Popeye the Sailor (1933)
Yes folks, the most anticipated cartoon box set since the introduction of DVD technology is finally out, and I hope most of you have already bought it last week. The expectations were really high, and this set fulfills nearly all of them. Cartoons are of course fantastic, and it's a real treat to watch them in chronological order and witness all the changes in Popeye's character, and in Fleischer studio animation style. Video transfer is really nice (though not flawless... more about it in another article), the cover art is probably the best ever on a classic animation DVD set (courtesy of superb artist Stephen DeStefano), bonus material is generous and fascinating. This is a great example of classic cartoons getting the highly respectful treatment similar to the greatest live-action classics. It's something that unfortunately doesn't happen too often.
I'm going to dedicate a number of posts in the next two weeks to Popeye
and is there any better starting point than this:
The very first theatrical Popeye cartoon, released on 7/14/1933. A great date in animation history. Enjoy!
As usual, I'm presenting few excellent links related to Popeye:
Fleischer Popeye Tribute
For many years, this web site has been the main stop for all the fans of one-eyed sailor, and I'm sure it will keep that status in the future. It's a wonderful work of love and enthusiasm from Gordan and Nenad Calma. Thank you guys!
Stephen DeStefano
A great artist known for many years for his work in comics and animation. He's the best modern-day artist of Popeye, and the author of the wonderful artwork on the DVD package. Don't miss his blog!
Understanding Animation
Our regular visitor, Bruce (hey, what's your second name?) recently started his own animation blog, and it's going to be a really great one, folks! His impressive multi-part article on history of Popeye is well researched and amazingly informative.
Part 1
Part 2
Made of Pen and Ink: The Fleischer Cartoons
An extraordinary blog by film and animation historian Mike Dobbs, who extensively researched the history of Fleischer studio for several decades.
And finally, a little bit of shameless self-promotion. Here's a Popeye drawing I did last September. Take a look HERE (click on the picture to see the large version)
Labels: Betty Boop, Fleischer, Popeye
posted by Hammerson at 4:33 am
9 Comments:
Though i'm not a real Popeye fan but i'm glad that the cover art and DVD overall giving the best treatment to this icon character often bashed by the PD releases. I think since the volume 1 of Looney Tunes, we're never have a so-exciting cartoon DVD release.
I check this out in my Future Shop and the rating is much script than the Looney Tunesand Woody Woodpecker sets. It gives a PG means for Parental Guidance. They gives this rating for the future LT sets tough.
And the pics of "Popeye the Sailor" is impressive for a 1933 cartoon. Much better than any today's creations and the links is wonderful. Great article! :D
11:25 pm
Ugh! When you said you were going to another post about the flaws, I bet you're going to talk about the DVNR, right? If so, I heard enough about it and I'm pretty sure everyone here know about it, too. Besides, I emailed Jerry about and he said that even though he gave a lecture about DVNR to the DVD crew, they still went ahead and put some in it, probaly because they weren't sure what how it can happen.
11:59 pm
I have the DVD, but would you post LITTLE SWEE'PEA? I have seen it on the new DVD but it would be nice to see it on the blog.
Or maybe POPEYE MEETS SINBAD or POPEYE MEETS ALI BABA?
12:15 am
awsome!! Just out of curiosity what does the opening Paramount logo look like??
1:07 am
The logo for "Popeye the Sailor" is not fully restored on the DVD (the Paramount title is there, but not with the standard Betty Boop arch and columns masked over it). There's also a masking error on the credits for the last cartoon on Disc 3, but neither of those are deal-breakers, and the improvement is picture quality, especially on the color two-reelers, really is something to see.
4:27 am
Here is a link in case if you wanted to know what the Paramount opening looked like, along with some other screen captures.
Take a look at the Sexiness
Oh, and thank you for posting a link to my blog. I just hope that someone will find the info on the Fleischer's informative. And to answer your last question, I would prefere not to tell you about my last name, mostly 'cause of privacy.
9:21 am
>>I have the DVD, but would you post LITTLE SWEE'PEA?
...
Or maybe POPEYE MEETS SINBAD or POPEYE MEETS ALI BABA? <<
Yes, I plan to make the posts about all three cartoons, probably next week.
2:26 pm
Thanks for the screencaps, Hammerson--particularly the shots with Betty Boop. She looks great in these pictures, and I noticed something else, too. Before seeing these, I was led to believe that only one frame in "Betty Boop's Rise To Fame" showed her bared breast. The last shot you have of her onstage disproves this.
They may have messed up the opening titles, but I've never seen a better copy. The whole set looks like gold (with a few pieces of diamond thrown in to brace it up).
10:32 pm
I watch all the classic popeye cartoons when I was six years old at that time in the Philippines my show is my favorite idol since the 1960's I seen on channel 7 in the uncle bob show a kiddie show host and war veteran from Arizona became the owner of gma network who owns radio station dzbb am and channel 7 a commercial station established in 1950-2013 six decades ago to compete abs-cbn and tv 5 channels and also Ron channel 9 is now Etc.tv network also ibc 13 etc.thanks for the information.fr:Wayne
6:05 am
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