Porky's Badtime Story

As I mentioned in my previous review for "Porky and Gabby", Looney Tunes had a big problem in the 1930s creating interesting and lasting characters. Through most of the decade, various characters came and went and unlike their competition, Disney and Fleischer, they just struggled to create franchise characters. "Porky's Badtime Story" does feature Porky Pig...one of the few real successes in the era. But it also features Gabby Goat, an annoying and abrasive character who fortunately only lasted for three films...and this short is his second appearance.

Porky and Gabby get in trouble for oversleeping and arriving at work very late. They're told they'll be fired if it happens again and most of the film focuses on their trying unsuccessfully to fall asleep, as all sorts of annoyances take place.

This film was remade a decade later as "Tick Tock Tuckered"...again with Porky but this time with Daffy as his buddy...a much better pairing and a much better cartoon. The biggest problem with Gabby is that he was perennially angry without reason and was difficult to like. Daffy, on the other hand, had a much wackier and funnier persona. Now this is NOT to say "Porky's Badtime Story" is a bad film at all...it isn't. Gabby's not as abrasive as he was in the previous film and the story itself is cute and enjoyable.

Clampett made some good cartoons and I like his style of directing. However, in 1937, he didn't develop that style that he would be known for. Porky in Wackyland was probably one of the first black and white shorts I actually liked. I'm not a fan of the BW cartoons up until 1940, but I give Bob some credit for his first few toons. Personally, I like the color Merrie Melodies better than the BW Looney Tunes. Gabby Goat just wasn't funny enough for primetime, thankfully they got rid of him. The remake has Daffy instead and when he shoots the moon, I laugh.

One of Porky's earliest cartoons and a great one. Porky's character animation was more refined later on, but is still acceptable. The rest of the animation is great, the transfer from black and white to colour gives it a sumptuous and haunting visual style which works very well. The music is lush and characterful, while the dialogue from Gabby's "why doesn't somebody fix these things" to the boss' "Well, well! If it isn't the rover boys! and only two hours late too!" is very funny. The gags are equally clever, though also done in a way that you do sympathise with Porky and Gabby's predicament of not being able to sleep. Porky I can find bland at times when paired with Daffy later on, but he is very good here and works well with Gabby, who is every bit his equal. Mel Blanc's voice work is stellar. On the whole, a great short and one of Porky's better ones. 9/10 Bethany Cox

This a hilarious Looney Tune. Unlike most early Porky Pig cartoons, this one was actually funny which something of a surprise. It was somewhat refreshing in a way. Some of the stuff they did here would become classic gags in later shorts. Really good.