Everyone's favorite squinty-eyed, spinach-chompin' sailor is back in this collection of 12 animated classics, which are quite humorous and, in typical Popeye fashion, strong to the finish. The cartoons have been d... more »igitally restored with enhanced picture and sound, and feature new sound effects delightfully mixed with original dialogue. The color and texture are as bright and as clear as they would have been at their original theatrical release. All the familiar characters--Bluto, Olive Oyl, Wimpy--make appearances and prove that certain antics never fail to entertain, even decades after their introduction. Favorite episodes such as "Popeye for President" and "Taxi Turvy" retain their brilliance and inventiveness and can run side by side with today's cartoons. Also included is the epic "Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves," which both spoofs and honors the fantastic live-action desert adventures popular at the time of its release. The tape itself is bookended by clips featuring Popeye at an awards dinner populated by famous stars of stage and screen. This is highly appropriate, for, as this collection attests, he remains one of the classic characters of the silver screen. (Ages 4 and older) --Zachary Lively« less
Actor:Animated Genres:Kids & Family, Documentary, Animation Sub-Genres:Animation, Documentary, Animation Studio:Winstar Format:DVD - Color DVD Release Date: 04/25/2000 Original Release Date: 01/01/1999 Theatrical Release Date: 01/01/1999 Release Year: 2000 Run Time: 1hr 40min Screens: Color Number of Discs: 1 SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Total Copies: 0 Members Wishing: 0 MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated) Languages:English, English
"Re: the guy who wanted a list of the titles on this video; there are 12 cartoons: Popeye for President (Seymour Kneitel, 1956); Assault and Flattery (Izzy Sparber, 1956); Gopher Spinach (Kneitel, 1954); Fright to the Finish (Kneitel, 1954); Parlez Vous Woo? (Sparber, 1956); Bride and Gloom (Sparber, 1954); Shuteye Popeye (Sparber, 1952); Insect to Injury (David Tendlar, 1956); Taxi Turvy (Kneitel, 1954): A Haul in One (Kneitel, 1956); Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves (Dave Fleischer, 1937) and Customers Wanted (Dave Fleischer, 1939). I think the new sound effects were added so that WinStar could establish a copyright on public domain cartoons. The promo material brags about the pictures being restored to their original brilliance and quotes Peter Nichols of The New York Times, who admires WinStar's work. But that's in reference to other titles in this series. When Popeye paints his name on the mailbox in Insect to Injury, its too dark to read. These Popeye cartoons on this DVD are no brighter than the cheap public domain tapes we've been buying for the past fifteen years. Wait until King Features and Warner/Turner come to an agreement."
More Like: "50 Years Of Popeye"
G. H. Chapman | Kingston, New York USA | 01/15/2001
(1 out of 5 stars)
"After seeing the title I thought there would be at least one Max Fleischer cartoon (in stunning Black & White!!) from the 1930's. Maybe "Popeye"(1933),"Brotherly Love"(1936)or "Never Kick A Woman"(1936). The Fleischer brothers (Dave and Max) produced many classic cartoons with lots of imagination, that were close to that shabby, almost surrealistic style of Popeye's creator E.C ("Elsie") Segar. Such is not the case. Instead we get a collection of Famous Studios' work, mostly from the mid-fifties (1954) which aren't bad, but certainly not a grand overview of 70 years of Popeye as the title suggests. The title is misleading and the cartoons chosen will not make many new fans of Popeye. For example,one selection, "Gopher Spinach" is not only boring and predictable, it has always been regarded by collectors as one of the worst made. I regard myself as an above average fan of Popeye, and I believe that anyone who knows Popeye at all will find this collection to be a real waste of money."
A lot of fun and a nice trip down memory lane...
Ralph Fontcuberta | Little Rock, AR USA | 08/17/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Despite the lackluster reviews I read here, I went ahead and ordered this DVD, primarily because my nearly-4-year-old was asking for Popeye cartoons. Much to my delight, the DVD is not the cesspool of quality others have rated it at; it's a good collection of classic Popeye, plain and simple.The quality could be worlds better here and there -- and the original makers of these cartoons could have kept them stored in climate-controlled, air-tight vaults. The thing to remember is a lot of these shorts were made for the simple reason of economics; they were made to make money, not for prosperity. Care of the original film wasn't a priority after it was made.Regardless, this collection is great. It's fun to watch, I'm seeing cartoons I haven't seen in years, and my son loves them. Could it have been a better DVD? Sure, given a lot of factors. For now, I'm happy to sit on the couch and enjoy Popeye with my son."
Ditto!
Ralph Fontcuberta | 07/26/2000
(1 out of 5 stars)
"I just want to second the motion that this DVD is a waste of money. I think the team that put this audio track together checked out a special effects record from their local public library. The stuff is unecessary and sounds terrible."
A nice tribute to Popeye
Zack Davisson | Seattle, WA, USA | 01/03/2001
(3 out of 5 stars)
"While I still don't think that we have seen the "definitive" Popeye DVD collection, this one is enjoyable and contains some good cartoons.First off, when talking about a Winstar collection, the sound must be mentioned. While I understand why people dislike it, I happen to like the "Feel the Sound" process, and I don't feel it detracts the way other reviewers do. It is a little odd, and takes some getting used to. Each selection has a nice little essay accompaning it, revealing the background of that particular cartoon. Personally, I would have liked to seen more of the black and white Fleischer library, and less of the Famous Studios. This DVD contains: "Popeye for President," "Assault and Flattery," "Gopher Spinach," "Fright to the Finish," "Parlez Vous Woo," "Shuteye Popeye," "Insect to Injury," "Taxi Turvey," "A Haul in One," "Customers Wanted," "Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba and the Forty Theives."So, I am still waiting for the Popeye "perfect collection." (Like the Diamond Anniversary collection for Superman). In the meantime, I will be content with this offering."