I have vague memories of seeing the live action movie of Popeye (1980) on Saturday afternoon TV when I was a kid. In recent memory, one of its Harry Nilsson penned songs sung by Shelly Duvall was used in PTA’s Punch-Drunk Love (“He needs me”). It was time to rewatch and more fully understand the surreal curiosity of a musical comedy for kids… directed by Robert Altman! It’s such a different, unique style (that almost takes time getting used to) with Altman finding moments in master shots, preferring a shambolic approach to anything glamorous or conventional, preferring a lived-in set (shot on the coast of Malta), submerging the songs in set action, etc. Robin Williams’ first on-screen movie star role – with his fake strong arms and muttered dialogue – is very amusing, although is overshadowed by how perfect Shelly Duvall is as Olive Oyl, a kooky and sweet living whirlybird cartoon. While it turned a small profit on release, Popeye is understood by some as a flop misfire (or the film that producer Robert Evans was busted for cocaine use) and others as a highly original forgotten classic (a precursor to Wed Anderson’s kids movies that are not really for kids). Nilsson’s songs are great, and I had a fun time marooned in this strange experience of a movie, which is both rough and quaint, old fashioned and off beat.
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