Popeye

I am not ashamed to admit it but I love Popeye, the cartoon and the movie starring the amazing Robin Williams as Popeye. He is almost unrecognizable in the role but completely believable. I love Shelley Duvall as Olive Oyl because she really does a superb job living up to and beyond my expectations as the ultra-skinny love interest to muscular Popeye. It's like watching old friends. "I'll pay Tuesday for a Hamburger today" was a common statement. Of course, Popeye and Olive Oyl have Brutus as an obstacle to their happiness and almost the loss of Sweet Pea. It's a kind a family film too. It has music and dancing. Okay, it's not the greatest musical film ever made but it's always worth watching again. It reminds me of being 7 years old and seeing this film at the movie theater.

I remember my Dad taking me to watch this film as a Christmas treet. This film was made here in Malta and we are very proud of it, the set still stands today as a tourist attraction in Anchor bay. i remember loving this film. Robbin Williams was only known for the series of "Mork and Mindy', he still had a very long way to go but you can see that he was more than a promising star in the entertainment business. I learnt that at the time he was having serious troubles with cocaine and a cheating wife. This film was really cool and should they re-attempt it(not that Popeye is so much in vogue this days....although he should be) I can't imagine anyone but Robin Williams himself for the part.

When I first saw Popeye around the early 80's(Im 26 now), I was hooked. I found the whole production to be amusing. It seems that I'm one of the few that enjoyed the soundtrack to the movie(I recently picked it up on LP). The songs fit the mood and had some good humor to them. Musically performed well also. I thought the set(Sweethaven), was very comical yet useable,liveable and the "no sense of time" previously mentioned just brings it out more. I'd visit it if I were ever to travel near Malta. Shelley and Robin are the perfect pair to bring their characters life. Of course can't leave out Swee'Pea. The whole cast rounds out the picture well. I guess I could get in depth and go on but I just wanted to quickly sum up my thoughts. Believe it or not--there are some big fans of this flick. I recommend this movie for anyone with a quirky sense of humor and fun. I wish this movie would be released on DVD. Behind the scenes extras would be neat.

This movie marked the debut of Williams, in a role suited to his skills at the time as an actor. He looks the part and has fun with the silliness, making the title character likable. Shelley Duvall matches his ability to make her role as Olive Oil likable and she gets some well-deserved laughs in some scenes. It's just good, clean fun.

Why in the world hasn't this film been released on LaserDisc in letterbox format? There's as much or more taking place in the background nooks and crannies of Altman's "Popeye" than there is up front. And all of it is a clever, inventive, respectful homage, to a comic strip/cartoon character that has never received his much deserved place of honor alongside Mickey, Bugs and Daffy. I want to see ALL of Robert Altman's "Popeye," and pan-and-scan just doesn't cut it. Oh, the music is wonderful, by the way. It's what grabbed my attention one day when I still mistakenly believed the critics who panned this film. I was channel surfing and I heard Olive Oyl singing "He Needs Me" and I was hooked. This film is a jewel. ("What squinky eye?")