Popeye (B+ or 3/4 stars)
Underrated & undervalued at the time of its release in 1980, and said to be unwatchable for little kids by critics, 'Popeye' (directed by the great Robert Altman) was actually one of my childhood obsessions; therefore, this little kid dealt with its strangeness just fine. And as an adult, I appreciate its boldness even more. Based on E.C. Segar's long-running popular comic strip, Altman creates a dizzying, sometimes confounding, yet exhilarating musical adventure tale. It has a robust & manic charm that was hard for me to resist. Robin Williams, in his starring debut, plays the titular sailor with enormous forearms, a squinty left eye, & superhuman strength after downing a can of spinach; funnily enough, in this film version, Popeye can't stand spinach.
Popeye returns to the bustling seaside town of Sweethaven, mired in the middle of an economic depression, to find his long lost father (Ray Walston) who had abandoned him long ago, mumbling to himself contemptuous comments in a vernacular that is not recognizable {quite funny, actually}. He also takes verbal swipes at the greedy tax collector, at bullies, & he also comments on the general social malaise & oppressive nature of the town. Conversely, he gushes over his personal philosophy on life: "I yam what I yam and that’s all that I yam". Soon enough, he whisks away the lanky Olive Oyl (Shelley Duvall) from her betrothed, the larger-than-life ruffian for the tax man, Capt. Bluto (Paul Smith), and embarks on a fun-filled courtship.
The couple thrives together, looking exactly like their cartoon characters - right down to their blundering maneuvers, babbling discussions & eccentric facial tics. The movie works well despite being so overtly odd because Altman knows how to handle this material, and Williams is a perfect Popeye; giving every inch of his physicality & comedic chops to the role. Shelley Duvall is a perfect oddball match for him, capturing the cartoonish expressions, ungainly walking style, & comedic essence of Olive Oyl. And their adopted child, Swee' Pea (Altman's grandson, Wesley Ivan Hurt), is the glue that holds the couple together through their many misadventures. i.e., a spurned Bluto kidnaps Olive & Swee' Pea, prompting Popeye to chug his spinach, battle an octopus, & save the day. In the end, it is their little tyke who leads them to Popeye's father, Poopdeck Pappy, for a joyful cartoon-like finale.
Sweethaven's sprawling ramshackle set & labyrinthine wharf that was built by 165 crew members on the island of Malta is absolutely wondrous to behold; exquisitely atmospheric, containing some 20 off-kilter leaning buildings, homes, a hotel, a schoolhouse, a post office, a store, a church, & a pub. Also fantastic are the over-the-top, goofball costumes, elephantine hair/make-up designs, & use of practical visual effects; all made to enhance the cartoon vibe for live-action purposes. Williams & Duvall sell their quirky romance very well. I enjoyed Paul Dooley as hamburger-lovin' Wimpy. And Paul Smith makes for The off-center songs contribute greatly to the outlandish mood. The humor in the script is definitely geared towards older kids {and even adults} - which is why some critics find this whole cinematic endeavor confounding. To that, while the verbal humor is more advanced, the copious amount of silly slapstick IS geared more for youngens.
This big-budget family flick - extravagant bizarreness & all - somehow comes together in the end, but because the budget was so high & because critical reception was all over the place, while this beguiling & deeply strange film made good $$, it was widely regarded, yet unfairly maligned as a bomb. When it wasn't a smash hit, Paramount & Disney Studios wrote it off as a disappointment. But reputation be damned, I enjoyed the slapdash nature of the whole thing and, really, this movie contains more artistic verve, energy & spirit than most animated cartoons could hope to give.
Popeye returns to the bustling seaside town of Sweethaven, mired in the middle of an economic depression, to find his long lost father (Ray Walston) who had abandoned him long ago, mumbling to himself contemptuous comments in a vernacular that is not recognizable {quite funny, actually}. He also takes verbal swipes at the greedy tax collector, at bullies, & he also comments on the general social malaise & oppressive nature of the town. Conversely, he gushes over his personal philosophy on life: "I yam what I yam and that’s all that I yam". Soon enough, he whisks away the lanky Olive Oyl (Shelley Duvall) from her betrothed, the larger-than-life ruffian for the tax man, Capt. Bluto (Paul Smith), and embarks on a fun-filled courtship.
The couple thrives together, looking exactly like their cartoon characters - right down to their blundering maneuvers, babbling discussions & eccentric facial tics. The movie works well despite being so overtly odd because Altman knows how to handle this material, and Williams is a perfect Popeye; giving every inch of his physicality & comedic chops to the role. Shelley Duvall is a perfect oddball match for him, capturing the cartoonish expressions, ungainly walking style, & comedic essence of Olive Oyl. And their adopted child, Swee' Pea (Altman's grandson, Wesley Ivan Hurt), is the glue that holds the couple together through their many misadventures. i.e., a spurned Bluto kidnaps Olive & Swee' Pea, prompting Popeye to chug his spinach, battle an octopus, & save the day. In the end, it is their little tyke who leads them to Popeye's father, Poopdeck Pappy, for a joyful cartoon-like finale.
Sweethaven's sprawling ramshackle set & labyrinthine wharf that was built by 165 crew members on the island of Malta is absolutely wondrous to behold; exquisitely atmospheric, containing some 20 off-kilter leaning buildings, homes, a hotel, a schoolhouse, a post office, a store, a church, & a pub. Also fantastic are the over-the-top, goofball costumes, elephantine hair/make-up designs, & use of practical visual effects; all made to enhance the cartoon vibe for live-action purposes. Williams & Duvall sell their quirky romance very well. I enjoyed Paul Dooley as hamburger-lovin' Wimpy. And Paul Smith makes for The off-center songs contribute greatly to the outlandish mood. The humor in the script is definitely geared towards older kids {and even adults} - which is why some critics find this whole cinematic endeavor confounding. To that, while the verbal humor is more advanced, the copious amount of silly slapstick IS geared more for youngens.
This big-budget family flick - extravagant bizarreness & all - somehow comes together in the end, but because the budget was so high & because critical reception was all over the place, while this beguiling & deeply strange film made good $$, it was widely regarded, yet unfairly maligned as a bomb. When it wasn't a smash hit, Paramount & Disney Studios wrote it off as a disappointment. But reputation be damned, I enjoyed the slapdash nature of the whole thing and, really, this movie contains more artistic verve, energy & spirit than most animated cartoons could hope to give.