This is a real oddity that barely gets a nod in the Popeye Vol. 1 DVD set (it's on Disc 4). Various sources place its release year as either 1933, '34, or '35. It was distributed by Paramount to play at special Saturday matinees for members of the Popeye Fan Club.
It's an "authentic" Popeye cartoon (with the usual "Adolph Zukor Presents" opening credit), but with the format of a two-minute "Follow the Bouncing Ball" sing-along. We see and hear Popeye's first version of his theme song from his debut cartoon. Then the screen goes black, the song's lyrics come up, Popeye tells us to "sing along wit' me," and the bouncing ball goes to town.
I didn't bother giving this one a rating, because how do you rate an item like this? Weird to think that in 1934, anyone at Paramount would even think this film was needed to help remember the lyrics that your garbage man can sing seven decades later.
© 2007, Steve Bailey.
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