Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Forum › Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming Video and Digital Downloads › DVD › Popeye the Sailor: Volume 1 (1933-1938) 7/31
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Popeye the Sailor: Volume 1 (1933-1938) 7/31 - Page 6

post #151 of 231
8/4/07 at 4:44pm

Re: Popeye the Sailor: Volume 1 (1933-1938) 7/31

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Frezon
Anyone know what W-M is charging for this set?
I noticed the price at the Queensbury store when I was there today - $45.xx (one of their odd amounts - 45.86, or something). Probably be similar down in the Albany area.

And Mike, you've got a PM.
Reply
post #152 of 231
8/4/07 at 9:25pm

Re: Popeye the Sailor: Volume 1 (1933-1938) 7/31

I've only been able to watch the first 5 cartoons but this has been an absolute treat to watch so far. Unlike the Looney Tunes, I never had much exposure to these in the past so these are all fairly new to me. No complaints here!

I'm going to have to space these out between viewings of Noir 4 from last week, Powell-Loy this week and Chan 3 next week. Great times to be a classics fan.

Steve
Reply
post #153 of 231
8/4/07 at 9:58pm

Re: Popeye the Sailor: Volume 1 (1933-1938) 7/31

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Frezon
Anyone know what W-M is charging for this set?
I paid $49.98 before taxes and the set is worth every penny so far. I've watched the first 10 cartoons so far and one of the Popumentaries. Warners has done an outstanding job on what I've seen of this set.
Reply
post #154 of 231
8/5/07 at 2:05am

Re: Popeye the Sailor: Volume 1 (1933-1938) 7/31

I got mine at Hastings this afternoon for $49.99. Haven't had a chance to watch it yet, but I'm hoping to have everything ready to go by tomorrow afternoon.
Reply
post #155 of 231
8/5/07 at 7:25am

Re: Popeye the Sailor: Volume 1 (1933-1938) 7/31

I have to say, I think the Popumentaries are pretty useless and I would've much rather seen somebody like Ray Pointer or other credited Fleischer historians associated with this collection than the KFS people. Also, please no more John Kricfalusi on the commentary tracks Warners!!!

Otherwise, excellent job on the transfers and everything else!!!
Reply
post #156 of 231
8/5/07 at 8:04am

Re: Popeye the Sailor: Volume 1 (1933-1938) 7/31

Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve...O
I'm going to have to space these out between viewings of ...and Chan 3 next week. Great times to be a classics fan.
Definitely!
So has your Chan set already arrived?
Reply
post #157 of 231
8/5/07 at 12:26pm

Re: Popeye the Sailor: Volume 1 (1933-1938) 7/31

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike*HTF
Definitely!
So has your Chan set already arrived?

Not yet, but if my e-tailer ships when their stock arrives (as they say they do) I should by the end of the week. Some have already received theirs. I posted Gary Tooze's early review in another thread.

As for Popeye, this is proving too irrestistable to take in small doses. This afternoon I watched most of the rest of disc 1 including the wonderful documentary and the two fun "popumentaries". WHV really pulled out all the stops to get first rate speakers on these features and they really helped me learn more about the history. As much as I love classic film, I love the history behind it just as much.

One thing that really struck me on the documentary, when they showed clips of the 60s version of the cartoon one can really appreciate the care and skill that went into making the original. The "updated" version looks very poor and ameatuerish in comparision, at least in my opinion.

Steve
Reply
post #158 of 231
8/5/07 at 1:15pm

Re: Popeye the Sailor: Volume 1 (1933-1938) 7/31

WOW....finally Popeye in prestine quality, probably looks better than it did when shown originally due to projectors of the time. This set is awesome, I look forward to more. Congrads Warner and thanks. Anyone notice the change in the voice of Popeye during this set? They thought the first voice was too mean and drab so they hired another who stayed on.
Reply
post #159 of 231
8/9/07 at 3:16pm

Re: Popeye the Sailor: Volume 1 (1933-1938) 7/31

Here's comparisons for Lil' Swee'pea and Popeye Meets Sindbad:

VCI:

Warner:


VCI:

Warner:


Warner:

VCI:
Reply
post #160 of 231
8/9/07 at 3:25pm

Re: Popeye the Sailor: Volume 1 (1933-1938) 7/31

I'll stick with VCI.
Reply
post #161 of 231
8/9/07 at 3:57pm

Re: Popeye the Sailor: Volume 1 (1933-1938) 7/31

really? the VCI looks like it was shot through a tinting lens.
Reply
post #162 of 231
8/9/07 at 8:29pm

Re: Popeye the Sailor: Volume 1 (1933-1938) 7/31

No, I was just goofing around. I've never seen the VCI discs before but I'm even more impressed by Warner's efforts now.
Reply
post #163 of 231
8/10/07 at 2:33am

Re: Popeye the Sailor: Volume 1 (1933-1938) 7/31

I really cannot wait to get this set. Living in the UK can be so painful sometimes!
Reply
post #164 of 231
8/17/07 at 8:39am

Re: Popeye the Sailor: Volume 1 (1933-1938) 7/31

Got it today...wowie zowie....just plain amazing.

Now if they just do the same with the Betty Boop's.

By the way, I'm surprised that the vault silent cartoons are REALLY silent...no music.

Also, the commentary on "Sinbad The Sailor" was sure a waste of studio time...lots of giggling and no information. Where was Jerry Beck or Leonard Maltin?
Reply
post #165 of 231
8/17/07 at 3:57pm

Re: Popeye the Sailor: Volume 1 (1933-1938) 7/31

Quote:
Originally Posted by BarryM
By the way, I'm surprised that the vault silent cartoons are REALLY silent...no music.
Silent films weren't "silent"!!!
Where's the score???
(how many toons have no score?)
Reply
post #166 of 231
8/18/07 at 10:17am

Re: Popeye the Sailor: Volume 1 (1933-1938) 7/31

Quote:
Also, the commentary on "Sinbad The Sailor" was sure a waste of studio time...lots of giggling and no information. Where was Jerry Beck or Leonard Maltin?
I agree completely. Unfortunately, there are a few more tracks on the set from that trio.
Reply
post #167 of 231
8/18/07 at 1:59pm

Re: Popeye the Sailor: Volume 1 (1933-1938) 7/31

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ed St. Clair
Silent films weren't "silent"!!!
Where's the score???
(how many toons have no score?)

Yuez absolutly write, dude!

Even the smallest movie theatre paid good money to have a pianist or organist play music at all times during any film, cartoon or newsreel. Even shorts came with accompaniment scores. 99% of them are lost, of course.

I'm thrilled to see those 'lost' silent cartoons but, jeez, total silence is not what the makers of these cartoons had in mind.
Reply
post #168 of 231
8/18/07 at 2:49pm

Re: Popeye the Sailor: Volume 1 (1933-1938) 7/31

They probably didn't want to deal with music rights for whatever they could add to the cartoons. They're just extra cartoons and not really worth paying for the use of music. I really doubt they would think they're supposed to be absolutely silent.
Reply
post #169 of 231
8/19/07 at 6:53am

Re: Popeye the Sailor: Volume 1 (1933-1938) 7/31

Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick McCart
They probably didn't want to deal with music rights for whatever they could add to the cartoons. They're just extra cartoons and not really worth paying for the use of music. I really doubt they would think they're supposed to be absolutely silent.

You're right....I know for a fact that NO SILENT FILM was ever intended to be shown without music.
Reply
post #170 of 231
8/19/07 at 11:20am

Re: Popeye the Sailor: Volume 1 (1933-1938) 7/31

Biograph certainly released a lot of their silents without any type of music score. Edison did too in the early days.
Reply
post #171 of 231
8/19/07 at 11:50am

Re: Popeye the Sailor: Volume 1 (1933-1938) 7/31

Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick McCart
Here's comparisons for Lil' Swee'pea and Popeye Meets Sindbad:
Thank you for posting those captures.

I thought I knew these cartoons, but this restoration is one revelation after another. For me it's the single most important DVD release of the year. I really appreciate that WHV was mindful of the chronological order. All historical cartoon collections should be in chronological order.

I would welcome seeing cartoons of this quality and intelligence back in the cinemas again. For that matter, I would welcome seeing these Popeye cartoons back in the cinema again.

Can someone offer an informed opinion on the color differences between the VCI and the WHV ? Is it just that the VCI is not restored? The reason I ask is that, not having watched the VCI, I thought the two color cartoons were a brighter than they should be on the WHV. Now that I compare them, it seems that VCI is too dark but the color is more natural, and the WHV is brighter with more pastel color. But I have no idea how the Fleischers intended the contrast and the color pallet to look.

I cherish the WHV set either way, but if there are any informed opinions, I would like to hear them.
Reply
post #172 of 231
8/19/07 at 12:13pm

Re: Popeye the Sailor: Volume 1 (1933-1938) 7/31

Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard--W
Thank you for posting those captures.

I thought I knew these cartoons, but this restoration is one revelation after another. For me it's the single most important DVD release of the year. I really appreciate that WHV was mindful of the chronological order. All historical cartoon collections should be in chronological order.

I would welcome seeing cartoons of this quality and intelligence back in the cinemas again. For that matter, I would welcome seeing these Popeye cartoons back in the cinema again.

Can someone offer an informed opinion on the color differences between the VCI and the WHV ? Is it just that the VCI is not restored? The reason I ask is that, not having watched the VCI, I thought the two color cartoons were a brighter than they should be on the WHV. Now that I compare them, it seems that VCI is too dark but the color is more natural, and the WHV is brighter with more pastel color. But I have no idea how the Fleischers intended the contrast and the color pallet to look.

I cherish the WHV set either way, but if there are any informed opinions, I would like to hear them.

I think someone in the Pop-u-mentary on the two-reelers commented on how the colors were more subdued and pastel-like. Something to that tune. They didn't seem to mess with the contrast to get the look since white levels are not blown out and black levels are inky (like Popeye's shirt). One note to make... in 1936, 3-strip Technicolor was made available to animation studios for the first time since the exclusive contract with Disney expired. The Fleischers avoided 2-strip except for Poor Cinderella, a Betty Boop cartoon in Cinecolor.
Reply
post #173 of 231
8/19/07 at 3:26pm

Re: Popeye the Sailor: Volume 1 (1933-1938) 7/31

Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Elliott
Biograph certainly released a lot of their silents without any type of music score. Edison did too in the early days.

Whether or not Edison or Biograph, or Essanay, or Mutual et all released their silent shorts with or without a published music score, I have always heard that once Movie Theatres got underway, they provided their patrons music.

Sure, the nickelodeons didn't have music, to be sure.

The point is that Warners could've hired an organist to produce some low-priced music scores for those silent films included in this set.

It wouldn't cost them that much. Heck, they could've hired students or music interns to the job.
Reply
post #174 of 231
8/19/07 at 4:24pm

Re: Popeye the Sailor: Volume 1 (1933-1938) 7/31

Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard--W
Can someone offer an informed opinion on the color differences between the VCI and the WHV ?
Well clearly the VCI is a transfer from a vhs source utilizing an element that was probably in awful condition, you put two and two together and it becomes unwatchable.

Most public domain AAP prints I've seen of Sindbad usually look heavy on the yellow scale and have a general lack of blues and greens (probably from dupe fading). The WHV is the first one to represent these colors and is probably the most accurate barring a discover of a pristine 35mm dye transfer element from 1937.
Reply
post #175 of 231
8/20/07 at 8:00am

Re: Popeye the Sailor: Volume 1 (1933-1938) 7/31

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lord Dalek
Well clearly the VCI is a transfer from a vhs source utilizing an element that was probably in awful condition, you put two and two together and it becomes unwatchable.

Most public domain AAP prints I've seen of Sindbad usually look heavy on the yellow scale and have a general lack of blues and greens (probably from dupe fading). The WHV is the first one to represent these colors and is probably the most accurate barring a discover of a pristine 35mm dye transfer element from 1937.

your high standards are bit too high for a film of this vintage.

Yes, it's not the best I've seen, but yes, it's totally watchable.

Until a better, clearer copy gets released, I'm sticking with my copy. You certainly can throw your copy away, if you really think it's 'unwatchable'.
Reply
post #176 of 231
8/20/07 at 9:55am

Re: Popeye the Sailor: Volume 1 (1933-1938) 7/31

Quote:
Originally Posted by BarryM
your high standards are bit too high for a film of this vintage.
No they aren't. With proper restoration as seen in the Warner stills, these old shorts could look and do look amazing. The VCI is too dark and lacking in fine detail from the film to analog to digital transfer to be considered an accurate image.

I must admit however that the black and whites look a little better if still soft.
Reply
post #177 of 231
8/20/07 at 10:55am

Re: Popeye the Sailor: Volume 1 (1933-1938) 7/31

I hope the popularity of this Popeye collection will encourage King Features and Warner Brothers to restore and release more of the Fleischer Studios cartoons, including the silents. Piano scores or not, I find these samples from "out of the inkwell" interesting. So far as I know, there's isn't a decent collection of Betty Boop's mis-adventures, and in view of her ongoing popularity in toys, dolls and trinkets, I can't believe consumers would not embrace a restored collection. There is still much to see and enjoy from the Fleischer Studio back-catalog.
Reply
post #178 of 231
8/20/07 at 1:09pm

Re: Popeye the Sailor: Volume 1 (1933-1938) 7/31

Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard--W
I hope the popularity of this Popeye collection will encourage King Features and Warner Brothers to restore and release more of the Fleischer Studios cartoons, including the silents. Piano scores or not, I find these samples from "out of the inkwell" interesting. So far as I know, there's isn't a decent collection of Betty Boop's mis-adventures, and in view of her ongoing popularity in toys, dolls and trinkets, I can't believe consumers would not embrace a restored collection. There is still much to see and enjoy from the Fleischer Studio back-catalog.
Well the problem with the Betty Boops is that the best quality elements are still owned by Paramount. Trying to make a deal with them would be like trying to pull teeth out of a rabid crocodile.
Reply
post #179 of 231
8/20/07 at 1:12pm

Re: Popeye the Sailor: Volume 1 (1933-1938) 7/31

well, thank Heaven its not the other way around. I'd rather have the Popeyes than the Betty Boops.
Reply
post #180 of 231
8/21/07 at 7:13pm

Re: Popeye the Sailor: Volume 1 (1933-1938) 7/31

If for some reason they were unable to put music on the silent shorts they could at least have commentary tracks or something.

Some questions:
Why was the "Sing along with Popeye" cartoon (in the extras section) was not restored? It was of noticably inferior quality compared to the other Popeye cartoons.

I noticed that some of the "Out of the Inkwell" shorts had modern title and dialog cards. The image quality on these cartoons seemed to be better as well. Does anyone know why that happened?
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: DVD
Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Forum › Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming Video and Digital Downloads › DVD › Popeye the Sailor: Volume 1 (1933-1938) 7/31