Unstable Fables: Three Pigs and a Baby. Out tomorrow. (******6/10)
Unstable Fables is a series of computer-animated movies produced by The Jim Henson Company. The first in the series, Three Pigs And A Baby, comes to DVD tomorrow, June 24th, from Alliance Films. The obvious intent here is to make a film that both kids and adults will like, without spending too much money. And for the most part they succeed. For the kids, cute pigs, physical humour and falling down, and schoolyard-bully politics. For the adults, references to movies only they would have seen. Obviously Three Men And A Baby, but also Rebel Without A Cause, Dr. Strangelove, and other movies of their classic ilk. It’s the references to Dr. Strangelove, however, which are the best. To explain:
First of all, the plot revolves around the wolves, as they always do, trying to get to the three little pigs in order to eat them. The wolves come up with a devious plan to devour the pigs. A plan that will take several years, but apparently will be worth it. This plan is devised at the behest of the top wolf scientist, a cartoon character who is extremely reminiscent of Peter Sellars as Dr. Strangelove. This scientist is always suggesting the use of his patented “doomsday device”, which we don’t see until the end of the film. (And when we do see it, it’s worth it.) The wolves’ plan, as it is, is to infiltrate the pigs’ house with a spy - a cute little baby wolf. The idea is to leave it in a basket on the pigs’ doorstep, and to have them take it in and raise it as their own. Then, when that wolf is sixteen years old, they can convince him to steal the keys and open the door.
The fact that this plan is sixteen years in the making is part of the charming nonsense in this film. The fact that it is clearly taking more than sixteen years for the cow contractors to rebuild the houses of the two other pigs (having had them blown over by the wolves) is also delightfully nonsensical. So that means that all three pigs are together under one roof, raising one wolf baby. And that is the cruz of the film. The pigs at school make fun of the young wolf, because he looks nothing like a pig. And he comes home to his pig fathers, and as he grows into a teenager he becomes more and more resentful. (Leading to the “you’re tearing me apart!” Rebel Without a Cause reference.)
Then, as the wolves lead him astray, and he begins to ride a motorcycle and stay out late and hang with the wrong crowd, the plan comes together for the wolves, and it’s time to take the pigs “out for dinner, if you know what I mean”. The wolves are pretty cheap gangster imitations here. And the young wolf with the pig fathers is forced to make a difficult decision, one which could impact the future of…whatever. It’s a cartoon. But it’s a pretty good one.