The Stuff You Gotta Watch - Memories of Popeye

THE FLEISCHER STUDIO POPEYE SHORTS

Introduction
By John V. Brennan

Well, blow me down! I love Popeye, the black and white Popeye, and have ever since I was an infink and looked like a baby. So now it is time for me to review the black and white Popeye cartoons, especially since Warner Brothers is releasing them on DVD.

I will make a mention of every cartoon released, but only a handful of my favorites will get expanded reviews under the heading "Spotlight". Other shorts will be grouped together under the heading "In-Betweeners". For those of you who may not know this term, it comes from the field of hand drawn animation. The main animator only drew key frames, perhaps two or three for every second of film. Popeye clenches his fist, Popeye's arm swinging out, Popeye clocking Bluto in the eye. Since there are 24 frames in each second of film, an "in-betweener" had the job of connecting all those key frames with pictures that smoothed out the animation. An in-betweener drew pictures "in between" the key pictures. So, rather than give every Popeye short a full review, I will spotlight my favorites, or historically important ones, and cover the shorts in between those as a group.

I don't think the black and white Popeye cartoons are the funniest ever made. That distinction goes to the classic Warner Brothers films. I think the violence in MGM's Tom and Jerry series, as well as in Tex Avery's MGM cartoons, is better timed and therefore funnier. But the Popeye cartoons are probaby the quirkiest, most distinctive-looking and possibly the most downright addictive of all the cartoon series we now consider classic, and their release on DVD is a reason to celebrate with several choruses of "We Aim to Please", "Strike Up the Band for Popeye the Sailor" and "I Wanna Be a Lifeguard".

Anyway, I will have more thought on Popeye as time goes on, but until then, enjoy this section. - JB