More to Meah's review (Popeye Village)

Member Name: isvikthere

Product:	Popeye Village
Date:	16/06/03 (65 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: join in the fun, still the real movieset, time flies by

Disadvantages: poorish outlook, toilets dirty

This just to complete the other review on Popeye village written by meah. Everything noted in Meah's review is still valid today, as I just visited the village only ten days ago i should know.

However there is now a bit more to it than what Meah has written. A cast of four student/actors animates the village throughout the day with five different sets.

One set is the barbour shop where a family member of the Barbour of Sevilla tries out a secret formula hair lotion on a volunteer selected from the audience. Can't tell you anymore as it would spoil the surprise.

The second set is located in the town cantina, where visitors are invited to take part in the shooting of an action scene with Popeye. What is special about this is that the actors can view themselves almost immediately after the shooting in the village's own cinema and buy a copy of the said scene on videotape just a while later. Great fun for all those who participate.

The third set is a visit to Toytown, a series of sets situated in some five wooden cabins where puppets demonstrate how the elves keep themselves busy before and after Christmas. I don't really see where all this ties in with the Popeye theme but it is fun to watch all the same, especially for young kids.

The fourth set is a seance in Dr Graves cave/cabinet where once again the audience is invited to participate, being one of the participants in the show I can only say I loved it. Again I didn't get the connection with Popeye but what the heck...

The fifth set is a puppet show where the Bluto character improvises wildly, while I attended the Bluto puppet decided to re-enact the Cinderella fairytale with members of the public.

Finally visitors, are also given the occasion to do a short (half an hour) boatride in the bay where Popeye village is built. As I was fully involved in all five above sets I didn't get round to this anymore.


I have to

conclude on a less positive note on the Village's bar/restaurant, where on a small TV the 80s popeye movie with Robin Williams is played continuously. The whole restaurant looked very poor indeed, an impression amplified with the cola we ordered which was seriously lacking in carbongas. Prices for food and beverages were not too good either.

On the whole the village gave us an impression of being a bit dilapidated. Maybe it was just because we visited in the off-season but still, some work has to be undertaken to get the lot back in to topshape.

Summary: