The late-1950s Popeye cartoons were from the series' weakest period to me, Famous Studios in general were not on the best of forms, their best days reasonably long gone, and the Popeye series was not an exception. Not that it was unwatchable, in this period the Popeye theatrical series was the best of the lot still going as the cartoons more varied in quality than show a complete decline. The difference in quality of animation and gags compared to the Fleischer Popeye cartoons and the 40s Famous Studios is quite staggering though.
In this respect, it was hard to expect a huge amount from 'The Crystal Brawl'. Especially as it was too made in the series' final year (for Famous Studios and overall), which was a mixed year that didn't see either any classics or abominations, and a cartoon that featured clips of previous Popeye outing. Have seen this type of cartoon called a "cheater", which people tend to not be too fond of and regard them as pointless and lazy. Pointless and lazy 'The Crystal Brawl' turned out not to be. Actually consider it one of the best 1957 Popeyes, one of the better "cheaters" (though it didn't actually feel like one at all) easily and towards the better half of the Popeye cartoons made in the late-50s.
Despite 'The Crystal Brawl' featuring clips from previous cartoons, somehow they actually felt like they were part of the cartoon itself rather than being pre-existing. They do a much better job than most of these types of cartoons at driving the story forward and being an integral part of it rather than interrupting the flow, not cheapened or wasted at all. Didn't find myself distracted anywhere near as much here by the difference in quality between the framing story and the pre-existing material, which can be vast (it was very distracting in 'Big Bad Sindbad' for example) and didn't question the point of it.
Actually the quality of 'The Crystal Brawl' compared to the two cartoons featured 'Alpine for You' and 'Quick on the Vigor' is quite close in spirit and style of humour, the only big difference for the (relatively) worse being the animation. Seeing though that the animation in the late-50s for the series was inconsistent anyway again it wasn't as badly distracting, not like the animation being quite bad in the framing story and great in the clips like in other "cheaters". The animation though is uneven, it's never terrible and it has flashes of greatness but the finesse isn't always there and some scenes are more vibrant and detailed than others.
Speaking of the story though, this didn't feel like a framing story only linking the clips together. Instead 'The Crystal Brawl' had a classic, if pretty formulaic, Popeye vs Bluto fighting for Olive's love scenario in an inspired setting, that was the main focus, and the clips were used cleverly and smoothly and helped move along the events with the fortune telling. The pace is lively and the gags are never less than amusing, the material from 'Alpine for You' being the highlight. The material in the non-clips (most of the cartoon) is as funny and far from fatigued as that in 'Alpine for You' and 'Quick on the Vigor', even if there is not an awful lot that's imaginative or original. The final portion is wonderfully wild and reminds me very much of why the series does a good deal for me.
Music is outstanding throughout, very luscious and characterful. Popeye is as amusing as ever and Bluto is a formidable and every bit as entertaining adversary. Olive is not as interesting though, but generally do find that the case with the Popeye cartoons. At least she's not underused though. The voice acting is reliably fine, Jack Mercer is the definitive Popeye and while there has always been a preference for Gus Wickie (a lot of people's personal favourite Bluto voice actor) Jackson Beck is both menacing and robust. Like Mercer for Popeye, Mae Questel was the most popular and frequently used voice for Olive and for me she is the only Olive that does anything for me and the only one to fit the character design.
On the whole, surprisingly good. 8/10
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