Porky Pig 101 is a DVD box-set released by Warner Archive Collection on September 19, 2017, collecting the first 101 animated short subjects starring Porky Pig. The set features all 99 Porky Pig Looney Tunes cartoons made in black and white, as well as two Merrie Melodies cartoons made in color: Porky's debut appearance in I Haven't Got a Hat (1935) and the color "special" Old Glory (1939).
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 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.
Of the 101 cartoons included, 38 of them were previously restored for the aforementioned Golden and Platinum collections and The Essential Daffy Duck, with 37 of them being ported over to this set and one (Patient Porky) being an unrestored vault print; the other 63 are unrestored and previously unreleased on home media, including films that would otherwise not be acknowledged and released in other best-of collections. 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.
According to Beck, production on the set started in 2012, 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 Golden Collection and Platinum Collection series, they were unable to digitally restore the 63 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". This resulted in several shorts having some minor errors including incorrect opening and closing themes (see below).
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 - but also criticized 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.
Porky Pig 101 was a modest financial success, and led Warner Archive to release more classic theatrical animated content as Blu-ray sets, such as Popeye the Sailor: The 1940s, Tex Avery Screwball Classics, Looney Tunes Collector's Choice, Looney Tunes Collector's Vault, and Tom and Jerry: The Golden Era Anthology, all of which garnered a much more positive fan reception.
Disc 1 #TitleYearDirectorCo-starringSeriesPrevious DVD/Blu-ray release1I Haven't Got a Hat1935Friz FrelengBeansLittle KittyHam and ExOliver OwlMMGolden Collection: Volume 32Gold Diggers of '491935Tex AveryBeansLittle KittyLTGolden Collection: Volume 53Boom Boom1936Jack KingBeansLTThe Charge of the Light Brigade4Alpine Antics1936Jack KingBeansLittle KittyLTGolden Collection: Volume 55The Blow Out1936Tex AveryLTN/A6Westward Whoa 1936Jack KingBeansLittle KittyHam and ExLTN/A7Plane Dippy1936Tex AveryLTN/A8Fish Tales 1936Jack KingLTN/A9Shanghaied Shipmates1936Jack KingLTN/A10Porky's Pet1936Jack KingLTN/A11Porky the Rain-Maker1936Tex AveryPhenias Pig (debut)LTN/A12Porky's Poultry Plant1936Frank TashlinLTGolden Collection: Volume 413Porky's Moving Day1936Jack KingLTN/A14Milk and Money1936Tex AveryPhenias PigLTGolden Collection: Volume 515Little Beau Porky1936Frank TashlinLTGolden Collection: Volume 416The Village Smithy1936Tex AveryLTN/A17Porky in the North Woods1936Frank TashlinLTGolden Collection: Volume 418Porky the Wrestler 1937Tex AveryLTN/A19Porky's Road Race1937Frank TashlinLTGolden Collection: Volume 320Picador Porky 1937Tex AveryLTN/A
Special features Audio commentaries Jerry Beck on I Haven't Got a Hat Michael Barrier on Porky's Poultry Plant Mark Kausler on Porky in the North Woods
Disc 2 #TitleYearDirectorCo-starringSeriesPrevious DVD/Blu-ray release1Porky's Romance1937Frank TashlinPetunia Pig (debut)LTGolden Collection: Volume 32Porky's Duck Hunt1937Tex AveryDaffy Duck (debut)LTThe Essential Daffy Duck3Porky and Gabby1937Ub IwerksGabby Goat (debut)LTBlack Legion4Porky's Building1937Frank TashlinDirty Digg (debut)LTN/A5Porky's Super Service1937Ub IwerksLTKid Galahad6Porky's Badtime Story1937Bob ClampettGabby GoatLTN/A7Porky's Railroad1937Frank TashlinDirty DiggLTGolden Collection: Volume 48Get Rich Quick Porky 1937Bob ClampettGabby GoatLTN/A9Porky's Garden 1937Tex AveryLTN/A10Rover's Rival1937Bob ClampettLTN/A11The Case of the Stuttering Pig1937Frank TashlinPetunia PigLTGolden Collection: Volume 412Porky's Double Trouble1937Frank TashlinPetunia PigLTGolden Collection: Volume 513Porky's Hero Agency1937Bob ClampettLTMarked Woman14Porky's Poppa1938Bob ClampettPhenias PigLTGolden Collection: Volume 515Porky at the Crocadero1938Frank TashlinLTGolden Collection: Volume 516What Price Porky1938Bob ClampettDaffy DuckLTGolden Collection: Volume 517Porky's Phoney Express1938Cal HowardCal DaltonLTN/A18Porky's Five & Ten1938Bob ClampettLTHollywood Hotel19Porky's Hare Hunt1938Ben HardawayCal DaltonBugs Bunny (proto-type, debut)LTPlatinum Collection: Volume 220Injun Trouble 1938Bob ClampettLTN/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 #TitleYearDirectorCo-starringSeriesPrevious DVD/Blu-ray release1Porky the Fireman1938Frank TashlinLTGolden Collection: Volume 42Porky's Party1938Bob ClampettLTGolden Collection: Volume 33Porky's Spring Planting1938Frank TashlinLTN/A4Porky & Daffy 1938Bob ClampettDaffy DuckLTAngels with Dirty Faces5Wholly Smoke1938Frank TashlinLTGolden Collection: Volume 5Platinum Collection: Volume 36Porky in Wackyland1938Bob ClampettYoyo Dodo (debut)LTGolden Collection: Volume 2Platinum Collection: Volume 27Porky's Naughty Nephew1938Bob ClampettPinky Pig (debut)LTN/A8Porky in Egypt1938Bob ClampettLTGolden Collection: Volume 3Platinum Collection: Volume 29The Daffy Doc1938Bob ClampettDaffy DuckLTGolden Collection: Volume 5The Essential Daffy Duck10Porky the Gob1938Ben HardawayCal DaltonLTN/A11The Lone Stranger and Porky 1939Bob ClampettLTThe Hunchback of Notre Dame12It's an Ill Wind1939Ben HardawayCal DaltonDizzy Duck (debut)LTN/A13Porky's Tire Trouble1939Bob ClampettLTN/A14Porky's Movie Mystery1939Bob ClampettLTN/A15Chicken Jitters 1939Bob ClampettLTN/A16Porky and Teabiscuit1939Ben HardawayCal DaltonPhineas PigLTGolden Collection: Volume 317Kristopher Kolumbus Jr. 1939Bob ClampettLTThe Old Maid18Polar Pals1939Bob ClampettLTGolden Collection: Volume 519Scalp Trouble1938Bob ClampettDaffy DuckLTN/A20Old Glory 1939Chuck JonesMMGolden Collection: Volume 2Platinum Collection: Volume 1
Special features Audio commentaries John Kricfalusi and Eddie Fitzgerald on Porky's Party Daniel Goldmark on Wholly Smoke Michael Barrier on Porky in Wackyland Mark Kausler on The Daffy Doc Jerry Beck and Martha Sigall on Old Glory Porky's Party storyboard reel
Disc 4 #TitleYearDirectorCo-starringSeriesPrevious DVD/Blu-ray release1Porky's Picnic1939Bob ClampettPetunia PigPinky PigLTN/A2Wise Quacks1939Bob ClampettDaffy DuckLTGolden Collection: Volume 53Porky's Hotel1939Bob ClampettDizzy DuckLTN/A4Jeepers Creepers1939Bob ClampettLTN/A5Naughty Neighbors 1939Bob ClampettPetunia PigLTN/A6Pied Piper Porky1939Bob ClampettLTN/A7Porky the Giant Killer 1939Ben HardawayCal DaltonLTN/A8The Film Fan1939Bob ClampettLTGolden Collection: Volume 39Porky's Last Stand1940Bob ClampettDaffy DuckLTAll This and Heaven Too10Africa Squeaks1940Bob ClampettLTN/A11Ali-Baba Bound 1940Bob ClampettLTN/A12Pilgrim Porky1940Bob ClampettLTGolden Collection: Volume 513Slap Happy Pappy 1940Bob ClampettLTBrother Orchid14Porky's Poor Fish1940Bob ClampettLTGolden Collection: Volume 415You Ought to Be in Pictures1940Friz FrelengDaffy DuckLTGolden Collection: Volume 2Platinum Collection: Volume 216The Chewin' Bruin1940Bob ClampettLTN/A17Porky's Baseball Broadcast1940Friz FrelengLTKnute Rockne, All American18Patient Porky 1940Bob ClampettLTGolden Collection: Volume 519Calling Dr. Porky 1940Friz FrelengLTN/A20Prehistoric Porky 1940Bob ClampettLTGolden Collection: Volume 5
Special features Audio commentaries Jerry Beck on You Ought to Be in Pictures ''Porky's Poor Fish storyboard reelDisc 5 #TitleYearDirectorCo-starringSeriesPrevious DVD/Blu-ray release1The Sour Puss1940Bob ClampettLTGolden Collection: Volume 42Porky's Hired Hand 1940Friz FrelengLTN/A3The Timid Toreador1940Bob ClampettNorman McCabeLTN/A4Porky's Snooze Reel1941Bob ClampettNorman McCabeLTN/A5Porky's Bear Facts 1941Friz FrelengLTN/A6Porky's Preview1941Tex AveryLTGolden Collection: Volume 57Porky's Ant 1941Chuck JonesInkiLTN/A8A Coy Decoy1941Bob ClampettDaffy DuckLTN/A9Porky's Prize Pony 1941Chuck JonesLTN/A10Meet John Doughboy1941Bob ClampettLTGolden Collection: Volume 611We, the Animals Squeak! 1941Bob ClampettLTN/A12The Henpecked Duck 1941Bob ClampettDaffy DuckLTN/A13Notes to You 1941Friz FrelengLTN/A14Robinson Crusoe, Jr. 1941Norman McCabeLTN/A15Porky's Midnight Matinee 1941Chuck JonesLTN/A16Porky's Pooch1941Bob ClampettCharlie Dog (proto-type, debut)LTGolden Collection: Volume 517Porky's Pastry Pirates1942Friz FrelengLTLarceny Inc.18Who's Who in the Zoo1942Norman McCabeLTIn This Our Life19Porky's Cafe 1942Chuck JonesConrad the CatLTN/A20Confusions of a Nutzy Spy 1943Norman McCabeLTGolden Collection: Volume 6 (bonus short)21Porky Pig's Feat1943Frank TashlinDaffy DuckBugs Bunny (cameo)LTGolden Collection: Volume 3Platinum Collection: Volume 3
Special featuresAudio commentaries Greg Ford on Porky's Preview Joe Dante on Porky Pig's FeatPorky's Breakdowns'' (1939)
See also Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies filmography Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies filmography (1929–1939) Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies filmography (1940–1949) Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies filmography (1950–1959) Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies filmography (1960–1969) Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies filmography (1970–present)
Notes
References