|
|
|
||||
 Animation DVD
Animation Video
DVDs
Videos
Main Store
BCDB
Forum
Calendar
Studios  Columbia Pictures Disney Studios Famous Studios Filmation Fleischer Studios Fox Hanna-Barbera MGM Other Studios Paramount Pictures Universal Studios Warner Bros.
Cartoon News
Images Thanks Link 2 BCDB About BCDB Contact BCDB BCDB FAQ BCDB Toolbar Awards/Reviews Donate/Advertise 
|
|
||||
Rating:  - A middle-aged superhero, with one eye and a speech impedimentWhat can I say that hasn't already been said about this collection? Oh well, I'll say it anyway. I can't remember the last time I had so much fun watching cartoons. I grew up with these. When I was a kid, I was completely entertained, but simply accepted them at face value. Now, as an adult, I can fully appreciate the undercurrent of total absurdity that flows through them. Some of them make me laugh out loud. It's so refreshing seeing these restored to their original crisp, black and white glory. It's like seeing them for the first time. The depression era New York Setting featured in many of them was a real departure from what the other animation studios we're doing. I love the often gritty backgrounds framing all of the nonsense going on in the foreground. The Sindbad and Ali Baba color two reelers are absolutely stunning. I've seen them so many times over the years I practically have them memorized, but they never looked anything like they do here. Not even close. This collection is worth every penny just for those two. I just got my hands on Volume 2 and it looks like the same for the Aladdin color two-reeler. I haven't started watching that collection yet, but I had to take a peek. There's an embarrassment of riches with the supplementary materials which strike a good balance between scholarly and entertaining. The brief "Popumentaries" sprinkled throughout the collection provide great insight and fun facts on selected cartoons. The audio commentaries are a lot of fun even if they don't always reveal a lot of in-depth information. The "Out of the Inkwell" cartoons provide a fascinating look at early animation. Even if you just have a casual interest in animation, you'll find most of the supplementary materials well worth your time. If you are more of an aficionado, you might learn something new or see something you haven't seen before. I have one criticism. The advertising at the beginning of disc four is extremely irritating. I watch these two or three at a time rather than going through a whole disc in one sitting (why eat the whole carton of ice cream when a couple of scoops will do?). Every time I put on disc four, I had to fast forward through the advertising. Hitting the menu button didn't seem to bypass it. It was annoying the first time, but after dealing with it repeatedly, it was beyond tedious. Even with that, I still have to give this collection five stars. It really delivers. Now, on to Volume 2! Popeye the Sailor, Vol. 2: 1938-1940 Rating: - StunningI don't generally write reviews unless I am impressed, or I feel the need to warn people about a blatant ripoff. To my delight, this would be the former case. I am extremely pleased with the quality - the 3-D effects used by Fleisher are so apparent on these disks it makes me gasp. This is one of the very finest animation compilations that I have ever purchased, or even SEEN for that matter. Rating: - Maybe Too Perfect??Folks, I may be wrong, but look closely at the opening titles of each cartoon. I think we are seeing a digital reconstruction of the Paramount titles. The first three discs, anyway. The image is too rock steady. Too sharp. Even the best transferrs have slight imperfections. These are perfect. The toons themselves have varying degrees of changes in density and slight jumps as old film is prone to do. Only when you get to disc 4 do you see what is probably a direct transfer of the titles. Anyone out there able to check it out? Please don't get me wrong. I am very glad to have these toons. You won't go wrong in buying them. One toon even appears to have nitrate damage, so I'm glad they did these transfers before it was too late. And I am anxiously awaiting volume two. Comments welcome please. Rating: - Max Fleischer's POPEYEThe most definitive and sensational and complete collection of the 1930's animated black and white POPEYE THE SAILOR films one can EVER HOPE TO FIND. It is total animation, Retro styled, by the same man who gave us the original black and white BETTY BOOP animated cartoons. This POPEYE is full of great story- plots and surprise twists, and great cartoon characters with original voices. This is the treasure collection one can kill for to possess. It is great! I should know, I am a cartoonist and animator, and I know professional quality when I see it. For enjoyment and pure pleasure and Nostalgia, this is the DVD POPEYE Collection everyone must have. It is complete and total. ---- Luisa Felix Rating: - Funnier stuff than any other animation studio in the 1930'sAside from the brilliant job on restoration, I must mention that after getting reacquainted with these shorts, it's very obvious that the Fleischer cartoons featuring Popeye were much more funny and inventive and imaginative than anything that other animation studios were putting out at the time. Other cartoons seem so safe, bland and sugary in comparison. The Popeye shorts really pushed the limit on silliness and fun, as well as creativity and imagination. The situations are very funny and wacky, which is exactly what the medium of cartooning was made for.... to exaggerate and go over the top. Seeing these hilarious films again I am reminded strongly that the people who made them were heavily involved with brilliant writing, background art, voice characterizations, use of perspective (something you rarely see in animation, especially this early in the 20th century), squash and stretch, wonderful musical compositions for each short, and just a great sense of whimsy and fun. |
|
||||
|
© 1998-2008 bcdb.com 
|
|||||
