Porky Pig 101

Porky Pig 101
DVD cover
Directed byFriz Freleng, Tex Avery, Jack King, Frank Tashlin, Ub Iwerks, Bob Clampett, Chuck Jones, Norman McCabe
Produced byLeon Schlesinger
StarringJoe Dougherty, Mel Blanc
Music byBernard Brown, Norman Spencer, Carl Stalling
Distributed byWarner Home Video
Release date
  • September 19, 2017 (2017-09-19)[1]
Running time
743 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Porky Pig 101 is a DVD box-set released by Warner Archive Collection, collecting the first 101 animated short subjects starring the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies character Porky Pig. The set features all 99 Porky Pig cartoons made in black and white, as well as two cartoons made in color: Porky's debut appearance in I Haven't Got a Hat (1935) and the color "special" Old Glory (1939).[1]

This is the first Looney Tunes DVD collection produced by the Warner Archive boutique label, as opposed to the main Warner Home Video "family division", which had handled previous Looney Tunes DVD and Blu-ray releases the such as the Looney Tunes Golden Collection, Platinum Collection and Super Stars sets. According to Jerry Beck, after several years of both him and Warner Archive president George Feltenstein lobbying, the "family unit" relinquished the distribution of the black and white Porky Pig cartoons to Warner Archive since they believed children were uninterested in black and white cartoons.[2]

The set features 65 newly remastered shorts, while 36 of them are previously restored transfers ported over the from the aforementioned Golden, Platinum and The Essential Daffy Duck collections.[3] All shorts are presented uncut with all 99 black and white cartoons shown in their original format - as opposed to the various redrawn and computer colorized versions that commonly aired on television. The set has no new special features - but the set does include audio commentaries and other supplements from the previous Golden and Platinum releases.[3]

According to Beck, production on the set started in 2012,[1][2][3] and since this was Warner Archive's first Golden Age of Animation release, the restoration team was given a very limited budget. Therefore, unlike the previous Golden Collection series, they were unable to digitally restore the 65 new-to-DVD shorts from the original camera negatives, and instead had to simply remaster them from high quality 35mm black and white "vault prints".[2][3][4] This resulted in several shorts having some minor errors including incorrect opening and closing themes (see below).[5]

Porky Pig 101 received mixed reviews from animation fans and collectors, who tended to praise the complete and chronological nature of the set - featuring rare never before released shorts, and presenting them uncut and in their original black and white format[6][7] - but also criticised the restoration quality; noting several splices, dirt, brightness and contrast issues - and overall feeling it lacked the pristine image quality of the cartoons restored for the Golden and Platinum collections.[5]

Porky Pig 101 was a modest financial success,[8] and led Warner Archive to release more classic theatrical animated content as single-disc Blu-ray sets, such as Popeye the Sailor: The 1940s, Tex Avery Screwball Classics and Looney Tunes Collector's Choice, all of which garnered a much more positive fan reception.

Disc 1

# Title Year Director Co-starring Series Previous DVD/Blu-ray release
1 I Haven't Got a Hat 1935 Friz Freleng Beans MM Golden Collection: Volume 3
2 Gold Diggers of '49 1935 Tex Avery Beans LT Golden Collection: Volume 5
3 Boom Boom 1936 Jack King Beans LT The Charge of the Light Brigade
4 Alpine Antics 1936 Jack King Beans LT Golden Collection: Volume 5
5 The Blow Out 1936 Tex Avery LT N/A
6 Westward Whoa [n 1] 1936 Jack King Beans
Ham and Ex 		LT N/A
7 Plane Dippy 1936 Tex Avery LT N/A
8 Fish Tales [n 1][n 2] 1936 Jack King LT N/A
9 Shanghaied Shipmates 1936 Jack King LT N/A
10 Porky's Pet 1936 Jack King LT N/A
11 Porky the Rain-Maker 1936 Tex Avery Phenias Pig LT N/A
12 Porky's Poultry Plant 1936 Frank Tashlin LT Golden Collection: Volume 4
13 Porky's Moving Day 1936 Jack King LT N/A
14 Milk and Money 1936 Tex Avery Phenias Pig LT Golden Collection: Volume 5
15 Little Beau Porky 1936 Frank Tashlin LT Golden Collection: Volume 4
16 The Village Smithy 1936 Tex Avery LT N/A
17 Porky in the North Woods 1936 Frank Tashlin LT N/A
18 Porky the Wrestler [n 3] 1937 Tex Avery LT N/A
19 Porky's Road Race 1937 Frank Tashlin LT Golden Collection: Volume 3
20 Picador Porky [n 4] 1937 Tex Avery LT N/A

Special features

  • Audio commentaries

Disc 2

# Title Year Director Co-starring Series Previous DVD/Blu-ray release
1 Porky's Romance 1937 Frank Tashlin Petunia Pig (debut) LT Golden Collection: Volume 3
2 Porky's Duck Hunt 1937 Tex Avery Daffy Duck (debut) LT The Essential Daffy Duck
3 Porky and Gabby 1937 Ub Iwerks Gabby Goat (debut) LT Black Legion
4 Porky's Building 1937 Frank Tashlin Dirty Digg LT N/A
5 Porky's Super Service 1937 Ub Iwerks LT Kid Galahad
6 Porky's Badtime Story 1937 Bob Clampett Gabby Goat LT N/A
7 Porky's Railroad 1937 Frank Tashlin Dirty Digg LT Golden Collection: Volume 5
8 Get Rich Quick Porky [n 5] 1937 Bob Clampett Gabby Goat LT N/A
9 Porky's Garden [n 4] 1937 Tex Avery LT N/A
10 Rover's Rival 1937 Bob Clampett LT N/A
11 The Case of the Stuttering Pig 1937 Frank Tashlin Petunia Pig LT Golden Collection: Volume 4
12 Porky's Double Trouble 1937 Frank Tashlin Petunia Pig LT Golden Collection: Volume 5
13 Porky's Hero Agency 1937 Bob Clampett LT Marked Woman
14 Porky's Poppa 1938 Bob Clampett Phenias Pig LT Golden Collection: Volume 5
15 Porky at the Crocadero 1938 Frank Tashlin LT Golden Collection: Volume 5
16 What Price Porky 1938 Bob Clampett Daffy Duck LT Golden Collection: Volume 5
17 Porky's Phoney Express 1938 Cal Howard
Cal Dalton 		LT N/A
18 Porky's Five & Ten 1938 Bob Clampett LT Hollywood Hotel
19 Porky's Hare Hunt 1938 Ben Hardaway
Cal Dalton 		Bugs Bunny (proto-type, debut) LT Platinum Collection: Volume 2
20 Injun Trouble 1938 Bob Clampett LT N/A

Special features

  • Audio commentaries
    • Mark Kausler on Porky's Romance and The Case of the Stuttering Pig
    • Daniel Goldmark on Porky at the Crocadero

Disc 3

# Title Year Director Co-starring Series Previous DVD/Blu-ray release
1 Porky the Fireman 1938 Frank Tashlin LT Golden Collection: Volume 4
2 Porky's Party 1938 Bob Clampett LT Golden Collection: Volume 3
3 Porky's Spring Planting 1938 Frank Tashlin LT N/A
4 Porky & Daffy [n 6] 1938 Bob Clampett Daffy Duck LT Angels with Dirty Faces
5 Wholly Smoke 1938 Frank Tashlin LT Golden Collection: Volume 5
Platinum Collection: Volume 3
6 Porky in Wackyland 1938 Bob Clampett Yoyo Dodo LT Golden Collection: Volume 2
Platinum Collection: Volume 2
7 Porky's Naughty Nephew 1938 Bob Clampett Pinky (debut) LT N/A
8 Porky in Egypt 1938 Bob Clampett LT Golden Collection: Volume 3
Platinum Collection: Volume 2
9 The Daffy Doc 1938 Bob Clampett Daffy Duck LT Golden Collection: Volume 5
The Essential Daffy Duck
10 Porky the Gob 1938 Ben Hardaway
Cal Dalton 		LT N/A
11 The Lone Stranger and Porky [n 4] 1939 Bob Clampett LT The Hunchback of Notre Dame
12 It's an Ill Wind 1939 Ben Hardaway
Cal Dalton 		Dizzy Duck LT N/A
13 Porky's Tire Trouble 1939 Bob Clampett LT N/A
14 Porky's Movie Mystery 1939 Bob Clampett LT N/A
15 Chicken Jitters [n 4] 1939 Bob Clampett LT N/A
16 Porky and Teabiscuit 1939 Ben Hardaway
Cal Dalton 		Phineas Pig LT Golden Collection: Volume 3
17 Kristopher Kolumbus Jr. [n 6] 1939 Bob Clampett LT The Old Maid
18 Polar Pals 1939 Bob Clampett LT Golden Collection: Volume 5
19 Scalp Trouble 1938 Bob Clampett Daffy Duck LT N/A
20 Old Glory 1939 Chuck Jones MM Golden Collection: Volume 2
Platinum Collection: Volume 1

Special features

Disc 4

# Title Year Director Co-starring Series Previous DVD/Blu-ray release
1 Porky's Picnic 1939 Bob Clampett Petunia Pig
Pinky 		LT N/A
2 Wise Quacks 1939 Bob Clampett Daffy Duck LT Golden Collection: Volume 5
3 Porky's Hotel 1939 Bob Clampett LT N/A
4 Jeepers Creepers 1939 Bob Clampett LT N/A
5 Naughty Neighbors [n 7] 1939 Bob Clampett Petunia Pig LT N/A
6 Pied Piper Porky 1939 Bob Clampett LT N/A
7 Porky the Giant Killer [n 4] 1939 Ben Hardaway
Cal Dalton 		Pinky (debut) LT N/A
8 The Film Fan 1939 Bob Clampett LT Golden Collection: Volume 3
9 Porky's Last Stand 1940 Bob Clampett Daffy Duck LT All This and Heaven Too
10 Africa Squeaks 1940 Bob Clampett LT N/A
11 Ali-Baba Bound [n 6] 1940 Bob Clampett LT N/A
12 Pilgrim Porky 1940 Bob Clampett LT Golden Collection: Volume 5
13 Slap Happy Pappy [n 6] 1940 Bob Clampett LT Brother Orchid
14 Porky's Poor Fish 1940 Bob Clampett LT Golden Collection: Volume 4
15 You Ought to Be in Pictures 1940 Friz Freleng LT Golden Collection: Volume 2
Platinum Collection: Volume 2
16 The Chewin' Bruin 1940 Bob Clampett LT N/A
17 Porky's Baseball Broadcast 1940 Friz Freleng LT Knute Rockne, All American
18 Patient Porky [n 8] 1940 Bob Clampett LT Golden Collection: Volume 5
19 Calling Dr. Porky [n 4] 1940 Friz Freleng LT N/A
20 Prehistoric Porky 1940 Bob Clampett LT Golden Collection: Volume 5

Special features

  • Audio commentaries
  • Porky's Poor Fish storyboard reel

Disc 5

# Title Year Director Co-starring Series Previous DVD/Blu-ray release
1 The Sour Puss 1940 Bob Clampett LT Golden Collection: Volume 5
2 Porky's Hired Hand [n 4] 1940 Friz Freleng LT N/A
3 The Timid Toreador 1941 Bob Clampett
Norman McCabe 		LT N/A
4 Porky's Snooze Reel 1941 Bob Clampett
Norman McCabe 		LT N/A
5 Porky's Bear Facts [n 6] 1941 Friz Freleng LT N/A
6 Porky's Preview 1941 Tex Avery LT Golden Collection: Volume 5
7 Porky's Ant [n 9] 1941 Chuck Jones LT N/A
8 A Coy Decoy 1941 Bob Clampett Daffy Duck LT N/A
9 Porky's Prize Pony [n 9] 1941 Chuck Jones LT N/A
10 Meet John Doughboy 1941 Bob Clampett LT Golden Collection: Volume 6
11 We, the Animals Squeak! [n 6] 1941 Bob Clampett LT N/A
12 The Henpecked Duck [n 6] 1941 Bob Clampett Daffy Duck LT N/A
13 Notes to You [n 9] 1941 Friz Freleng LT N/A
14 Robinson Crusoe Jr. [n 9] 1941 Norman McCabe LT N/A
15 Porky's Midnight Matinee [n 9] 1941 Chuck Jones LT N/A
16 Porky's Pooch 1941 Bob Clampett LT Golden Collection: Volume 5
17 Porky's Pastry Pirates 1942 Friz Freleng LT Larceny Inc.
18 Who's Who in the Zoo 1942 Norman McCabe LT In This Our Life
19 Porky's Cafe [n 9] 1942 Chuck Jones Conrad the Cat LT N/A
20 Confusions of a Nutzy Spy [n 10] 1943 Norman McCabe LT Golden Collection: Volume 6 (bonus short)
21 Porky Pig's Feat 1943 Frank Tashlin Daffy Duck
Bugs Bunny (cameo) 		LT Golden Collection: Volume 3
Platinum Collection: Volume 3

Special features

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b Incorrectly uses the 1939-1940 variant of The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down.[5]
  2. ^ Incorrectly uses the opening theme from Rover's Rival.[5]
  3. ^ Incorrectly uses the closing theme from Little Beau Porky.[5]
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Incorrectly uses the opening theme from Porky's Tire Trouble.[5]
  5. ^ Incorrectly uses the opening theme from Confusions of a Nutzy Spy and the closing theme from a different cartoon.[5]
  6. ^ a b c d e f g The opening is missing few seconds, starts on the WB shield.[5]
  7. ^ Incorrectly uses the opening theme from Porky's Tire Trouble twice.[5]
  8. ^ Despite being previously restored for Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 5, this set uses an unrestored vault print of Patient Porky.[5]
  9. ^ a b c d e f Incorrectly uses 1937's "Porky's Signature" theme from Porky's Railroad.[5]
  10. ^ Incorrectly uses 1936-1938 Looney Tunes closing title card with the 1937-1938 theme music.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b c Beck, Jerry (August 16, 2017). "Warner Archive Announces "Porky Pig 101" DVD Collection". Animation Scoop. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  2. ^ a b c Thompson, Trevor (January 1, 2020). "The Making (and Controversy) of Porky Pig 101". The Looney Tunes Critic. YouTube.com. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d "Porky Pig 101". Warner Archive Podcast. Apple Podcasts. September 14, 2017. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  4. ^ Shostak, Stu (16 August 2017). "Program 506". Stu's Show.com. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Komorowski, Thad (September 22, 2017). "The Regression of Looney Tunes on Home Video". What About Thad. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  6. ^ Maltin, Leonard (October 12, 2017). "PIGGING OUT ON LOONEY TUNES". leonardmaltin.com. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  7. ^ Galbraith IV, Stuart (November 1, 2017). "Porky Pig". DVD Talk.com. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  8. ^ Shostak, Stu (December 20, 2017). "Program 513". Stu's Show. Retrieved 31 August 2023.