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Popeye The Sailor Returns In Stunning 1080p

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One of the biggest animated stars in American history returns to prominence in a specially remastered Blu-ray & DVD presentation with the Warner Archive Collection (WAC) release of Popeye the Sailor: The 1940s, Volume 1, a 14-cartoon set that includes many shorts unseen in their original form for more than 60 years. In stunning 1080p high definition created from 4K scans of the original nitrate Technicolor negatives, and never before officially released for home entertainment, the single-disc Popeye the Sailor: The 1940s, Volume 1 will be available December 11, 2018 through wb.com/warnerarchive and your favorite online retailer.

Produced especially for the adult animation collector, Popeye the Sailor: The 1940s, Volume 1 features the first two Technicolor® seasons of Popeye’s animated theatrical shorts (1943-44 and 1944-45) produced by Famous Studios, Paramount’s revered New York-based cartoon studio.

Popeye the Sailor: The 1940s, Volume 1, the first authorized Blu-ray release of the color cartoons, covers their initial theatrical release – starting with “Her Honor The Mare” (originally released on November 26, 1943) and extending through the 1945 cartoon, “Mess Production.” Each of the 14 cartoons has been meticulously restored from the original 35mm nitrate Technicolor negatives, which have been scanned at 4K as part of Warner Bros. ongoing film preservation efforts. From these new recombined scans, Warner Bros. Motion Picture Imaging department has created new masters under the direction of Warner Archive Collection for this Blu-ray and DVD release.

Popeye, who will celebrate his 90th anniversary in 2019, made his debut on January 17, 1929 in the comic strip “The Thimble Theater,” created by cartoonist E.C. Segar. Loved by fans from around the globe as the tough, spinach-loving sailor man who always stands up for the underdog, Popeye is one of the world’s most recognizable pop culture icons who has maintained a loyal following for decades.

“This is a landmark moment in Warner Bros. providing animation enthusiasts with the ability to own treasured animated classics from our library with the best possible quality, aimed directly at the adult animation collectors,” says George Feltenstein, Senior Vice President, Theatrical Catalog, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. “Popeye is a beloved character whose popularity has endured for 90 years – starting as a comic strip, continuing as a headliner in motion pictures for almost 25 years, and cherished for decades on television. Warner Bros. has been pleased to bring earlier incarnations, including the renowned Fleischer cartoons, to DVD, and now we continue to cater to animation superfans with this first installment of Famous Studios cartoons.”

As part of Warner Bros. decades-long corporate film preservation program, the restoration process on these Popeye cartoons has been meticulous in its mission to address any and all film damage while preserving the original animated frame. Dirt, debris and any film damage has been repaired from the original sources, most of which have not been touched in over 70 years. Warner Archive Collection has ensured great care was taken to keep the animation authentic to its original look as first presented on movie theater screens in the 1940s. The entire Popeye library is currently undergoing this process.

“Popeye is one of the all-time great cartoon characters, but he hadn’t gotten a fair shake in the world of home entertainment until Warner released all of his black & white shorts,” said Leonard Maltin, animation historian, and author of Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons. “What came next? The first Technicolor Popeye cartoons were also the last ones made under the aegis of the Fleischer Brothers, Max and Dave. Animation aficionados should welcome the opportunity to see these long-forgotten cartoons in such pristine condition, taken from the original 35mm negatives.”

“This is the first time anyone has gone back to the master nitrate negatives to ensure a crisper picture and vivid colors – nor have these films ever sounded so good,” said respected animation historian and author Jerry Beck. “The animators at this time, during the war years, were allowed to push the Popeye character forward, creating particularly zany plot lines and funny situations beyond the classic Popeye/Bluto rivalry for Olive Oyl. I’m particularly tickled over the cartoon where Bluto becomes a pseudo-Superman (courtesy of a licensed tie-in with DC Comics) and another where Popeye and Bluto romance Olive as marionette puppets. This was the ‘Golden Age’ of animation – and these are particularly strong cartoons that have been long in demand by animation buffs.”

In addition, all cartoons in Popeye the Sailor: The 1940s, Volume 1 are complete and uncut as they were originally seen on movie screens and retain their original titles (which were removed for television exhibition in the 1950s).

The 1940s brought new sights and sounds to America’s favorite cartoon star. In Popeye the Sailor: The 1940s, Volume 1, regulars Olive Oyl and Bluto return, while Popeye resumes his riotous relationship with his shipmate Shorty and his naughty nephews Pipeye, Poopeye, Peepeye, and Pupeye. With the addition of full color, cartoonists were now free to let loose with journeys to exotic lands and give Popeye a fresh stock of new friends and foes.

But it’s the eternal love triangle, Popeye and Bluto competing for the attention of Olive, that drives the majority of these zany situations – as well as the hilarious action-packed gags. Whether our heroes are posing as circus acrobats or puppeteers or even taking turns at being Superman, these gems from the Golden Age of Hollywood will blow you down with laughter.

Popeye the Sailor: The 1940s, Volume 1 includes:

• Her Honor The Mare
• The Marry-Go-Round
• We’re On Our Way To Rio
• The Anvil Chorus Girl
• Spinach Packin’ Popeye
• Puppet Love
• Pitchin’ Woo At The Zoo
• Moving Aweigh
• She-Sick Sailors
• Pop-Pie A La Mode
• Tops In The Big Top
• Shape Ahoy
• For Better Or Nurse
• Mess Production

In anticipation of Popeye’s 90th anniversary year, brand owner King Features Syndicate, a unit of Hearst, unveiled a full slate of new content, exciting merchandise and events for 2019, including dozens of international and domestic partners that will support the salty sailor at retail across all major categories, including apparel, accessories, collectibles, health and nutrition, and publishing.

“We are thrilled to include Warner Bros.’ release of Popeye the Sailor: The 1940s, Volume 1 in the rollout of consumer products that will be available to fans during Popeye’s anniversary year,” says Carla Silva, VP and GM, Global Head of Licensing for King Features. “For millions of fans, the long-awaited experience of viewing this content for the first time in their own homes is priceless.”

Popeye the Sailor: The 1940s, Volume 1 is intended for the Adult Collector and May Not Be Suitable for Children. Also available on DVD!

BASICS
Popeye the Sailor: The 1940s, Volume 1
Run Time – 99:00 MINUTES
Subtitles – English SDH
Sound Quality – DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 – English
Aspect Ratio – 4 X 3 FULL FRAME, ORIGINAL ASPECT RATIO – 1.37:1
Product Color – COLOR
Disc Configuration – BD 50

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Sweetpea

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Sweetpea is a new dark comedy series created by Kristie Swain and adapted from a novel series by CJ Skuse. The series stars the ethereal goddess that is Ella Purnell (Fallout, Yellowjackets) using her actual English accent! 

Purnell plays a young woman whose name is not actually Sweetpea, though she is very much a wallflower. Though even Wallflower might have too much gravitas, Rhiannon (Purnell) is treated by those around her like a weed. She is stepped on and ignored by everyone except her dad and pet chihuahua. Many have argued that Purnell is just ‘too pretty’ to be that abjectly ignored by everyone. However, Purnell is an amazing actress who plays the washed-out, doe-eyed, shrinking ‘sweetpea’ so convincingly. 

Rhiannon was bullied heavily in school which led to her developing trichotillomania (a hair-pulling disorder) which ultimately caused bald patches on her scalp. She still keeps an unconvincing brunette wig in a drawer in her bedroom. Rhiannon’s dad is constantly encouraging Rhiannon to stand up for herself. Unfortunately (light spoiler!) Rhiannon’s Dad dies from his illness in the first episode, leaving her alone in the world. 

Rhiannon returns home to the large empty house she once shared with her dad. After yet another tragic incident Rhiannon looks at her life, her thirst for revenge is obvious. Particularly against her main school bully Julia Blenkingsopp (Nicôle Lecky).

Rhiannon sees Julia as having a perfect life and didn’t peak in high school “like bullies are supposed to do!”. When Rhiannon returned to work as an admin assistant for a local paper, not only did none of her colleagues notice her absence but they didn’t acknowledge her return. The only person who appears to talk to her is her boss Norman played by Jeremy Swift (Ted Lasso) who condescendingly calls her “sweetpea” and demands tea. 

Rhiannon’s mental state declines enough for her to finally confront Julia in a club. Julia and her friends laugh at Rhiannon which brings memories of school back and anxiously tugging at her hair. This leads Rhiannon to commit a horrifying yet liberating crime when leaving the club leading to a whole new way of expressing herself.

What I Liked:

I enjoyed watching Rhiannon’s confidence grow throughout the series. Purnell herself spoke about the production of subtlety added makeup to subconsciously influence the change in her. Rhiannon transformed from a shrinking girl to a hip-swaying, go-getting career woman. Yet its clear there is a lot of mental turmoil within Rhiannon. Purnell (2024) jokes that she actually “got kinda jacked”  due to the tension she held in her body whilst suppressing Rhiannon’s rage. Purnell also comments on how freeing it was to let it all out which Rhiannon does many times and is just as satisfying for the audience!

Initially, I found every character rather one-dimensional and stale compared to Purnell. However, as the show progresses most characters become multifaceted, particularly Julia. The narrative of the show really makes you question your own morals and sense of justice. You find yourself making excuses for Rhiannon and almost cheering her on when you really, really shouldn’t.

I also enjoyed how the show explores the victim complex. Is Rhiannon really a victim or has she taken on this mantle and lived her life accordingly? Sweetpea expertly plays with the shades of grey in the ideas of what makes someone a bully and what makes someone a victim. 

Sweetpea fits in perfectly in the genre of British black comedy. Scenes like when Rhiannon is clearing out her chest freezer and then climbs in herself to see if it could potentially fit a body. The door of the freezer almost closes on her but she catches it just in time. This scene perfectly captures just what kind of character Rhiannon is.

I also liked how the character’s houses were used as metaphors for their lives. The home Rhiannon shared with her father is messy and cozy yet in desperate need of TLC and repair much like Rhiannon herself. You can tell it’s a well-loved home with a long history much like Rhiannon and her father’s relationship. In stark contrast to Julia’s fiercely stylish and minimalistic home which she shares with her fiancé. It’s sleek and modern yet ultimately empty with little sign of love. 

The opening credits and music choices are also fire.

What Could Be Improved:

Like many others, I didn’t quite believe someone as beautiful as Purnell would be completely ignored by the general public. It did look at times like they were relying on drab clothing and too light foundation to make her look mousey. However, as stated, Purnell’s performance does save it.

The main ‘love triangle’ (if could even call it that) was a bit forced. Calam Lynch’s portrayal of Rhiannon’s colleague ‘AJ’ was a bit too enamored with Rhiannon with no real build-up. However, I found myself really enjoying Jon Pointing’s portrayal of ‘Craig’ and wishing his arc had been explored more. 

I really wanted the show to lean more into the exploration of ‘abuser’ and the ‘abused’ and take it to a deeper level. Maybe in series 2?

All in all, I enjoyed this traverse through Sweetpea’s world. I am interested to see where they go with it in the future.

Three and a half stars.

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Is This the Scariest Movie Ever?

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It’s been called the scariest movie ever. Or the grimmest, bleakest, and most brutal. The post-apocalyptic drama; Threads, has only been aired three times, its premiere in 1984 (appropriate year), 1985, and 2024 for its 40th anniversary. Threads has also been made available on streaming services. The anniversary has stirred up memories from its initial release which has been dubbed ‘the night Britain did not sleep!’

Threads is a BBC-produced TV movie which explores what would happen if a nuclear bomb was dropped on the English city of Sheffield.

The film is structured like a documentary; with a voiceover speaking to the audience in a clipped, received pronunciation BBC English. The narrator speaks over what is possibly stock footage of a spider weaving its web, or its threads. The narrator explains how in urban society everything connects and how we all rely on one another’s skills to survive. Ominously the narrator points out how fragile these threads are.

THREAD 1 – FAMILY

The film then cuts to our two leads Ruth (Karen Meagher) and Jimmy (Reece Dinsdale). These two young lovebirds are in a car over looking the Sheffield countryside. A fighter jet flies overhead as Ruth remarks how “peaceful” it is. We follow Ruth Beckett and Jimmy Kemp as they navigate an unplanned pregnancy.

The film plays like a ‘kitchen sink drama’. I have heard ‘kitchen sink’ described as an ‘anti-Hollywood’ where everyone has their natural teeth and skin texture. The film looks similar to a British soap opera. 

Whilst the narrative at this point just skirts around somewhat boring, it is clear something is playing out globally in the background. We see it on newspaper covers and hear snippets on radios and TVs. There is a situation unfolding in the Middle East with tensions building between the Soviets and the USA. Troops are mobilized and more importantly, nuclear warheads are moved. 

And then it happens.

THREAD 2- SECURITY

At almost 50 minutes in, the bomb finally drops. The literal bomb that is. The omnipresent narrator tells us it is 8.30 am in the UK meaning it is 3.30 am in Washington DC; Western response will be at its slowest. 

The bomb scene is incredibly powerful. This is where the ‘kitchen sink’ realism really comes into its own. It looks like any other British high street but people are running around screaming looking for shelter amidst the blaring siren. Children are being scooped up from their prams and the panic is palpable. Infamously one businesswoman is staring up at the blooming mushroom cloud rising above the city, the camera pans to see urine running down her trouser leg and pooling at her 80’s white heels.

There is constant screaming as buildings explode, windows smash, and curtains catch fire.

Text informs us that 210 megatons in total fell on the UK with an estimated 2.5 – 9 million casualties.

THREAD 3 – SOCIETY

Ruth exits her parents’ destroyed house to look for Jimmy. In her old neighborhood she is greeted by a horrendous sight. The whole street looks like that of The Blitz; with dead pets and both parents and children looking for each other. A shell-shocked woman covered in ash asks Ruth; “have you seen our Mandy?” she is proffering what looks to be a child’s coat, as if Mandy forgot her coat when going outside to play. A charred corpse with perfect white intact teeth (probably dentures) is embedded into a building. A staring woman is clutching the burnt remains of her infant.

After this, the horrific scenes come thick and fast. 

Food has become the new currency and food stores are protected by force. It is here we see the figure who has haunted many viewers nightmares. The armed traffic warden with the bandaged face. Played by an extra who actually was a traffic warden in real life!

Hospitals are overrun with the injured. The harried staff are using sheets as bandages and table salt to disinfect contaminated water. Doctors resorting to amputation with no anesthetic. 

THREAD 4 – CHILDREN

Ruth gives birth to a healthy child. A little girl named Jane. Ruth gives birth alone in a barn and has to bite through the umbilical cord. Later, on Christmas Day no less, a group of survivors gathers around a fire in the barn looking like a macabre nativity scene.

 But what sort of world has Ruth brought her daughter into? We are told it is ten years later and society has returned to medieval times with the nuclear winter and UV damage affecting the crops. Jane does not call Ruth ‘mum’ only ‘Ruth’ and has no reaction when Ruth finally dies. Are the people in this society so profoundly broken by the sheer amount of loss and trauma that they can no longer form familial bonds? Has that thread been cut? 

There is clearly little regard for human life anymore. Jane walks past three corpses hanging in the foreground paying them no attention. Is this a mass suicide or an execution? The corpses are also bare. Have people stolen their clothes to protect themselves from the harsh nuclear winter? Images such as these, shown for mere seconds can tell you so much about the situation. 

THREAD 5 – LANGUAGE

In the second half of the film, there is barely any dialogue. Any words spoken by Jane and her peers are some strange form of pidgin English. Many fans have argued that language would not degrade that quickly. However, these children have been brought up by deeply traumatized parents (if they had parents at all). People barely speak anymore and death and disease are extremely common. Is it any surprise that mankind has been brought down to its most basic level? Or is this the cognitive effects of growing up around high levels of radiation? 

Many fans comment how Threads gives no hope. But there appears to be a rudimentary school system-cum-workhouse with Jane and her peers watching an old educational video. Although the last scene definitely takes away from the tepid hope we are shown.

SO IS IT SCARY?

Well….as I had heard about the film through cultural osmosis I knew what to expect. I appreciate that during the 80’s, living in the fog of the Cold War, a nuclear holocaust was looking more and more likely. Having a film at that time showing exactly what it would look like if it were to happen in a typical British city would be horrifying. 

With the film being set up as a documentary speaking to some unknown in the future, it is interesting when you are watching from the future. Before COVID I would think it was so unrealistic; the way a lot of people didn’t take the crisis seriously until they were practically underneath the bomb. Now I know differently. Everything is fine until it’s not and we don’t tend to tackle a crisis until it is right on our doorstep. Like Mr Kemp with his trousers down on the loo as the bomb went off, we are so ill-prepared. And all the systems (or threads) in place that you thought would protect you, such as the government, are just ill-equipped.

It is an extremely well-done film especially when I learned the budget was £400,000 (about 1.2 million today). The acting is superb and I can see why it’s such an iconic film. In today’s current climate Threads is more relevant than ever. Would highly recommend it.

Five Stars.

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Nobody Wants This on Netflix

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Rating 8 10

Nobody Wants This, Netflix’s 2024 rom-com series, strikes a rare balance between familiar genre tropes and genuine originality. A surprising hit, it uses its single season to dive into the messiness of modern romance and human connection with a witty yet sincere approach that lingers after each episode.

At its heart, Nobody Wants This is a deep dive into everyday chaos, capturing life’s unfiltered messes in an unexpectedly heartfelt way. The show centers on two vastly different individuals brought together by chance, forced into a string of awkward encounters and life-defining moments. It’s a refreshing twist on classic rom-com setups, letting its characters face the consequences of their choices in a realistic way. Watching them stumble, adapt, and connect is like watching a slice of real life—raw, funny, and unexpectedly moving.

The writing shines with sharp, clever dialogue that feels both authentic and emotionally rich. Conversations capture not just how people speak but how they connect, creating exchanges that feel ripped straight from real life. Moments of verbal sparring and raw emotion are as delightful as the iconic banter of rom-coms like When Harry Met Sally, yet the story stays grounded, playing with the unpredictability of genuine connection. The direction adds another layer, framing everyday moments—like missed calls and clumsy first dates—with a cinematic flair that highlights the beauty in life’s chaos.

The chemistry between the lead actors is palpable, and their performances are infused with an authenticity that makes their characters’ flaws endearing. They grow with each episode, making the journey feel impactful and rewarding. The supporting cast adds even more depth, complementing the storyline without overshadowing the central romance.

Beyond romance, Nobody Wants This explores themes of self-discovery and connection, capturing the unpredictability of finding oneself—and perhaps someone else—in the chaos of life. Without giving too much away, the season finale is both heart-wrenching and uplifting, striking a perfect balance between realism and hope. It’s a conclusion that feels genuine, giving viewers a satisfying emotional payoff.

In a world where rom-coms can often feel formulaic, Nobody Wants This brings new life to the genre. It celebrates love’s imperfections, the inevitability of mistakes, and the connections that emerge in spite of it all. This series is more than entertainment; it resonates deeply, leaving viewers laughing, crying, and rooting for its characters.

As Roger Ebert once said, “Movies are like a machine that generates empathy.” While Nobody Wants This is a series, it achieves this empathy with grace, proving that even the simplest stories can have a profound impact.

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