The Four Color Media Monitor

According to Koimoi, Elzie Segar's famous Popeye comic strip, which soon looks to enter public domain officially, will be turned into a horror thriller very soon upon its entrance, similar to how Mickey Mouse was exploited for the same genre:

Popeye the Sailor Man is a cartoon icon known for his charm, spinach-fueled strength, and heroics. He has been a cultural legend since his comic strip debut in 1929. Created by Elzie Crisler Segar, Popeye became a symbol of determination, often saving the day with his mighty forearms and trademark charm while providing the viewers with their daily dose of laughter.

This beloved character is taking an unexpected, spine-chilling turn in Popeye the Slayer Man. This upcoming horror film reimagines him as a vengeful slasher stalking his prey in an abandoned spinach factory. This aligns with a recent trend in horror cinema, where nostalgic childhood characters are being reinterpreted in terrifying new ways. From the Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey slasher adaptation to this, filmmakers are mining familiar childhood figures and turning them into nightmare fuel.

And no serious objections from anybody who admires classics? Tragically, Gizmodo for one is fully in on supporting this atrocious low-budget production:

Popeye the Slayer Man follows a group of teenagers who sneak into an old spinach-canning factory hoping to film a documentary on a legendary “Sailor Man” who apparently haunts it. This, of course, does not go as planned when they realize the stories are true. Check out the absolutely hilarious, ultra-gory trailer for Popeye the Slayer Man, courtesy of Bloody Disgusting.

And what's so funny about gore galore? Nothing. This just demonstrates how disinterested these news sources are in defending whatever dignity the classics had. Even the US Mirror reports there's horror enthusiasts accepting this:

The trailer, uploaded on YouTube, has sparked a flurry of reactions from eager horror film enthusiasts. One viewer commented: "They know what they are and they are embracing it. This looks so bad it's good," while another remarked: "Showing all of the deaths in the trailer sure was a decision." [...]

Despite the mixed reactions, some viewers praised the film's unique take on the character's lore, particularly the inclusion of spinach, reports the Daily Star.

I hesitate to think how spinach is put to use in this upcoming, umpteenth abomination, where people with no respect for the original source materials exploit the entrance of a classic comic and cartoon character into public domain solely for the sake of horror stories, to say nothing of turning a hero into a savage villain. We can only guess what'll happen with Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman when they enter public domain, ditto the Sub-Mariner and Captain America. A very sad obsession is being led in the low budget sector of Hollywood filmmaking, and gives a very bad image of said sector to boot.

Labels: comic strips, golden calf of death, golden calf of villainy, msm propaganda, violence