“♫ A-hunting I will g-go! ♫”
Supervision by Robert Clampett; Animation by John Carey; Story by Melvin Miller; Musical Direction by Carl W. Stalling. Released in 1940
This short takes place in the year One billion, trillion B.C. Or if your mind isn’t able to picture such a ways back, it was a long time ago. It was a rough time. Strange monstrous animals roamed the earth, and according to a Jerry Colonna vulture, it was when men wanted big chests, babies were born with lots more hair, and women felt they only needed fig leaves to be dressed. (They truly were wonderful days) Living in cave number 123 1/2, is my pig, Porky. He starts his morning the way any caring pet owner does, by giving his animal companion, Rover, a bone. Rover is some sort of hippopotasaurus. A sauropod with a hippo-esque head, which is the only part that can fit in his house. The rest of his body has no choice but to brave the elements. But he is happy enough. He wags his tail so much, that nesting mothers in trees are forced to flee and some dinosaurs lose all of their armor plating. One raptor (bird in this case) angrily takes it as this apparently happens every day. Next Porky goes to get his mail. He rips the bills in half (Atta boy! Stick it to the ᶜᵃᵛᵉman!) and goes for his new issue of “Expire” magazine. (Which not only advertises Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies, but has some familiar looking names on the front, like Cob Blampett, Farren Woster, and Mubby Tillar) Seems like the new styles are here, and Porky’s suit will just not do. Club in hand, he heads off into the wilderness to do some prehistoric clothes shopping. He knows no fear. Kicking a roaring therapod in the shin and breaking up a group of nasties. He finds an adorable little kitten and does what I’m pretty sure everyone does when they see one: plans to kill it. Look at how sexy he looks! Don’t tell me you wouldn’t do the same! Either way, the cub gets the drop on him with its own club and escapes. Meanwhile a saber-toothed feline of some sort is on the prowl. (I’m not entirely sure what it is. Porky calls it a tiger but it has no stripes. It can’t be a smilodon because that tail is too long. I guess its a new species! Clampett may have discovered it, but he didn’t identify it, so it is now the Saber-toothed leopard. Panthera clampettitus) Seeing as it is close enough to dinner time, he tries to have some cave bacon. Porky is not scared and takes a swing. The predator is too hard headed though and chews his club into clothespins. He chases and soon corners the cave pig. Porky apologizes saying he never meant any harm, he just wanted a new suit. (“Sorry officer! I didn’t mean any harm when I robbed the bank, I just didn’t want to get a job.”) The feline says that Porky should have just said so. He can get one for him wholesale!
Personal Rating: 3, unless you’re a Porky fanboy. (like me. Then it’s a 4.)