PREHISTORIC PORKY (1940)

Article 4588 by Dave Sindelar

Date: 7-24-2014
Directed by Robert Clampett
Featuring the voices of Sara Berner, Mel Blanc, Thurl Ravenscroft
Country: USA
What it is: Porky Pig cartoon

Porky Pig the caveman decides that he needs a new suit, and sets out on a quest through his prehistoric land to find one.

This isn’t one of the best of Warner Brother’s cartoons, but when compared with some of the ones from other studios I’ve seen lately (like the Mighty Mouse ones), it’s a relief to find myself in the hands of those who care about quality animation, energy and comic timing. There’s really not much in the way of a plot; it’s mostly a compendium of gags involving dinosaurs and pop culture references; there’s a parody of the song “Those Were Wonderful Days”, a vulture doing an imitation of Ned Sparks, a pet dinosaur named Rover, etc. The action culminates with Porky encountering a sabre-toothed tiger during his hunt for a new suit. It’s fairly well done, but there’s no real standout gags, and the ending is a letdown. Still, even a lesser Warner Brothers cartoon from this era is a lot of fun.