DVD Review by Matthew Hunter
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To see these films chronologically is a fascinating experience. The later Fleischer cartoons are hit-or-miss, but understandably so. The animators seem to have been experimenting with new ways to develop Popeye's character and settings. Bluto, for example, is completely absent for nearly a dozen films. Instead, the focus is placed on Popeye's everyday struggles, from dealing with his cantankerous father, Poopdeck Pappy ("Problem Pappy", "Quiet Pleeze!", "Child Psykologiky") common pests ("Flies Ain't Human", "I'll Never Crow Again") and trying to make Olive Oyl happy, which proves to be a far more daunting task than keeping her out of Bluto's clutches.
The Fleischer era (at least credit-wise) comes to a close beginning with the wartime entries, which dominate the majority of the cartoons on this collection. The change is not jarring, but it is noticeable. Popeye is redesigned to adopt the white uniform of the U.S. Navy. Bluto is given the Navy treatment too, as well as a rounder, less menacing design and a new voice. It's difficult to pinpoint exactly when Dave Fleischer officially departed, but it is clear that even though the first few "white uniform" cartoons credit him as director, Seymour Kneitel, David Tendlar and the other animators are the real visionaries here. New director Dan Gordon and animator Jim Tyer handle the first cartoon without Fleischer's name on the credits, "You're A Sap Mr. Jap", and all subsequent entries credit the familiar Fleischer animator names as officially "directors".
Content-wise, the wartime Popeye cartoons are full of stereotypes and wartime references ("I never seen a Jap that wasn't yellow", Popeye quips in one) but they are an interesting history lesson when viewed together. Most have been absent from television for years, so many of these cartoons were new to me. Popeye proves himself a worthy opponent to the Axis powers, whether it's delivering Spinach to the British allies or sinking Japanese ships to the sound of a flushing toilet! Amazingly, amid all of these war-charged films, the Paramount crew managed to sneak in a few good ol' classics, such as "Me Musical Nephews", in which Popeye's nephews would rather make music than sleep, "Happy Birthdaze" in which Popeye's Navy pal Shorty helps to ruin his birthday, and "Cartoons Ain't Human", a clever 4th-wall breaker not unlike Warners' "Cartoonist's Nightmare" and "Porky's Preview". In fact, the Warner influence is clear in a lot of these cartoons (see: "The Hungry Goat") which is not at all a bad thing. It only goes to show that these guys were not only good animators and directors, they were good observers of their competition and the innovations of the animation industry in general.
Warner Home Video has once again done a great job restoring these cartoons, even delaying the release to fix some glitches. This will come as a relief to hard-core scrutinizers who found some inaccurate credits on some recreated titles in the previous Popeye sets. There are some recreated titles here, but considering they're so well done it's impossible to tell, it's nothing to worry about. The packaging looks great, despite the annoying overlapping discs (Note to Warner: STOP it!) and the menus are pleasant and easy to navigate. There are some interesting bonus features, including "Forging the Frame: The Roots of Animation", a documentary concerning early animation and the transition from silent to sound. Featurettes about the war cartoons, animator Myron Waldman, and Popeye's nephews are worth a look, and if that isn't enough, the commentaries by Jerry Beck, Bob Jaques, Mark Kausler and others are as informative as always. Also on the set are four bonus cartoons, three from Fleischer's "Out of the Inkwell" and the General Electric short "Finding His Voice".
Overall, this is on par with the previous two Popeye volumes, and possibly the most historically interesting. If you are a mom looking for a video babysitter, you may want to go with the previous two volumes and wait until the kids go over World War II in their history classes. If you are an animation, film or history buff, this is the set for you. I highly recommend Popeye The Sailor 1941-43, and I recommend you snag it sooner rather than later...there's no telling when this stuff will ever be seen again!
