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 Interactive map of Popeye Village | |
| Location | Mellieha, Malta |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 35°57′39″N14°20′29″E / 35.960848°N 14.3413°E /35.960848; 14.3413 |
| Status | Operating |
| Opened | 24 May 1979; 46 years ago (1979-05-24) |
| Website | popeyemalta |
Popeye Village, also known asSweethaven Village, is a purpose-builtfilm set village that has been converted into a small attraction fun park, consisting of a collection of rustic and ramshackle wooden buildings. It is located at Prajjet Bay/Anchor Bay, 3 km (1.9 mi) from the village core ofMellieħa,Malta.
It was built as a film set for the production of the 1980live-actionmusicalfeature filmPopeye, produced byParamount Pictures andWalt Disney Productions starringRobin Williams andShelley Duvall. It is open to the public as anopen-air museum and seaside resort.[1]
The construction of the film set began in June 1979. A construction crew of 165 working four months was needed to build the village, which consists of 19 wooden buildings. Hundreds of logs and several thousand wooden planks were imported from theNetherlands, whilewood shingles used in the construction of the roof tops were imported fromCanada.[2] Eight tons ofnails and 7,600 L (2,000 US gal) of paint were also used in construction.
In addition, a 60–75 m (197–246 ft)breakwater was constructed around Anchor Bay's mouth to protect the set from the high seas during filming.
The set was completed in seven months, and filming commenced on 23 January 1980, and wrapped later that year on 19 June. The film, based on thecomic strips byE. C. Segar, is set around the fictional village of Sweethaven, wherePopeye the sailor arrives in an attempt to find his long-lost father.[3]
Although the film had mixed reviews, Popeye Village remains a populartourist attraction.[4]
Popeye Village is open to the public seven days a week and, apart from the film set itself, has several family attractions for the visitor to experience. There are shows, rides, and museums, as well as playhouses where children can climb and explore the village. Children can meet the main characters from the movie, such asPopeye,Olive Oyl,Bluto, andWimpy.
Some of the houses in Popeye Village have been equipped with various items related to the film's production, including props used in the movie.
Situated in the centre of Popeye Village's Lower Complex, visitors can see a 15-minute history and informationaudio-visual show which includes clips from the actual film and the set's construction. The cinema can accommodate approximately 40 people and has a show every hour.
Popeye Village hosts a variety of functions and activities at certain times of the year, including casualbarbecue lunches and dinners.
Performers and animators provide regular entertainment for families while they are visiting the village, and many of these shows interact with the audience. They include:
On 9 February 2023, the torrential rain inflicted on Malta byCyclone Helios caused a large boulder to become dislodged from a cliff overlooking Popeye Village, causing significant damage to at least one of the film set structures.[5] There were no reported casualties as the attraction had been closed due to the storm. It was closed while the extent of the damage was assessed and repairs were carried out to prevent further danger. The location reopened on 3 June 2023.
