Category: Cartoons from the 40’s

My personal favorite decade from Warner Bros. The majority of my favorites came from this era. (It was the last one where we still had Avery and Clampett)

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Swallow the Leader

“I came here for a swallow, and I’m not leaving until I get a swallow.”

Does anyone want to play Jacks after dinner?

Directed by Robert McKimson. Released in 1949.

I never mentioned, but last week’s post is one of my favorite Porky shorts. He was offended when he heard that, seeing as how he’s absent for about 80% of the film. To appease him, I’m sharing another one of my favorite of his films that has only him. Enjoy!

Personal Rating: 4 (unless you’re too immature to handle it. Parental discretion is advised.)

We’re not going to be on speaking terms for awhile. So why don’t I just move on to today’s short?

It’s that time of year again. The time when the swallows come back to Capistrano. (I don’t get why the narrator is so amazed that they find their way back every year. Don’t mention pigeons or salmon to him. He might crack.) Naturally, such a phenomenon attracts many bird lovers who come to see the event. And a bird lover is indeed there. A cat with no name is waiting. (I don’t know why he has that collar on. I guess to have some identity? I’ll solve that by calling him Miles. He looks like a miles.)

The scout swallow comes about making sure everything is ready for his flock to nest in. Miles quickly puts a nest together for him. The bird likes the new nest, but why are there teeth in it? He let’s his friend in first. A Mr. In the box, by name. Miles’ neck becomes elongated. He chases the little bird with a net, but has to stop at the edge of the building. The bird drops a brick in his net for him. How thoughtful. The bird finds a metal swallow and paints it to resemble him. Miles takes the bait and swallows it whole. Now he is at the mercy of the bird’s magnet. (One of those horseshoe kind. Has anyone actually seen one of those? Outside of cartoons I haven’t.) He ends up stuck around a pole thanks to the bird, and the bird puts a lever under him. He ends up turning into a test your strength game. Or rather, test the cat’s skull’s strength game. (Ouch.)

Wings, a superman costume, and a gun don’t work, and trying to bait an electric plate with corn, might’ve worked if the bird hadn’t turned it on first. The swallow finds a tooth free nest and jumps in. Jokes on him; the bottom was fly paper. (Or in his case, anti-fly paper.) Miles prepares to enjoy his snack, but it appears he took too long. The rest of the swallow flock appears and chase him out. Determined to get a swallow, Miles sees a sign advertising them. He rushes over and finally gets something in his belly: alcohol. At least he seems happy.

Personal Rating: 3

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Porky’s Poor Fish

“To arms! To arms! The cat!”

Directed by Robert Clampett. Released in 1940.

It starts by telling us this is an adaption of the story “20,000 leaks under the ceiling.” (I’d read that. Couldn’t be as boring as its source material.) We see a mouse happily skipping and whistling down the street. A hungry looking cat is close behind. He’s not really trying to be quiet or sneaky, so I’m not too surprised when the mouse makes a sudden turn and the cat ends up in mud. Stupid cat, mice are snake food.

Elsewhere, we see a pet fish shop run by my good friend Porky. (He owns the place, but it’s under new mis-management? I’ll just take that to mean that the fish are in charge of themselves.) Peeking in the window shows a fish that is somehow resting at the bottom of its bowl with its eyes closed. (Must be a new species. I’ve never seen a 14 karat gold fish.) Inside, Porky and the fish serenade us with a song about why they are good pets. And fish puns abound! There are A.C. and D.C. electric eels, (Which aren’t really eels. I know about fi… oh forget it.) a perch on a perch, a mackerel full of holes, and some soles tapping along to the music. There’s even a chorus line of legs dancing. This is what I’m talking about! Maybe I should buy me some of these sexy fish.

The curtain goes up revealing a disturbing octopus is the owner of all of them. (And I take back my comment. Sexy fish are one thing, but sexy mollusks are out of the question. You’d think I’d learn. This gag was used two years earlier in the short “Porky’s five and ten.”) After the song ends, it’s lunch time. Porky goes on his way and I wish I could join him. (That octopus won’t leave me alone now.) As he leaves, the cat from earlier walks by. He happily enters this all you can eat buffet. He reaches into a tank, causing an oyster that looks more like Cecil Turtle than a bivalve, to hide under it’s bed. (Clever pun.) The cat does get his mitts on a cute little fish who is powerless to resist. If only she was a piranha.

Good thing the eels saw the whole thing, and flash a message to the rest of the store. A turtle mounts a seahorse and warns of the danger, a tuna lays an infant-try, (That’s my joke. The tuna clucking is theirs. Chicken of the sea, you know) and a flying fish takes off like a plane. The cat is scared and backs into another tank that contains a hammerhead shark, who bonks him on the head. (Don’t question why you can buy it, purchase today!) One of the eels shocks the cat, and he flings the fish into the air. The flying fish grabs her. I’m really just guessing it’s a her. It has eyelashes, and since fish don’t usually have those, its probably the only way to tell its gender. At least the tuna laid eggs. …That were already fertilized… That’s not how it works!

The cat falls into a tank where he is punched by a mussel. (Another good joke.) I bet you didn’t know those creatures had Popeye’s arms.  The cat flies out of the shop just as Porky returns. Back in street, the cat is pleased to see that mouse from before. He rears to attack, but the mouse growls at him. The cat regresses into the kitten he was on the inside the whole time. Go back to milk, junior. Fish are big-cat food.

Personal Rating: 3

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Dough Ray Me-ow

“Louie is my friend. Yes sir, my best little pal.”

Directed by Arthur Davis. Released in 1948

One of Warner Bros. best one shots! This short stars two pets. The parrot, Louie and the cat, Heathcliff. (Who predates the comic strip Heathcliff by about 25 years. Speaking of, have you ever read it? It’s the most surreal bizarre comic I’ve ever seen. I can’t even tell half the time if there is a joke being told.) Back to the REAL star…

Heathcliff is dumb. He’s so dumb that he actually forgets to breathe! That… is flucking hilarious. No, that’s not a typo. I’m not swearing. Louie helps him out though, despite the fact he is clearly annoyed. (That’s so sweet.) Heathcliff (who actually got make a cameo in “Looney Tunes back in Action“) finds a piece of paper that he wants Louie to read. Turns out, it’s their owner’s will, and when they go, Heathcliff will inherit everything. Once he’s gone, Louie gets the dough. (Makes sense. Parrots tend to live longer than cats.) Louie tells him that instead of reading, he should go on a vacation. The cat returns half a second later due to being homesick. Looks like he’ll have to be permanently removed.

Louie bribes a bulldog to come kill the cat when Louie calls for help. Heathcliff is as strong as he is stupid and saves his chum while holding the dog in one paw. While the cat cracks nuts, (with the nut in his mouth and his head in a giant nutcracker) Louie tries playing a game of “William Tell.” (Which he unhappily seems to be a master at.) He rips a wire out of the wall and invites the cat to play “Radio.” You’ve never played? It’s a wonderful game! All you do is stick two live wires in your ears. Music will then play. (Warning! This only applies to mammals. If you are a bird, then the basic rules of electricity WILL apply to you.) Even putting a can on the cat’s head and having walk into an upcoming train doesn’t kill him. He should have just let Heathcliff do himself in. Besides his breathing problem, he seemed pretty close to crushing his head when he was playing with his nuts. (Don’t try to find an innuendo there by the way; there is none.)

Louie then surprises Heathcliff with a birthday cake. With 3 real candles, and a stick of dynamite. (It’s the thought that counts.) Heathcliff is apparently smart enough to know about numbers as he claims that he is only 3 and hands the explosive back saying it’s unneeded. (So depending on how old Louie is, he probably couldn’t wait another 10-11 years.) Despite Louie claiming he IS four, Heathcliff refuses to accept it and takes the cake and runs. (Why didn’t Louie make all the candles explosive? Your face, that’s why.) After a chase scene, Heathcliff finds his birth certificate that literally says he’s four. He takes the candle back, and wouldn’t you know it, Louie’s scheme works. Heathcliff bids him farewell, as his nine lives fly up to cat heaven.

But Louie just can’t keep his big beak shut, and tells him about the money he can’t take with him. Life number 9 calls the other back, and they all fly back into the body. If Heathcliff can’t take the money with him, then he’s not going. (I didn’t know death was that easy to get out of. I guess every time we sleep, we technically die. We just choose not to permanently die yet. Death is considerate like that.)

Personal Rating: 4

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The Aristo-cat

“Good grief, I’m all alone!”

Directed by Charles M. Jones. Released in 1943.

Why am I doing a post a day earlier than I usually do? Well, my dear readers, tomorrow happens to be White Wednesday. The last day where you should remember November. Since come Thanksgiving, people seem to recall that there actually are 11 months. It’s also a great day to be miserable, since society demands you be “merry” and “bright” for the Christmas season. Besides, I’m going to the movies tomorrow, and I can’t promise I’ll have time.

Don’t worry about that title, you are at the right place. I didn’t go all Disney on you. This short came out 27 years earlier. Besides, I think “The Aristocats” is my least favorite Disney film anyway. No way I’d be wasting a blog post on it.

A cat named Pussy (No immature jokes, please. None of them will be clever.) has got it made. He’s the pet of a rich lady and therefore gets a comfy bed, breakfast brought to him in it, and complete control of Meadows the butler. He’s a bit of a dick though. Squirting grapefruit juice into Meadow’s eye and letting him slip on bars of soap. It’s no surprise that Meadows quits. The cat panics as he realizes that as a pet, he has no clue how to fend for himself. (Look at those backgrounds courtesy of a one John McGrew, they are a beautiful abstract masterpiece. Best part of the picture, no question.)

In his panic, he finds a book about cats. (Written by a one F.E. Line.) To his luck, it opens up to the chapter that details the eating habits of the cat. It says that they feed on mice. Sounds easy enough, but never having seen an actual mouse, the cat runs in terror when he finds one. The mouse in question is Hubie, making his debut here. (You could say this cat is Claude, but the appearance is all wrong and his bed says Pussy remember? Although he does have a similar voice.) Hubie calls his friend Bertie, (just called Bert here) and shows him that the cat is no threat to them. The mice (whose colors will switch for later appearances) happily feast on cheese.

They refuse to share with the cat, telling him he should eat mice. He admits he doesn’t know what they look like, and the two point him out to a nice large one named Rover. Pussy tries to make a sandwich out of him, but that goes about as well as you’d expect. (One should never try to eat something alive that can open it’s mouth wider than you.) The cat is thrown back into the house, where he slides into the book again. Conveniently, he finds himself looking at the part of the book that clearly labels the cat’s prey and enemies. With his new knowledge, he chases the mice. They run into Rover’s dog house just as the dog comes home and pounds them. Pussy wakes up back in his bed, as it was just a horrible dream. Rover agrees. (Keep your gay jokes to yourself please. They’re not funny.)

Personal Rating: 4 Those backgrounds are an abstract masterpiece, and are worth a point on their own.

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The Sour Puss

“G-G-G-Guess what we’re gonna have for dinner t-t-tomorrow night?”

Directed by Robert Clampett. Released in 1940.

Before we begin, I’d like to say a few words before my words. I have mentioned the following before, but I don’t know how many people read my older posts, so I’ll reiterate here: I think suicide can be funny when it’s used as a joke in media. Now, in real life, suicide is never the answer. I’m not a psychiatrist or even really that good at being sensitive, so you probably shouldn’t take this opinion seriously, but to me, killing yourself proves you really don’t give a f*ck about the people in your life. They are the ones who really suffer in these situations. Forever wondering if it was their fault. If they could have helped. And since we have no proof of an afterlife, they don’t even have the guarantee they’ll see you again.

But in cartoons, it’s totally fine and often very funny. (To me.) Remember in “Rabbit Romeo” when Bugs forced a goldfish to kiss Millicent? It killed itself and that was funny. As long as you ensure that the situation the character is in isn’t too sad/serious, I’m not going to complain. I’m sorry for making you read all of this, but I don’t want you to get the wrong idea when I laugh at the suicide that takes place in this short.

One night at Porky’s place, he is reading his paper and sees that fishing season will begin tomorrow. He excitedly gets decked in his angling gear. (Personally, I find fishing one of the most boring and yet barbaric wastes of time.) He lets his cat know of tomorrow’s dinner by imitating a fish. To most, that is simply a humorous picture, but to someone with icthiophobia, that is the stuff of nightmares. (NotthatIwouldknow.) The cat is so excited he bounces around the house. (Why does Porky have an empty fish bowl?) He even kisses a mouse. This action makes the canary of the house pull a gun on himself, since he’s now seen everything. (Fun-ny. And I’ll thank all of you who have suicidal thoughts to stop ruining comedy for me.)

They head to bed. Porky counts sheep, but his cat (who is sleeping in a drawer, because there’s no point wasting money on a bed for an animal that won’t even use it.) counts fish. When you have an obsession, it’s near impossible to sleep while thinking about it. No surprise, the cat hits 1,000,000 and is still awake. He takes something for insomnia: A hammer to the head. The next day, pig and cat each have cast lines. (The cat’s line tied to his tail.) A flying fish approaches. That’s not a freshwater fish, but am I really complaining about that, while the fish is literally flying? Yes. I just don’t want people to go to a lake and expect flying fish. I know about fish.

The cat takes a swipe and the fish is down. Not really. This fish is like if Daffy had gills and fins. He jumps around laughing hysterically and talking with a weird vibrating voice. (I like him. He’s silly.) Porky seems to get him on his hook, but the fish just does a yo-yo imitation. (Why not try fly fishing? I know about fish.) The fish sticks one of his pectoral fins out of the water to imitate a shark. Porky falls for it, and warns the cat. The cat is a moron and doesn’t know that sharks have been found in freshwater. (I know about fish.) He calls the fish’s bluff only to find it really is a shark. (I don’t really get how that happened.) The cat runs off into the distance much to the shark’s confusion. “Pussycats is the cwaiziest peoples.”

Personal Rating: 3

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Conrad the Sailor

“You’re a sthlovenly housthekeeper.”

Directed by Charles M. Jones. Released in 1942.

Who is Conrad? Well, you asked the right person. If you didn’t ask you are either: A) already quite knowledgeable about cartoons and just come here for my jokes, or B) you are a sad person who isn’t even looking at my blog. shame on you. Conrad the cat only appeared in 3 shorts. All of which were directed by Jones, all of which came out the same year. This is both the only one with his name in the title and the only one where he speaks. His one defining character trait is that he has a little shuffle walk but I like him. His appearance makes me smile. This short was his final appearance. It takes place on a ship. (No surprise.)

While most of the crew appear to be dogs, Conrad is not. Perhaps this is the reason he’s the only one swabbing the deck? Listen to his voice. Does he sound familiar? No, it’s not Mel. Please stop guessing him. Would I even bring it up if it was Mel? That my friends is Pinto Colvig. The original voice of Goofy. Even if he is being discriminated, Conrad cheerfully mops and sings. To his displeasure, he finds muddy duck prints all over. Daffy Duck prints to be precise. After mocking his singing, Daffy switches his bucket of water for red paint. Conrad doesn’t even notice until the duck points it out. Angered, the cat gives chase.

Despite Daffy thinking he gave him the slip, Conrad is right behind him and pulls him into a lifeboat and pounds him. Coming out they both salute the captain, before Daffy is tossed into the sea. That’s obviously not going to stop him. The chase continues when he gets in Conrad’s way of polishing a cannon. Before they can chase though, the captain comes by again and they salute once more. Daffy starts up a game of “Patty cake” using the lyrics to “Pease porridge” instead. Which is a really odd rhyme when I really think about it, why is it not spelled peas? Why are they in porridge? Do people really want to eat porridge that’s nine days old? What is porridge?

They chase, (salute the captain again) and Daffy hides in a gun. Conrad knows exactly where he’s hiding and loads it. When fired, the bullet continues to chase Daffy. Him running behind Conrad, means that the cat has to run too. But this doesn’t stop all three of them from saluting the captain again.

Personal Rating: 3

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3 Private Snafu Shorts: The Goldbrick/The Home Front/Censored

And they’re all directed by Frank Tashlin! Hope you’re not sick of the guy yet. Don’t worry, we’ll be taking a break after this post.

“The Goldbrick” Released in 1943

“I do believe I’m putting on weight.”

Snafu is sleeping when he is woken up. (What else would he be doing if he was woken up?) He is naturally unhappy about this, and wishes to not have to get up for drills. A sprite named Goldie shows up and he lets Snafu in on some secrets of avoiding work. If you fake an illness, you can spend a day in bed with a hot nurse by your side. (Who must suck at her job if she can’t tell he’s faking.) When digging a trench, Goldie advises him to dig just enough for his head, and he’s earned a well deserved nap. Instead of pushing a load up a hill, have someone help while you sit on the load and push.

Soon, Snafu is lazy and out of shape. This comes back to bite him when he’s actually on the field. Deciding to goldbrick since that’s all he knows, he limps towards a convenient hospital. It’s a trap of course, and he ends up smashed by a hammer. He’s okay though and gets out. More trouble is out there, as an enemy tank chases him down. He digs a trench, but as he only ever digs enough for his head, his rear sticks out and the tank crushes him. He’s dead. (Snafu dies quite a few times in his shorts.) Goldie then reveals that he was really Japanese the whole time. (Remember: we were enemies. Japanese people do not look or sound like that.) But Snafu will be remembered, thanks to his 22 karat goldbrick grave.

Personal Rating: 3

“The Home Front” Released in 1943

“I didn’t know you cared.”

This short begins with Snafu in a very cold location. He complains because that’s what he does. He figures that all his loved ones are enjoying themselves back home. His dad is playing pool, his mom is playing bridge and gossiping, and his grandpa is being a pervert at a burlesque show. Worst of all, his sweet Sally Lou is no doubt dating someone else. (Isn’t that just how women are? If you leave them, they replace you.) Out pops good ole’ Technical Fairy First Class. He has a TV and lets Snafu see how much “fun” his family is having.

Turns out, that Snafu is the black sheep of the family, as the rest are working real hard. His dad’s building tanks, his mom’s planting a victory garden, and gramps is reinforcing battleships. And dear sweet Sally Lou? She joined the W.A.C.s. (I hope you feel like a dope, Snafu.) He tries to give her image a  kiss, but since she’s not really there, he kisses the fairy instead. (Hey, he lived this time. He’s coming home, Sally!)

Personal Rating: 3

“Censored” Released in 1944

“Mail this for me!”

Snafu is trying to send the lovely Sally Lou a letter. (A wimpy, short, dumb, lazy, man gets a hot chick? It’s plausible, but not fair.) Only one thing is preventing him from getting to the postbox: The censor. He/She/It catches Snafu and shreds his letter to nothing but “Greetings” and “Farewell.” On a train, Snafu tries again and this time folds it into a paper airplane. Tossing it outside does not work, as the censor has a net. The note is returned to Snafu as paper dolls. On the ship to his next destination, he tries again with the help of a dove he has in his pants. (Not one word about that.) The assistant censor, (a hawk) catches the bird who points out it was not his plan. (He’s some sort of stool bird!) The letter is beaked this time.

Snafu is getting desperate to talk to M.L. and luckily for him, his pal Technical Fairy First Class agrees to send it after Snafu tells him it’s safe. He and his girl use a code when speaking. The note delivers and Mary gets itttttt… I never thought I’d see this much skin when I decided to start reviewing shorts. (Yes, I know these shorts were for the armed forces, but she’s not even wearing a bra!) Even though he’s asked her to keep quiet, she goes on to tell her mother who goes on to tell more people. Eventually, through use of the telephone game, the Japanese here of it too and prepare an ambush at Bingo Bango island, where the U.S. is heading to. Unaware of the dangers, Snafu and the others land only to get blown up. Turns out it was all a dream. (Three shorts today. 1 death, 1 live, and 1 both.) Turns out T.F.F.C never sent the letter. Having learned his lesson, Snafu censors it himself.

Personal Rating: 3

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The Stupid Cupid

“Ahhh, I love you! I want to marry you!”

Directed by Frank Tashlin.  Released in 1944

It must be Valentines Day in this short, because Cupid is joyously spreading love. I bet you didn’t know Elmer was cupid, did you? (His laughs are not supplied by the usual Arthur Q. Bryan, but rather by a one Frank Graham.) But this cupid doesn’t really seem to care about matching the right creatures together. Sure, he has a bird immediately grab a mate, (and build a house) and gets a stallion to jump out of his shoes, for a mare but he also has a dog fall for the cat he was about to eat. (The cat proceeds to shoot his nine lives away.) So, I guess Cupid’s a mad shipper.

Either way, Daffy is next on his agenda. But Daffy is not happy to see Cupid again. Yes, they have a history. Apparently the year before, Daffy was shot by one of Cupid’s love darts, (And I don’t mean the kind used by snails.) and ended up being shot gun married and having some ducklings. Yes, one has two heads. (You didn’t think Duckman was completely original did you?) Daffy uses Cupid’s bow to launch him away, but Cupid just giggles it off. He prepares a monstrous arrow and manages to hit the duck. The first creature that Daffy spots is (9, 10) a big fat hen.

He happily starts trying to hit on her. Emily (that’s really her name, I didn’t have to make one up this time.) is no whore, and runs away. Eventually, Daffy finds her in a closet and begins smooching. This would be a terrible time for Emily’s husband to show up. Just then, Emily’s husband shows up, and pries them apart. (Emily looks a little too calm kissing Daffy.) The rooster (let’s call him…Rocko) gets ready to pummel the duck when Daffy comes to his senses. He explains that it was Cupid’s fault and apologizes stating he’s a family man as well. (Bringing his family in for a cameo to prove it) Rocko is a kind soul, and forgives the duck letting him go.

Daffy is grateful and doesn’t notice Cupid is still out there. One shot later, and he jumps in between the chicken’s make out session. And it fades out rather quickly. Apparently there was an original ending where Daffy said, “Don’t knock it till you try it!” (Sorry Daffy, that’s not what I think of when I picture a hot chick.)

Personal Rating: 4

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Booby Hatched

“Who turned off the heat?”

Directed by Frank Tashlin.  Released in 1944

You know what this Sunday is? If you don’t then go look at a calendar.

Sorry. That was rude. (You may not even have a calendar.) It is Mother’s day. And one of the sweetest things to me, is the relationship between mother and child. How they are willing to die for them, and how the child sees the mother as essentially an almighty superhero, who can protect them from anything. I’m rambling. Let’s talk about a short dealing with such love.

It’s winter, and a duck (with teeth) is desperately trying to hatch some eggs. (She also has no name. I shall call her Ethel.) It is really cold, and the eggs have begun to turn blue. (The father was a smurf.) She holds them up to a light to see inside, and finds the soon to be ducklings sneezing, warming themselves by a stove, skating and skiing. (At least they’re not dead.) She does her best to keep them warm, but the poor things are below subzero! Time for drastic measures.

As much as it pains her, Ethel sticks her rump right up to a lantern. She’s in agony, but a true mother won’t let her children die, if she can help it. When she’s done, she goes over. The eggs hatch before she sits down. (“Don’t do it! We’ll come out.”) I guess it’s warmer outside than in an egg, so the new family heads down to the pond for a swim. Uh Oh! One egg didn’t hatch all the way. Craving warmth, the egg with legs goes off to find his mother. Ethel meanwhile, is doing a head count and finds that her little Robespierre (such a great name for any generation) is missing.

Finding his footprints, she follows them into the woods. Robespierre is nearly dead, but finds his mom wearing a fur coat. (A bear.) And he slips under “her.” The bear takes it rather well. (“So I laid an egg.”) But this was all seen by a hungry wolf. Wait, is that William? No, his mailbox says he is known as B. B. (So he’s a transvestite. Because Bebe? Forget it) He uses some TNT to blow the bear off, and happily takes his prize home. The bear takes it rather well. (“Dreams like this, worry me, ya know.”) B.B. runs into Ethel on his way back, and the two keep swiping Robespierre from the other. Eventually, Ethel gets home with a doorknob.

B.B. is preparing some egg drop soup, when Ethel returns and pokes his eyes through the key hole. She then rescues her son. Is he grateful? Heck no, he was finally getting warm. He dives back in.

Personal Rating: 3

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I Got Plenty of Mutton

“Ohhh my precious…BAAA!”

Directed by Frank Tashlin.  Released in 1944

It’s a little late to say this, but it is the year of the sheep according to the lunar new year calendar. So let’s talk about a sheep short, shall we?

Due to an O.P.A. ruling, there is no meat for wolves. A crisis, seeing as how they are carnivores. One fellow, tries to make the best of his situation and sets some water to boil. This wolf (who I shall call William) makes sure no one watches as he grabs a very precious ingredient for his soup. A single, tiny bone. He dunks it a few times and puts it back in his hiding place. Alas! While his back was turned, mice sipped every drop. William has no choice to adapt to a herbivorous diet.

While eating his steamed pea, he glances at the paper. What luck! A local sheepdog has left his herd to join the army. Easy pickins! William tosses his precious bone away and heads out. Look at all the tasty morsels. He dives in and finds himself face to face with a ram. Pulling out the paper again, William sees that the article went on to explain that a ram named Killer-Diller. (No relation to any “Thugs with dirty Mugs“) is now guarding the flock. (It even helpfully points out that the ram in front of him is Killer) The ram butts William away.

William in turn gets a box that’s just labeled “Costume.” Said costume is a ewe. (I guess it’s supposed to be sexy, but it freaks me out. Maybe if I was fleecy.) He pretties himself up and readies some weapons to take Killer down. Killer likes what he sees. There’s no other word for it: he’s horny. His horns even uncurl, point straight out, and turn red! (I feel a little uncomfortable seeing that.) He rushes over to whisper sweet nothings into “her” ear. William tries to club him, but the shock knocks his costume off. By “shear” luck though, he manages to get it back on and lures Killer to follow him. He drops a safe on the ram, but he pops right out to continue his session. (His hooves turn white briefly.)

William tries to fire a cannon, but Killer is in there too and continues to smooch the poor creature. William makes a run for it with Killer in hot pursuit. Later that night, William is still on the “Lamb” but he is getting tired, while Killer still has plenty of steam. Deciding it’s not worth it, William breaks the charade and tears the costume off, revealing he’s a wolf. Killer doesn’t mind: He’s one too! Figuratively! Iris out on the chase going off into the moonlight.

Personal Rating: 3