Popeye has always been a fun and compelling character to me. Bluto is also a great one and their conflict is always so much fun to watch regardless of the quality of the rest of the cartoon. The Popeye series is mostly decent to classic, especially in the mid-late-30s, though there were underwhelming ones later like the worst of the late-50s. It was never less than watchable though. Among the best theatrical series for both Fleischer Studios and Famous Studios.
'Ghosks is the Bunk' is a very good 1939, a very solid year if not as consistently great as the previous few years, Popeye cartoon. Not as good, as funny or as inventive as 'Wotta Nitemare' for example, but there is still more than enough of what makes the series overall as entertaining as it is and why Fleischer Studios' output and the late-30s especially was such a good period for the series. Its best in my personal opinion actually.
Still find Olive's material nowhere near as interesting or as funny as Popeye or Bluto's.
It could have gotten going ever so slightly quicker.
However, 'Ghosks is the Bunk' is full of lively energy, especially in the second half where it becomes increasingly wild, and the gags are plentiful and range from very amusing to hilarious. There are even some nice spooky moments without ever getting too scary. Popeye has not lost his comic timing or compelling personality, but Bluto steals the show here. His tricks and such in 'Ghosks is the Bunk' avoid being too cruel and are quite inventive. The outcome is very satisfying and the chemistry between Popeye and Bluto has wit and tension.
The animation is nicely drawn and detailed, always liked the animation for the late-30s Popeye cartoons (for the series it only started to become more variable around the mid-50s or so to me). The thing that was consistently good about the Popeye cartoons was the music, beautiful and so much fun to listen to because of its lushness and imnense character. Also how much it adds to what is going on without over-emphasising. The voice acting is very good as expected.
On the whole, solid fun. 8/10
