This early 20th-century film delivers several genuine "wow" moments. The first comes just seconds in, when an oversized, strangely anthropomorphized swine makes its entrance: its top hat does a full 360-degree flip before landing, and soon after, it sticks unnaturally to the side of the swine's head-something we've only seen replicated by Simon Adebisi's hat in the prison drama Oz nearly a century later. There's a moment later in the film that reveals a bit too much of the top of the pig's head, offering clues as to how they pulled these tricks off.

The second and third "wow" moments occur mid-film and again at the end, the latter featuring close-ups that highlight just how much effort must have gone into constructing the pig's head. The range of bizarre expressions the swine pulls off is both mind-boggling and a little creepy. Still, I have to appreciate the somewhat realistic look of the swine-it's certainly not a pig out of a Disney story.

This is a vaudeville-style film, where the scenes aren't always strongly connected. Much of it consists of period stage comedy, filled with constant motion and wild dancing-something that might feel tedious to modern viewers. It's not a style we tend to prefer these days, so it's difficult to praise or criticize whether the performers were especially skilled, or how audiences at the time felt about it.

I watched both the original black-and-white version and an AI-enhanced, colorized version with adjusted frame rates. Unsurprisingly, the original is creepier and more entertaining due to the unnatural speed and raw charm, but the enhanced version offers a clearer sense of what the performers were actually doing-and enduring-on set.

All in all, a fascinating viewing experience.

The high-concept comedy subgenre features a distinctive and easily understandable premise that grabs the audience's attention. High-concept comedies typically focus on "what if..." scenarios (e.g., what if a lawyer couldn't lie) or "fish out of water" situations (e.g., a tough cop must pose undercover as a kindergarten teacher).

The satire subgenre uses humor, irony, exaggeration, and parody to critique and comment on various aspects of society, culture, politics, institutions, and human behavior. Satires aim to provoke thought, highlight absurdities, and expose hypocrisy by presenting familiar situations in a distorted or exaggerated manner. They entertain while also providing social commentary and encouraging viewers to reflect on the subjects being criticized.

Peter Sellers in Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

The comedy genre refers to a category of entertainment that aims to amuse and entertain audiences by using humor, wit, and comedic situations. Comedies are created with the primary intention of eliciting laughter and providing lighthearted enjoyment. They encompass a wide range of styles, tones, and themes, appealing to various tastes and audiences.

Will Ferrell, Angela Grillo, and Lap-Gei Cheung in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)

The short form refers to creative works characterized by their brevity and concise storytelling. Unlike full-length feature films, short films have a running time of less than 45 minutes, while TV shorts have a running time of less than 22 minutes.

Benedict Cumberbatch in The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023)

A humongous and obese anthropomorphic swine dressed like a fine gentleman in a fancy dinner attire tries to make a pass at a solitary lady having a picnic.

The Biggest Movies and TV Coming in September

"The Gentlemen" and "Slow Horses" return this fall, while the "Reacher" spin-off series "Neagley" makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

2026 Fall TV and Streaming Watch Guide

&quot;The Gentlemen&quot; and &quot;Slow Horses&quot; return this fall, while the &quot;Reacher&quot; spin-off series &quot;Neagley&quot; makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

Get a closer look at these actors from their many TV and streaming series roles.

Streaming Stars, Then and Now

Mlle. Bodson in The Eclipse: Courtship of the Sun and Moon (1907)

The Eclipse: Courtship of the Sun and Moon

Georges Méliès in L'homme à la tête en caoutchouc (1901)

Moe Howard, Larry Fine, and Curly Howard in A Bird in the Head (1946)

Georges Méliès in The Astronomer's Dream; or, The Man in the Moon (1898)

The Astronomer's Dream; or, The Man in the Moon

The Dancing Pig

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