Post by bluto on Dec 10, 2005 10:11:13 GMT -5
A columnist for the Official Popeye Fanclub News-Magazine is asking people to send in their lists of Top Ten Favorite Popeye cartoons from any of the studios with short explanations as to why they are favorites. These don't have to be cartoons that are considered "classics," just the cartoons you like the best. I thought it would be fun if we did this here, too.
Below is an edited version of an email I sent the columnist. I look forward to your lists!
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I love your idea of asking people for a list of their favorite Popeye cartoons. Mine is below. Like you, I had a hard time narrowing the list down to 10. It causes me consternation to have to play by the rules and leave off some deserving cartoons. But it's a fun kind of consternation. My list will probably be different from anyone else's in that it focuses mainly on the Famous Studios romance-themed films. This is not because I don't enjoy and appreciate the Fleischer cartoons or other Popeye cartoons or even Famous Studios cartoons with other themes. It's because the romance cartoons hit me hard while I was growing up and continue to do so to this day. So much so, that when I think about Popeye cartoons, I inevitably think of those first. They ARE what animated Popeye is all about to me. I have written about the reasons why the cartoons effected me so much on my website and in my News-Magazine articles, so I won't go into them here.
Without any further ado, here's my list in no particular order:
POPEYE THE SAILOR MEETS SINDBAD THE SAILOR (Fleischer Studios) - One of the greatest cartoons ever made! A masterpiece of imagination, humor, adventure, and technological innovation. Images and situations from the cartoon have stayed with me since childhood.
EGYPT US (KFS made-for-TV) - Simply hilarious! I love the little guys who talk in hieroglyphics and their insular view of the world. Popeye must not only escape from a trap, save Olive, and defeat the bad guys, but he must also keep racing back to Wimpy to make sure the moocher hasn't eaten all their lunch. The closing scene and Wimpy's song are classics!
SNOW PLACE LIKE HOME (Famous Studios) - The artic setting reminds me of growing up in upstate New York and of riding sleds in the twilight and the dark. Besides that, there are the memorable scenes of the radio freezing, Pierre literally getting the hots for Olive, Pierre and Olive flirting with bubblegum, Popeye and the bear, Popeye and the bear, Popeye in the belly of a whale, and many more. And Olive wears a bikini and a fur coat!
THE ROYAL FOUR-FLUSHER (Famous Studios) - The quintessential Famous Studios Popeye cartoon. Olive falls for a guy who seemingly outclasses Popeye, but is really a cad. The guy gets rid of Popeye and traps Olive. Popeye eats the spinach and saves the day. And there's romantic and even risqué situations, sight gags, and jokes along the way.
MISTER AND MISTLETOE (Famous Studios) - A holiday cartoon which never forgets that it is first and foremost a Famous Studios Popeye film. The story and the characters aren’t violated by the insertion of phony sentiment. And the plot centers around a very romantic and sexy situation - a muscular, handsome Santa wants to snuggle with a cute Miss on Christmas Eve. Santa (really Bluto) gets creative in using the trappings and traditions of the season to seduce Olive Oyl and get rid of Popeye. This cartoon reminds me of Christmases past and gets me ready to celebrate again.
SYMPHONY IN SPINACH (Famous Studios) - A cartoon that doesn’t need any dialogue. The music and the visuals tell the story just fine. But the dialogue is clever, filled with puns and double-entendres. Bluto is into the creative seductions and the creative disposal of Popeye again and Popeye uses musical instruments to defeat Bluto.
A WOLF IN SHEIK’S CLOTHING (Famous Studio) - Popeye seems like an unnecessary interloper in his own cartoon! The main focus is on Olive Oyl, who wants to be ravished by a sheik, and on the sheik who is extremely willing to oblige. And that suits me just fine. Popeye does have several classic bits himself though - using a literal “washroom,” and escaping from the belly of The Sphinx with the help of an animated spinach can that has a hieroglyphic label. That can intrigued me as a kid and still does so today.
BEAUS WILL BE BEAUS (Famous Studios) - This cartoon is unique in many respects. Bluto and Olive are a tender, romantic couple throughout the film and are getting along (excuse the pun) famously. He never abuses her and she never calls out, "Help, Popeye!" In fact, before Popeye's last interruption, they are going off on a date alone together. We also see that Olive can handle herself as she decks Bluto with an uppercut! We see Popeye forced to use brains instead of fists and strength. And we see (here's a scary thought) that he can get anyone to do whatever he wants them to by feeding them spinach!
VACATION WITH PLAY (Famous Studios) - One of the most romantic cartoons Famous Studios ever did. Olive and Mr. Instructor (Bluto) are really falling for each other and Mr. Instructor creatively uses sports and sports equipment to seduce her. The cartoon also plays off of a common fantasy, the summertime romance. And I get a big kick out of the squirrels acting things out like a silent Greek chorus.
THE ISLAND FLING (Famous Studios) - Wild animation in a story that highlights two things equally - tropical island castaway gags and sex. And it’s hard to tell who the protagonist actually is here because sympathy is built up for lonely Mr. Crusoe. Also, it’s his longings, reactions, and frustrations that we identify with throughout the cartoon. Crusoe’s car predates and foreshadows The Flintstones and Gilligan’s Island. Regarding the racial humor that this cartoon is infamous for, I found Friday and his friends to just be funny cartoon characters and don‘t think they needed to be edited out for television broadcast. The gorilla gag, though, is definitely offensive and needed to end up on the cutting room floor. But this one offensive bit didn’t ruin an otherwise outstanding cartoon for me.
Below is an edited version of an email I sent the columnist. I look forward to your lists!
----------
I love your idea of asking people for a list of their favorite Popeye cartoons. Mine is below. Like you, I had a hard time narrowing the list down to 10. It causes me consternation to have to play by the rules and leave off some deserving cartoons. But it's a fun kind of consternation. My list will probably be different from anyone else's in that it focuses mainly on the Famous Studios romance-themed films. This is not because I don't enjoy and appreciate the Fleischer cartoons or other Popeye cartoons or even Famous Studios cartoons with other themes. It's because the romance cartoons hit me hard while I was growing up and continue to do so to this day. So much so, that when I think about Popeye cartoons, I inevitably think of those first. They ARE what animated Popeye is all about to me. I have written about the reasons why the cartoons effected me so much on my website and in my News-Magazine articles, so I won't go into them here.
Without any further ado, here's my list in no particular order:
POPEYE THE SAILOR MEETS SINDBAD THE SAILOR (Fleischer Studios) - One of the greatest cartoons ever made! A masterpiece of imagination, humor, adventure, and technological innovation. Images and situations from the cartoon have stayed with me since childhood.
EGYPT US (KFS made-for-TV) - Simply hilarious! I love the little guys who talk in hieroglyphics and their insular view of the world. Popeye must not only escape from a trap, save Olive, and defeat the bad guys, but he must also keep racing back to Wimpy to make sure the moocher hasn't eaten all their lunch. The closing scene and Wimpy's song are classics!
SNOW PLACE LIKE HOME (Famous Studios) - The artic setting reminds me of growing up in upstate New York and of riding sleds in the twilight and the dark. Besides that, there are the memorable scenes of the radio freezing, Pierre literally getting the hots for Olive, Pierre and Olive flirting with bubblegum, Popeye and the bear, Popeye and the bear, Popeye in the belly of a whale, and many more. And Olive wears a bikini and a fur coat!
THE ROYAL FOUR-FLUSHER (Famous Studios) - The quintessential Famous Studios Popeye cartoon. Olive falls for a guy who seemingly outclasses Popeye, but is really a cad. The guy gets rid of Popeye and traps Olive. Popeye eats the spinach and saves the day. And there's romantic and even risqué situations, sight gags, and jokes along the way.
MISTER AND MISTLETOE (Famous Studios) - A holiday cartoon which never forgets that it is first and foremost a Famous Studios Popeye film. The story and the characters aren’t violated by the insertion of phony sentiment. And the plot centers around a very romantic and sexy situation - a muscular, handsome Santa wants to snuggle with a cute Miss on Christmas Eve. Santa (really Bluto) gets creative in using the trappings and traditions of the season to seduce Olive Oyl and get rid of Popeye. This cartoon reminds me of Christmases past and gets me ready to celebrate again.
SYMPHONY IN SPINACH (Famous Studios) - A cartoon that doesn’t need any dialogue. The music and the visuals tell the story just fine. But the dialogue is clever, filled with puns and double-entendres. Bluto is into the creative seductions and the creative disposal of Popeye again and Popeye uses musical instruments to defeat Bluto.
A WOLF IN SHEIK’S CLOTHING (Famous Studio) - Popeye seems like an unnecessary interloper in his own cartoon! The main focus is on Olive Oyl, who wants to be ravished by a sheik, and on the sheik who is extremely willing to oblige. And that suits me just fine. Popeye does have several classic bits himself though - using a literal “washroom,” and escaping from the belly of The Sphinx with the help of an animated spinach can that has a hieroglyphic label. That can intrigued me as a kid and still does so today.
BEAUS WILL BE BEAUS (Famous Studios) - This cartoon is unique in many respects. Bluto and Olive are a tender, romantic couple throughout the film and are getting along (excuse the pun) famously. He never abuses her and she never calls out, "Help, Popeye!" In fact, before Popeye's last interruption, they are going off on a date alone together. We also see that Olive can handle herself as she decks Bluto with an uppercut! We see Popeye forced to use brains instead of fists and strength. And we see (here's a scary thought) that he can get anyone to do whatever he wants them to by feeding them spinach!
VACATION WITH PLAY (Famous Studios) - One of the most romantic cartoons Famous Studios ever did. Olive and Mr. Instructor (Bluto) are really falling for each other and Mr. Instructor creatively uses sports and sports equipment to seduce her. The cartoon also plays off of a common fantasy, the summertime romance. And I get a big kick out of the squirrels acting things out like a silent Greek chorus.
THE ISLAND FLING (Famous Studios) - Wild animation in a story that highlights two things equally - tropical island castaway gags and sex. And it’s hard to tell who the protagonist actually is here because sympathy is built up for lonely Mr. Crusoe. Also, it’s his longings, reactions, and frustrations that we identify with throughout the cartoon. Crusoe’s car predates and foreshadows The Flintstones and Gilligan’s Island. Regarding the racial humor that this cartoon is infamous for, I found Friday and his friends to just be funny cartoon characters and don‘t think they needed to be edited out for television broadcast. The gorilla gag, though, is definitely offensive and needed to end up on the cutting room floor. But this one offensive bit didn’t ruin an otherwise outstanding cartoon for me.
I told myself earlier this year that I'd renew after we moved and I had my new address, so maybe I'll actually get around to it. 
