The Ducksters

"Listen, Mac. You've got 32 teeth. Ya wanna try for 16?" A gangster movie? Now, a cartoon featuring a radio game-show host and his foil. Wow, this is one mean, sadistic Daffy Duck. "The Duckster" asks contestant Porky Pig a number of questions, almost all of them impossible to answer. When Porky misses, or doesn't answer in time, he is severely pounded, beaten, drench, blown up, etc. (This cartoon is not for little kids.)

Some of it is funny with excellent dark humor that made me laugh out loud. Other things made me shake my head almost in disgust, because it is too mean-spirited in parts. I guess you just have to take this as dark humor and nothing else, otherwise this is probably too nasty for most people.

Porky does get justice in the end, however, and by then all of us are glad to see that. That's the trouble with some of these cartoons: it brings out the worst revenge thoughts in all of us!!

Daffy Duck hosts an annoying radio game show and Porky Pig is the unsuspecting contestant. Daffy spends most of the time pranking on Porky who is patiently trying to answer the questions.

I love the pairing of Daffy Duck and Porky Pig. I am a little uncomfortable with the situation in this one. I don't like it that an annoying Daffy keeps bullying Porky Pig. That's what this is ultimately. Daffy is bullying Porky for most of this short and I don't like it. Daffy does eventually gets his comeuppance, but I am still feeling the bullying. Maybe if Porky could fight back earlier. I still like this.

Yes, "The Ducksters" is almost too violent to even register as a cartoon, but the twisted stuff in these cartoons is what made them so great. It features Daffy Duck hosting a sadistic game show with Porky Pig as the contestant getting maimed in various and sundry ways for answering questions wrong (as can be expected, one of these involves dynamite). But after a while, Porky really gets fed up...I mean REALLY fed up.

So, I thought that this was a pretty funny cartoon, but I will say that it's probably not one for little children (but hey, these cartoons weren't really targeted at little children). Worth seeing.

Ducksters, The (1950)

*** (out of 4)

Spoof of game shows has host Daffy Duck mistreating contestant Porky Pig by throwing boulders, safes and various other gadgets on him. Even though poor Porky is answering the questions correctly, Daffy keeps doing harm to him but soon things are going to change. There's not too much thought, screenplay wise, in this short from Merrie Melodies but it still manages to be quite charming and cute. The one thing that held it back a little for me was Daffy who just really didn't seem like himself here. We never really get that maniac attack nor any nice lines of dialogue. Porky on the other hand is his great self and the two do work well together.

I will warn anybody who hasn't seen this, that it is one of the more violent Looney Tunes cartoons. As a cartoon, the Ducksters is extremely outrageous, but thanks to a hilarious script, it is funny too. The animation is not at all bad, if you forgive the fact that Porky looks a little different. Daffy here is quite cynical and bullying, and while he is served well with the script I prefer him when he is manic. What I did like was the theme of the quiz show, that did show flair and imagination. The music is good, and the vocal talents of Mel Blanc are tour De force.

All in all, I do recommend it. It is not the best Daffy cartoon, but it is a good one nonetheless. 9/10 Bethany Cox