None of Ben Hardaway/Cal Dalton's work is unwatchable as such, but nothing of it is exceptional either, even when the animation, voice work and especially the music are usually fine. Their best efforts (so 'Hare-Um Scare-Um' and their two Egghead cartoons) being solid if not much more than that. Their work was competently made but the comic timing was not always great, gags weren't enough and blandness and cuteness tended to be present.
Have always really liked Porky Pig, who has always been amusing and likeable if working better as a supporting character playing straight to funnier and more interesting characters than as a lead. 'Porky the Giant Killer', slightly misleading as a title, is not a particularly good representation of him, and is fairly average as a cartoon. Again, Hardaway and Dalton's work is not incompetent but is undistinguished, lacking the visual imagination and consistent humour of the work of superior directors.
Porky is a likeable enough character and plays it straight well enough, at least also he is treated as a lead and used pretty well, but he has been funnier before and his personality stronger. Not sure what my stance is on the baby character, at times cute and amusing at others annoying. A few mildly amusing moments aside, the gags and humour, and there is not enough of them, are not particularly inventive or funny, too much of it is bland and over-stretched with less than sharp timing.
The story is basic and predictable, while the supporting characters are not particularly memorable outside of the baby. Energy was lacking here due to the story and gags being lacking.
However, Mel Blanc is outstanding as always. He always was the infinitely more preferable voice for Porky, Joe Dougherty never clicked with me, and he proves it here. Blanc shows an unequalled versatility and ability to bring an individual personality to every one of his multiple characters in a vast majority of his work, there is no wonder why he was in such high demand as a voice actor. Billy Bletcher excels as a character perfect for him.
Animation is very good. it's fluid in movement, crisp in shading and very meticulous in detail. Even better is Carl Stalling's music, as always lushly orchestrated, full of lively energy and characterful in rhythm, not only adding to the action but also enhancing it.
In summary, has its moments but underwhelming. 5/10
Have always really liked Porky Pig, who has always been amusing and likeable if working better as a supporting character playing straight to funnier and more interesting characters than as a lead. 'Porky the Giant Killer', slightly misleading as a title, is not a particularly good representation of him, and is fairly average as a cartoon. Again, Hardaway and Dalton's work is not incompetent but is undistinguished, lacking the visual imagination and consistent humour of the work of superior directors.
Porky is a likeable enough character and plays it straight well enough, at least also he is treated as a lead and used pretty well, but he has been funnier before and his personality stronger. Not sure what my stance is on the baby character, at times cute and amusing at others annoying. A few mildly amusing moments aside, the gags and humour, and there is not enough of them, are not particularly inventive or funny, too much of it is bland and over-stretched with less than sharp timing.
The story is basic and predictable, while the supporting characters are not particularly memorable outside of the baby. Energy was lacking here due to the story and gags being lacking.
However, Mel Blanc is outstanding as always. He always was the infinitely more preferable voice for Porky, Joe Dougherty never clicked with me, and he proves it here. Blanc shows an unequalled versatility and ability to bring an individual personality to every one of his multiple characters in a vast majority of his work, there is no wonder why he was in such high demand as a voice actor. Billy Bletcher excels as a character perfect for him.
Animation is very good. it's fluid in movement, crisp in shading and very meticulous in detail. Even better is Carl Stalling's music, as always lushly orchestrated, full of lively energy and characterful in rhythm, not only adding to the action but also enhancing it.
In summary, has its moments but underwhelming. 5/10
