Will admit to preferring, as far as Popeye cartoons go, Fleischer Studios' output throughout the 30s. Find that they are better made, more inventive and funnier, they tended to be formulaic in terms of story but when they did their changes of pace (and they had a number of those) they were generally better than those of Famous Studios from the early 40s onwards.
Am not implying here that Famous Studios' output isn't good. Much of it is actually, though the later years did see evidence of tight budgets and hasty deadlines which accounted for the inferior animation quality (a general issue with later Famous Studios), the stories being far less imaginative and the humour not as plentiful or imaginative, also with it being more amusing than hilarious. With that being said, most of them were among the studio's better efforts in an increasingly variable output, being still funny and with great character interaction and even better music as well as some successful changes of pace.
'Happy Birthdaze' is not one of the best Popeye cartoons, from Famous Studios (early period and overall) or overall. It is far from a misfire though and is still entertaining enough.
More imagination wouldn't have gone amiss and there was a need of more momentum in the material.
Didn't really care for the character of Shorty in the first of three appearances, not an awful lot of personality, somewhat annoying and he brought a negative energy to the cartoon at times, namely in an aforementioned scene that felt out of place amongst everything else.
On the other hand, the animation is fine, simple but has some nice detail in the backgrounds, the shading is crisp and the character designs are far from ugly or off. Some inventive shots. Even better is the music (always important for me to talk about and Popeye cartoons always fared very well in this respect), again lush and cleverly orchestrated and doing so well adding to and enhancing the action. The dialogue amuses mostly and the action is suitably wild.
Popeye is amusing and likeable and Jack Mercer, again relishing the mumblings and asides, does a great job voicing him. There are a fair share of very funny moments thankfully in 'Happy Birthdaze', namely the opening conversation and the water gag.
Concluding, decent but not great Popeye. 6/10 Bethany Cox
Am not implying here that Famous Studios' output isn't good. Much of it is actually, though the later years did see evidence of tight budgets and hasty deadlines which accounted for the inferior animation quality (a general issue with later Famous Studios), the stories being far less imaginative and the humour not as plentiful or imaginative, also with it being more amusing than hilarious. With that being said, most of them were among the studio's better efforts in an increasingly variable output, being still funny and with great character interaction and even better music as well as some successful changes of pace.
'Happy Birthdaze' is not one of the best Popeye cartoons, from Famous Studios (early period and overall) or overall. It is far from a misfire though and is still entertaining enough.
More imagination wouldn't have gone amiss and there was a need of more momentum in the material.
Didn't really care for the character of Shorty in the first of three appearances, not an awful lot of personality, somewhat annoying and he brought a negative energy to the cartoon at times, namely in an aforementioned scene that felt out of place amongst everything else.
On the other hand, the animation is fine, simple but has some nice detail in the backgrounds, the shading is crisp and the character designs are far from ugly or off. Some inventive shots. Even better is the music (always important for me to talk about and Popeye cartoons always fared very well in this respect), again lush and cleverly orchestrated and doing so well adding to and enhancing the action. The dialogue amuses mostly and the action is suitably wild.
Popeye is amusing and likeable and Jack Mercer, again relishing the mumblings and asides, does a great job voicing him. There are a fair share of very funny moments thankfully in 'Happy Birthdaze', namely the opening conversation and the water gag.
Concluding, decent but not great Popeye. 6/10 Bethany Cox