When Popeye Ruledthe Seven Seas

Rating:
Summary: Popeye cartoons in desperate need of proper restoration.
Review: Collects three of the most memorable Popeye cartoons on a single DVD. Unfortunately, the transfer is not very good; Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamps appears to have been lifted from video. The sound effects have been updated and are very intrusive, frequently overwhelming the dialog. Popeye Meets Sinbad the Sailor fares better and has an acceptable soundtrack. The real gem on the disc (and perhaps of interest to only budding animators) is a newsreel about the Fleischers' studio and an insider's look at their production process, from storyboard to editing. The scenes from Aladdin contained in the newsreel are spectacular and demonstrate the vital need to have these early animation classics properly restored and archived.

Rating:
Summary: GREAT Cartoons . . . TERRIBLE DVD!!
Review: First, let's be clear that this review is for this DVD only, and not the cartoons themselves. Among animation fans, few would dispute the fact that the Fleischer brothers were creative geniuses whose innovative techniques are admired to this day.

But the sound on this DVD does these great works a terrible injustice. The sound on Aladdin has been reworked with "improved" sound effects, to the detriment of the original dialog and music. I had to shut off surround and turn the treble down to minus 12db on my receiver just to make the added sound bearable! At one point, after Popeye (Aladdin) has been transformed into a prince, he's riding into the city on his great, white steed, and singing a song. But all through the song all I could hear was a loud "clop, clop, clop" that was, I presume, supposed to be the sound of horses hooves on pavement, but sounded like nothing less than Monty Python and the Holy Grail's "banging two coconuts together." The added or "enhanced" sound effects on Aladdin were more than distracting, they were overwhelming!

The rest of the cartoon shorts are a bit better, and the newsreel is an interesting bit of history.

I don't know. All in all I suppose I am happy to have these in some form, but I'd pay several times as much for decently restored (and properly respected) disk of these same cartoons. Hopefully, someone will come along in the not too distant future with a definitive restored collection of the classic Fleischer Studios Popeye cartoons and put them on DVD.

This is NOT that DVD. Buy it if you must, but be prepared to tear your hair out all through Aladdin (at least) as you strain to hear the wonderful dialog . . . because it's THAT BAD.

Rating:
Summary: Who's the most phenominal, extra special kinda fellow?
Review: I loved these when I was a kid - they were on every afternoon during the local kid's show from Ottawa - and seeing them again now, I can understand why I did! Do they stand the test of time - my three year old is asking for and eating spinach - and singing both Sindbad's song along with Abu Hassan's! (who I think Saddam Hussein based his schitck on - or maybe it was Donald Rumsfeld who used Popeye meets Ali Baba when he planned the invasion using special forces, i.e., Popeye in the run up to the Iraq War. I digress, but it does have comedic possibilities!)

Yes the sound and transfer are spotty, but I'm sure they were on TV in 1962 too! Buy it and enjoy!

Rating:
Summary: When Lawyers Ruled Cartoons
Review: It's true. The majority of those great 30's Popeye cartoons are being held up for release because King Features and Turner can't come to terms. Yeah? Well here's your terms: YOU AIN'T GONNA MAKE NO MONEY TIL YA RELEASE 'EM! Now, on with this DVD. Some of the reviewers don't give it enough stars in my opinion. The only reason I don't give it a full 5 stars is because of the lousy color on the first three cartoons, there ain't ENOUGH cartoons and the cover art could've been better. But, with all the flaws, flawed vintage Popeye is better than NO Popeye. The two black-and-white cartoons ("Li'l Swee'Pea" and "Customers Wanted") actually look better than the color films (Sindbad, Forty Thieves, and Aladdin). I bought this DVD while lying in wait for the entire Fleischer collection. It'll have to do...you ain't gonna find a better one til then!

Rating:
Summary: almost unwatchable
Review: Some of the best Popeye cartoons have been gathered here ("Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp," "Popeye Meets Sindbad," "Popeye Meets Ali Baba," "Li'l Sweet Pea," and "Customer's Wanted.) All of the cartoons have been on higher priced Cartoon Crazys editions. They all look the same (mixed bag) and have the same overblown stereo sound.
The extra included here is a good, old newsreel about the making of Popeye cartoons. While it does not contain the extensive production notes and reading lists of the Cartoon Crazies volumes, some may still find the newsreel preferable.
And at this price, you can't go wrong.

Rating:
Summary: almost unwatchable
Review: The coloring is sub-par as is the sound. The addition of updated sound effects are horrible they are louder than the cartoon itself with added effects that shouldnt even be there. You can occasionally hear the original effects intermixed with the ones that were added. Popeye is worthy of a ... package with original content enough of these bargain basement throw aways

Rating:
Summary: horrible sound
Review: This DVD does NOT contain original and unedited versions of these cartoons. It has been said here before and I'll say it again... environmental sound effects (footsteps, typewriter noise, etc.) have been added to these cartoons. The new sounds are VERY loud and clearly from a source distinct from the voice acting. They are a huge distraction. Also, the opening credits for some of the cartoons have been edited. These Fleischer cartoons are masterpieces, and to have them mangled is a shame.

Rating:
Summary: Did Bluto have a hand in this?
Review: What we have here is yet another sub-par Popeye DVD release. Granted, "Popeye: When Popeye Ruled the Seven Seas" collects some classic Popeye cartoons. "Popeye Meets Sinbad the Sailor," "Aladdin and his Wonderful Lamps" and "Popeye Meets Ali Baba And His Forty Thieves" are amongst the best Popeye cartoons ever made. Because of this, they are included on nearly every Fleischer Popeye collection on DVD. Here they are again.

The disc also includes two black-and-white Popeye cartoons, "Little Swee'Pea" and "Customers Wanted," both also available on other Popeye DVD collections. Both are great cartoons, and worth owning. The featurette newsreel is the real bonus of this disk and offers the only real reason to buy it if you own other Popeye collections.

The quality of the pictures and sound is the usual un-restored sub-par quality found on other Popeye DVDs. No better or worse than VHS. It is nice to have the cartoons available at all, and I am happy to own them but it seems like the Sailor Man with the Spinach Can deserves better than the small serving available on this DVD. I lie in wait of the high-quality box set of Fleischer Popeye cartoons that I would gladly pay big bucks for. Until then, "Popeye: When Popeye Ruled the Seven Seas" will have to do.

Rating:
Summary: Did Bluto have a hand in this?
Review: What we have here is yet another sub-par Popeye DVD release. Granted, "Popeye: When Popeye Ruled the Seven Seas" collects some classic Popeye cartoons. "Popeye Meets Sinbad the Sailor," "Aladdin and his Wonderful Lamps" and "Popeye Meets Ali Baba And His Forty Thieves" are amongst the best Popeye cartoons ever made. Because of this, they are included on nearly every Fleischer Popeye collection on DVD. Here they are again.

The disc also includes two black-and-white Popeye cartoons, "Little Swee'Pea" and "Customers Wanted," both also available on other Popeye DVD collections. Both are great cartoons, and worth owning. The featurette newsreel is the real bonus of this disk and offers the only real reason to buy it if you own other Popeye collections.

The quality of the pictures and sound is the usual un-restored sub-par quality found on other Popeye DVDs. No better or worse than VHS. It is nice to have the cartoons available at all, and I am happy to own them but it seems like the Sailor Man with the Spinach Can deserves better than the small serving available on this DVD. I lie in wait of the high-quality box set of Fleischer Popeye cartoons that I would gladly pay big bucks for. Until then, "Popeye: When Popeye Ruled the Seven Seas" will have to do.

Rating:
Summary: Some of the best cartoons ever made!!
Review: Yea - the quality could be a lot better. But this is Popeye's best stuff. Especially the two-reelers.
This was the Fleischer brothers firing with both barrels - trying to convince the studio that a movie length cartoon was feasible.
The movie never quite worked out for them. But the cartoons are pure gold.
You can pick them up on the cheap now, or keep waiting till who knows when.