Dough for the Do-Do

All backgrounds are based on Salvador Dali's paintings !

Very interesting work.

The headline reads, "Porky Hunts Rare Do-Do Bird Worth $4,000,000,000,000. The subhead reads: p.s.-000,000,000.

He flies his plane into "darkest Africa" and lands in "Wackyland." Wacky is right: wild characters that look like something out of Star Wars movies and a background that is strictly Salvador Dali-esquire. One of the "monsters" is a three-headed guy with Curly, Larry and Moe's head and they take turns slapping each other. That's just one of hundreds of bizarre sights in this strange cartoon.

The quick-as-lightning and magical green do-do bird is no exception....but is he really the last do-do?

This is one of those cartoons you'd have to watch many times to catch all the crazy and clever visuals.

Dough for the Do-Do (1949)

*** (out of 4)

Porky Pig travels to "Darkest Africa" where he plans on capturing the elusive Do-Do bird, which is worth $400,000,000,000 (ps 000,000,000). Once he lands his plane Porky is thrown into Wackyland where nothing seems real. This is certainly one of the strangest and most surreal Merrie Melodies shorts but that doesn't mean it's one of the funniest. I really enjoy the visual styles of this film but I'll be honest and say that none of it makes me laugh. I respect this film a lot more than I enjoy it but even though I don't consider it a classic I think it still manages to be entertaining. The animation is top-notch from start to finish and the amount of imagination going on is certainly something to look up to. Apparently this is a remake of PORKY IN WACKYLAND but I've yet to see that one.

In his search for the priceless Do-Do bird, Porky Pig flies over Africa, into deepest Africa and further into Even Darker Africa. There he finds some strange and crazy things - but nothing prepares him for his meeting with the insane Do-Do bird itself.

The set up for this film is very basic and it doesn't really do anything other than the basic plot summary says; however - it is very, very funny. Set in a world that is half Warner Brothers and half Salvador Dali, the action basically revolves around the fact that everything in this world is totally, totally insane! All sorts of mad characters exist in this world - I really wondered how on earth they managed to think them all up!

Porky is really good here and has more meat (in terms of character) on him than he has had in other films, however, despite his top billing, he is not the star of this film. No - that honour belongs to the wonderfully insane Do-Do bird himself. He is manic and crazy to the point that he out-Daffy's Daffy himself! The film builds to him and I was amazed just how funny and imaginative the character was - especially coming after such a host of crazy characters.

Overall, if you are a fan of Daffy Duck when he was in his crazy period then you will simply love this cartoon. Visually it is impressive and imaginative but it is the Do-Do bird that makes it all work. Join me! Do-do-do-do-do-do-do!

It has been remarked upon in previous reviews that 'Dough for the Do-Do' is a remake of the classic 'Porky in Wackyland', or at least shares many similarities. This comparison is very much warranted, and somewhat inevitable too.

'Porky in Wackyland' is the superior cartoon, incredibly imaginative and a true original in every sense. Being a remake, but with differences, 'Dough for the Do-Do' does lack this originality. And it is understandable for anybody to think that Bob Clampett is more suited to the wacky, insane material and style than Fritz Freleng, something that Clampett is a master in and Freleng is comparatively more subdued visually, though with plenty of great use of expression and colour in his cartoons, but also rapid-fire, razor-sharp and hilariously witty at his best.

On the other hand, 'Dough for the Do-Do' is still so wonderfully weird and wacky that it doesn't feel pointless at all and at no point shows disrespect to the cartoon it takes inspiration from. It is also constantly hilarious, especially the brilliantly characterised dodo bird and the kooky and richly imaginative supporting characters, especially the three-headed monster. Porky is also very fun and likable, and it is true that he has more meat to him than usual. While the other characters are slightly more memorable and funnier, Porky is no less inferior.

The animation is superb, especially in the Dali-inspired stylised backgrounds that are rich in detail and never once look cheap. The rich colours and fluid movement also impress hugely. The music score matches the wild tone of the cartoon with boundless energy and character, while also being lushly and cleverly orchestrated. The impact of the gags are even elevated by the music.

Ever the enormously talented voice actor, with an unparalleled and envious ability to bring individual personalities and completely varied but distinctive voices to multiple characters, Mel Blanc constantly delights.

In conclusion, wonderfully wacky and a fine cartoon even if the cartoon it takes inspiration from is better. 9/10 Bethany Cox