Revisiting POPEYE in 4K

POPEYE (4K + Blu-ray)

1980 / 113 min

Paramount

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😾

If you’re old enough to have seen Popeye in a theater, you probably couldn’t help but be knocked out by the opening sequence where the title character arrives in the coastal town of Sweethaven. Even today, it remains a triumph of imaginative production design. Add to that the first appearance of Robin Williams in a role he was born to play, and you had the makings of a magical musical with charming reverence for the original source material. For a while, the sheer aesthetic whimsy on display was enough to keep you engaged.

But a gorgeous aesthetic and spot-on characterizations can only carry a movie so far. Once the novelty wears off, you’re left with a weird, interminable film with about 10 minutes of actual story unreasonably stretched out to two hours…and that’s when it even bothers to get to the story. To call the first half of Popeye meandering is an understatement, with gobs of isolated sequences that try to capture the quirkiness of the original comic & cartoons with live actors…and mostly failing.

The film’s narrative shortcomings are exacerbated by a scattershot pace, occasionally clumsy direction, Williams’ unintelligible dialogue (thank God for subtitles) and laborious musical numbers with terrible songs (was Harry Nilsson on another bender when he wrote these?). You certainly can’t fault the actors, all of whom perfectly embody these classic characters. But what remains shocking even today is that somebody (probably producer Robert Evans) thought director Robert Altman was the right man for the job. A fiercely independent maverick his entire career, Altman is clearly out of his element.

"Stop smoking around the baby!"

Still, Popeye does have its share of admirers. What was once written off as a pricy, slapdash trainwreck has earned something of a cult following over the years, perhaps by those who did see the film in theaters back in the day and now carry a nostalgic torch for it. Those same folks might appreciate this new 4K release, which doesn’t include any new bonus material but boasts a pretty nice video upgrade. The two audio options, DTS-HD MA 5.1 and Dolby Digital 2.1, are nothing mindblowing, but strike a nice balance between the music, sound effects and dialogue (though you’ll still want subtitles whenever Williams is speaking). 

As for this writer, Popeye is pretty to look at, but ultimately something of an endurance test that stands out in Altman’s filmography like a sore thumb. Then again, what do I know? I’m the one guy who thought Quintet was actually pretty good.

EXTRA KIBBLES

4K, BLU-RAY & DIGITAL COPIES

FEATURETTES - Return to Sweethaven: A Look Back with Robin and the Altmans features interviews with actor Robin Williams, director Robert Altman and his son; The Popeye Company Players takes a look at the characters.

POPEYE’S PREMIERE is a photo gallery of the movie’s premiere screening.

THE SAILOR MAN MEDLEYS - Jump to the musical numbers.

A Lonely Old Man's Take on THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SEARCH FOR SQUAREPANTS

THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SEARCH FOR SQUAREPANTS (Blu-ray)

2025 / 88 min

Paramount

Review by Mr. Bonnie, the Barnacle Boy😽

With my kids all grown up, it’s been a long time since I’ve revisited Bikini Bottom. But I spent many years enjoying the show on the living room sofa with them, and later taking my oldest daughter to the first movie when it came out…perhaps a little put-off at paying for something that was still on TV for free (but since this particular night at the movies wasn’t about me, I kept it to myself).

SpongeBob SquarePants was always a bit more creative, clever and funnier than a lot of other shows aimed at kids, so I seldom watched it with my girls out of a sense of duty. But alas, there comes a time to put away childish things, and once my kids lost interest in it, so did I. And that’s okay, because like The Simpsons, the show was starting to get a bit stale anyway (though it’s still airing on Nickelodeon, and as of this writing, is among the longest running cartoons in history).

I couldn’t convince either of my girls to join me for The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, even out of a sense of nostalgia. So here I am…a middle-aged man watching a SpongeBob movie all by himself, more out of journalistic obligation than anticipation. (sad sigh)

This is the fourth theatrically released SpongeBob movie. While aware of the previous two sequels, I never watched them, but I was a little taken-back that this one is largely computer animated. I dunno…maybe that was done to assure today’s parents they’re getting something that is not on TV for free. Whatever the case, the animation isn’t bad and the settings are just as bright and colorful as the original show, but I’m kind of a purist. While I realize I’m not the film’s intended audience and every kids movie is GC these days, I miss the quaint charms of hand-drawn animation (which not even Disney bothers with anymore).

"Keelhauling? IIII'm ready!"

Other than that, it’s business as usual, with a bit more mild crude humor and butt jokes to earn its PG rating. In this one, the main antagonist is The Flying Dutchman, a ghostly pirate who needs an innocent soul to break his curse so he can return to the real world. And sorry SpongeBob fans…no free Krabby Patty for figuring out whose soul is at stake, for the plot is in the title. While everyone’s favorite yellow invertebrate ventures off with the Dutchman to prove his bravery (with Patrick in-tow, of course), Mr. Krabs, Squidward and Gary follow them to the Underworld to save him.

The story is basically an extended episode, and as such, the film should please fans, though some endearing secondary characters (Plankton, Sandy, etc) don’t get nearly as much screen time as they deserve. Like any extended episode, it sometimes struggles to justify its length, but I can’t imagine anyone who enjoyed the other films not digging this one.

Even though it’s sometimes very funny, I didn’t laugh much. But the problem is obviously with me. While I’m not too old to appreciate the film for what it is, a big reason I always found SpongeBob amusing is because my kids did. If they were by my side - and 10 years old again - their laughter would’ve been infectious.  

So as the end credits finally rolled, part of me felt a little melancholy. Unless one of my daughters becomes suddenly stricken by the nostalgia bug, it’s unlikely I’ll ever enjoy SpongeBob like I used to. However, if you’re a still a parent with young ones - and perhaps grew up on the franchise yourself - Search for SquarePants makes an agreeable family movie night

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - The SpongeBob Ensemble: The Veteran Voices features interviews with the main cast; The SpongeBob Ensemble: The New Crew focuses on new cast members; The Flying Dutchman: Animated Artistry and Live Acting is about the main antagonist; From Bikini Bottom to the Underworld is about the various settings of the film.

MUSIC VIDEO - “Big Guy,” by Ice Spice, who also voices one of the characters.

DVD & DIGITAL COPIES

LOONEY TUNES PLATINUM COLLECTION VOLUMES 1 & 2: Back in Print

LOONEY TUNES PLATINUM COLLECTION, VOLUMES 1 & 2 (Blu-ray)

1930-1969 / Volume 1: 357 min / Volume 2: 365 min

Warner Bros

Available at www.MovieZyng.com

Review by Mr. Paws😸

Looney Tunes are no strangers to home video in every format (save for 4K, which we don’t really need). Over the years, there have been some stellar collections, the best probably being the comprehensive six-volume Golden Collection DVD boxed sets. More recently, Warner Archive’s Collector’s Choice Blu-ray series served up interesting assortments of rarities and obscurities. Both series are must-owns for hardcore fans.

But hey, sometimes you just want the hits. While I like Kiss, I never felt compelled to own every album the band ever made. Whenever I’m in the mood to rock and roll all night and party every day, throwing their greatest hits album on the turntable does the job just fine. Similarly, the three volume Looney Tunes Platinum Collection mostly focuses on the undisputed classics starring Warner Bros’ most iconic characters. For the most bang-for-your-buck, it doesn’t get much better than this.

After being out of print for several years,Volumes One and Two are being re-issued on Blu-ray. The content and bonus features (of which there are a ton) are identical to the original releases, so if you have those, there’s no need to read any further. But if you missed your chance the first time around…

Each volume includes 50 shorts over two discs, and a third one packed with supplemental material and additional shorts (many of the latter focus on a particular director’s work outside of the Looney Tunes/Merry Melodies banner). If forced to choose, I’d say Volume One is the better of the two simply because there’s a greater emphasis on the work of Chuck Jones, who I personally think was responsible for most of the best cartoons (with considerable help from writer Michael Maltese, of course). 

Never overfeed your pets.

Still, both sets provide a treasure trove of fun and history. What’s truly the best of the best is obviously subjective, but it’s hard to argue with what’s included. Volume One boasts such classics as Baseball Bugs, Rabbit of Seville, What’s Opera Doc?, The Scarlet Pumpernickel, Robin Hood Daffy, Duck Amuck, Scaredy Cat, Fast and Furry-ous and Duck Dodgers in the 24th ½ Century (if fact, every cartoon featuring Marvin the Martian is here). Most iconic characters have their moments in the spotlight, some more than others. For example, there’s plenty of Bugs, Daffy, Porky and Sylvester, while conversely, Wile E. Coyote & Road Runner and Foghorn Leghorn are comparatively underrepresented. Additionally, Volume One includes some of the greatest one-off shorts the studio ever made, such as One Froggy Evening, The Three Little Bops and From A to Z-Z-Z-Z.

Volume Two kicks off with Bugs’ official debut, A Wild Hare, then keeps the classics coming with Long-Haired Hare, Show Biz Bugs, Deduce You Say!, Porky in Wackyland (director Bob Clampett’s magnum opus), Canned Feud, The Foghorn Leghorn, Rabbit Fire, Rabbit Seasoning, Duck! Rabbit, Duck!, Dripalong Daffy and Birdy and the Beast. This sets also showcases several lesser-known Looney Tunes creations, such as A. Flea, Beaky (quite a lot of him, actually) and one of my favorite forgotten foes, Nasty Canasta. Speaking of antagonists, it’s interesting to note that Yosemite Sam is almost nowhere to be found in either collection.

Though they shouldn’t be considered comprehensive, both volumes of the Looney Tunes Platinum Collection are must-owns for those who want some of the greatest Warner Bros cartoons from the classic era. Supplemented by an outstanding - and exhaustive - batch of bonus features and historical obscurities, these are excellent re-issues. Don’t miss your opportunity this time around.

EXTRA KIBBLES

BEHIND THE TUNES - Discs one and two of each volume include short retrospective documentaries on certain cartoons (11 on Volume One, 8 on Volume 2), featuring interviews with contemporary animator, historians and a few surviving artists who worked on them.

AUDIO COMMENTARIES - Volume One features 24 commentaries for specific cartoons; Volume 2 has 16.

MUSIC-ONLY AUDIO TRACKS - For specific cartoons.

MUSIC & EFFECTS TRACKS - For specific cartoons.

VOCALS-ONLY TRACK - For The Three Little Bops.

Additional Volume One Kibbles:

A GREETING FROM CHUCK JONES

CHUCK JONES DOCUMENTARIES - Chuck Amuck: The Movie (the best one); Chuck Jones: Extremes and Inbetweens; Chuck Jones: Memories of Childhood.

THE ANIMATED WORLD OF CHUCK JONES - Nine additional cartoon shorts.

HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS - Pencil Test

BONUS CARTOONS - The Fright Before Christmas; Spaced Out Bunny; Duck Dodgers and the Return of the 24th ½ Century; Another Froggy Evening; Marvin the Martian in the Third Dimension; From Hare to Eternity; Father of the Bird; Museum Scream. Most of these were made after Looney Tunes’ classic era.

Additional Volume Two Kibbles:

DOCUMENTARIES - King-Size Comedy: Tex Avery and the Looney Tunes Revolution; Tex Avery, the King of Cartoons; Friz on Film (Freleng, that is); Toonheads: The Lost Cartoons; Real American Zero: Private Snafu (more on him later).

THE WORLD OF LEON SCHLESINGER - Schlesinger was Looney tunes’ prolific producer, and these are a series of very rare old shorts, including 1930’s Sinkin’ in the Bathtub, the very first Warner Bros cartoon.

FRIZ AT MGM: CAPTAIN AND THE KIDS CARTOONS - Five of the shorts Friz Freleng did for MGM studios.

THE BEST OF THE REST OF TEX - 11 of the MGM shorts Tex Avery did for MGM.

PRIVATE SNAFU - Warner Bros did a series of black &white shorts intended just for U.S. soldiers. 8 of them are included here. The character himself was created by Frank Capra.

MR. HOOK - 3 cartoon shorts created for the U.S. Navy. More were made, but these were the ones produced by Warner Bros.

THE DAY THE EARTH BLEW UP: A Welcome Throwback

THE DAY THE EARTH BLEW UP: A LOONEY TUNES MOVIE (Blu-ray)

2024 / 91 min

From Ketchup Entertainment

Review by Princess Pepper😺

It did my heart good to see The Day the Earth Blew Up. Finally…a movie that remembers Looney Tunes are supposed to be…well, loony.

I’ve loved the classic old cartoons ever since I was a wee one, when catching them on TV was the best part of waking up on Saturday morning. Sure, a majority of those cartoons were made before I was ever born, but the characters and humor were timeless (and better than anything Hanna-Barbera was shoving down kids’ throats).

Of course, times change and nothing lasts forever, but at the risk of sounding like another crusty old boomer, subsequent attempts to keep Looney Tunes culturally relevant felt more like cynical marketing decisions than creative ones. Its classic characters were mere shadows of their former selves, reduced to being a brand name…

…which makes The Day the Earth Blew Up a wonderful throwback, of sorts. It’s not a live-action/animation hybrid. There are no Looney Tunes babies. Nobody’s solving mysteries, teaching college or ringing in the holidays. No celebrity cameos, rap battles or gratuitous product placement. No 3-D or computer animation. Sure, Porky Pig and Daffy Duck are tasked with saving the world, but at least it isn’t by shooting hoops with Michael Jordan.

Speaking of which, the plot is sort of perfunctory, but still reflects some creative effort and provides a great canvas on which to showcase a lot of clever humor. Trying to make enough money to repair the roof of their house, Porky and Daffy are forced to get jobs (which they’ve never had). This leads to an amusing montage where they’re repeatedly hired and fired, at least until, at Petunia Pig’s behest, they find work at a local bubble gum factory. That’s when Daffy stumbles upon an alien’s plot to put mind-controlling green goo into the mix, turning people into obedient zombies.

Daffy re-enacts his favorite scene from Pulp Fiction.

The story actually has a few neat twists, but what’s ultimately most important - to this old man, anyway - is Porky and Daffy actually being old school Porky and Daffy. In the latter’s case, really old school. His personality and appearance reflects the Bob Clampett-era Daffy, when he was still a mischievous prankster (though I think angry & selfish Daffy would’ve been funnier). Both characters are voiced by Eric Bauza, who’s arguably better suited for the job than anyone since Mel Blanc.

In addition to the good ol’ slapstick violence that endeared me to Looney Tunes in the first place, director Peter Browngardt and his (huge) team of writers throw in plenty of satiric elements and funny throwaway gags. This includes a hilariously suggestive scene involving Daffy, Porky and Petunia at a coffee shop that'll probably fly right over the heads of younger viewers. 

Not everything works. The strange, surreal scenes involving Farmer Jim (who raised Porky & Daffy) seem to belong to another movie. Not only that, there are layers of sentimentality that I doubt Clampett, Freleng or Jones would have ever bothered with (nor does the story need). Still, that’s a minor quip compared to what we get in return…Looney Tunes being truly loony, and the entire thing presented through colorful, old fashioned hand-drawn animation.

WACKY RACES Speeds Down Memory Lane

WACKY RACES: THE COMPLETE SERIES (Blu-ray)

1968 / 408 min

From Warner Archive Collection

Available at www.MovieZyng.com

Review by Mr. Paws😺

While I wouldn’t bet my life on it, I’m pretty damn certain Wacky Races was the first Saturday morning cartoon I remember watching. I also seem to recall my sister and I eating enough Cheerios to collect all the boxtops required to get models of Dirk Dastardly and Penelope Pitstop’s cars. Of course, this makes me roughly 850 years old.

Back when Hanna-Barbara pretty much ruled Saturday mornings, they cranked out scores of shows that would never be mistaken for Disney, but were enough to placate undemanding kids sitting in front of the TV with a bowl of Cocoa Puffs. A few classics notwithstanding, most of them lasted only a season or two. In fact, only 17 episodes of Wacky Races were ever produced.

Originally airing in 1968, Wacky Races featured a variety of colorful characters and their crazy cars competing in a different location for each race. There were always two races per episode, and the winners earned the title of “World’s Wackiest Racer.” As a kid, the fun part was trying to predict who was going to win next because, other than Dirk Dastardly, it could have been anybody.

Dog is my co-pilot.

Looking back at it now, it’s pretty clear that Wacky Races was Hanna-Barbara’s answer to Road Runner/Wile E. Coyote cartoons, with Dastardly as the hapless coyote and everyone else taking turns being the Road Runner. Some episodes even copped a few of the same gags. And with such wild personalities behind the wheels of these cars, it’s amusing to think the show may have even been one of the inspirations for Death Race 2000.

For others in their mid-800s who might recall Wacky Races, this Blu-ray is a nifty slab of nostalgia. Though never as uproarious as we might remember, the show harks back to those bygone Saturday mornings when TV was created just for us. Adding to the fun is an assortment of bonus features that delve into the show's short history. Pour yourself a bowl of Cocoa Puffs and start your engines for a trip down memory lane.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - Rearview Mirror: A Look Back at Wacky Races is an 18-minute retrospective of the show, including a few people who were involved in its production; Spin-Out Spin-Offs takes a look at various spin-offs featuring some of the characters from the original how.

AUDIO COMMENTARIES - For 4 individual races/segments.

TRIVIA TRACK - Episode #1 with pop-up text trivia.