It all begins when producer Robert Evans – whose unusual personality can be seen in the TV series The Offer – decides to finance a musical. The language rights to the Broadway hit eluded him, and he turned to comic book characters. Then we mention Popeye, created by EC Segar and published since 1919.
The character had already seen three animated series – one of which was airing at the time – and Evans decided to create a live-action version… and a musical! It is an ambitious project, especially since it entrusts the main role to a comic who is also the hero of the successful series, which is very little known on this side of the Atlantic Ocean, Mork & Mindy, but which has never appeared in the lead. Movie poster: Robin Williams.
Filming is taking place on the island of Malta. In 1979, 165 workers spent 7 months building the set, which was supposed to be a fishing village, where the entire plot was located. Trunks and pieces of wood were imported from Canada and the Netherlands to Malta, as well as 7,257 tons of nails and 7,571 liters of paint! In total, about twenty buildings are fully constructed.
Sweethaven, now called “Popeye’s Village.”
The setting is incredible, amazing for the audience, but once the shoot is over, it becomes abandoned! Although most of the film’s $20 million (about $75 million in today’s money) went into building the village, it remained as it was on the island. Pleasant leftovers? Not for everyone!
Popeye arrives in Sweethaven
Indeed, Malta Tourism has realized that this extraordinary village is completely exploited as it is! Therefore, it was not destroyed by the government, but on the contrary, it was turned into an amusement park, which can still be visited! As evidenced by the official website of the place, which contains all the useful information.
With repainted houses, entertainment by actors, rides, rides and boat tours, there seems to be something for everyone, including non-Popeye fans.
As for the feature film itself, it was released on December 12, 1980 in the US and on December 16, 1981 in France. The film achieved disappointing results for Paramount, who bet big on the project, but Popeye remains a great film.
A Fair for Kids – You only have to listen to the songs that repeat over and over again to see that Robert Altman’s film is very respectful of the comic and allows everyone to have fun, including the actors!
After Popeye, Robin Williams returned to his Mork & Mindy series and didn’t return to the lead until 1982 with George Roy Hill’s The World According to Garp.
After 5 years of making several honest films without any spark, the actor finally reached a wider audience thanks to his performance in Good Morning Vietnam (1987), which earned him his first nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor.
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
