Popeye

Rating:
Summary: Missing An Altman Commentary Track!
Review: If you're a fan of Robert Altman films (Nashville, MASH, The Player, California Split, McCabe & Mrs. Miller, Shortcuts, etc), then you really enjoy the commentary track he's recorded for all his other films on DVD. Sadly, this one lacks any sort of 'bonus', particularly the commentary track by Altman. I would've really enjoyed seeing this with an Altman commentary and would even buy this dvd a second time if it were ever re-issued with an Altman commentary.

Rating:
Summary: Popeye deserves better than a BOMB rating
Review: I really enjoyed watching the DVD version of this "musical" and found that the actors were very well matched to the characters they plalyed, but the music is forgetable. Personally I would give this at least a Maltin's two star rating in place of his BOMB rating.

Rating:
Summary: Robert Altman Makes Family Film(For Adults)
Review: This has to be one of the most unusual marriages of material and director in film history. An alleged family film directed by Robert Altman("M*A*S*H*), scripted by Jules Feiffer("Carnal Knowledge") and a song score by Harry Nillson and Van Dyke Parks. Having initially seen this film when I was seventeen and re-viewing it for the first time since I enjoyed it immensely. But who in their right mind thought this was a family film? This is not to say that it contains any off-color humor (well, a couple double- entendres) but the humor is so ironic that I can't see how children, at least a portion of it's intended audience, would understand it. Altman directs in his usual style(i.e. large ensembles, overlapping dialogue). The film does not have so much as a story but a series of comic vignettes. It may go on a little too long. The production design is ingenious, with the town of Sweethaven looking like it was constructed by driftwood and rusty nails. The songs, though sweetly performed, are mostly forgettable with one exception. Olive Oyl's(Shelley Duvall) rendition of "He Needs Me". This song was later used to good effect in Paul Thomas Anderson's "Punch-Drunk Love", Anderson being a director whose style has more than a passing resemblance to Altman's. The style of the film is in many ways reminiscent to the old Max Fleischer cartoons. A young Robin Williams does a good job of mimicry in his portrayal of Popeye. Duvall, on the other hand, is excellent as Olive Oyl. This is a role that she was born to play having both the physical build and temperment of the character. The supporting characters are well cast with Paul Dooley(Wimpy),Paul Smith(Bluto), and Ray Walston(Poopdeck Pappy). Look for future Oscar winner Linda Hunt("The Year of Living Dangerously") in a small role.

Rating:
Summary: One of My favorite musicals
Review: I loved this movie as a child! It used to anger me when Olive Oyl got tied up,but now,I dream that Kim Possible can kick Bluto's sorry a** all the way around the world,Heck even I can save Olive,if I was a Superheroine,My Partner in crimefighting and I,our 3 sidekicks and 2 assistants would put Bluto in handcuffs,just like K.P.I want this DVD,I almost got it,but it was a widescreen,UGH!

Rating:
Summary: A musical gem from Harry Nilsson!
Review: Harry Nilsson didn't record very much after his contract with RCA expired in 1978, his last album for the Nipper being his own personal favorite album of his career, 'Knnillssonn,' a truly great piece of work, but completely out of step with the Disco and Punk of 1978. The result: low sales. His very last album was released in 1980, 'Flash Harry,' produced by ex-M.G. Steve Cropper, using primarily the still intact Blues Brothers Band. Unfortunately, Cropper could not get a single record company to release it in the U.S.A., and resorted to releasing it on Mercury in the U.K.-only, in 1980.
Ah, but also in 1980, we have POPEYE! Harry Nilsson's soundtrack to this musical is phenomenal! And at least as a movie, it most definitely was released in the U.S.A. in 1980 and is readily available today on both DVD and VHS tape. With Harry's untimely death to a strange disease in the early 90's, this is the very last mainstream release of new Nilsson compositions. If you are a Harry Nilsson fan and yearn for yet one more "new" album from Harry, here it is - the DVD of this movie, 'Popeye.' And happily, it's a wall-to-wall musical, simply packed with the musical genius of Harry Nilsson!
Robin Williams' performance as Popeye is equally phenomenal - the mumbling under his breath, the swagger - he IS Popeye; Williams has done here what no one else could do. He is a human cartoon.
Fans of Harry Nilsson, Robin Williams, or Popeye - you will LOVE this movie! It is truly a movie musical treasure, of which there are far too little from the last 20 years of the 20th Century!

Rating:
Summary: A Fine Line Between Good and Cult...
Review: "Popeye" crosses the line between good mainstream film and becoming a cult classic. Robin Williams is excellent as Popeye, but the real star here is Shelley Duvall. She IS Olive Oyl. She steals the movie. The mistake I think filmmakers made was making this a musical. That really wasn't neccesary. Robert Altman's direction is right on, but takes the material a little too seriously and a little too dark for a comic book tale. Still, the movie lives on with a loyal following.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful fun
Review: Robin Williams' Popeye is a riotously funny movie. Williams does a better job than I remembered at bringing Segar's sailor to life. He maintains a steady stream of muttering commentary as he swaggers through Sweet Haven. To tell the truth, that's where all the best lines in the movie are, and they're easy to miss. Shelley Duvall created an impossibly accurate Olive Oyl, with some wild, rubbery moments in her performance. The town of Sweet Haven itself is almost a character, too. Most of it is cluttered and impossibly lopsided. It's true to old cartoon spirit, and filled with much too much detail to take in all at once.

For some unfathomable reason, this became a musical. The tunes are mostly forgettable, except for Duvall's "Large". They just didn't work real well for me. Also, some of the lesser characters (Wimpy, for example), weren't exaggerated as much as Olive Oyl and especially Popeye. A bit more work on some of those characters, Bluto in particular, and this could have been a real classic.

That's OK. It's a fun movie anyway, and good for kids - no hard edges, no serious violence. It never got the best reviews, but it's still worth watching.

//wiredweird

Rating:
Summary: Don't know why Robin Williams is ashamed of it.
Review: We think this is a great movie;

- Good clean fun.
- Excellent casting and make-up bring the comic strip Characters to life.
- Funny Dialogue.
- Some lovely songs.
- The little town is amazing.
- There are so many great character parts.
- Robin Williams make a credible Popeye.
- Really funny visual comedy.

My ONLY complaint - I didn't think the Bluto character was very well done...

Rating:
Summary: There's nothing ordinary about "Popeye"
Review: If you don't like this movie, then that's your opinion. I think you are wrong, and are probably a victim of watching too many typical movies. "Popeye" is not typical. It is watchable, and enjoyable. The lyrics and music are ingenious and charming. The characterizations of Popeye and Olive make them somewhat eccentric, but they are very true to the cartoons. And the sets and costumes! There is so much to see and appreciate in every shot that the production design reminds me of Jacques Tati.

So if you didn't like it, perhaps you are happy with the comedy of Adam Sandler. But I automatically deduct about 50 points from your probable IQ when I read some of the grammatical and spelling errors in your review.

Rating:
Summary: "Somebody owes me an apology!"
Review: The "Somebody owes me an apology!!" line by Olive's Dad was the funniest running gag in the movie but then they dropped it about halfway through. Big mistake. Great sets and characterizations hampered by misguided plot and inappropriate musical numbers. Great until about halfway through then it falls apart. Definately worth a watch for the Robin Williams Popeye characterization and the great sets. If you like the look and style of flicks like Warren Beatty's Dick Tracy, give it a rent!!