Once upon a time on a faraway island there was a small but very beautiful bay. And it was completely transformed into a film set and has attracted the tourists all over the land from that time on. Meet the Popeye village movie set!
That’s the short story of how the bay near Mellieha in Malta became famous when it was used as the Sweethaven for the Popeye the Movie. It’s an American musical film with Robin Williams as Popeye (forever remembered for Dead Poets Society, 1989) and Good Will Hunting, 1997) and Shelley Duvall (known best for The Shining, 1980) as Olive, directed by Robert Altman (Paramount Pictures and Walt Disney Productions).
Popeye as many of you know is a character created by E. C. Segar in 1929 for comics and cartoons, a famous strong sailor who becomes even stronger when he eats spinach. Now you can meet him and his friends on Malta! We took a car and got there in about 30 mins ride from St Julians where your hotel was located.
About the Popeye set
The film set was created in 1979 with the use of materials from Holland and Canada. The set was preserved as it is, and now you can enjoy many etra attractions there too: a mini golf course, an obstacle course (George loved it!), a few cafes, a seaside area with sunbeds, treasure hunt and a cinema. Also during our visit we received coupons to get free popcorn and a free postcard! If you love the character of Popeye, you can also visit the Popeye Comic Museum with about a hundred original comics dating back to 1936.
Another essential thing about the Popeye film set are the animators. You can meet the main characters of the movie ‘in flesh’, watch their little performances or have a guided tour with them through the village. If you visit the village once, you might want to return again as it offers different seasonal packages throughout the year.
The best spot to shoot the village is not far away from the entrance – you can see the whole thing below! Don’t miss this photo opportunity 🙂
See below the map of the village (credit goes to the official website of Popeye Malta) and a shot from the movie!
You can also check my blog about the film set of Harry Potter in London and other blogs about Malta: Mdina, Valletta, Gozo and Victoria.
Hope you loved my blog,
Yours,
Anna
