Popeye the Sailor: The 1940s, Volume 1

Popeye the Sailor: The 1940s, Volume 1 is the fourth volume in a series of DVD by Warner Archive Collection released by Warner Home Video collecting, in chronological order, the theatrical Popeye cartoons originally distributed by Paramount Pictures. It is also the first authorized collection of theatrical Popeye cartoons to be released on a Blu-ray disc in a separate release. This single disc contains the first two Technicolor seasons of Popeye shorts produced by Famous Studios and released from 1943 to 1945 which were the first set of regular length Popeye shorts in color. Both the Blu-ray and the DVD were released on December 11, 2018, more than 10 years after the release of the last set of authorized Popeye shorts on home video.[1]

Popeye the Sailor: The 1940s, Volume 1
Directed byIsadore Sparber
Seymour Kneitel
Dan Gordon
StarringPopeye
Olive Oyl
Bluto
Music byWinston Sharples
Distributed byWarner Home Video
King Features Entertainment
Release date
December 17, 2018 (United States)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Background

During the winter of 1943, Famous Studios, the former Fleischer Studios, moved its studio from Miami, Florida back to New York City[2] at 25 West 45th Street.[3] With the move back to New York, Mae Questel returned as the voice of Olive Oyl beginning with The Anvil Chorus Girl.[4] While Popeye voice actor Jack Mercer was away serving during World War II, Questel often doubled as the voice of Popeye.[5] Mercer also doubled as story man receiving story screen credit.[6] Jackson Beck would settle down as the voice of Bluto, Popeye's main nemesis.[7] Also carried over from the Fleischer era were the Superman series of cartoons, but they were discontinued in 1943.[8] As an aside, a 1944 Popeye cartoon was made in which Bluto disguised himself as Superman which is in this collection titled She-Sick Sailors.[9] By this time, the entire output of Famous Studios cartoons were being made in Technicolor.[10] Famous Studios launched two new series of cartoons in 1943, one is another adaptation of a comic strip, Little Lulu.[11] The other is an anthology series titled Noveltoons which featured both one-shot and recurring characters, some of whom would later be promoted to their own series of cartoons.[12]

Cartoon listing with director credit

1943

1944
  • We're On Our Way to Rio (Isadore Sparber)
  • The Anvil Chorus Girl (Isadore Sparber)
  • Spinach Packin' Popeye (Isadore Sparber)
  • Puppet Love (Seymour Kneitel)
  • Pitchin' Woo at the Zoo (Isadore Sparber)
  • Moving Aweigh (Dan Gordon—uncredited)
  • She-Sick Sailors (Seymour Kneitel)

1945
  • Pop-Pie a la Mode1 (Isadore Sparber)
  • Tops in the Big Top (Isadore Sparber)
  • Shape Ahoy (Isadore Sparber)
  • For Better or Nurse (Isadore Sparber)
  • Mess Production (Seymour Kneitel)

Disclaimer

On the back cover, there is a disclaimer stating that this Blu-ray and DVD collection is intended for the adult collector and may not be suitable for children. More detailed wording in an opening screen explains that the ethnic stereotypes depicted in such cartoons as Pop-Pie a la Mode is considered to be offensive today but is included because it is part of the history of these cartoons.

Notes
  1. ^ This short is not made available for streaming purchase in digital stores due to ethnic controversy.

See also

References
  1. "High-Def 'Popeye the Sailor: The 1940s, Volume 1' Sets Sail in December". Animation Magazine. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  2. Maltin, Leonard (1980, rev. 1987). Of Mice and Magic. New York: Plume. Pg. 311
  3. Pointer, R.; Beck, J. (2017). The Art and Inventions of Max Fleischer: American Animation Pioneer. McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers. p. 249. ISBN 9781476663678. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  4. Bierly, S.R. (2009). Stronger Than Spinach: The Secret Appeal of the Famous Studios Popeye Cartoons. BearManor Media. ISBN 9781593935023. Retrieved 2019-01-18.
  5. "Mae Questel:A Reminiscence, History and Perspective". awn.com. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  6. "Jack Mercer". IMDb. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  7. "The Washington Post". washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  8. "All 17 Fleischer and Famous Studios animated Superman short films". Den of Geek. Retrieved 2019-09-04.
  9. "She-Sick Sailors (1944) - Popeye the Sailor Theatrical Cartoon Series". The Big Cartoon Database. Retrieved 2019-09-04.
  10. "Paramount Sales News #49: "Little Lulu's First Day At Famous Studios"". Cartoon Research. Retrieved 2019-09-04.
  11. "That First Step… Is a "Lulu"!". Cartoon Research. Retrieved 2019-09-04.
  12. "Restored Paramount "Noveltoons" on DVD". Cartoon Brew. Retrieved 2019-09-04.
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