Popye (1980)

Arguably the oddest directorial choice in the career of Robert Altman, a man with a long history of odd directorial choices, Popeye has the distinction both of being Robin Williams first lead role in a film, as the titular sailor man, and the first live action film adaption of a cartoon series (not counting comic book or comic strip adaptations). The costume and set design is spot on, as are the lead performances by Williams, Shelley Duvall as Olive Oyl, and Paul L. Smith as Bluto. Even much of the music (yes this a musical) by Harry Nilsson is good, but the movie, its really really slow, painfully slow, takes about an hour to get going. I liked parts of this film, but would be hard pressed to recommend it, save to Williams and Altman completists for whom it is a must. After watching this film I learned that I had infact seen it, or at least much of it, before. Popeye was among the first movies my parents rented after getting our first VCR in 1983. **