Why the cartoon Popeye the Sailor meets Sinbad the Sailor has become a timeless classic
Paramount Pictures made “Popeye the Sailor meets Sinbad the Sailor” in Technicolor as an animated cartoon short as long ago as 1936, and this cartoon features the two renowned seamen fighting over who might be the greatest sailor in the world!
In this cartoon short, Sindbad the Sailor is big old Bluto and he proclaims himself – in song – to be the greatest sailor, adventurer and lover in the world and ‘the most remarkable, extraordinary fellow’; a claim which is challenged by Popeye’s arrival on his island, with Olive Oyl and J. Wellington Wimpy in tow.
Sindbad orders the kidnapping of Popeye’s girlfriend, Olive Oyl, and challenges the one-eyed sailor to a series of obstacles to prove his greatness: fighting a two-headed giant (there are many animated references to “The Three Stooges” in cartoons) and Sindbad himself, are but a few.
Popeye makes short work of the bird and the giant, but Sindbad almost gets the better of him so Popeye produces a can of spinach giving him the power to defeat Sindbad and proclaim himself ‘the most remarkable, extraordinary fella.’
Of course we have Wimpy longing for his hamburgers and he chases a duck to grind him up into a burger, but this duck escapes with Wimpy’s last burger.
This film was voted one of the 50 Greatest Cartoons of all time by members of the animation field, thus “Popeye the Sailor Meets Sindbad the Sailor” was nominated for the 1936 Academy Award for Best Short.
Interestingly enough, “Popeye the Sailor Meets Sindbad the Sailor” was a major inspiration for the feature film “The 7th Voyage of Sinbad” thus, the cartoon has since been deemed “culturally significant” by the United States Library of Congress, and is one of those selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.
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There are 3 MAIN themes in the “Scottish Play,” so called because superstition says you invite disaster by using the play’s real name inside a theatre!
The Tragedy of Macbeth is a tale of warriors, witches and witchcraft, bloodshed and murder. It begins with thunder and lightening.
CORRUPTION
Macbeth had desire for power and advancement and is unhindered in his ambition to rule Scotland. He murders his way to the top, killing the good king Duncan who had liked Macbeth and promoted him through the ranks.
Macbeth then defends his position with extreme violence by disposing of his own comrade Banquo when a threat to Macbeth’s crown was perceived.
As a child, Saddam Hussein committed murder, was a gangster as a young adult and, when he made president, executed all his opposition to defend his position as leader. Both Macbeth and Saddam ruled with an iron fist through terror and fear to discourage anyone from trying to topple them.
Lady Macbeth pursued her goals with great determination relying on manipulation. For example, her ambition to become queen makes her spur her husband on to murder. She goads him into it and fulfills her dream.
Thoroughly provoked, Macbeth commit’s the evil deed reflecting the leading theme in the play. The corruptive influence of Lady Macbeth is overriding, foremost and dominant.
Mrs. Milosovic, Mirjana Markovic, by comparison, was regarded as the indispensable advisor to her husband throughout his 13-year regime in Serbia and was often dubbed the Lady Macbeth of the Balkans!
Clearly, Mirjana was a co-conspirator in Slobadan’s war crimes of terror and ethnic cleansing, encouraging extreme violence the same way Macbeth’s wife urged him on. She also famously pinched memorabilia from Buckingham Palace when on a state visit to the UK.
CRUELTY
Cruelty and masculinity are central to the plot in Macbeth. Prevailing and governing in the play, violence usually follows talk of manhood. Lady Macbeth encourages the murder of Duncan, by questioning her husband’s bottle. It works as he proves himself a man to her.
Macbeth provokes his hit men with questions about masculinity to fire them up for the murder of Banquo. The relationship between cruelty and masculinity is a huge theme.
Both the Macbeth’s equate aggression to masculinity. Political order descends into chaos as a metaphor for this unruly behavior.
In Act 4 Scene 2 Macbeth has his thugs kill Macduff’s son, then the rest of his family. This is his cruel and extreme response to his distrust of Macduff
Modern day medieval behavior may include Saddam Hussein’s torture chambers and gassing his own people – killing many women, children and families – all carried out by his henchmen. They were Iraqi citizens, just as Macduff’s wife and children were as Scottish as Macbeth was!
Hussein’s regime raped and pillaged domestically in a rein of terror so cruel and addictive, it then spilled over internationally to his neighbors.
TYRANNY
Duncan supplies order and justice to Scotland as King. Macbeth is a tyrannical leader who breaks up the order – depicted by bad weather, chaos, murder and the supernatural.
Malcolm is Duncan’s son and overthrows Macbeth so Scotland can have a true king again, completing the circle. This contrast between kingship and tyranny is a major theme and reflects Iraq before and after Saddam Hussein’s evil empire.
I think the allies invading Baghdad, in brown desert outfits, makes an interesting parallel to Malcolm and his army camouflaged by brown leaves from Birnam Wood. Good wins over evil in both these battles – returning justice and order to both countries.
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