Review #895: Porky's (1982)

Title: Porky's
Year: 1982
Director: Bob Clarke
Country: Canada
Language: English

Oh Canada! When thinking of some of the greatest Canadian Pictures of all time, one has to gravitate towards the Winnipegger Guy Maddin. He has a distinct visual style that is very reminiscent of Weimar Era German Expressionism (Cabinet of Dr. Caligari) and his odd narratives makes for quite an entertaining film. My favourite film of his is the bizarre 2007 documentary My Winnipeg. Unfortunately his films aren't among the highest grossing Canadian movies, You know what is? Porky's.

In 1954, a group of Florida high schoolers seek out to help their buddy lose his virginity, which leads them to seek revenge on a sleazy nightclub owner and his redneck sheriff brother for harassing them. 

Porky's barely qualifies as a Canadian film as it was set in 1950s Florida with a mostly American cast, but I suppose being partly financed in Canada during the tax-shelter era ought to count for something.  The film made enough money upon its release that its executive producer, Harold Greenberg, built his Astral Communications empire on its profits. Though Porky's and its two sequels are reviled by film critics, it did manage to receive the Golden Reel Awaed for the highest-grossing Canadian film of 1982.

It is not the most sophisticated picture, much of the humour is low brow and aimed at teenage underachieving boys. Director Bob Clark filled his script with plenty of comedy at its lowest form, which makes how crude it is seem like a remarkable achievement. It is the opposite of John Hughes more well-made angst filled comedies (Ferris Bueller's Day Off) and yet Clark gained far more imitators, especially in the late 90's and early 00's. I think it's safe to say that American Pie didn't base its humour off Pretty in Pink.

The raucous raunchiness of Porky's has, sadly, proved indearing to many American filmmakers. I suppose this isn't shocking; sex sells and this film has plenty of that. I must applaud the film for not having a mean bone in its body and not being entirely sexist. As far as I know, this film was to 80's teenagers as Superbad was for 00's teenagers.