Recently added the 1940's
Popeye cartoons to my collection and enjoyed them thoroughly. These are some of the cartoons starring the Sailor Man which are most impressed in my memory from childhood and many many hours catching the cartoons in the afternoons. These are all in color and in these cleaned up versions are brilliant to behold -- they've never looked this good in my experience. Whether the method was Technicolor or the cheaper Polacolor, all the cartoons are handsome.
That said, these are not as strong as the earliest Popeye cartoons from the Fleisher studios. Too many of the cartoons have mechanical plots which are just gimmicks to get Bluto and Popeye fighting over Olive. The settings change but the characters are the same all the time. The wonderful gruffness of Popeye's vintage muttering is diminished a great deal and so he's somewhat simplified as a hero, and even at times appears to be a dupe. Bluto changes, sometimes beyond immediate recognition but his role as antagonist is fulfilled by him or some dope very similar.
A few here and there break from the pattern and they are refreshing to see. These are shining vintage cartoons, but be warned that all signs of political correctness have been removed for the sake of authenticity. There's racism and sexism galore in many of these cartoons, but any adult should be able to encounter them without getting triggered. Seek to be insulted and you shall find.
Used to love the old Popeye toons, and I believe lots of these, too, since I wasn't a picky kid. Good memories. :)
ReplyDeleteAs I watched them they came back into bloom in my memory. The ones that are banned now must've played back in the 60's and I cannot say if they were edited. As much as I appreciate them in their full form on this dvd, it's clear they are not fit for wide distribution without context.
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