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Popeye.com classiccartoonsdvd.com |
Picking up where Volume 1 left off, we get to witness the further development of Popeye and his co-stars, as well as some new twists and experiments in the series. After listening to the commentaries on the set, it's amazing to me that the series could stay afloat and remain interesting and innovative, considering the turmoil the Fleischer studio was going through during this period. Paramount , impressed with the popularity of Popeye and eager to continue their dominance over Disney, decided to move the Fleischer outfit from New York to a new facility in Florida , expecting them to continue producing the cartoons uninterrupted. Mae Questel and Gus Wickie, the voices for Olive Oyl and Bluto, were unable to make the move so quickly. Actress Margie Hines took over for Olive (though Questel would return eventually.) Bluto's voice was harder to nail down, though Pinto Colvig, (known as the voice of Goofy at Disney) performed him at least once. Thankfully, Jack Mercer remained as Popeye throughout.
Voicework shakeups and location change did not harm the quality of the cartoons, though. The only noticeable change is the lack of 3-D backgrounds, a staple in the Popeyes of the earlier thirties. This gave the 2-d background painters a chance to shine, and even in black and white, the range, tone and texture of the backgrounds is impressive. The animation is, as usual, top-notch, with beautiful drawings and daring perspective effects.
Plot-wise, this batch of Popeye cartoons is a little different from what we saw in Volume 1. For one thing, a number of cartoons feature a villain other than Bluto, such as a bull ("Bulldozing the Bull") or a bunch of mutinous sailors ("Mutiny Ain't Nice"). Still others have no villain at all, focusing on a conflict rather than a fight ("Plumbing is a Pipe" and "The Jeep" for example). A few cartoons don't even have spinach! There are also several cartoons featuring Poopdeck Pappy, Popeye's cranky, ninety-something father, who proves himself to be just as tough as his son. We are also introduced to the Jeep, the magical, orchid-eating dog with mystical powers and a nose for trouble. The character of Olive Oyl develops considerably, and becomes more of a sympathetic and likeable character than she had been before. She still causes plenty of headaches for Popeye, from her horrendous driving ("Wimmin Hadn't Outta Drive") to her wild ride on a pair of runaway skates ("Date To Skate"). She and Popeye attempt Vaudeville in "Puttin On The Act", and her attempt at screenwriting spins the colorful story of "Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp".
The "Aladdin" cartoon is a beautiful restoration, just as "Popeye Meets Sindbad" and "Ali Baba" were on the previous set. Content-wise, however, this third 2-reel special is not as appealing as its predecessors. A new, rather bland non-Bluto villain doesn't help. Still, it is impressive to look at if not all that thrilling story-wise, and, as with most adaptations of the Aladdin mythos, the Genie steals the show.
The commentaries, as I mentioned before, are very informative. I couldn't find a bad one in the bunch... and all are done by folks who know what they're talking about. We also get a wonderful documentary on Fleischer Studios, some featurettes about Popeye, a "Superman" cartoon, and some original artwork, behind-the-scenes stuff and audio recordings.
One aspect of the set that may cause debate among die-hards is the opening titles for a few of the cartoons. A handful of shorts do not have the traditional "ship door" title cards, rather, they have unique openings. "Hello How am I" and "Customers Wanted" are among these, but have a rather bland, plain-text title sequence, with the same font and design used in the old "A.A.P." television prints. I am no expert on such things, but I have a feeling these were not the original opening cards, and said originals may not exist. This is no big deal, as the cartoons themselves are complete and look great.
This is a must-buy for animation fans, as was the previous Popeye set, and I eagerly await the next installment, due out this fall. Congratulations to Warner Home Video and all those involved with the restoration and preservation of these classic films. I thinks they eats their spinach!
