Product Description

The classic comic strip and cartoon hero comes to life in Robert Altman's film adaptation of the adventures of the spinach-munching sailor. After he's thrown from his ship during a storm, Popeye (Robin Williams) finds refuge in a quaint seaside town. There he rents a room from the Oyls and meets their daughter Olive (the perfectly cast Shelley Duvall). Olive is engaged to Captain Bluto (Paul Smith), a bully and ruffian who is in charge of collecting taxes for the mysterious Commandant. Popeye, who was orphaned at an early age, is in the midst of a desperate search for his missing father, but what he doesn't realize is that the shipwreck has brought him unexpectedly close to his final destination. In bringing his own distinct vision to E. C. Segar?s legendary hero, Altman creates an atmosphere that is breezy, loose, and filled with slapstick shenanigans. Williams portrays Popeye with a physically comic flair that is both honest and energetic--as do the rest of the cast members, including frequent Altman contributors Duvall, Paul Dooley, and David Arkin. Harry Nilssonss songs add to the lighthearted affair, making POPEYE an enjoyable family viewing experience all around.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5747 in DVD
• Brand: Paramount
• Released on: 2003-06-24
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 114 minutes

Amazon.com
Nothing interests filmmaker Robert Altman more than a contained culture that mixes bare humanity with local eccentricity (think of his M*A*S*H and Nashville). So Altman's Popeye (1980), based on the old comic strip, works best as a portrait of a busy, cluttered, cartoonish town called Sweethaven. But it is much less successful as a comprehensible story about the famous sailor with massive forearms and a relationship with Olive Oyl (Shelley Duvall). Robin Williams plays Popeye with his usual brilliance for mimicry, Paul Dooley makes a credible Wimpy, and Paul L. Smith makes an impression as the oversized bully, Bluto. But this strange, disastrous film never becomes more than an expensive workshop airing out Altmanesque themes. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews

REBELLION!
I will go mad if I hear one more critic say that Popeye is a mess, or one more person laugh and look at me strange when I bring up this movie. This movie is a work of art. The songs are works of art. Shelley Duvall's Olive Oil is a work of art. The lines Robin Williams mumbles so you have to watch the movie ten times to hear them are a work of art. The set is, the plot is. Did I say the music is? You're going to tell me that Shelley Duval dancing about oddly on the deck singing he needs me, he needs me, isn't just absolutely perfect!? And that whole Fooey, fooey scene! I'm gonna do one of those twist up my arm punches to the next person that says this movie was a travesty for Williams or show boating by Altman or anything else! AUGHHHHH! thanks for listening.

Believe those who reviewed it here, NOT the critics.
I really do not know how this film flopped in the Box Office:

Just like every reviewer (not weird critics) who wrote here, I believe this is an extraordinary movie.

One of the critics wrote that it is boring? I really really really cannot see if the guy is talking about this movie or another. If you wanna see for yourself just skim the other reviews:

This is a movie that has been watched tens and hundreds of times by those who own it. Boring? I do not know of any other movie that can withstand repeated viewing like this one, nor that has been so reported by its most positive reviewers.

Our whole family has watched this film for hundreds of times, other reviewers also mention similar numbers.

Why?

1- The script is unbelievable: Popeye (Williams) is blabbering all the time (as well as other chartacters): Somebody is always saying something, and each time we watch the movie again, we find new jokes, and in good style.

We know those who produced the film did not rip-us off. Many movies that made much better at the box office cannot stand to be viewed twice.

2- The characters are a real Popeye movie come to life: Every one is the real cartoon come to life, the way you have them stored in your imagination. This is a delight not available in any similar movie.

3- Any person seeking to see a Popeye movie is not interested in the issues discussed by the critics... come on guys, are they reviewing Gone With The Wind?

This is a perfect Popeye movie; and if that's what you want you will see it at least 10 times... guaranteed.

Too bad about the reviews; I even saw an interview with Robin Williams and let me tell you, when this film was mentioned he was really "embarrassed". We love his style and comedy in his other movies but we do not agree with him timid attitude: We believe this is one of his best films.

Months of checking have finally paid off!
... This is one of those movies that you have to appreciate for it's simplicity and sometimes almost cheesy scenarios. I can't imagine anyone playing these characters other than the people cast. Robin Williams performance as Popeye is reminiscent of the really old B&W Popeye cartoons where half of the time he's mumbling which adds to the comedy. Even the costumes in this movie are semi-cartoonish which cleverly adds to the cartoon-to-live-action transition while reminding us that the silliness is part of the reason we loved the cartoons and characters as much as we did, and still do.
Bravo to Paramount for finally releasing this on DVD for the people like me who have been searching for this classic since I bought my DVD player. I've been checking on a weekly to monthly basis for a long time now, and am estatic to see my searching has paid off.
If you haven't seen this fantastic movie before, or haven't seen it in years, take the time to rent it one more time so you can see what you'd be gaining by ordering or pre-ordering this today!!