Shiver Me Timbers!

The Fleischer Studios pioneered modern animation; notice how some of them feature a three-dimentional background using glass plates or even miniature sets on which the cartoon characters were added optically. That is not the case with this particular cartoon though but it does show certain familiar characters in a stage of development. Popeye, for example, finally finds a situation he is not in complete control of and reacts the way a regular person would: with fear and hesitance. Popeye, Olive and Wimpy find a ghostship and, against the better judgement of Olive and Wimpy, go aboard. Quicker than you can say "weigh anchor" the ship sets sail all by itself. When Popeye declares "There ain't no ghosts!" suddenly they are surrounded by them and Popeye's strength, which is great even without spinach, is suddenly useless. For an 8 minute cartoon we take a strange psychological turn as the ghosts turn each persons fear against them. Popeye is tied high on a mast swinging like a human penduum contantly hitting iron rings with his head and. . .um . . .lower regions. Wimpy's torture is worse when you consider his appetite. He is chained to a mast beside a table loaded with food. When he tries to grab a snack the table not only runs away but hits him hard in the stomach as well. Olive's ordeal is the worst, well to me anyway because that is my fear as well. Tied to the deck milk is dripped on the bottoms of her bare feet and licked off by cats. Oh yeah Popeye saves everyone but I think they have all learned a lesson by the end of the cartoon. The supernatural is ain't nothin' to be made fun off.