tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31723906.post2183614048094212641..comments2024-01-28T22:17:29.551-08:00Comments on Pappy's Golden Age Comics Blogzine: Number 1623: John Severin strongs to the finichPappyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977289662431694607noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31723906.post-17970691941095387542014-08-29T03:56:34.116-07:002014-08-29T03:56:34.116-07:00Billy, Daniel, Mike, thanks to all of you for your...Billy, Daniel, Mike, thanks to all of you for your letters. The movie <i>Popeye</i> seems to stir some strong feelings one way or the other. <br /><br />My wife, who doesn't like comics and never read a <i>Popeye</i> comic strip loved the movie and told everyone how much she liked it. I winced at her enthusiasm at the time because all I could see in the movie was where it didn't meet my own feelings about the character, about Segar's comic strip, my love of the Bud Sagendorf <i>Popeye</i> comic book of the fifties and the Fleischer cartoons shown every weekday afternoon on television. But in retrospect I knew that going into the theater. I was predisposed to some negativity just based on Hollywood's audacity in trying to bring the comic character to life with an actor. I was surprised there were things I liked (the aforementioned Duvall performance, for instance). I was not as familiar with Williams' work or comedic style because I didn't watch <i>Mork and Mindy</i>. I wonder if that bothered an audience which went to the movie expecting Williams to do more of what they were familiar with of his comedic style.<br /><br />But the movie itself wasn't the subject of my post, which was a satire of the movie drawn by one of my favorite cartoonists, John Severin. I am usually surprised that what I show, or a remark I may make, can turn the discussion into something different from my original intention. Pappyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01977289662431694607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31723906.post-27552731899336671582014-08-28T19:06:38.991-07:002014-08-28T19:06:38.991-07:00More importantly, at the time the idea of a "...More importantly, at the time the idea of a "live-action cartoon" was simply unachievable. Hollywood should have learned its lesson with Spielberg's <i>1941</i>, which was much funnier as an unrestrained raunchy, obscene Heavy Metal comic book than a PG-rated movie. Physical effects just cannot match cartoon pacing. (Today we have CGI.)<br /><br />In 1980, masters of make-up effects could transform Williams into a reasonable breathing facsimile of the Sailor Man, and he played the character beautifully--but as he thrashes around in a studio tank with a rubber octopus that is only slightly more lively than the one in Ed Wood's <i>Bride of the Monster</i>, the pace of the action becomes as waterlogged as Swee'pea's diaper.<br /><br />Comic-level vitality issues aside, the movie fails because it is about <i>nothing.</i> Misunderstanding the intent of the plot, critics and fans whined about Popeye's spinach-phobia, but the real weakness is that this ugly little loner builds a complete loving family and community while searching for his father...and not once did I get the feeling that this was the <i>intended</i> theme. There is no theme. It's all just "Look! Live-action Popeye! Check out the casting! Isn't Duvall perfect for Olive? Look at the money we spent on Sweethaven! All for nothing! Nothing! Ha ha ha ha (sob)..."<br /><br />See also: Warren Beatty's <i>Dick Tracy</i>. I remember matte paintings from it, I remember big-name cameos from it...but the only complete scene and plot point I still remember is the revelation of Junior's full name. The crummy old RKO pictures are more satisfying and memorable.<br />BillyWitchDoctorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14311279565432013472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31723906.post-33584546134999282922014-08-28T16:23:20.870-07:002014-08-28T16:23:20.870-07:00I read at least one review that took that position...I read at least one review that took that position that Duvall were born to play Olive Oyl.<br /><br />Williams had done brief imitations of the Fleischer Popeye well before he was cast to play Popeye, and I think that Altman really began with little more than the “high concept” of building a movie from Williams' imitations.<br /><br />Altman began with a disturbing lack of awareness. At the start of the process, Feiffer had to explain to Altman that, in requesting a script about Popeye, one had to identify whether one were talking about Segar's comic strip, the early Fleischer cartoons, some later comic strip, some later cartoons, or something still else.<br /><br />The charm of Popeye derives primarily from its sensibilities, even though most never <i>recognize</i> the flavor. Although <i>Thimble Theater</i> and the Fleischer cartoons were not overtly labelled as <i>Jewish</i>, their sensibilities were very much those of American Jews of the early 20th Century. Anybody find that in Altman's movie?<br /><br />It makes little sense to try to create a movie from what is at its <i>heart</i> a comic strip if indeed a movie cannot or should not be much like a comic strip. (Perhaps a <i>live-action</i> movie cannot or should not.)Daniel [oeconomist.com]https://www.blogger.com/profile/06763094285750736837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31723906.post-41268867420734395172014-08-28T03:58:13.180-07:002014-08-28T03:58:13.180-07:00Mike, "a movie, not a comic strip" — and...Mike, "a movie, not a comic strip" — and therein lies the rub. Yes, I admire Altman's movies, but I have a vision of characters stuck in my brain that often doesn't synch with the movie creator's. It is a prejudice, I admit.<br /><br />I had hoped to get a couple of hours and watch <i>Popeye</i> on Amazon Prime before posting the <i>Cracked</i> version, but so far have not succeeded. (Busy summer.) I would like to see if it is the same film I remember seeing in 1981.<br /><br />Always nice to hear from you, Mike!<br /><br />Pappyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01977289662431694607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31723906.post-12424819028346855292014-08-27T16:33:28.935-07:002014-08-27T16:33:28.935-07:00Severin made Robin Williams look like Nick Fury wi...Severin made Robin Williams look like Nick Fury with an one-eye squint instead of two and replaced the cigar with a pipe. Altman made a masterpiece although reviled it after release. It wasn't like the comic strip because it is a movie, not a comic strip.Mike Britthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11096636522530762132noreply@blogger.com