The “Hyp-Nut-Tist” (1935)
The “Hyp-Nut-Tist” Review
The “Hyp-Nut-Tist” is a 1935 animated short from Popeye the Sailor series. It is one of the very best that Popeye has ever been.
Popeye and Olive go to a magician’s show. The magician happens to be Bluto and he ridicules the two before Popeye beats him in the end. This series is the best when it deals with Popeye-Olive romance or when it has a scenario where Bluto has something special going for him and he humiliates the two. The latter is the case here and the plot here wonderfully makes use of that potential. And although it could have been even more imaginative and well crafted, this is still such an enormously entertaining and fun flick that benefits from absolutely amazing action.
The humor is splendid. When Bluto turns Olive into a chicken, it becomes hilarious in its brutality and psychical embarrassment of Olive. Another great moment is when Popeye is turned into a jackass. But the finale is so good, the music here is well utilized and all three characters are so wonderfully put to use with each of them getting some great moments. This short isn’t perfect, but it comes the closest thus far and it is the finest Popeye cartoon up to this point in my honest opinion.
The “Hyp-Nut-Tist” is the best Popeye short thus far thanks to wonderfully used characters, superb action and scenarios and many hilarious parts.
