The Dancing Pig
February 5, 2008 5:15 PM Subscribe
We can close this thread now, cortex sort of nailed it... no matter how long you stare at that blinking cursor in the text box, you will be unable to comment beyond "bizarre"....
posted by HuronBob at 5:25 PM on February 5, 2008
posted by HuronBob at 5:25 PM on February 5, 2008
Hey, that pig winked at me!
I thought it was charming. The early days of film were so rife with goofiness. "I've got it! We'll... have... a pig! And a girl! And they'll dance!"
If only modern "experimental shorts" were this fun.
posted by phooky at 5:37 PM on February 5, 2008 [1 favorite]
I thought it was charming. The early days of film were so rife with goofiness. "I've got it! We'll... have... a pig! And a girl! And they'll dance!"
If only modern "experimental shorts" were this fun.
posted by phooky at 5:37 PM on February 5, 2008 [1 favorite]
phooky... i suggest you have a bacon sandwich while looking a vintage porn, and try and tell me what they have in common... that's all i've got...
posted by HuronBob at 5:38 PM on February 5, 2008
posted by HuronBob at 5:38 PM on February 5, 2008
This is the best single-link YouTube post in history, and... that dancing pig went on to start World War I (what, you believed that Archduke Ferdinand bullshit cover story?). So, you see, this has historical interest even beyond its groundbreaking choreography and thespian excellence.
And how 'bout that pig's tongue and teeth, there at the end? Hell, there's your inspiration for a thousand horror films that would follow!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:48 PM on February 5, 2008
And how 'bout that pig's tongue and teeth, there at the end? Hell, there's your inspiration for a thousand horror films that would follow!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:48 PM on February 5, 2008
A very fat pig with a top hat == upper class "fat cat"
Womanl with legs showing and unwrapping lunch in public== peasant girl
He tries several come-ons but she rebuffs him. She then either humiliates or or educates him to be "who he is" (i.e. take the clothes off because pigs don't wear clothes). In either case, he ends up winning her over....but then we get the punchline. He hasn't really reformed, he's the same old pig, still in clothes, licking lasciviously and gnashing his teeth. MUAHAHAHA
posted by DU at 5:51 PM on February 5, 2008 [2 favorites]
Womanl with legs showing and unwrapping lunch in public== peasant girl
He tries several come-ons but she rebuffs him. She then either humiliates or or educates him to be "who he is" (i.e. take the clothes off because pigs don't wear clothes). In either case, he ends up winning her over....but then we get the punchline. He hasn't really reformed, he's the same old pig, still in clothes, licking lasciviously and gnashing his teeth. MUAHAHAHA
posted by DU at 5:51 PM on February 5, 2008 [2 favorites]
I do believe DU has nailed it. This is a good example of the importance of looking a little deeper into the intent and meaning of archaic artistic statements: what at first seems merely "bizarre" in fact can have meaning and a mesage, if we look at carefully and place it in its historical context.
Then again, sometimes a dancing pig is just a dancing pig. With or without a cigar.
This would appear to be a good time to link to another curious clip (from the same YouTuber) also from 1907, featuring some "Japanese" acrobats.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:59 PM on February 5, 2008
Then again, sometimes a dancing pig is just a dancing pig. With or without a cigar.
This would appear to be a good time to link to another curious clip (from the same YouTuber) also from 1907, featuring some "Japanese" acrobats.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:59 PM on February 5, 2008
"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."
Having only just recovered from decades of recurring dreams involving the Animal Farm pigs judging me less than equal, I will now have nightmares about that downright phallic tongue and sharpened teeth with which this pig assaults us in the final scene. Thanks!
posted by squasha at 5:59 PM on February 5, 2008
Having only just recovered from decades of recurring dreams involving the Animal Farm pigs judging me less than equal, I will now have nightmares about that downright phallic tongue and sharpened teeth with which this pig assaults us in the final scene. Thanks!
posted by squasha at 5:59 PM on February 5, 2008
Le Cochon Danseur is available for children's birthday parties and, err... bahmiztvahs?
posted by RokkitNite at 5:59 PM on February 5, 2008
posted by RokkitNite at 5:59 PM on February 5, 2008
I'm saying that's a year's supply of bacon there. And that's assuming you really like your bacon.
posted by ardgedee at 6:00 PM on February 5, 2008
posted by ardgedee at 6:00 PM on February 5, 2008
(wow. flapjax, that was oddly mesmerizing...the troupe appears to be made up of some pretty eastern european "japonais", if you ask me. maybe they came from sakhalin...heh.)
posted by squasha at 6:04 PM on February 5, 2008
posted by squasha at 6:04 PM on February 5, 2008
This is a good example of the importance of looking a little deeper into the intent and meaning of archaic artistic statements: what at first seems merely "bizarre" in fact can have meaning and a mesage, if we look at carefully and place it in its historical context.
You know what? It's still bizarre. Capital-b Bizarre. Sentence fragment bizarre.
posted by cortex at 6:23 PM on February 5, 2008
You know what? It's still bizarre. Capital-b Bizarre. Sentence fragment bizarre.
posted by cortex at 6:23 PM on February 5, 2008
You know what? It's still bizarre.
Granted! But we've at least disproved the earlier pronouncement that one would be unable to comment beyond "bizarre"....
has anyone mentioned that it is sort of bizarre?
Yes. You and cortex. Repeatedly! And hey, it's rubbing off! Listen to this:
BIZARRE! BIZARRE! BIZARRE! BIZARRE! BIZARRE!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:38 PM on February 5, 2008
Granted! But we've at least disproved the earlier pronouncement that one would be unable to comment beyond "bizarre"....
has anyone mentioned that it is sort of bizarre?
Yes. You and cortex. Repeatedly! And hey, it's rubbing off! Listen to this:
BIZARRE! BIZARRE! BIZARRE! BIZARRE! BIZARRE!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:38 PM on February 5, 2008
BIZZZZAAAAARRRRRRRREE!!!!!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:39 PM on February 5, 2008
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:39 PM on February 5, 2008
Thank you homunculus, I think this was a wonderfully eccentric cultural artifact. The teeth at the end were a nice surreal touch. Unfortunately, there has been little progress in pig dancing art in the ensuing century.
posted by madamjujujive at 6:39 PM on February 5, 2008
posted by madamjujujive at 6:39 PM on February 5, 2008
Love ya, cortex, you sly ol' dancin' pig, you!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:57 PM on February 5, 2008
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:57 PM on February 5, 2008
Can someone please make me an animated GIF of the toothy, tongue-flappin' denoument for avatar purposes? kthxbi.
posted by Rock Steady at 7:45 PM on February 5, 2008
posted by Rock Steady at 7:45 PM on February 5, 2008
This gets shown each year in a History of Film class here at Northwestern. And it gets the same responses-- though I think the music with it is better. It's supposed to teach us about the "cinema of attractions" but it actually just serves to teach us how strange the thing can be.
There's also a longer version with even MORE hot dancing pig action.
posted by cynthia_rose at 8:51 PM on February 5, 2008
There's also a longer version with even MORE hot dancing pig action.
posted by cynthia_rose at 8:51 PM on February 5, 2008
There's also a longer version with even MORE hot dancing pig action.
I want it. To own. On DVD.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 8:58 PM on February 5, 2008
I want it. To own. On DVD.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 8:58 PM on February 5, 2008
I do wish the piano cat hadn't riffed on the opening of "A Night in Tunisia" (E flat 9, D6) the whole way through. I was hearing Dizzy, man, and that ain't period correct.*
*although mildly pleasurable
posted by Wolof at 9:54 PM on February 5, 2008
*although mildly pleasurable
posted by Wolof at 9:54 PM on February 5, 2008
Dm6, although it's probably not my favourite harmonisation of the line.
posted by Wolof at 9:56 PM on February 5, 2008
posted by Wolof at 9:56 PM on February 5, 2008
It appears there's at least another version around, in which le cochon is dressed as a petite fille. (Wonder where that would score on the bizarrometer..)
posted by progosk at 11:49 PM on February 5, 2008
posted by progosk at 11:49 PM on February 5, 2008
This is a good example of the importance of looking a little deeper into the intent and meaning of archaic artistic statements
OK, it's deeply bizarre.
And if the music is Erik Satie, as the YT poster said, pigs canfly dance.
posted by cogneuro at 12:18 AM on February 6, 2008
OK, it's deeply bizarre.
And if the music is Erik Satie, as the YT poster said, pigs can
posted by cogneuro at 12:18 AM on February 6, 2008
The final part with the tongue-wagging and whatnot is terrifying. Jesus, the teeth! The shark-like way they seem to not be quite connected to the rest of the face!
posted by Joakim Ziegler at 12:45 AM on February 6, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by Joakim Ziegler at 12:45 AM on February 6, 2008 [1 favorite]
I Get it! It's a Pig! And it Dances!
Oh Wait.
"Reminds me of my Ex"??
Nice
posted by bobbyone at 2:26 AM on February 6, 2008
Oh Wait.
"Reminds me of my Ex"??
Nice
posted by bobbyone at 2:26 AM on February 6, 2008
My brain has been lightly seared.
posted by seanmpuckett at 4:56 AM on February 6, 2008
posted by seanmpuckett at 4:56 AM on February 6, 2008
Am I the only one who finds that pig absolutely mindfuckingly terrifying? Not just at the end....I watched for four seconds and I wanted to cry and hide under my bed.
posted by Dormant Gorilla at 1:04 PM on February 6, 2008
posted by Dormant Gorilla at 1:04 PM on February 6, 2008
I've hated anthropomorphic pigs ever since that damned video for Mr Krinkle. This didn't help at all.
posted by khaibit at 1:40 PM on February 6, 2008
posted by khaibit at 1:40 PM on February 6, 2008
More animal costume fun: Guy in polar bear suit arrested during Greenpeace protest
posted by homunculus at 10:03 AM on February 7, 2008
posted by homunculus at 10:03 AM on February 7, 2008
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posted by cortex at 5:19 PM on February 5, 2008