Le Cochon Danseur (The Dancing Pig)

Le Cochon Danseur (English: The Dancing Pig) is a silent, 4 minute-long, black-and-white burlesque film released in 1907 by French company Path?, apparently based on a Vaudeville act.

The short film stars an anthropomorphic pig and a woman, who embarrasses the pig by pulling off his clothes. The two dress up in women's clothing and dance for the remainder of the film, before they head off stage behind the curtain. The film ends with a close-up scene of the pig bearing its razor-sharp teeth and moving its tongue, ears and mouth in a disturbing manner.

The film became a success in France slowly as television became more popular. A GIF of the last twenty seconds began to circulate the internet and since the start of the 21st century, the film has been regarded as 'nightmare fuel'.


How does the film make you feel? I personally thought the SFXs were fantastic for 1907, as well as the quality of the recording and how it has remained a relative success throughout the years. What do you think the play stands for/means? More films similar to this one exist on the internet now, such as the work of French film-maker Georges M?li?s.

I remember this! I think a certain user here had a GIF of one of the scenes in their signature or avatar.

I love it. I don't find it disturbing at all. To me, it is simply a comical tale about a cartoon-like pig that fancies a young woman. If this were a cartoon I feel it would be just as entertaining! I love it!

Bowie said:

I remember this! I think a certain user here had a GIF of one of the scenes in their signature or avatar.

I love it. I don't find it disturbing at all. To me, it is simply a comical tale about a cartoon-like pig that fancies a young woman. If this were a cartoon I feel it would be just as entertaining! I love it!

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Yeah can't remember username but they definitely had one or the other.

And yeah I love those old, weird shorts. Reminds me a bit of those dada/surrealists works and such. Since I used to take film studies before those things are just awesome art to me and entertaining to watch

aww that was kind of cute all but the parts when his tongue fell out and when he laughed at the end... why did you put so much detail into those teeth lol

poyonomatopoeia said:

aww that was kind of cute all but the parts when his tongue fell out and when he laughed at the end... why did you put so much detail into those teeth lol

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i was puzzled to why they gave the pig a different set of teeth to what pigs would normally have. obviously, it doesn't need to be anatomically correct, especially since the pig is strongly anthropomorphisised. but it's quite creepy.

To be honest, it wouldn't surprise me if they used the teeth of a real animal. This was the 1900s, after all.

Bowie said:

To be honest, it wouldn't surprise me if they used the teeth of a real animal. This was the 1900s, after all.

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Indeed... They could have just pulled those teeth out and glued on a mask or stuff. Or after all just staging it in some random studio (although this would probably have been more late 1800s or very early 1900s).