Time for action – sailing to Goonland

In 1938, Fleischer Studios did the Popeye cartoon Goonland. This is a good example of the state of animation as a mature art form. If you have questions about some of the terms, check the table in the Animation Principles section that follows. Animating well was a science by 1938 and was codified. As you watch Goonland, see what animation principles it employs. The following steps will help you focus on different parts of the animation that use different methods:

1. Search on the Web for the terms Goonland + 1938. YouTube, archive.org, or some other site should have the video.
2. Look at Goonland with an eye to what progress has been made since 1930. According to reviews on www.imdb.com, this has some of the best artwork of all the Popeye cartoons.
3. Look at how complex the motion is. In addition to the main character's motion, there is secondary motion. It can enhance or detract from the main motion. What places do you see where the secondary motion improves the scene?
4. Look at how objects move. Arcs make design and motion more interesting than straight lines. What places in the animation do they arc the motion to make it more interesting?
5. Look at when objects move. Anticipation and follow through help carry the motion.
6. Look for exaggeration of the motion. How does exaggeration help the feel of animation?
7. Notice how few metaphors are used. There are no eye-lines, no text balloons. Do visual metaphors like this still have a place in animation? Why or why not?

What just happened?

Goonland was made during the peak of 1930s animation. The principles of animation were well known and widely used. At the start, the secondary motion of clouds in the background is so dramatic that it almost makes you seasick. The anticipation of Popeye taking in an exaggeratedly deep breath prior to filling his sails with wind helps sell that it can be done. When he grabs the goony hair to disguise himself, it snaps and springs towards his hand. That is a follow through. There are fewer metaphors except when the goons fight and you see a cloud of fists and arms, or lines radiating from his face when Popeye sees his Pappy.