Goonland (1938)

Director:

Dave Fleischer

Release Date:

21 October 1938 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Short | Comedy | Family

Plot:

Popeye sails to Goon Island in search of his Pappy. He finds the place populated by the imposing, but ugly...

Plot Keywords:

Popeye | Film Break | Disguise | Surrealism | Father Son Relationship

Cast

  (Cast)

Jack Mercer

...

Popeye, Pappy (voice) (uncredited)

Runtime:

8 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (certifcate #1900)

Company:

Fleischer Studios

Trivia:

The first animated appearance of Poopdeck Pappy. He was created because 'Elsie Segar', Popeye's creator, had been ordered to cut down on Popeye's bad language.

Quotes:

Popeye: [disguising himself as a goon] Hair today, goon tomorrow.

My VERY FAVORITE Popeye cartoon

This has the best cartoon art in the series. This is one of the finest things to come out of Fleischer studios. The Popeye and Betty Boop cartoons are classic.

The story starts with Popeye heading toward a mysterious island in search of his pappy. We get an idea of Popeye's age when he states that his pappy was missing for forty years. The island upon which he arrives is atmospheric, mysterious, and downright spooky.

The goons are brilliantly hideous, comparable to the kind like the characters from the classic thriller "Island of Lost Souls" (1932).

The goon is another brilliant Segar character. From the comics, I remember a neat character called "Alice the Goon".

Now we are finally introduced to "Poop-Deck" Pappy, a great character in his own way and obnoxious as can be, but he shows his true meddle by eating the can of spinach and breaking out of the prison in order to save his son Popeye's life in a thrilling climax. (I won't reveal it here, but the ending is just great.)

10/10

Dan Basinger