User Reviews

. . . for PIGS IN A POLKA doesn't seem to be trained in Warnology, let's examine this WWII Era animated short from that perspective. When this cartoon was produced, America's Number One ally against Hitler--Russia--was at the top of nearly every U.S. church's Weekly Prayer List. But Warner, often looking forward 50 or 75 years ahead of its time, smelled a Russian Rat, and its name was Vladimir "Mad Dog" Putin. During the 1940s and 1950s Warner produced at least a dozen feature and short projects warning us of Putin's advent, and PIGS IN A POLKA falls into that category. The Big Bad Wolf character here, of course, represents Putin, with its incessant Russian Kick Dancing. The endangered pigs symbolize the World's Winter Olympic Athletes being lured to Sochi, Russia, for the 2014 Olympiad. Since Putin's Homophobia became the predominant theme of the build-up to these Games, Warner suggests that the bare-butt cross-dressing Little Pigs #1 and #2 are Gay. The only Oinker wearing bottoms, Little Pig #3, tries to convince his two fellow athletes to boycott Big Bad Wolf\Mad Dog's Fun & Games. But America ignored Warner's warning, like it usually does, leaving Putin free to dope up the Russian Olympians for the next couple Olympic Games (though they're banned from this week's World Indoor Track & Field Championships), and bomb most of the Doctors Without Borders Hospitals in Syria, to boot.

. . . such as Pig #2 building his house out of MATCH sticks! (Number Two constructs his "castle" this way at least twice, only to see the results of his labors eventually go up in smoke!) Another example of the "heart" on display throughout PIGS IN A POLKA is the ticker-strings-pulling scene in which a destitute little old lady of the lupine persuasion has to play a stringed instrument for her respite from the winter's cold. (Some viewers may quibble that this hunched over matriarch's music is emanating from the turntable record player sounding a vinyl record to form her hunch, but let's see YOU become a violin virtuoso during the Heartbreak of Arthritis!) When you stop and think about it, the Big Bad Wolf's overall reputation in the various iterations of this story is negative in a totally undeserved way. After all, he's just after a little pork or bacon. Who can blame this pursuit, with polls consistently showing that far more cultists break their "religious" vows by gobbling a BLT sandwich than by chugging a Corona Beer. Without porkers biting the dust, there would be no pork rinds, pork chops, pig's feet, bacon or pulled pork, either. So viewers should NOT feel guilty if watching PIGS IN A POLKA makes their mouths water, just the effect starring in this animated short had upon the unjustly maligned Big Bad Wolf!

. . . called "Ted's Trailer." He told me stories of his childhood family stopping at the local Ted's Trailer after church most Sundays for their Sabbath dinner. His dad (that is, my paternal grand pappy) always ordered an entree called "Pigs in a poke," Dad recalls. Naturally I was eager to view PIGS IN A POLKA to ascertain what family connection it held for me, but sadly I ascertained nothing. It doesn't even tell viewers where they can obtain their own bottles of "LUSTERINE."

"Pigs in a Polka" is an American 8-minute cartoon from 1943, so this one has its 75th anniversary this year (still). The name of director Freleng should sound familiar to pretty much anybody with an interest in these old cartoons as the Oscar winner was among the most known in his fields, writer Miller maybe not so much, but he was also far from a rookie. This is a little Warner Bros film that elaborates on the famous story of the big bad wolf against the three pigs of whom only one is smart enough to protect itself (and the 2 brothers). But yeah, said story is really only very basically included. The match house is entirely different, the wolf uses other was to tear the first two houses down, he does not even need to blow, but he does blow for the third one and without success. What we have here is a very music-based short. You will hear familiar tunes and on some occasions the characters even move along with the tune played in the background. Fittingly the wolf dresses up as a Spanish dancer early on, and eventually the pigs too out of nowhere, so yeah it is a bit bizarre and why oh why did he not catch them when he was dancing so close next to them. Not the smartest wolf out there for sure. In the end, there is maybe the best music moment when we have the wolf dress up as a poor violin playing woman (again a female for whatever reason), oh well if the pigs did not see through that costume, they aren't the smartest either. But when clever piggy changes the record, it was kinda fun what happened next. But overall, I was not impressed. Animation is as good as everything else from around that era in America and we should not take it for granted, but the entertainment factor was basically the same for me as just listening to a record thatg includes all the music played in there. Video side and comedy was underwhelming. The Academy liked it though and nominated it for an Oscar where it lost to Donald's take on Nazi Germany, one of the most known cartoons of all time. But back to this one here: Youtube audiences enjoyed it too as it has millions and millions of views, more than I expected for sure, even if it sure isn't a forgotten cartoon. I did not like it that much though and give it a thumbs-down.

"Pigs in a Polka" is a very good Warner Bros. cartoon, and it comes to no surprise that Friz Freleng directed it. Set to the various Hungarian dances of the great composer Johannes Brahms, this cartoon is essentially a humorous ballet of the Three Little Pigs story. As an avid music lover, Friz Freleng was aware that he needed to KNOW the music of Brahms in order for this cartoon to be effective, and he definitely succeeded. All of the action & dancing are perfectly in sync with the music, thus providing a nice variation to the usual Three Little Pigs story.

My favorite highlights from "Pigs in a Polka" include the following (but watch the cartoon first before you read any further). With a New York accent, the Big Bad Wolf reads his Fantasiaesque introduction with elegant musical accompaniment. While Pig #3 is working hard at building his house, Pig #1 and Pig #2 frolic together and play their instruments, with Pig #2 having a dopey smile on his face as Pig #1 spins him around. The Wolf is quite funny during his opening Russian kick-dance down the road (with his outstretched arm signalling a turn). After the Wolf's gypsy dance, Pig #1 and Pig #2 hilariously dress up in similar getups with mischievous smiles on their faces! And later on, the Wolf pretends to be a poor old gypsy woman, but Pig #3 sees through his facade and, literally, changes his tune!

In closing, let me just state two oddities about "Pigs in a Polka." First, the ending of this cartoon is quite abrupt, leaving the audience hanging. And second, the Three Little Pigs all look like Porky, but they aren't!