The Popeye Way

Our next Popeye short is one I don't think I've ever seen, and it's called Me Feelins is Hurt.  Looks like the filmmakers just got a rostrum camera or something, and decided to have some fun with it on this one.  If I know my definitions... and I don't... well, it's basically an animation camera, but for some reason I thought it could tilt along its z-axis.  For example, it could be used to make a ship look like it's bobbing to and fro in the water if the animators were lazy and didn't want to actually draw it that way.  Anyway, when Popeye gets to the Bar None Ranch proper, things get a little wobbly.  A mean horse is summoned from his stall, much like the angry bulls from... a previous Popeye short.
I'm not sure exactly when Popeye's feelings get hurt.  I guess it's early on in the picture, and for what may be the first and last time, Popeye explicitly asks the audience to read this note that Olive wrote him, instead of the usual, where we implicitly read over Popeye's shoulder.  And so, off Popeye goes to find this ranch that the mortals have named the Bar None.  We get a satellite eye's view of the globe for this.
Anyway, the usual stuff happens.  Popeye learns a new craft, Olive realizes Bluto's just a jerk in a new outfit, and Popeye runs afoul of a rattlesnake before eating his spinach... rattlesnake?  That's new!  Well, at least the snake doesn't try to hypnotize him.  Snakes used to do that in cartoons, once upon a time.  But this rattlesnake does stick out its tongue at Popeye, and when it does, it makes a party favor sound.  Neat-o!  The snake reminds me a bit of the giant jellyfish from Females is Fickle.  And for once, Olive sings the ending song!  A fairly decent short.  I want to give it three and a half stars... but somehow I can't.  I think my three and a half star days are over, as far as these Popeye shorts go.

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-so sayeth The Movie Hooligan