Acme Hour 8/4/01

[Sveven Dvorking]

Dog Daze (WB)
When the Cat's Away (MGM)
The Fella with a Fiddle (WB)
Hospitaliky (POPEYE) -redrawn
Wacky Wildlife (WB)
The Calico Dragon (MGM)
Ding Dog Daddy (WB)
Moving Aweigh (POPEYE)
Foney Fables (WB)
The Mouse-merized Cat (WB)
Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba's Forty Thieves (POPEYE)

[Sveven Dvorking]

Rating: 2.8 of 11. I am tired of these repeated one-shots. Showing a super-long Popeye at the end didn't help, either.

[Argus Sventon]

The CN version of Ali Baba has some scenes that were missing from the PD version. The Coast Guard scene is restored. There were scenes in this cartoon that I hadn't seen before. Also, the print looked fairly well.

It opened with the Popeye head zoom out followed by a redrawn a.a.p. opening used for the 1939-41 cartoons. This was then followed by the original credits. It closed with the anchor end title with the a.a.p. end music from the Famous color Popeyes.

The 3-D backgrounds looked stunning!

[DR. BELCH]

There's a very dodgy bit in the backgrounds of "Dog Daze". One sign says "Don't Pop A Boner!", which used to mean not to make a mistake, but in recent years has taken on a whole new meaning...then on a sign just to the right is an ad for a credit assessment (or asssayers?) firm, but only the first three letters are seen. Now those two messages seen side by side make for a very naughty joke--I don't know if Freleng intended that or if the Hayes office noticed, but....

"The Fella With A Fiddle" may have been a dig at Jack Benny (a penny-pinching character who played the violin....), although a vocal impersonation wasn't used...and no Rochester mice....

Interesting change of pace in "Hospitaliky"--Bluto eats the spinach and beats up Popeye. Wasn't there a variation on htis theme in which the boys maul each other and then realize Olive works at a veterinary clinic?

"Whacky Wildlife" smacks of Avery, who seemed to have a thing with jokes about dogs and trees. I have yet to see a dog actually relieve itself on a tree....

"Ding Dog Daddy" was a hoot about a Goofy-voiced dog who goes gaga over a metal greyhound lawn ornament. There's an urban legend about a moose who did a similar thing....

Watching the Popeye "Ali Baba" short uncut is a lot better than the cheater short with Popeye's nephews repeatedly interfering during a movie filming....

[Patrick McCart]

The 2-reeler Popeye's are among the best Popeye's ever made. It's a shame only 3 were made, since the longer cartoon time allowed for beautiful visuals and of course, TECHNICOLOR!

It's good to know that CN uses Acme Hour to show off the great one-shots since they don't really have as much mass appeal like the "star" cartoons.

Salami...salami...baloney....

[Sveven Dvorking]

Originally posted by Patrick McCart
It's good to know that CN uses Acme Hour to show off the great one-shots since they don't really have as much mass appeal like the "star" cartoons.

I think those one-shots are overplayed. Many Acme Hours repeat the same one-shot cartoons that aired only two months ago (or less!) That is why I gave this show a low rating.