Thrift Store Finds: Popeye- She Sick Sailors (1944) VHS

There are dozens of Popeye theatrical cartoons that are public domain. Meaning, they are not owned specifically by any company. What does this really mean to us? It means that several mom and pop, low budget home video companies can release these cartoons on home video. Mostly in beat up, fuzzy form. About 5-10 Fleischer (1936-40) cartoons are public domain, while dozens from 1952-57 are also PD. These cheap companies started putting out the public domain Popeye (and other cartoons) on VHS in the mid-late 1980s. It hasn't stopped since. Since the early 2000s, DVD companies have put out these public domains over and over. Meanwhile the Famous Studios majorities (1942-57) remain unavailable on DVD and TV. (Unless you were lucky enough to tape it off Boomerang in the mid-late 2000s, or Cartoon Network in the early 2000s.

However, from time to time non public domain cartoons will somehow make there way on to these companies videos and DVD's. Some examples are Abusement Park (1947), With Poopdeck Pappy (1940) and Quiet Pleeze! (1941).

Most of the time however, it is the same old stuff. So imagine my curiosity when I come across a VHS of Popeye cartoons. Naturally I'm assuming its the same stuff. But the picture on the front of the VHS shows a hand drawn still of the non public domain, and never on home video cartoon She Sick Sailors (1944). Home videos, especially from cheap companies do this all the time. Put a picture of a great film on a DVD with crap on it. One time I bought a Laurel and Hardy DVD with a picture of Liberty (1929) on it only to find out that It was mostly solo Laurel films. So back to the story. I turn it over and She Sick Sailors is listed, as well as the well traveled PD classic Alladin and His Wonderful Lamp (1939).

So for 1.99 (which is over priced for a beat up VHS from 1987) I purchased it to see if She Sick Sailors was really on it. If so, was it original Paramount titles like I taped off TV on Cartoon Networks Popeye Show? Or was it a TV A.A.P title, or no title?

So I put on the VHS when I got home. The tape worked and the first episode on the VHS was not Alladin but it was indeed She Sick Sailors, A.A.P Print. Horrible condition (Not the VHS, the film) A hair was present in the projector transfer and everything! However I  more than enjoyed seeing this classic. Alladin was second and the same print I've seen over and over. No opening titles and all!

For reference I have listed the public domain Popeye cartoons here;

Lil Swee Pea (1936)

I'm In The Army Now (1936)

Popeye Meets Sinbad (1936)

I Never Changes My Altitude (1937)

Paneless Window Washer (1937)

Popeye Meets Ali Baba (1937)

A Date to Skate (1938)

Customers Wanted (1939)

Alladin and His Wonderful Lamp (1939)

Me Feelins is Hurt (1940)

Me Musical Nephews (1942)

Shuteye Popeye (1952)

Ancient Fistory (1952)

Big Bad Sinbad (1952)

Popeye's 20th Anniversary (1954)

Fright to the Finish (1954)

Taxi Turvy (1954)

Out to Punch (1956)

A Haul in One (1956)

Parlez Vouz Woo (1956)

I Don't Scare (1957)

The Crystal Brawl (1957)

Patriotic Popeye (1957)

Famous Studios Screen Song- The Stork Market (1949)

Today we are going to take a look at a 1949 cartoon from Famous Studios/Paramount called The Stork Market. Like all "Screen Songs," the second half of the cartoon is going to be a sing a long in the form of a bouncing ball. Here we get to sing along to "Pretty Baby." The Screen Songs from Famous are often overlooked, possibly with good reason. The first half consists of a mixture of Famous/Warner Brothers and Tex Avery-esque gags. While the second half is the sing a long which is tedious, annoying and forgettable at best. 1949 was possibly the final year at Famous where the animation looks pretty good before budget cut backs forced Paramount to resort to cheaper animation. Look for a Edward G Robinson caricature. Interesting in the first half Famous went for the Warner Bros. one shot cartoon feel of the late 30s and early 40s. Unfortunately this one was made in 1949 so you can see how the studio was behind the rest.

Unfortunatley I was unable to find the cartoon for streaming. But it is available on Mill Creeks 150 (or 600) Cartoon Collection.