Customer Reviews

Popeye the Sailor: 1938-1940, Vol. 2

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Warner Home Video has issued this disc 1 advisery:

Notice regarding Popeye the Sailor 1938-1940 Volume 2, Disc 1

Warner Home Video is advising consumers who purchased Popeye the Sailor 1938-1940 Volume 2 DVD that two shorts on Disc 1 have an alternate opening credits sequence.

For any consumer who wants to have disc 1 replaced with the original opening credits sequence, please contact Warner Home Video at 1-800-553-6937 so that a self-addressed stamped envelope can be sent to you for return of your current disc. Please note that the replacement discs will be sent to you in approximately 8-10 weeks.

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The cartoons in error are:

#9 CUSTOMERS WANTED
#14 HELLO HOW AM I

They start with the Paramount Logo replacing the TV "aap" logo, but then jump to the plain white "Popeye" TV title card, and then return to the original episode title & credits. The editor did not realize that the Popeye section needed to be replaced also.

As this is not a disc "Recall" but a replacement program, don't expect the stores to send them back for replacement copies. I would suggest purchasing the DVDs now. If you are unhappy with the alternate title sections, then call for a replacement. I would not wait in hopes the new discs will appear on the store shelves. That would require them to sell out of all existing copies in the distribution warehouses.

Most likely many viewers will not care about this, but historians will want the corrected discs.

Someone has already commented in Volume One that these early Popeye cartoons are totally different from what is often seen on TV. Those cartoons were largely made in the 60's and are quite monotonous - Bluto wants Olive as a girlfriend, he initially gets the upper hand, and then Popeye eats his spinach and saves the day. If that were the case here I'd say save your money. However, this is not the case. These early Popeye cartoons feature funnier, more interesting versions of the Popeye characters in a wide variety of plots. The following is the press release indicating the contents of volume 2:

DISC 1
I Yam Love Sick
Plumbing Is A Pipe
The Jeep
Bulldozing The Bull
Mutiny Ain't Nice
Goonland
A Date To Skate
Cops Is Always Right
Customers Wanted
ALADDIN AND HIS WONDERFUL LAMP
Leave Well Enough Alone
Wotta Nitemare
Ghosks Is The Bunk
Hello, How Am I
It"s The Natural Thing To Do

DISC 2
Never Sock A Baby
Shalespearian Spinach
Females Is Fickle
Stealin' Ain't Honest
Me Feelin's Is Hurt
Onion Pacific
Wimmin Is A Myskery
Nurse-Mates
Fightin' Pals
Doin' Impossikible Stunts
Wimmin Hadn't Oughta Drive
Puttin On The Act
Popeye Meets William Tell
My Pop, My Pop
With Poopdeck Pappy
Popeye Presents Eugene The Jeep

Extras will include commentaries, Popeye Popumentary featurettes, an Out of the Inkwell: The Fleischer Story retrospective documentary, the feature-length movie Gulliver's Travels, vintage audio recordings, radio interviews, and more.

The Fleischers' Popeye series really hit its stride in the late 1930's, and this set contains many classic shorts. For those poor uninformed folks that think all Popeye cartoons are the same, be sure and show them "It's the Natural Thing To Do," wherein Popeye and Bluto try a more civilized approach at courting Olive. More characters from the Segar comic strip appear as well, including Eugene the Jeep, Poopdeck Pappy, and the Goons. "Females Is Fickle" is the well-known episode in which Popeye nearly kills himself trying to save Olive's pet goldfish. And the "Aladdin" short is the final color "2-reeler" in the series.

As with Volume 1, Warner Bros. has provided a generous set of extras for this release. These include a lengthy documentary on the Fleischer studios, featurettes on supporting players, various art galleries, audio commentaries on several cartoons, and a Superman cartoon from the Fleischers. While that last item might seem an odd addition to this set, it's another fine example of what the studio could do with a popular comic character.

There are still a couple of more years' worth of great Popeye cartoons from the Fleischers, before the changeover to Famous Studios. . .and the long, slow death (creatively speaking) of the spinach-eating sailor. Popeye the Sailor-1941-43 Volume 3 hits the shelves on Sept. 30. In the meantime, enjoy some of his greatest adventures with this terrific collection.

These cartoons were notoriously difficult to restore--where Volume 2 was originally intended to be another four disc set, the restorations on this particular group of films proved to be much more challenging than expected.

With that said, I think the producers did a great job delivering us another high-quality "official" Popeye The Sailor release. There are some instances where the picture jumps during the opening credits or the sound quality swells, but overall the quality and integrity of these cartoons has been restored 99 percent. In other words, the producers of this set did the best they could to fix what were very damaged originals.

If you enjoyed Popeye The Sailor Vol. 1 you will enjoy Vol. 2 as well. You definitely see some changes in the Fleischers' direction, as they uprooted their studio and moved to Miami, in some cases placing Popeye in a suburban setting rather than the gritty city of the cartoons in the first volume. And it's interesting to see all of that off-screen drama manifest itself on-screen. But as the saying goes, you can take the kid out of the city but you can't take the city out of the kid; even though Popeye may find himself in calmer neighborhoods, he is still the same rough and tumble sailor, ready to crack a can of spinich and throw down with anyone.

What I think is so impressive about these sets is that they don't only rekindle your interest in Popeye--they pull you into the Fleischers' history and they boost your overall interest in animation. The extras and "Popumentaries" give you detailed looks at specific characters and voice-actors, and the packaging is really beautiful, perfectly capturing the era that these films represent.

I would recommend this set to any fan of Popeye, any fan of animation, or any fan of DVD collections, for that matter. While you may find a spot where the picture shakes in one or two of the cartoons, that is only because the originals are seventy years old and this specific batch of originals was particularly damaged. The picture isn't perfect, but then again, neither is Popeye--the one-eyed, toothless, middle-aged scrapper--the unlikeliest of heroes. The producers did the best they could to restore the films--and for me, that grittiness actually adds to the set's authenticity. Looking forward to Vol. 3.

I thoroughly enjoyed Volume 1 and thought I'd prefer the episodes on Volume 2, as my favorite period is mainly the WWII years (which vol. 2 does not quite get up to). But I was surprised to find that most of these cartoons didn't do much for me, and in fact I remembered surprisingly few of them compared to the set on Volume 1.

That having been said, the restoration work etc. is perfectly fine and the package as a whole lives up to the standard set by volume 1. I was a little thrown off by what I can only guess are occasional overdubs dropped in to repair soundtrack losses on the originals. You will know them when you hear them - they sound most peculiar and can be a little jarring. You will also notice occasional splices and replacements on the opening credits for some episodes. I had read that the restoration of this volume took longer than projected, and I think I see why. Who would have guessed that the "middle years" would have more technical issues than the earlier years?

I also noticed several instances where sound effects seemed like superimposed, modern additions -- the sound of Swee'pea sniffing in one episode stands out far apart from the rest of the soundtrack. There were about 5 or 6 other instances of this, and I wonder what's up with that.

Overall, a great set and one I'm pleased to own -- just a little peculiar.

Popeye the early cartoons cannot be matched today. They are a real treat to watch. Incredible works of art done by the Fliecher Studios. The timing of each shot is perfect. For example, when you see sweetpea crawling through a factory with machinery moving, the 3 D effect and timing, could only be dreamt of in todays CGIs. The cost of making such 7 minute shorts today would be astronomical. I also wonder if they have the skill now to do something like this? Laughs galore and never tire of viewing again. The extras on the set are also well done. With current interviews and interesting antidotes for many of the popeye toons. The clarity of the first set on upscaled 1080p looks almost HD. This set will be the same and fun for the whole family, in todays world full of inappropriate material. As Popeye appropriately says, "I am what I am." People the world over have enjoyed him for decades and will for decades to come. Being somewhat of a collector, this set is prized amongst other well done animation, but none equal the B&W detail and shading of Popeye.

"Popeye the Sailor: 1933-1938" was a tough act to follow, since the four-DVD set featured most of the classic Fleischer cartoons. Nevertheless, the second volume includes several restored gems from 1938 to 1940: "Goonland," "A Date to Skate," "It's the Natural Thing to Do," "Fightin' Pals" and the Technicolor "Aladdin" two-reeler. The urban grittiness has been toned down, but the Fleischer spirit survives intact. Unfortunately, these Popeye cartoons lack the distinctive voices of Gus Wickie's Bluto and Mae Questel's Olive Oyl. (Wickie died in 1938 and Questel would not relocate to Miami with the Fleischers.) Though a notch below the first collection, Volume 2 provides spinach-packing fun - plus a generous array of extras and commentary tracks.

This set covers a time of change at the Fleischer Studios as they made the decision to move to Coral Gables, Florida where they were given the first air conditioned office building in Florida as an enticement by the state. This move was made more difficult as Mae Questel declined to follow and the voice of Bluto, Gus Wickie, had died the previous year. At the same time, the theaters and distributers were looking for more conformist Disney style animation and less of the rough and tumble weirdness that marked the Fleischer style. The short "It's The Natural Thing To Do" makes a great direct commentary on this.

So this is an uneven set with some of the best traditional Popeye cartoons ever made and some rather uninspired films predicting the later Famous Studios Popeye films. The films also have a big variation in style as some are in the classic Fleischer style and others in a softer more rounded design which seems to depend on who was the lead animator listed. The influence of the now very obscure Fleischer Color Classics series (made to compete with Disney's Silly Symphonies) is very evident in the final 2-reel color Popeye. This is the weakest of the three made but is perhaps the most sophisticated in film technique. Greg Ford's excellent commentary will get you thru the first ten minutes.

The Fleischer documentary is very good although one fact is incorrect. Paramount did not "ask" the Fleischers to make a feature. The Fleischers had been trying to make a feature for years but were unsuccessful until Paramount saw the success of Snow White. Listen to the commentary on "Alladin" for more details. Also reason for the feud between Max and Dave is glossed over. Some people who worked at the Fleischer studios said that Dave's repeated cheating on his wife really galled Max who was happily married to one woman for his whole life. The final straw was when Dave had another affair, this time with the wife of an employee.

There's no real reason not to get this set if you are a Popeye fan. I would hope that one day the Fleischer's other output from the 1920's and 1930's gets restored and released, especially the Song Car Toons and the Screen Songs plus Betty Boop.

POPEYE THE SAILOR: Volume Two 1938-1940: Released: June 17, 2008.
(Partial) DVD Review by Joe Torcivia.

Can you review such a set after just viewing the first eight cartoons? Let's find out... Warning! It's Long...

What a great series of Popeye cartoons we have to open Disc One of this new set!

By 1938, Max and Dave Fleischer have clearly broken with the formula they established early on... and the one that the Famous Paramount studio would do to death in their later Popeye cartoons. You know... Popeye, Olive Oyl, Bluto, triangle, spinach, Sock-o, etc.

In the first EIGHT cartoons on the disc, Bluto - and the formulaic conflict he brings with him - is nowhere in sight, save for a cameo appearance AS A PHOTOGRAPH (!) in the first one. In these eight alone, we have a diversity of cast that would be unimaginable in later years. Popeye, Olive, Wimpy, Swee'Pea, Eugene the Jeep, Poopdeck Pappy, the Goons... and, of course, the photograph of Bluto that (not unexpectedly) steals the only scene that it's in!

Before continuing, I should say that, despite my comments above, Bluto is one of the great villains in the history of theatrical animation, and most (if not all) of his appearances on the first POPEYE set (1933-1938) were very enjoyable. But, in times to come, he will wear out his welcome (at least to me) and it is with this knowledge of what lies ahead that I take this position. But, if we go much longer than these first eight without him, I'm going to really start missing the big lug!

Here's a (relatively, but not completely) Spoiler-Free recap of those first eight cartoons...

01: "I Yam Love Sick". Enraptured in romance novels, and aided by a huge box of chocolates from Bluto - and that scene-stealing photograph - Olive totally ignores Popeye, to the point where he has to play sick-and-dying to get any attention. "I must be losin' me sex repeal, or sumpthin'!" mutters the sailor man, in one of those famous Jack Mercer ad-libs where Popeye's mouth doesn't move! She takes him to the hospital, where he continues to play almost-dead... until it's time to operate!

02: "Plumbing is a Pipe". I'm guessing that, in ye olde-tyme slang, if something was "a pipe", it was easy or "a cinch". Olive springs a leak in her kitchen, which she compounds - and Popeye compounds much further. Wimpy is great as the plumber, who keeps forgetting things or has other excuses like Lunch to keep from getting on the job. He gets his later!

03: "The Jeep". Swee'Pea keeps trying to escape Olive's very high apartment, by crawling out the window. She thwarts him (Saying that he's giving her "Populations of the heart!"), until he finally gets out! Popeye shows up with Eugene the Jeep (a "magical dog"!) who can accurately answer any question, disappear and reappear, and track anything with his uncanny abilities to walk through walls, on air, or anywhere else. He tracks the missing Swee'Pea, leading Popeye on a merry - and painful - chase and to a great ending!

This is one of the two best cartoons on the disc so far! Though it is not an origin for "The Jeep"... he's just there with Popeye, visiting Olive. Oddly, his animated origin occurs in "Popeye Presents Eugene the Jeep", which is the LAST cartoon on Disc Two - and was apparently produced by the Fleischers about TWO YEARS after this one.

The latter Jeep cartoon contradicts the former, in dealing with Eugene's origins, but that's to be expected from Golden Age animation. The presence of the second cartoon, a good explanatory commentary on this cartoon, and an extra feature mini-documentary, "Eugene the Jeep: A Breed of His Own", detailing the Jeep's comic strip origins, help ease (...or maybe they ADD TO) the confusion over this odd and wonderful character.

04: "Bulldozing the Bull". Popeye's in Spain, Mexico, or somewhere that bullfighting is popular. In this unexpectedly superior cartoon he demonstrates the more modern attitude (...and certainly not the prevailing attitude when this cartoon was made!) that the sport of bullfighting - and especially the killing of the bull - is cruelty to animals! Olive is the obligatory seniorita (presaging the sort of role-playing she'd often do in later outings), and a seating mix-up leads to Popeye being a reluctant toreador. Lots of good gags, and a great surprise ending that I will not spoil! Popeye's steadfast values here left me clapping! That's the Popeye I love from the comics, unflagging ethics and all!

05: "Mutiny Ain't Nice". One of my general complaints about the POPEYE series is that he isn't shown often enough to be a SAILOR! Well, here he captains his own cargo sailing ship, with a rough and dangerous crew to boot. Olive falls into a trunk and is brought aboard as they shove off. The crew believes that females are bad luck on a ship and, when they find Olive, they mutiny against Captain Popeye and try to kill Olive. The great thing about this one (...and it's only a small spoiler in the greater scheme of things) is that Olive finds that she ACTUALLY ENJOYS leading the murderous crew on a wild chase! Popeye, once regaining control, enacts a solution that satisfies everyone - just not the way any of them would like!

06: "Goonland". The best cartoon on the disc so far - and more of an adventure in the E.C. Segar comic strip tradition than the usual animated comedy. Popeye sails (Yes, he's a sailor again!) to the mysterious "Goon Island", to find his lost "Poopdeck Pappy" who left 40 years ago, when Popeye was a baby! Was Pappy animation's first "deadbeat dad"? The Goons AND Pappy, from the Segar strip, are introduced in this one!

Pappy is a prisoner of the Goons, and wants no part of his son, until the Goons capture Popeye and try to kill him by staking him at the foot of a cliff and dropping a boulder on him. Pappy downs the spinach, which the Goons removed from Popeye, and saves the day. The Goons are dealt with by a remarkable fourth-wall-breaking device that is both extremely clever and looks somewhat out of place at the same time. You judge for yourself. Its unexpected surprise value goes a long way toward selling it, though!

This is a magnificently designed cartoon! Everything on Goon Island is eerie looking... especially for a cartoon of this period! As with the introduction of Eugene the Jeep, a good explanatory commentary on this cartoon, and an extra feature mini-documentary, "Poopdeck Pappy: The Nasty Old Man and the Sea" detail Pappy's comic strip origins.

07: "A Date to Skate". With Bluto still among the missing, Popeye convinces a VERY reluctant Olive to roller skate in one of those old roller skating palaces. As expected, Olive soon careens out of control, onto the street, wreaking havoc on the outside world! The Fleischers continue to marvelously play with "The Formula" by having Popeye FORGET TO BRING HIS SPINACH on the skating date! "I must be gettin' OLD! Don't tell me I left it HOME!" Don't worry; he gets some though a device we've seen in some other cartoons. And, as when she was pursued by the crew of murderous mutineers, Olive ends up enjoying her near-death-ride for the sheer thrill of it all! This is a take on the usually timid Olive that we seldom saw! I guess THAT'S what Popeye sees in the old scarecrow!

08: "Cops is Always Right". A funnier than expected cartoon, where Popeye and his little crank-start, puttering car continuously run afoul of a gruff police officer. And he helps Olive with spring cleaning to boot. Popeye comes across a little more ignorant of the law than you'd expect even a one-eyed sailor to be, but it works anyway because the officer is such a good one-shot antagonist.

Alas, as was the Fleischer practice of the time, there are no writing credits on any of these first eight cartoons. Though, story credits begin during the period covered by this DVD set, as the second Jeep cartoon lists a story credit. The lack of credits early-on is a particular shame, as the cartoons discussed in this review comprised a very innovative portion of the series, story-wise. I'd sure love to know who wrote these!

The Fleischer animation is always tops, and Jack Mercer and Mae Questel (though Questel is replaced in some of these) are magnificent as Popeye and Olive - especially with their frequent and outright funny ad-libs! Indeed, at this particular point in the history of animation, they would have been the most entertaining animation voice actors of their time. But, look out for Mel Blanc lurking in the shadows...

So, on the basis of the first eight shorts (...and I have little expectation that this will change over the balance of the set), POPEYE THE SAILOR: Volume Two 1938-1940 is highly recommended by this reviewer! And... Hey, Bluto? We'll see ya soon, ol' pal!

In my world of collecting, "Goonland" is the single most wonderful cartoon ever made, but that's just my personal taste. I won't give the plot away, but it's just such a cool cartoon! It's on this new set. I own a copy in Super 8 and have been wanting one in 16mm for many years. Another one in this set I love is "Leave Well Enough Alone". When I was a kid, that whole Idea killed me. Popeye tries to let all the animals free from a pet store, but bad things happen to them once they get out. A Great lesson for kids to learn in the "Be Careful What You Wish For", Category. So for me, those Toons alone are worth the price of this DVD. The first set was amazing. I can't wait for this one to be released.