Review of The Phantom Tollbooth (1970) by Stuart K — 05 Sep 2012

Based upon Norton Juster's 1961 children's book, and brought to the screen by the great Chuck Jones, this is a lively and colourful animated odyssey. It shows how imaginative and original Jones was as an animator with his usual humourous touches throughout, but it was a nightmare getting it released, but it paid off, and it manages to be entertaining and educational at the same time, (this must be the only film that manages to do that.

) Milo (Butch Patrick) is a lonely boy living in San Francisco, who is bored with life, even when he's not in school. Back home, a large box appears in his room, which opens up to be a giant tollbooth complete with a little car.

The car takes him into the magical land of the Kingdom of Wisdom and the cities of Digitopolis and Dictionopolis, by way of Mountains of Ignorance and the Doldrums. Along the way, Milo meets Tock, a dog with a clock in his body, the Whether Man, Dr.

Dischord and the Mathemagician. Milo finds himself trying to save Princesses Rhyme and Reason, who are being held captive in Castle in the Air. It's a lovely film, definitely a product of it's time, with trippy animation to rival Yellow Submarine, and some humourous characters and songs.

It was filmed in 1967, completed the following year but not released until 1970 after MGM closed their animation department. But, it's still a rarity, even for then, and no-one would touch this with a bargepole even now, so it's one to cherish all the more.