Shakespearian Spinach

The theatrical run of Popeye the Sailor from 1933 to 1957 represents one of the most enduring and influential eras in American animation history. Spanning 231 shorts, this golden age of Popeye evolved across two distinct production studios: the boundary-pushing, gritty Fleischer Studios (1933–1942) and the more formulaic, brightly colored Famous Studios (1942–1957). Together, they transformed E.C. Segar’s comic strip character into a global cinematic icon, establishing formulas and animation techniques that altered the medium forever.

Popeye the Sailor, accompanied by Olive Oyl and Wimpy, is dispatched to stop the dreaded bandit Abu Hassan and his force of forty thieves.

More than just a landmark in superhero animation, Max Fleischer's Superman shorts were no less than the foundation for so many shows that succeeded it. Playing in theaters in 1941-42, only a few years after the Man of Steel made his debut in Action Comics, these 17 exciting films were produced by Fleischer and made famous the phrase "This looks like a job for Superman!" At 10 minutes, each film had just enough time to run the opening credits, establish the threat, let Lois Lane make a headstrong rush into peril, and allow Clark Kent to change to his alter ego and save the day. The films show a remarkably dynamic and atmospheric storytelling style that enables them to hold up for modern viewers. At first the films followed a science fiction-fantasy theme, but not unexpectedly for that time soon focused on wartime concerns.

Popeye and Olive open a diner, singing the title song. Alas, their first two customers are Wimpy (who actually gets them to fall for the "gladly pay you Tuesday" schtick) and Bluto, who orders 6 sandwiches and refuses to pay for them. This leads, of course, to a fight, which Popeye needs his spinach to win.

Ko-Ko the Inkwell Clown and a baby get caught in a hurricane.

Olive Oyl's screenplay for an Aladdin movie comes to life and Popeye battles for control of a genie in this, the last of the three Popeye color films.

At an orphanage, the children are sad because they received used defective toys as gifts. Professor Grampy sees the children while passing by in his sled and has an idea on how to give them a merry Christmas.

Swee'pea is crying, so Olive calls on Popeye to cheer the baby up. Popeye and Bluto compete by doing various silly antics.

Robbers target a special train carrying a billion dollars worth of gold, and the only one who can stop them is Superman!

Superman battles a criminal mastermind and his robot army.

Popeye takes Olive mountain climbing. Bluto sets various traps for them along the way.

After The Daily Planet receives a letter from a mad scientist threatening to wreak destruction with his Electrothanasia Ray, Lois Lane heads out in the hopes of getting more information for a news story.

When police interfere with a reckless scientist's experiment, it creates a deadly meteor shower only Superman can stop.

A frozen Tyrannosaurus rex is found and put on display in a museum, but when he thaws out and revives, Superman has to stop his rampage!

The boys arrive at Olive's house at the same time, but at different doors. They both come in, and whenever Olive isn't looking, they start fighting. She catches them, and tells them one will have to leave. Bluto tells Popey that whoever does the best trick can stay. As a result, they find ever more creative ways to abuse each other, much to Olive's merriment. Eventually, though, they start destroying her house, and Olive throws them both out, for a little while, anyhow.

Superman comes to the rescue when a volcano erupts.