Popeye et Sindbad le marin

This cartoon is visually astounding even after 65 years. Longer than the typical Popeye being done at the time (by quite a bit), it justifiably received a great deal of fanfare and notice on its release and is considered one of the finest animated shorts ever made by a great many people (including me). This runs on Cartoon Network occasionally and is well worth getting a look at. I believe it has at least once or twice been available on VHS. Most highly recommended.

Using the Fleischer Brothers' special 3-d backgrounds, Paramount's "Sindbad" is an impressive animation feat, as well as an entertaining and funny cartoon. It has made virtually every "greatest cartoon" list, with no apologies.

Along with the Ali Baba one this is my favourite Popeye cartoon, I must admit partly because it's 3 times as long as most of the cartoons in the Canon. It gave much more scope to the Fleischer's to ...fleish it out a bit, less frenetic movement - some of the time!

All you should love about these Paramount Popeye's - if you're reading this - is here in spades (with Technicolour), from the marvellous panning 3d opening displaying Bluto's island and denizens to the incessant rambling mutterings of Popeye, Bluto, Olive and Wimpy. The storyline and animation are both amusing and inventive in the usual unusual Fleischer manner, and not a second is wasted. Although it's definitely not for the pc and over zealous animal rights activists!

Best bit: The savage looking giant two-headed caveman crooning a sweet lullaby to Popeye lying dazed in his lap.

That I can think of anyway. This Popeye cartoon is the funniest and most exciting short ever made, counting Disney and Warner Brothers, too. I especially like the songs, Sinbad's (Bluto) theme, and the song that the two-headed giant sings as he beats the tar out of Popeye. The best scene has Popeye taking care of Sinbad's giant bird.

Of course, most of the Fleischer Popeye cartoons were pretty much the same. In this one, a setting is created where Bluto can hold forth as Sindbad the Sailor. He is the master of a bunch of creatures from the Arabian Nights mythology, lions, the Roc, a fire breathing dragon, and some others. Of course, sometimes lust gets you in trouble. When he spots Olive Oyl, he can't resist her. If he had not intervened, he would have been fine. But, then, it wouldn't be a Popeye cartoon. One of the odd sidelights is Wimpy, chasing a duck with a meat grinder (the duck had stolen his last hamburger). There are a host of special punches used by our sailor. Anyway, lot's of interesting characters for us to enjoy.