The most popular sailor in animation history is certainly "strong to the finish." Nearly 75 years after his silver screen debut, he'll bring to DVD for the first time the cartoons that first made him famous when Warner Home Video (WHV), Hearst Ent. and King Features Syndicate release POPEYE THE SAILOR 1933-1938 VOLUME 1 on July 31, 2007, for $64.92.
These classic POPEYE animated shorts made Popeye, Olive Oyl and Bluto national pop icons and the four-disc authorized edition DVD collection includes 60 original remastered and unedited theatrical shorts created by the legendary Max Fleischer.
Popeye The Sailor was introduced to the American audience in 1933 and became one of the most endearing and successful characters in animation history, mainly because of his unique vernacular and hilarious catch phrases. His adventures were strange, humorous and often supernatural as he traveled all over the world to resolve conflicts with enemies. With his enormous muscular forearms and corncob pipe in mouth, Popeye was always victorious after he ate his spinach.
POPEYE THE SAILOR 1933-1938 VOLUME 1 includes more than nine hours of cartoons: 58 (7- to 10-minute) theatrical black-and white-shorts and two two-reeler 20-minute color cartoons. Some of the most memorable shorts from the DVD are the remastered "Blow Me Down!" and a cameo appearance by Betty Boop dressed as a hula dancer in the 1933 POPEYE THE SAILOR cartoon, the short in which Popeye made his first animated appearance. The set also includes the Academy Award-nominated POPEYE THE SAILOR MEETS SINDBAD THE SAILOR and more than five hours of informative bonus features, including:
* Popeye Commentaries -- including historians, animators and filmmakers* "Behind the Toons" -- These featurettes are in depth looks at select cartoons, characters and creators* "I Yam What I Am: The Story of Popeye the Sailor Man" -- All-new doc* "The Evolution of Animation: The History of the Fleischer Studios" -- All-new doc * "Max Fleischer and the New York Style" -- All-new doc* Bonus Popeye Shorts -- Including "Let's Sing with Popeye" and "Popular Science"* Bonus Fleischer Cartoons -- Including "Poor Cinderella," "Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy" and "Superman"
"Popeye is an icon -- he represents good and the underdog. This sailor has been integral to pop culture for over seven decades," said Jeff Brown, WHV svp/gm, television and franchise. "Popeye fans have been requesting the DVD of this illustrious collection for ages and we are thrilled to be releasing POPEYE THE SAILOR 1933-1938 VOLUME 1, the remastered and unedited shorts for the established fan and those of the next generation."
King Features Syndicate is a member of Hearst Ent. and Syndication Group, which combines The Hearst Corp.'s cable network partnerships, television programming activities and newspaper syndication and merchandise licensing operations. King Features are the world's premier distributor of comics, columns, editorial cartoons, puzzles and games, distributing some 150 features to nearly 5,000 newspapers around the globe. Among its most beloved and successful classic characters are Popeye, Betty Boop, Blondie, Dennis the Menace and Flash Gordon.
With operations in 90 international territories Warner Home Video, a Warner Bros. Ent. Co., commands the largest distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace. Warner Home Video's film library is the largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Ent., Castle Rock Ent., HBO Home Video and New Line Home Ent.
Warner Bros. Animation has been producing award-winning original animation since 1930, when it released its first cartoon, SINKIN IN THE BATHTUB. Since then, Warner Bros. Animation's characters have set the standard for innovative, quality animation. Producing for network and cable television, online, home video and feature films both domestically and internationally, Warner Bros. Animation is highly respected for its creative and technical excellence, as well as maintaining the studio's rich cartoon heritage. Warner Bros. Animation is one of the most honored animation studios in history, garnering a grand total of 34 Emmy Awards, the George Foster Peabody Award, an Environmental Media Award, a Parents' Choice Award, a Humanitas Award, two Prism Awards and 19 Annie Awards (honoring excellence in animation).
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
