NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Paramount Blu-ray (December 2020): Paramount has finally released Robert Altman's "Popeye" on Blu-ray (with a digital code included). The nearly 2-hour film is housed on a dual-layered Blu-ray disc with a maxed-out bitrate. The 2.35:1 1080p image is consistently strong, with Olive Oyls' red dress showing an admirable vibrancy, the level of detail on display is surely better than any previous SD edition. The elaborate village sets (and the various extras within them) are now much more discernible, creating a more fulfilling viewing. I certainly noticed a lot more background situations than I had during past viewings. There are the occasional frame-specific blips of tiny white flecks, but they are not really obvious unless you are going slowly frame-by-frame. The contrast levels are much better than I had expected, with the multiple nighttime exteriors showing a fair range of information within the shadows. This is a must-own for nostalgic fans, or curious viewers.

Paramount have included two audio options on the Blu-ray, either 24-bit Dolby TrueHD Audio in 5.1, or the 2.0 Dolby Digital Audio. I prefer the newer surround track, which creates a nice atmospheric vibe without calling attention to itself. Shelley Duvall's "He Needs Me" has never sounded better (though it is now hard to not associate it with Paul Thomas Anderson's "Punch Drunk Love"). The music from Harry Nilsson is surely a selling point for some, and they will not be disappointed. There are optional English, English SDH, and French subtitles on this Region 'A' Blu-ray from Paramount.

There are only a handful of extras to be found on this new Blu-ray from Paramount. There are two featurettes (cobbled together from archival interviews and some from 2020 , including Stephen Altman, the late director's son and prop master). The first is "Return to Sweethaven: A Look Back with Robin and the Altmans'' lasting 13.5 minutes, followed by the 9.5-minute "The Popeye Company Players". There is a slideshow from the film's premiere (accompanied by music from the film) running just shy of 3-minutes. "The Sailor Man Medleys'' is a mini-menu of song selections from the film (showing the clips, not just the audio). Rounding out the rather slim extras is the film's theatrical trailer. It must be said that it's a shame there is no commentary, or somewhat unbiased look at the film, aside from these glossy extras.

While disregarded by many, and sadly a huge flop for Altman, I have always had a soft spot for this over-the-top 2-dimensional take on Popeye. Every character is perfectly cast and the music from Harry Nillson is top-notch. This being the Blu-ray premiere of Popeye should have fans excited. Though light on any meaningful extras, the picture and sound quality is top-notch. Recommended.

Colin Zavitz