Love animation, it was a big part of my life as a child, particularly Disney, Looney Tunes, Hanna and Barbera and Tom and Jerry, and still love it whether it's film, television or cartoons. Actually appreciate it even more now through young adult eyes, thanks to broader knowledge and taste and more interest in animation styles and various studios and directors.
Have a lot of appreciation and admiration for Bob Clampett, with a visual and humour style so distinctive and easily recognisable. His early work was very variable but when on top form and in his prime the best of his work was great and even more. 'Slap Happy Pappy' is not one of Clampett's best by any stretch. It is a decent cartoon though, even if there are funnier, wittier and fresher cartoons from him, and did see some of Clampett's unique style all over it and being at ease with the material.
While not quite one of my favourite Looney Tunes characters (prefer those with consistently stronger, funnier and interesting personalities) Porky has always been very easy to like. 'Slap Happy Pappy' is another example of being a good representation of them both, if not among the best efforts of either.
Porky is likeable and not too underused, he is also amusing even if not as strong in personality as the rabbit.
'Slap Happy Pappy' is slight and predictable at times, outcomes are not hard to figure out. Kent Rogers is solid enough but his vocal contributions are not as memorable, energetic or as inspired as Mel Blanc's, the crooning is where he excels most.
Regarding the characters, the rabbit steals the show and the chemistry is a lot of fun to watch.
By Clampett standards, 'Slap Happy Pappy' sees him with more of a wacky approach than his pre-1940 efforts, if not him at his most imaginative or funniest and later cartoons saw his distinctively anarchic style far more.
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. He also voices multiple characters here and shows as ever his unmatched ability to give individuality and variety to all. His Jack Benny voice for the rabbit is dead on too.
Animation is excellent, it's fluid in movement, crisp in shading and very meticulous in detail, plus it is very imaginative. Ever the master, Carl Stalling's music is typically superb. It is as always lushly orchestrated, full of lively energy and characterful in rhythm, not only adding to the action but also enhancing it.
'Slap Happy Pappy' is lightning-speed energetic that one at times forgets the slightness and predictability of the story, and is also incredibly inventively timed and very amusing if not always hilarious (the best parts are though).
Overall, good if not great. 7/10 Bethany Cox
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