happy Birthday, Fat Boy!". As Goosey is seated, Porky chuckles, turning to the camera and stating "He's so silly." However, Porky repeatedly stutters on the word "so", and the silkworm, in Porky's pocket, frantically begins sewing garment after garment. As the garments slide out from underneath Porky's jacket, he notices that they are all women's underwear and brassieres, and, as before, hides them guiltily. He then tosses the slikworm away. However, the silkworm lands into Penguin's ice cream, and upon his utterances of the word "so", the worm does its stuff. However, the garments are in the ice cream, so as Penguin is eating, he pulls out of his mouth, to his disgust, a sock. Then, Penguin is having trouble swallowing, and the audience sees that a top hat
has gotten into Penguin's mouth, and pops up, with Penguin's head assuming the shape of the hat. After several failed attempts to quell the hat, Penguin shouts at Goosey to assist him. Goosey then unwittingly rams Penguin's head into the wall, hits him over the head with a mallet
, and slams a washtub over his head, to no avail. By this time, Black fury, still intoxicated, attempts to shave himself upon the realization of his shagginess. However, after putting on the shaving cream
, he attempts to start the electric razor. The razor, however, takes on the qualities of a snake
, and attacks Black Fury, who promptly runs into the living room in fear. Porky mistakes Black fury for a mad dog
, and Porky, Penguin, and Goosey all run around the house, with Black Fury close behind, unbeknownst to him that it is he who is the mad dog. After several gags and antics arond the house, the shaving cream is removed, and Porky sees that it is just Black Fury after all. Penguin, angry at the dog, rolls up his "sleeve" and stares Black fury down, uttering "so.." in anticipation of a fight. This sets the silkworm off for the final time, wrapping Penguin up in several garments to a state of mummification
, as the others look on and the cartoon irises out.
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
short movie
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
directed by Bob Clampett, which starred Porky Pig
Porky Pig
Porky Pig is an animated cartoon character in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons. He was the first character created by the studio to draw audiences based on his star power, and the animators created many critically acclaimed shorts using the fat little pig...
and his dog, "Black Fury", as well as two characters named Penguin
Penguin
Penguins are a group of aquatic, flightless birds living almost exclusively in the southern hemisphere, especially in Antarctica. Highly adapted for life in the water, penguins have countershaded dark and white plumage, and their wings have become flippers...
And Goose
Goose
The word goose is the English name for a group of waterfowl, belonging to the family Anatidae. This family also includes swans, most of which are larger than true geese, and ducks, which are smaller....
y, and an unnamed silkworm. In this short, Porky prepares for his birthday party, but antics ensue.
Plot
Porky is getting ready for his birthday party, along with his dog, Black Fury. While preparing, he receives a package in the mail, from his uncle Pinkus. The package contains a tiny silkworm, which sews garments (actually using tiny knitting needles) when the word "sew" is spoken—this later becomes a running gag. Porky commands the worm to sew, and the worm immediately sews a sockSock
A sock is an item of clothing worn on the feet. The foot is among the heaviest producers of sweat in the body, as it is able to produce over of perspiration per day. Socks help to absorb this sweat and draw it to areas where air can evaporate the perspiration. In cold environments, socks decrease...
. Porky and Black Fury look on in awe. Porky again gives the command, and this time, the worms sews a brassiere
Brassiere
A brassiere is an undergarment that covers, supports, and elevates the breasts. Since the late 19th century, it has replaced the corset as the most widely accepted method for supporting breasts....
, which Porky quickly disposes of bashfully. Porky and Black Fury then proceed to the bathroom, where Porky puts a sizeable amount of hair-growth formula on his head, producing no results. Regardless, he picks up a comb
Comb
A comb is a toothed device used in hair care for straightening and cleaning hair or other fibres. Combs are among the oldest tools found by archaeologists...
, and combs his "hair." Then realizing that he must get ready some more, Porky hurriedly leaves the bathroom. Black Fury then takes the bottle of formula, seeing that it contains 99% alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
, and begins to taste and drink it. Not only does Black Fury become shaggy after ingesting the formula, but also becomes severely intoxicated, loudly shouting "Hap...py Birthday!" to the camera. Meanwhile, Porky puts the finishing touches on his cake
Birthday cake
The birthday cake has been an integral part of the birthday celebrations in Western cultures since the middle of the 19th century. Certain rituals and traditions, such as singing of birthday songs, associated with birthday cakes are common to many Western cultures. The Western tradition of adding...
and ice cream
Ice cream
Ice cream is a frozen dessert usually made from dairy products, such as milk and cream, and often combined with fruits or other ingredients and flavours. Most varieties contain sugar, although some are made with other sweeteners...
, when he hears a knock at the door. It is his friend Penguin, who gruffly mumbles "Happy Birthday, Porky", then rushes to the table and begins wolfing down ice cream. Goosey then saunters in the door, walking in his trademark loose, woobly fashion. Goosey holds out his hand for porky to shake, but Porky, upon doing so, realizes the hand is a prop, adorned with a sign reading "Happy Birthday, Fat Boy!". As Goosey is seated, Porky chuckles, turning to the camera and stating "He's so silly." However, Porky repeatedly stutters on the word "so", and the silkworm, in Porky's pocket, frantically begins sewing garment after garment. As the garments slide out from underneath Porky's jacket, he notices that they are all women's underwear and brassieres, and, as before, hides them guiltily. He then tosses the slikworm away. However, the silkworm lands into Penguin's ice cream, and upon his utterances of the word "so", the worm does its stuff. However, the garments are in the ice cream, so as Penguin is eating, he pulls out of his mouth, to his disgust, a sock. Then, Penguin is having trouble swallowing, and the audience sees that a top hat
Top hat
A top hat, beaver hat, high hat silk hat, cylinder hat, chimney pot hat or stove pipe hat is a tall, flat-crowned, broad-brimmed hat, predominantly worn from the latter part of the 18th to the middle of the 20th century...
has gotten into Penguin's mouth, and pops up, with Penguin's head assuming the shape of the hat. After several failed attempts to quell the hat, Penguin shouts at Goosey to assist him. Goosey then unwittingly rams Penguin's head into the wall, hits him over the head with a mallet
Mallet
A mallet is a kind of hammer, usually of rubber,or sometimes wood smaller than a maul or beetle and usually with a relatively large head.-Tools:Tool mallets come in different types, the most common of which are:...
, and slams a washtub over his head, to no avail. By this time, Black fury, still intoxicated, attempts to shave himself upon the realization of his shagginess. However, after putting on the shaving cream
Shaving cream
Shaving cream is a substance that is applied to the face or wherever else hair grows, to provide lubrication and avoid razor burn during shaving. Shaving cream is often bought in a spray can, but can also be purchased in tubs or tubes. Shaving cream in a can is commonly dispensed as a foam or a gel...
, he attempts to start the electric razor. The razor, however, takes on the qualities of a snake
Snake
Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
, and attacks Black Fury, who promptly runs into the living room in fear. Porky mistakes Black fury for a mad dog
Rabies
Rabies is a viral disease that causes acute encephalitis in warm-blooded animals. It is zoonotic , most commonly by a bite from an infected animal. For a human, rabies is almost invariably fatal if post-exposure prophylaxis is not administered prior to the onset of severe symptoms...
, and Porky, Penguin, and Goosey all run around the house, with Black Fury close behind, unbeknownst to him that it is he who is the mad dog. After several gags and antics arond the house, the shaving cream is removed, and Porky sees that it is just Black Fury after all. Penguin, angry at the dog, rolls up his "sleeve" and stares Black fury down, uttering "so.." in anticipation of a fight. This sets the silkworm off for the final time, wrapping Penguin up in several garments to a state of mummification
Mummy
A mummy is a body, human or animal, whose skin and organs have been preserved by either intentional or incidental exposure to chemicals, extreme coldness , very low humidity, or lack of air when bodies are submerged in bogs, so that the recovered body will not decay further if kept in cool and dry...
, as the others look on and the cartoon irises out.
Censorship
- On the Nickelodeon redrawn version, the following parts were edited http://looney.goldenagecartoons.com/ltcuts/p/:
- The scene in which Goosey helps Penguin flatten the top hat that keeps growing from his head was shortened.
- The scene in which Porky lights a match in the closet and sees Black Fury beside him.
Availability
- This cartoon is available (uncut, uncensored, and in its original black and white format) on the third volume of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection, with a special optional commentary track by Ren and Stimpy creator John KricfalusiJohn KricfalusiMichael John Kricfalusi , better known as John K., is a Canadian animator. He is creator of The Ren & Stimpy Show, its adults-only spin-off Ren & Stimpy "Adult Party Cartoon", The Ripping Friends animated series, and Weekend Pussy Hunt, which was billed as "the world's first interactive web-based...
and animator Eddie Fitzgerald, as well as a storyboard featuring drawings that originally had Gabby Goat and Petunia PigPetunia PigPetunia Pig is an animated cartoon character in the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons from Warner Bros. She looks much like her significant other, Porky Pig, except that she wears a dress and now has braided black hair, although the character did not originally have...
as party attendees, but, for reasons unknown, were replaced by Goosey and Penguin.
Production Notes
- Chuck JonesChuck JonesCharles Martin "Chuck" Jones was an American animator, cartoon artist, screenwriter, producer, and director of animated films, most memorably of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies shorts for the Warner Bros. Cartoons studio...
was an animator in Clampett's unit at this time, and his work can be easily identified, particularly in the scene where Black Fury gets drunk on hair restoration tonic. Jones became a director and was awarded his own unit shortly after this cartoon was produced.