There are times when a project comes together that just does not seem real. Such is the case with the 1980 live-action adaptation Popeye, which was based on the classic cartoons of the same name. We have already expressed our great love for the classic theatrical shorts (here and here), and this is far from the first live action film to be inspired by comics. The real surprises start coming when you dig into the creative side of the production. In a truly unexpected turn, legendary director Robert Altman (Nashville, M*A*S*H) tackled this project that feels like quite the left turn for the auteur. Furthermore, while the theatrical shorts often featured a tune or two, the decision to make this project a musical feels like an oddball decision meant to court the family audience even more. The final piece of the interesting mosaic is the casting of Robin Williams in the titular role. Up until this point, the comedian was mostly known for his role on Mork & Mindy, but this film would mark the first major starring role in a long and storied career. As we celebrate the 40th anniversary of this wild film, we take a look back at what made it such an interesting entry in the careers of some prominent figures.
The live-action adaptation takes place in the fictional coastal town of Sweethaven, a close-knit community that does not welcome strangers easily. This is not the best news for the traveling sailor Popeye (Robin Williams), who has just rowed up in his tiny boat to a village teeming with unwelcome glances and harsh taxation for everything from standing around to asking questions. After being turned away by every place in town, Popeye finds a place to rest in the Oyl family’s boarding house. The residence has many colorful personalities, but the most notable among them is the gangly, clumsy Olive Oyl (Shelley Duvall). Frequent Altman collaborator Duvall feels like she was born to play this role as she effortlessly personifies all of the traits that made you fall in love with the character in the shorts. Popeye’s beloved Olive Oyl is not meant to be his at this moment in time, as she is set to become engaged to the fearsome Captain Bluto (Paul L. Smith), who manages the town’s affairs for the enigmatic Commodore. Popeye is only in town to look for his long-lost Pappy, but his mere presence shakes up the town in a major way.
With this film serving as his debut leading film role, Robin Williams shows a commitment to character that we would come to expect from the larger than life personality. Compared to many of his roles, Popeye is downright reserved throughout most of the film, but he maintains the subtle traits that you expect from the character without making you feel like you are just watching Robin Williams playing dress-up. The first half-hour or so of the film is a little slow to get started, but it picks up upon the arrival of an abandoned baby in a basket who Popeye names Swee’Pea. As Popeye and Olive grow closer, the pugnacious Bluto blows a gasket and carries out some truly dastardly deeds that set off a bonkers finale. One of the great things about this film is the way in which the world hews so closely to the feel of the comics. The seaside setting of Sweethaven looks more than a bit cartoonish, but this goes much deeper than the setting. The physical comedy on display here takes its inspiration from the source material, which allows the film to play as a more lighthearted romp.
The world created by Altman is a lot of fun, but the film often seems to struggle with its identity as a musical. There are many catchy songs throughout the runtime, but a good portion of the musical numbers lack the energy to make them memorable. If you excised a few of these and streamlined the plot a little bit, it would make the nearly two-hour movie drag a little less. Popeye is a movie that I like that I really want to love. There seems to be such an attention to detail paid by the creatives, but the overall picture just feels slightly off in terms of pacing and pure comedy. With the film being as long as it is, the plot feels very superficial. For those who appreciate a visual spectacle with engrossing performances, Popeye delivers enough to keep you glued to the screen. Even a climactic confrontation with a prop octopus works way better than you would expect. Yet, you cannot help but feel that there is more than could have been done to make this something you want to return to on a more frequent basis. This is quite the creative swing by all of the parties involved. The film may get on base, but it never quite makes it around to home plate.
Video Quality
Popeye gets an upgrade on Blu-Ray courtesy of Paramount with a 1080p master in the original aspect ratio of 2:35:1. The transfer does not appear to be sourced from a fresh master, but it remains pretty strong throughout. This disc does not digitally manipulate the pleasing natural film grain that is present without being overly clumpy in the grain field. There are some nuanced, vibrant colors that make the film pop in a visually exciting way. The skin tones look natural, and the presentation is not plagued by black crush. The shadow detail present in certain shots holds up way better than was expected. The presentation never lacks in the fine detail that you would hope for from a Blu-Ray upgrade. While a fresh remaster with a 4K scan would have been preferred to clean up some of the nicks and scratches, this Blu-Ray is a clear upgrade from the ancient DVD release.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray comes with a lively Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack that sonically represents the film perfectly. The activity is dispersed pretty evenly across all of the channels with the playful music from Harry Nilsson filling the room appropriately. Music is a key part of this presentation, but it never overpowers the dialogue or other important information. The classic screwball dialogue, especially when delivered so fervently by a Williams, comes through clearly and never falls victim to any digital anomalies. Rear speakers get an immense amount of activity with ambient sounds, as environmental effects like thunder, rolling waves and squawking birds are precisely placed in the mix. There is a decent amount of low-end support in the more lively scenes, as well. This track accomplishes everything it needs to do really well.
Special Features
- Return to Sweethaven – A Look Back with Robin and The Altmans: A nearly fourteen-minute featurette in which archival footage of Robin Williams and Robert Altman is used in conjunction with a new interview with Stephen Altman to discuss the cartoonish elements, the makeup effects, the music in the film, shooting locations, the film’s reception and more. This is a very well done piece that helps contextualize what you see on screen. Worth checking out!
- The Popeye Company Players: A ten-minute piece that takes a closer look at the impressive ensemble assembled for this film composed in the same method as the previous featurette. This is a very nice piece that gives a spotlight to all the key performers and some of the smaller roles inhabited by very talented performers.
- Popeye’s Premiere: A three-minute look at the premiere via archival images underscored by the score from the film. There are so many fun shots to see within this.
- The Sailor Man Medleys: This is an option to jump directly to the various songs in the film.
- Theatrical Trailer: The two-minute theatrical trailer is provided here that pretty perfectly establishes the cartoonish nature of the film.
Final Thoughts
Popeye is a fascinating film with a strong creative aesthetic and a truly talented cast that give their all at every turn. Not every aspect of the film comes together in the most cohesive way, but the audacious nature of the production keeps the uneven nature of the film firmly on the side of entertaining. Watching the interplay between Robin Williams and Shelley Duvall is worth the cost of admission. Paramount Home Entertainment has delivered a long-awaited Blu-Ray release with a pretty solid A/V presentation and a few entertaining special features. If you are a fan of the film or are coming to it new as a fan of the talent involved, you should find quite a bit to like about this release. Recommended
Popeye is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Paramount Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
