In this film Oblio is born into a town of the pointy headed people with a round head. He is outcast from birth and forced to wear a pointed hat to blend in. His only friend is a pointed dog named Arrow. When it is discovered that his head is really round, the evil pointmeister has Oblio thrown out of the town into the wilderness to fend for himself. Here he learns life's lessons and meets some very unusual characters ala 'Wizard of Oz'. He finally returns to the town amid a great uproar, his hat is removed by the evil pointmeister and, to everyone's surprise, his head is pointed. But then a miracle happens and everyones pointed head dissolves away and everyone is round headed. The music is pretty good, but Dustin's original narration is the best. The video plays rather odd with Ringo and has a different feel altogether.
55 Reviews
I cast my vote for a DVD release.
therealinformal23 September 2003
I cast my vote not only for a DVD release of The Point, but also for it to have (a) the soundtrack remastered with the respect it deserves and (b) Dustin Hoffman restored to the narration. I was lucky enough to see it once by accident on TV during the school holidays in the mid-seventies and, over the years, I have proclaimed its many virtues (e.g, the soundtrack, the moral, and the fine use of a real boy, instead of an actress, for the boy's voice).
The Purpose of Having a Point
elicopperman22 January 2021
Warning: Spoilers
What does it mean to have a point? Why exactly do we go about finding a point? Well, according to Harry Nilsson, it all has to do with discovering who you are. In the case of Nilsson's children's album, The Point, this all came from his imagination and the collaborative efforts of animator Fred Wolf to be made into an animated special. Becoming the first feature length animated TV film to air on prime time, the project was a big success on its original 1971 release, and to this day has had a pretty decent legacy with a Broadway adaptation and a 50th anniversary Blu-ray. But how does it hold up in terms of its point?
Set in the mystical Pointed Village, a boy named Oblio is the only round-headed person there. Upon being banished by the village count under the law that everyone must have a point, he and his dog Arrow are sentenced to the pointless forest, where they discover multiple beings that all have points of their own. Now given that this film structures the Nilsson album into a plot, the film can have trouble picking up the slack in between certain musical numbers. For every rambunctious song sequence with unlimited creativity, some moments just feature Oblio talking with a character with little action. However, what does save the story from being ultimately dull is the theme of prejudice and discovering one's identity, especially with some people in the Pointed Village being thoroughly against Oblio's mere existence, thus leaving the poor kid to journey along the pointless forest and truly discover his own purpose in life. It also helps that the film is told from the perspective of a father reading the story to his son during bedtime, allowing the moral of everything having a point to feel like it's from storytime hour.
Speaking of the bedtime story structure, that may explain why the characters are thinly developed yet highly appealing. As Oblio is the only round headed kid in a village of pointed people, the nasty count despises the boy for his round head alone. Therefore, he banishes poor Oblio and his pantomime dog Arrow in spite of the more passive King who couldn't care less if Oblio was pointed or not. In the pointless forest, the bizarre characters the two meet include a three headed pointed man who shows the kid that anything can have a point in spite of appearances, a mellow rockman who takes life slowly, a treeman who collects leaves for business, etc. While every character sticks out from their personality and appearance alone, it's what they teach Oblio individually that helps him develop his view on the world overtime. It helps that the aforementioned father's narration chimes in a la William Goldman, even if those bits are a bit repetitive. In accompaniment by very genuine voice acting, these characters stick out not by three dimensional development, but instead by what they stand for separately.
What's interesting to note about the film is that director Fred Wolf mostly animated the entire feature himself, and the personal touches really show. Despite the low budget the film has, it makes the most out of its resources with creative world building, abstract art direction and experimental effects. Whether the artistic touches range from sketchy lines, to brushstroke layouts to even watercolor textures, the film really does feel like a storybook come to life. Even the character designs play up the pointed angles and basic shape structures very well to let each figure stand out on their own, especially with the different range of graphically designed creatures in the pointless forest. It also helps that with the exception of the more outlandish song sequences, the film's color palette is kept to a restrained minimum to let the atmosphere breathe loose all over the screen. The only legit criticism to give the visuals is that the more limited character animation can get noticeably boring during the slower moments, but then again, those bits are far and few compared to the otherwise fantastic artwork on display.
But as for the songs themselves, they can range from charmingly simple to even emotionally resonative. Everyone's Got 'Em establishes how the people in the Pointed Village function daily, along with some clever visual gags, Me and my Arrow sets up Oblio and Arrow's friendship briskly, and Poli High is one of the more quickly paced sequences in a competitive game of Triangle Toss, complete with themes of childhood ignorance and even more visual gags. As for when Oblio and Arrow enter the Pointless Forest, Think About your Troubles allows for the worst possible problems to seethe in while Oblio depressingly wanders along the area. In addition to Life Line and P.O.V. Waltz showcasing the moral dilemmas of anxiety and lust through abstract imagination, Are you Sleeping? might be the most somber piece in the whole film. In addition to feeling like a romantic lullaby, it allows the film to reminisce over the good times many people have shared with their loved ones through attractively haunting visuals and dreamlike fantasies. Who knew a children's album could speak to anyone no matter the age?
So even if The Point is essentially an extended adaptation to the studio album, it does offer its own point of existence well enough with its timeless moral, surreal animation, charming characters and harmonious songs. If this film did teach me one thing, among others as well, it's that even if something might not appear to have a point, it truly does within itself as long as you allow it to speak for itself. Even if Nilsson was high when he conceived the idea (which is actually true), he did prove to the world 50 years ago that through creative storytelling and imagination, anything can have a point of its own.
Set in the mystical Pointed Village, a boy named Oblio is the only round-headed person there. Upon being banished by the village count under the law that everyone must have a point, he and his dog Arrow are sentenced to the pointless forest, where they discover multiple beings that all have points of their own. Now given that this film structures the Nilsson album into a plot, the film can have trouble picking up the slack in between certain musical numbers. For every rambunctious song sequence with unlimited creativity, some moments just feature Oblio talking with a character with little action. However, what does save the story from being ultimately dull is the theme of prejudice and discovering one's identity, especially with some people in the Pointed Village being thoroughly against Oblio's mere existence, thus leaving the poor kid to journey along the pointless forest and truly discover his own purpose in life. It also helps that the film is told from the perspective of a father reading the story to his son during bedtime, allowing the moral of everything having a point to feel like it's from storytime hour.
Speaking of the bedtime story structure, that may explain why the characters are thinly developed yet highly appealing. As Oblio is the only round headed kid in a village of pointed people, the nasty count despises the boy for his round head alone. Therefore, he banishes poor Oblio and his pantomime dog Arrow in spite of the more passive King who couldn't care less if Oblio was pointed or not. In the pointless forest, the bizarre characters the two meet include a three headed pointed man who shows the kid that anything can have a point in spite of appearances, a mellow rockman who takes life slowly, a treeman who collects leaves for business, etc. While every character sticks out from their personality and appearance alone, it's what they teach Oblio individually that helps him develop his view on the world overtime. It helps that the aforementioned father's narration chimes in a la William Goldman, even if those bits are a bit repetitive. In accompaniment by very genuine voice acting, these characters stick out not by three dimensional development, but instead by what they stand for separately.
What's interesting to note about the film is that director Fred Wolf mostly animated the entire feature himself, and the personal touches really show. Despite the low budget the film has, it makes the most out of its resources with creative world building, abstract art direction and experimental effects. Whether the artistic touches range from sketchy lines, to brushstroke layouts to even watercolor textures, the film really does feel like a storybook come to life. Even the character designs play up the pointed angles and basic shape structures very well to let each figure stand out on their own, especially with the different range of graphically designed creatures in the pointless forest. It also helps that with the exception of the more outlandish song sequences, the film's color palette is kept to a restrained minimum to let the atmosphere breathe loose all over the screen. The only legit criticism to give the visuals is that the more limited character animation can get noticeably boring during the slower moments, but then again, those bits are far and few compared to the otherwise fantastic artwork on display.
But as for the songs themselves, they can range from charmingly simple to even emotionally resonative. Everyone's Got 'Em establishes how the people in the Pointed Village function daily, along with some clever visual gags, Me and my Arrow sets up Oblio and Arrow's friendship briskly, and Poli High is one of the more quickly paced sequences in a competitive game of Triangle Toss, complete with themes of childhood ignorance and even more visual gags. As for when Oblio and Arrow enter the Pointless Forest, Think About your Troubles allows for the worst possible problems to seethe in while Oblio depressingly wanders along the area. In addition to Life Line and P.O.V. Waltz showcasing the moral dilemmas of anxiety and lust through abstract imagination, Are you Sleeping? might be the most somber piece in the whole film. In addition to feeling like a romantic lullaby, it allows the film to reminisce over the good times many people have shared with their loved ones through attractively haunting visuals and dreamlike fantasies. Who knew a children's album could speak to anyone no matter the age?
So even if The Point is essentially an extended adaptation to the studio album, it does offer its own point of existence well enough with its timeless moral, surreal animation, charming characters and harmonious songs. If this film did teach me one thing, among others as well, it's that even if something might not appear to have a point, it truly does within itself as long as you allow it to speak for itself. Even if Nilsson was high when he conceived the idea (which is actually true), he did prove to the world 50 years ago that through creative storytelling and imagination, anything can have a point of its own.
A delightful film, no matter which version you choose
vjthom396 July 2003
The Point, a delightful animated film, is a joy for both children and their parents. The story line is a typical fable - how little Oblio was born in the Land of Point with a perfectly round head. After beating the evil Count's son in a game of triangle toss, he and his faithful dog Arrow are banished to the Pointless Forest. Here they encounter numerous strange creatures and have many adventures, where they learn that physical or not, everybody has a point. The music was written and performed by Harry Nilsson...after his hits with "Everybody's Talkin'" and the "Theme from the Courtship of Eddie's Father", but before his monumental Nilsson Schmillson album. A song from this feature, "Me and My Arrow" became a minor hit. George Tipton does wonderful but largely unrecognized arrangements of all the songs. The original movie was featured on ABC television in 1971 with Dustin Hoffman providing the narration. Harry Nilsson himself peforms the narration on the corresponding soundtrack album, which is a delight in itself. (It has recently been re-released with additional material.) When the film was shown in Great Britain, the original narration was wiped and replaced with one by Alan Barzman. Later the film was shown on the Disney Channel, with narration by Alan Thicke. The VHS home version is narrated by Ringo Starr, a drinking buddy and close friend of Harry Nilsson. Although the VHS version is no longer in print, I have seen versions with all 4 narrators lurking about on the internet. I have not heard personally heard the Alan Thicke or Alan Barzman versions. Ringo does a nice job on his narration, which I prefer over Hoffman's. However, if you're a Dustin Hoffman fan, his version is fine as well.
A new favorite
xxlittlekittenxx5 October 2003
I kept hearing about this movie a lot for quite some time, and when I saw the video at my local library, I decided to check it out to see if it was any good.
Little did I know what I was in for!
In other words, I loved every minute of it. I have this thing for semi-obscure non-Disney animated movies, and 'The Point' was just adorable. Never before have I seen a lead character quite as endearing as little Oblio, or a cuter dog than Arrow (I just loved his expressions). The Rock Man was just too cool... with that beatnik-like voice and wisdom.
I loved the songs, and there's a very strange one about death, which shows a whale decomposing... it's the weirdest part of the movie, and has to be seen to be believed. The sequences to a few other songs aren't much more normal, actually. But I mean all of this in the nicest way possible.
'The Point' will for sure have a place in my cartoon collection soon. Anyone who loves strange cartoons or Harry Nilsson should see it.
Little did I know what I was in for!
In other words, I loved every minute of it. I have this thing for semi-obscure non-Disney animated movies, and 'The Point' was just adorable. Never before have I seen a lead character quite as endearing as little Oblio, or a cuter dog than Arrow (I just loved his expressions). The Rock Man was just too cool... with that beatnik-like voice and wisdom.
I loved the songs, and there's a very strange one about death, which shows a whale decomposing... it's the weirdest part of the movie, and has to be seen to be believed. The sequences to a few other songs aren't much more normal, actually. But I mean all of this in the nicest way possible.
'The Point' will for sure have a place in my cartoon collection soon. Anyone who loves strange cartoons or Harry Nilsson should see it.
why isn't this shown more?
projekchick15 January 2007
I saw this on ABC's Movie of the Week when it was first shown in 1971. I was in 8th grade then and just loved it.
I think it was only repeated once.
It should be repeated every year like Charlie Brown and Rudolph.
This generation would really benefit from it.It might make them think a little
The messages of tolerance and respecting others' differences never get old.
Plus the music was very uplifting and the characters are appealing
The fact that I still remember (and would like to see)this movie after 35 years must mean something.
I think it was only repeated once.
It should be repeated every year like Charlie Brown and Rudolph.
This generation would really benefit from it.It might make them think a little
The messages of tolerance and respecting others' differences never get old.
Plus the music was very uplifting and the characters are appealing
The fact that I still remember (and would like to see)this movie after 35 years must mean something.
I love Nilsson
BandSAboutMovies24 September 2020
Warning: Spoilers
The Point! was the sixth studio album by Harry Nilsson, as well as this film, which was directed by Fred Wolf, who would go on to help make the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle cartoon and the TV special Free to Be You and Me.
Yes, the creative force behind Son of Dracula helped make a cartoon and it's exactly what you'd want it to be.
Originally airing as The ABC Movie of the Week on February 2, 1971, this film first featured Dustin Hoffman in a framing sequence. Hoffman would only allow his voice to be used for the initial airing, so his part is dubbed by Alan Barzman. On some releases, Ringo Starr and Alan Thicke did this part.
It tells the story of round-headed Oblio (Mike Lookinland from The Brady Bunch) who wears a pointed hat to fit in. However, once the king's son knocks his hat off after being bested in a game of Triangle Toss, Oblio is kicked out.
Our hero and his dog Arrow are sent to the Pointless Forrest, where they somehow learn that even things that don't have a point really have a point, in spite of themselves. They tell everyone this news and the king's son knocks off Oblio's hat to reveal that he now has a point at the very same time that everyone loses theirs.
In 1977, a stage version of The Point! played in London, with Monkees members and Nilsson friends Davy Jones and Micky Dolenz appearing.
It's worth watching and appreciating, perhaps even more today than it was in 1971.
Yes, the creative force behind Son of Dracula helped make a cartoon and it's exactly what you'd want it to be.
Originally airing as The ABC Movie of the Week on February 2, 1971, this film first featured Dustin Hoffman in a framing sequence. Hoffman would only allow his voice to be used for the initial airing, so his part is dubbed by Alan Barzman. On some releases, Ringo Starr and Alan Thicke did this part.
It tells the story of round-headed Oblio (Mike Lookinland from The Brady Bunch) who wears a pointed hat to fit in. However, once the king's son knocks his hat off after being bested in a game of Triangle Toss, Oblio is kicked out.
Our hero and his dog Arrow are sent to the Pointless Forrest, where they somehow learn that even things that don't have a point really have a point, in spite of themselves. They tell everyone this news and the king's son knocks off Oblio's hat to reveal that he now has a point at the very same time that everyone loses theirs.
In 1977, a stage version of The Point! played in London, with Monkees members and Nilsson friends Davy Jones and Micky Dolenz appearing.
It's worth watching and appreciating, perhaps even more today than it was in 1971.
The Best Animated Movie Of Our Time
minorchord039 January 2005
Any animated movie that comes out can not hold a straw to 1971's "The Point".
Harry Nillson wrote an incredible story, that comes along with excellent, singable songs that will live through the ages. The story is touching and the characters are wild.
The first time I saw it was the first time it came out, with Dustin Hoffman as the narrator. Now that it is on DVD, I wish that he was still the narrator, but Ringo does an incredible job as well and it does not detract from the story.
The point of this movie (no pun intended) is that everything has a point, and if everything has a point than thats rather pointless. You'll have to watch to understand. Every kid should watch it for a wonderful cartoon and every teenager/adult should watch it to learn a valuable, touching lesson.
Harry Nillson wrote an incredible story, that comes along with excellent, singable songs that will live through the ages. The story is touching and the characters are wild.
The first time I saw it was the first time it came out, with Dustin Hoffman as the narrator. Now that it is on DVD, I wish that he was still the narrator, but Ringo does an incredible job as well and it does not detract from the story.
The point of this movie (no pun intended) is that everything has a point, and if everything has a point than thats rather pointless. You'll have to watch to understand. Every kid should watch it for a wonderful cartoon and every teenager/adult should watch it to learn a valuable, touching lesson.
A charming animated story
peefyn10 September 2016
This a charming movie. The animation is simple, but nice. It feels like picking up a children's book and reading it, which is also what bookends the whole story. The character design is mostly quite nice, and some of the characters are visually great fun. The same goes to some of the sequences, especially the imagery during the songs. While it's not ground breaking in any way, the look is sweet enough that the movie would probably appeal to fans of animation.
A big draw is Ringo Starr, who is the narrator/dad in the home media release of this movie. He does a good job, as does Harry Nilsson singing the soundtrack. But I do kind of wish that the same person would have done both.
The story itself is simple, but nice. It drags a bit at times. And while it mostly works, it might be a bit of a stretch to base a 60+ minutes story around a single pun. But the moral of the story is safe and probably understandable to the young target audience.
A big draw is Ringo Starr, who is the narrator/dad in the home media release of this movie. He does a good job, as does Harry Nilsson singing the soundtrack. But I do kind of wish that the same person would have done both.
The story itself is simple, but nice. It drags a bit at times. And while it mostly works, it might be a bit of a stretch to base a 60+ minutes story around a single pun. But the moral of the story is safe and probably understandable to the young target audience.
A masterpiece every child (and adult) should see
VermonterVol26 March 2004
How wonderful that The Point is now available on DVD!
This 1971 TV special tells the story of Oblio, a round-headed child born into a world of pointy-headed people. He faces discrimination, is banished, and then returns at the end to teach an important lesson to the town.
The cartoon works on so many levels its a joy to watch and re-watch. The moral lessons come fast, furious and they're so enjoyably and subtle that it makes you feel good. "Everyone must have a point!"
A lot of the early '70s mentality is embedded in The Point, and the tone and lessons remind us that the '60s and '70s WERE an ideal time, filled with great ideals. The Harry Nielsson songs are outstanding, and the animation is a cross between Peter Max and the folks that did Rocky & Bullwinkle.
I snagged the Disney version on VHS more than 10 years ago, and let my small children watch it several times. I'm looking forward to enjoying it on crystal-clear DVD now.
This 1971 TV special tells the story of Oblio, a round-headed child born into a world of pointy-headed people. He faces discrimination, is banished, and then returns at the end to teach an important lesson to the town.
The cartoon works on so many levels its a joy to watch and re-watch. The moral lessons come fast, furious and they're so enjoyably and subtle that it makes you feel good. "Everyone must have a point!"
A lot of the early '70s mentality is embedded in The Point, and the tone and lessons remind us that the '60s and '70s WERE an ideal time, filled with great ideals. The Harry Nielsson songs are outstanding, and the animation is a cross between Peter Max and the folks that did Rocky & Bullwinkle.
I snagged the Disney version on VHS more than 10 years ago, and let my small children watch it several times. I'm looking forward to enjoying it on crystal-clear DVD now.
A feel good movie of a story I've loved for decades
trey-yancy-572-7635478 September 2017
I've been a fan of The Point since the album came out. The marker-drawn animation of the movie is a bit rough, some elements are somewhat clichéd, and there are a few differences between the movie and the album, but it's a good movie for kids and it teaches an important lesson about intolerance. I do prefer the album, however. I enjoyed Harry Nilsson's easy-going narration and the pace was more lively than the movie, with narration handling the story and the dialogue. I don't know why the sound track has stayed with me all these decades, but I still remember the lyrics to a number of the songs. I hadn't played the album since the mid 70's, but the story of Oblio stayed with me. When, as a graphic designer, I created a mascot for the company, it turned out to be inspired by Arrow. It is good these days to remind people that those who run around with points on their heads cannot overcome the forces of unity and oneness.
Great movie about diversity and acceptance
Snoopy115 April 2002
Growing up, my parents used to rent this movie for my sister and I all the time. Along with "Free To Be You & Me", these movies made me really open-minded and I learned a lot.
It's the story of a young boy who lives in a town with all of these people whose heads are pointy. His head is not. So he treks around on a "psychedelic journey" with his dog. I don't remember much else, but I remember Ringo narrating it :-) and the ending which I'm not going to write about here.
I can't seem to find this film anywhere now. I think I'd enjoy seeing it, especially since in retrospect I realize that it was probably made by hippies and had a lot of the 60s/70s drug culture in it.
It's the story of a young boy who lives in a town with all of these people whose heads are pointy. His head is not. So he treks around on a "psychedelic journey" with his dog. I don't remember much else, but I remember Ringo narrating it :-) and the ending which I'm not going to write about here.
I can't seem to find this film anywhere now. I think I'd enjoy seeing it, especially since in retrospect I realize that it was probably made by hippies and had a lot of the 60s/70s drug culture in it.
Good
ilaybushira1 December 2020
The film can have its pacing issues, it can be quite boring at times with its limitedness, but still is charming with a bad time story type of charm, solid voice acting and some creative moments. Its far from one of the best and it isn't really a strong movie, especially with its limited animation, but I would recommend it to people and it definitely deserves some attention. I guess I can say, this film has a point.
Should I be disappointed??
Bizattle26 May 2006
My father would always talk about this movie growing up. He owns the record, which in time, found myself listening to his music.
But I'd never seen the film.
When I heard the DVD was available I quickly logged on, bought it and flew back home all the way from California to NY to surprise my dad. We made a night out of watching it, only for him to say that it was not the film he'd seen. But this wasn't because of the narration, as I've read from others reviews. He says it was animated differently.
IS THIS TRUE?? Has anyone ever seen a different LOOKING version?
I'm curious to see the "original" if that is the case.
But I'd never seen the film.
When I heard the DVD was available I quickly logged on, bought it and flew back home all the way from California to NY to surprise my dad. We made a night out of watching it, only for him to say that it was not the film he'd seen. But this wasn't because of the narration, as I've read from others reviews. He says it was animated differently.
IS THIS TRUE?? Has anyone ever seen a different LOOKING version?
I'm curious to see the "original" if that is the case.
It was a great lesson in tolerance and acceptance.
aunt_su24 November 2003
Besides having a wonderful score written by Harry Nilson, including the song "Me and My Arrow" which was used in a car commercial, it had a great story and unique cartoons - very different for its day. I had seen it when it first came out with Dustin Hoffman as the father's voice, but the next time I saw it, Alan Thicke did the voice and I wondered if I had been mistaken. It is gratifying to know that I wasn't. I've never heard it with Ringo Starr in that part, but I think it would be interesting.
THERE'S ALWAYS A POINT
kirbylee70-599-5261799 March 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I can remember back in 1971 when the film THE POINT first aired on TV. Featuring the music of acclaimed composer and singer Harry Nilsson it was an immediate hit. In addition to the show being popular on TV the soundtrack was a best seller featuring the single "Me and My Arrow" from the show. And then it sort of disappeared. I can't recall if it ever aired again but other versions popped up in various locales. It was released on VHS and disc but to no acclaim. Now it arrives from MVD with a new group of extras to enjoy.
For those who've never seen it the movie has a father reading the story to his young son, trying to encourage his imagination. That story revolves around a land where everything and everyone has a point, literally. The buildings have pointed roofs and everyone has a pointed head. And then a young boy named Oblio is born with a round head. Oblio is accepted to a point (pun intended). But when he beats a bully at school at a game called triangles, the boy's father the Count will settle for nothing less than banishing Oblio from the Land of Points.
Banished to the Pointless Forest along with his faithful dog Arrow, Oblio encounters numerous characters as he finds his way through the world. Among them is a rock man, a swarm of bees and throughout his journey a pointless man who points in every direction at once. Each of the characters lends themselves to helping him move forward and teaching him along the way that having no point is a point in itself.
The combination of story used to, well, make a point combined with the music of Nilsson was an enjoyable treat most watching TV wouldn't expect. The animation used was minimal and simplistic to some but fueled by pop art and the time and images that were twisted and mind warping as well. Just three years after the Beatles YELLOW SUBMARINE feature film, it's reminiscent of that.
The soundtrack was a hit for Nilsson and that single, "Me and My Arrow", has been heard not only on the radio but in commercials as well. It remains one of his most familiar tunes. Fortunately this wasn't the only song Nilsson brought the world and his passing in 1994 at age 52 was a loss to the music world.
Here's the kicker about this new release from MVD. The movie is presented with a 2K High Definition transfer presented in its original aspect ratio. While that might sound great the actual copy used leaves something to be desired, with scratches at various moments. But when that's all you have to work with you realize how important archiving movies being made is and how many like this deserve to be saved before they all fall to degradation.
Making up for that shortcoming the folks at MVD have added plenty of new extras to be enjoyed. Those include "The Kid's Got a Point: An Interview with Mike Lookinland" who did the voice of Oblio, "That Old Guy Wrote The Point" a conversation with screenwriter Norm Lenzer, "Everybody's Got A Point: Kiefo Nilsson and Bobby Halvorson on Adapting The Point", "Nilsson on Screen" a near feature length documentary about Nilsson including biographer Alyn Shipton and friends on his film projects and appearances, "The Making of The Point" a four part featurette and a collectible poster for the film.
If you remember and loved this from your childhood it's worth picking up. If you have you kids around it's worth adding to your collection. And if you simply enjoy animated films that are remarkable in a different sort of way, then by all means you need this film. It's well worth investing in.
For those who've never seen it the movie has a father reading the story to his young son, trying to encourage his imagination. That story revolves around a land where everything and everyone has a point, literally. The buildings have pointed roofs and everyone has a pointed head. And then a young boy named Oblio is born with a round head. Oblio is accepted to a point (pun intended). But when he beats a bully at school at a game called triangles, the boy's father the Count will settle for nothing less than banishing Oblio from the Land of Points.
Banished to the Pointless Forest along with his faithful dog Arrow, Oblio encounters numerous characters as he finds his way through the world. Among them is a rock man, a swarm of bees and throughout his journey a pointless man who points in every direction at once. Each of the characters lends themselves to helping him move forward and teaching him along the way that having no point is a point in itself.
The combination of story used to, well, make a point combined with the music of Nilsson was an enjoyable treat most watching TV wouldn't expect. The animation used was minimal and simplistic to some but fueled by pop art and the time and images that were twisted and mind warping as well. Just three years after the Beatles YELLOW SUBMARINE feature film, it's reminiscent of that.
The soundtrack was a hit for Nilsson and that single, "Me and My Arrow", has been heard not only on the radio but in commercials as well. It remains one of his most familiar tunes. Fortunately this wasn't the only song Nilsson brought the world and his passing in 1994 at age 52 was a loss to the music world.
Here's the kicker about this new release from MVD. The movie is presented with a 2K High Definition transfer presented in its original aspect ratio. While that might sound great the actual copy used leaves something to be desired, with scratches at various moments. But when that's all you have to work with you realize how important archiving movies being made is and how many like this deserve to be saved before they all fall to degradation.
Making up for that shortcoming the folks at MVD have added plenty of new extras to be enjoyed. Those include "The Kid's Got a Point: An Interview with Mike Lookinland" who did the voice of Oblio, "That Old Guy Wrote The Point" a conversation with screenwriter Norm Lenzer, "Everybody's Got A Point: Kiefo Nilsson and Bobby Halvorson on Adapting The Point", "Nilsson on Screen" a near feature length documentary about Nilsson including biographer Alyn Shipton and friends on his film projects and appearances, "The Making of The Point" a four part featurette and a collectible poster for the film.
If you remember and loved this from your childhood it's worth picking up. If you have you kids around it's worth adding to your collection. And if you simply enjoy animated films that are remarkable in a different sort of way, then by all means you need this film. It's well worth investing in.
A Real Kid Helped Me Review This Movie
flapdoodle6418 April 2013
I have a fragmentary recollection of seeing this film when I was a kid and liking it back in the 1970's when it played on network TV. I recently re-watched it with my nephew Max, who is in 2nd grade and will be 8 years old in two months.
Probably the most important thing to say is that the movie held Max's attention very well, his eyes were riveted to the screen, and that he liked it very much, except for some of the musical interludes, which he thought were 'wierd,' especially the song where the whale dies and decomposes. (Of course, me being a sophisticated adult, I thought that song was probably the most profound and poetic, but I can see where Max was coming from.)
Based on the fact that Max appears to be a fairly typical real kid, who plays games on the Wii, who normally watches Adventure Time, the Ninja Turtles, and Sponge Bob, I would say that it is likely that other real world kids of today are likely to enjoy this movie as well.
As an adult, I find a number of reasons to recommend this movie for grown-ups and kids to watch together:
1. It's nice to find a kid-friendly film that isn't part of a mass merchandising campaign, which is now always the case regarding Disney and Pixar and Shreck movies, not to mention crap like GI Joe, Transformers, and My Little Pony. After watching this, it's unlikely your kid is going be asking for an Oblio action figure, and if he does ask, you won't find that action figure at the Target store.
2. Animation: This film has full-animation as opposed to the cheap-looking 'limited' animation that you see in the Hanna Barberra stuff from this period. Also, the drawing and coloring appears to have been done all by hand, giving the moving images a hand-made kind of quality, which is endearing to adults, and which might serve to inspire kids to pursue their own artistic endeavors. All in all, it's a refreshing change from computer animation and the other super-perfect stuff made today.
3. The narration and dialog is often clever and amusing, even insightful at times. The voice actors are all good, in particular, Mike Lookinland, who sounded so much like a real and natural kid, I did not recognize him as being one of the sickeningly saccharine Brady Bunch kids. A lot of the reviewers her on IMDb lament that Dustin Hoffman's original narration has been lost, and I of course always regret when a piece of art is not preserved intact, but Ringo Starr, besides being an old friend to the adults, tends to be popular with kids as well (hence his former gig as the narrator for Thomas the Tank Engine).
4. I'm dubious that all of the songs will appeal to kids, but at least they didn't cause Max to walk out. As an adult, and being ambivalent about a lot of Harry Nilson's music, I can say that most of the musical numbers I quite enjoyed. At least with the musical numbers, that is a good time for the kid to go the bathroom or to put some fruit or Ritz Bitz on a little plate for him.
5. The morals of the fable, regarding the somewhat arbitrary criteria we use to determine whether an activity has a 'point,' and regarding tolerance and acceptance of the differences between persons, are good morals for kids to learn.
On the whole, I found this to be a fun, sincere, unique, surprising and heartfelt piece of video that grown-ups and kids can watch together.
Probably the most important thing to say is that the movie held Max's attention very well, his eyes were riveted to the screen, and that he liked it very much, except for some of the musical interludes, which he thought were 'wierd,' especially the song where the whale dies and decomposes. (Of course, me being a sophisticated adult, I thought that song was probably the most profound and poetic, but I can see where Max was coming from.)
Based on the fact that Max appears to be a fairly typical real kid, who plays games on the Wii, who normally watches Adventure Time, the Ninja Turtles, and Sponge Bob, I would say that it is likely that other real world kids of today are likely to enjoy this movie as well.
As an adult, I find a number of reasons to recommend this movie for grown-ups and kids to watch together:
1. It's nice to find a kid-friendly film that isn't part of a mass merchandising campaign, which is now always the case regarding Disney and Pixar and Shreck movies, not to mention crap like GI Joe, Transformers, and My Little Pony. After watching this, it's unlikely your kid is going be asking for an Oblio action figure, and if he does ask, you won't find that action figure at the Target store.
2. Animation: This film has full-animation as opposed to the cheap-looking 'limited' animation that you see in the Hanna Barberra stuff from this period. Also, the drawing and coloring appears to have been done all by hand, giving the moving images a hand-made kind of quality, which is endearing to adults, and which might serve to inspire kids to pursue their own artistic endeavors. All in all, it's a refreshing change from computer animation and the other super-perfect stuff made today.
3. The narration and dialog is often clever and amusing, even insightful at times. The voice actors are all good, in particular, Mike Lookinland, who sounded so much like a real and natural kid, I did not recognize him as being one of the sickeningly saccharine Brady Bunch kids. A lot of the reviewers her on IMDb lament that Dustin Hoffman's original narration has been lost, and I of course always regret when a piece of art is not preserved intact, but Ringo Starr, besides being an old friend to the adults, tends to be popular with kids as well (hence his former gig as the narrator for Thomas the Tank Engine).
4. I'm dubious that all of the songs will appeal to kids, but at least they didn't cause Max to walk out. As an adult, and being ambivalent about a lot of Harry Nilson's music, I can say that most of the musical numbers I quite enjoyed. At least with the musical numbers, that is a good time for the kid to go the bathroom or to put some fruit or Ritz Bitz on a little plate for him.
5. The morals of the fable, regarding the somewhat arbitrary criteria we use to determine whether an activity has a 'point,' and regarding tolerance and acceptance of the differences between persons, are good morals for kids to learn.
On the whole, I found this to be a fun, sincere, unique, surprising and heartfelt piece of video that grown-ups and kids can watch together.
excellent point, songs
rebeljenn10 March 2006
Classic, memorable songs and simple lessons in life, 'The Point' makes a good story for children. The animation itself is very minimal, but this is not bad because the story is very strong and more prominent without the interruptions that animation can sometimes bring. 'The Point' is all about fitting in and the importance of differences in individuals. It is a touching story with many classic and memorable songs. I saw this film when I was about ten, and seventeen years on, I still remember this film because of its unique animation style, the touching story about outcasts and individuality (which I could feel for), and the memorable songs ('Just Me and My Arrow'). This film should be watched by all children, especially those that feel bullied or like outcasts and by those that do bully others. It's simply a wonderful little story. This film shows that a good animated story does not need to be wonderfully animated.
A good psychedelic animated made-for-TV movie, I loved it as a kid
Beta_Gallinger7 August 2008
I was not around to witness the time when this animated TV movie first hit the airwaves (that was about fifteen years before I was born), but can recall hearing the album, featuring musical artist Harry Nilsson (who wrote the fable) as the narrator, as well as the songs he contributed to the story, perhaps as far back as I can remember, or close to it. I don't recall seeing this cartoon until I was around seven/eight years old, but after that, it soon became a favourite of mine, and I watched it a number of times for a while. Yesterday, I rented it on DVD to watch for the first time in a while. About fourteen years ago, I would definitely have been able to give it a 10/10, which isn't quite the case now, but I still found merits in the film.
In a town where everyone has a point on the top of their head, and everything is also pointed, something happens that it seems has never happened in the community before. A child is born without a pointed head. He is named Oblio, and during his childhood, he gets a dog with a pointed snout named Arrow and turns out to be quite popular, but one kid who doesn't like him is the nasty son of the evil count! One day, the two compete in a popular game in the town called triangle toss, where the players try to catch a triangle with the point on their head. With the help of Arrow, who can catch it with his snout, Oblio wins. The count wants his son to rule someday, and after hearing about his defeat in the game, he is outraged! He realizes that Oblio is a threat to his son ever ruling, so he tells the king how this boy is an outlaw, due to the fact that he doesn't have a pointed head. Although the king is good, and likes Oblio, he is weak-kneed and gives in to the count's demands. After a trail, the boy and his dog are banished to the Pointless Forest. While there, they find themselves on a psychedelic adventure, encountering unusual creatures they've never seen before, and this journey turns out to be quite educational!
"The Point" is a rather bizarre story, and Nilsson made it clear that it was inspired by an acid trip, but it's also a clever story with a moral. I know I'm not the first to point this out, but it's lesson in tolerance, which I may not have quite understood as a kid, but do now. The animation in this 1971 TV special is sketchy, and not completely coloured, which could disappoint some people, but I think I've always liked it. The story may be touching a times (during the sad farewell scene as Oblio leaves for the Pointless Forest, for example). Oblio meets some very interesting and memorable characters in the Pointless Forest, such as the three-headed Pointed Man (who is ironically quite pointless, though maybe not when he says, "A point in every direction is the same as having no point at all."), the Rock Man, the Leaf Man, etc. There's also humour in the cartoon, especially during Leaf Man sequence, in my opinion, with the first words he says to Oblio and Arrow. I most certainly can't forget the bunch of songs from Nilsson featured in the film and on the album, which are a big part of the both, and ones I've enjoyed many times.
I really don't know what I would have thought if I had just seen "The Point" for the first time at my age. It may have left me confused, though it also may have grown on me with more viewings. It definitely seems more bizarre and a bit less entertaining to me now than it did when I watched it when I was eight years old, but I definitely understand it more now than I did before, and I've never been a stoner, in case you were wondering. Also, I used to always see the TV version, taped off TV, with Dustin Hoffman as the narrator. Renting it on DVD, I finally got to see the home video version for the first time, featuring Ringo Starr as the narrator instead. This was a little different, but Ringo also did a good job, so it was worth hearing his voice in the cartoon. I'm sure kids today could really enjoy this psychedelic cartoon just like I did, and I'm sure many adults can as well, and can have a better understanding of the message. Perhaps the same goes with adolescents. If you like psychedelic cartoons from this era, like, let's say, "Yellow Submarine", there's probably a good chance you'd like this one.
In a town where everyone has a point on the top of their head, and everything is also pointed, something happens that it seems has never happened in the community before. A child is born without a pointed head. He is named Oblio, and during his childhood, he gets a dog with a pointed snout named Arrow and turns out to be quite popular, but one kid who doesn't like him is the nasty son of the evil count! One day, the two compete in a popular game in the town called triangle toss, where the players try to catch a triangle with the point on their head. With the help of Arrow, who can catch it with his snout, Oblio wins. The count wants his son to rule someday, and after hearing about his defeat in the game, he is outraged! He realizes that Oblio is a threat to his son ever ruling, so he tells the king how this boy is an outlaw, due to the fact that he doesn't have a pointed head. Although the king is good, and likes Oblio, he is weak-kneed and gives in to the count's demands. After a trail, the boy and his dog are banished to the Pointless Forest. While there, they find themselves on a psychedelic adventure, encountering unusual creatures they've never seen before, and this journey turns out to be quite educational!
"The Point" is a rather bizarre story, and Nilsson made it clear that it was inspired by an acid trip, but it's also a clever story with a moral. I know I'm not the first to point this out, but it's lesson in tolerance, which I may not have quite understood as a kid, but do now. The animation in this 1971 TV special is sketchy, and not completely coloured, which could disappoint some people, but I think I've always liked it. The story may be touching a times (during the sad farewell scene as Oblio leaves for the Pointless Forest, for example). Oblio meets some very interesting and memorable characters in the Pointless Forest, such as the three-headed Pointed Man (who is ironically quite pointless, though maybe not when he says, "A point in every direction is the same as having no point at all."), the Rock Man, the Leaf Man, etc. There's also humour in the cartoon, especially during Leaf Man sequence, in my opinion, with the first words he says to Oblio and Arrow. I most certainly can't forget the bunch of songs from Nilsson featured in the film and on the album, which are a big part of the both, and ones I've enjoyed many times.
I really don't know what I would have thought if I had just seen "The Point" for the first time at my age. It may have left me confused, though it also may have grown on me with more viewings. It definitely seems more bizarre and a bit less entertaining to me now than it did when I watched it when I was eight years old, but I definitely understand it more now than I did before, and I've never been a stoner, in case you were wondering. Also, I used to always see the TV version, taped off TV, with Dustin Hoffman as the narrator. Renting it on DVD, I finally got to see the home video version for the first time, featuring Ringo Starr as the narrator instead. This was a little different, but Ringo also did a good job, so it was worth hearing his voice in the cartoon. I'm sure kids today could really enjoy this psychedelic cartoon just like I did, and I'm sure many adults can as well, and can have a better understanding of the message. Perhaps the same goes with adolescents. If you like psychedelic cartoons from this era, like, let's say, "Yellow Submarine", there's probably a good chance you'd like this one.
Lookinland Carries This Weird Acid Trip
vandude10 January 2022
Heard about this via the Nilsson biopic. Saw it for the first time. I couldn't relate, but thanks to the incredible voice work done for Oblio by Mike Lookinland, I wasn't alone. Like Alice in Wonderland, Oblio doesn't fit in, and isn't welcome where he finds himself. Lookinland kept the movie moving forward with his stunning innocence and acceptance of the bizarre characters throughout the movie. I didn't know whose voice was Oblio until the end, and it blew me away. For a while, I thought it was an actress, not a real kid.
The animation reminds me of Yellow Submarine and Peter Max. The music was incredible, amazing originality. This was quite the vanity project for Nilsson. His album bombed and this movie was forgotten. Hope it finds a new audience.
The animation reminds me of Yellow Submarine and Peter Max. The music was incredible, amazing originality. This was quite the vanity project for Nilsson. His album bombed and this movie was forgotten. Hope it finds a new audience.
Acceptance
addismewhat1 October 2005
I was twelve when I saw this movie and was feeling very out of place, not fitting in with the other kids.
I was amazed to see such a wonderful story of hope. It made me feel so good to know others felt like I did.
This movie had a profound impact on me.
If you or your child is feeling detached, out of place, I can think of no happier way to show them they are not alone then to introduce this movie to them.
Why this treasure is so under circulated is disappointing, but kind of poignant to its message.
I must add the very end of the story did leave me feeling confused, but the power of the message overpowered this flaw.
I was amazed to see such a wonderful story of hope. It made me feel so good to know others felt like I did.
This movie had a profound impact on me.
If you or your child is feeling detached, out of place, I can think of no happier way to show them they are not alone then to introduce this movie to them.
Why this treasure is so under circulated is disappointing, but kind of poignant to its message.
I must add the very end of the story did leave me feeling confused, but the power of the message overpowered this flaw.
Underappreciated Then and Now
KinoBuff202120 April 2022
I watched the Dustin Hoffman Narration - First Telecast Restoration which shouldn't change mean much but I believe Dustin Hoffman had the best narration compared other narrators I listened to for a few minutes such as Ringo Starr and I believe Alan Thicke.
The film itself is superb from its touching plot, message, animation, and most significantly the music. I love the animation style of this film and maybe its the quality of the version I watched but the animation and audio had a warm quality that made you feel nostalgic and relaxed.
Harry Nilsson's music is what takes this film to another world though. Every song is rich and instantly lovable that it is likely that the music will last with you much longer than the film will although the film is still great!
This is a film for all ages and and backgrounds that stays as timeless as its message.
The film itself is superb from its touching plot, message, animation, and most significantly the music. I love the animation style of this film and maybe its the quality of the version I watched but the animation and audio had a warm quality that made you feel nostalgic and relaxed.
Harry Nilsson's music is what takes this film to another world though. Every song is rich and instantly lovable that it is likely that the music will last with you much longer than the film will although the film is still great!
This is a film for all ages and and backgrounds that stays as timeless as its message.
This movie is creepy and would have given me nightmares if I were still a kid.
getmeoutofthisbottle6 August 2013
I am a babysit often and recently I babysat for a family who had this movie. I watched it with the 5 and 3 year old kids and I was thoroughly creeped out.It was actually quite disturbing. The art art was odd and shaky, the plot was confusing and it was all made worse by strange music. The entire time i was watching it I kept thinking that the writers must have been high, and then I became sure they were high when the three headed man and the three bouncing, fat plum ladies came on screen; and lets not forget the dream that kid had, the air must be made of meth there.
Yes, the movie does have good message about the point of life and self worth, but you can give your kid the same message by reading the Starbelly Sneeches by Doctor Seuss, or putting on My Little Pony Friendship is Magic, or Sesame Street. Something that won't give them nightmares. So maybe forty years ago this movie was cream of the crop, but nowadays if you want to put on a movie for your kids, you can do better than "The Point."
Yes, the movie does have good message about the point of life and self worth, but you can give your kid the same message by reading the Starbelly Sneeches by Doctor Seuss, or putting on My Little Pony Friendship is Magic, or Sesame Street. Something that won't give them nightmares. So maybe forty years ago this movie was cream of the crop, but nowadays if you want to put on a movie for your kids, you can do better than "The Point."
great movie for kids/adults
scnelson0125 July 2004
I also watched this movie as a kid in the early 1970's. I think I first saw it at home (around '72 or '73) and a couple of years later saw it at school.
I imagine it was used to promote peace and harmony not only among the races, but also among conservatives/liberals, and the like. Oblio was a kid who was born (the only one) without a point on his head. He goes into exile and is determined to find "his point" with his dog Arrow. Eventually, he returns to town to see if they will accept him along with his differences and is stunned to find out he now DOES have a point on his head. The only problem is that the town now has round heads, but they take him in warmly. Excellent movie to teach about racism or how we are all different, but we must all be accepted.
I imagine it was used to promote peace and harmony not only among the races, but also among conservatives/liberals, and the like. Oblio was a kid who was born (the only one) without a point on his head. He goes into exile and is determined to find "his point" with his dog Arrow. Eventually, he returns to town to see if they will accept him along with his differences and is stunned to find out he now DOES have a point on his head. The only problem is that the town now has round heads, but they take him in warmly. Excellent movie to teach about racism or how we are all different, but we must all be accepted.
Nilsson's Greatest Work: Genius
pierre-choucroun16 June 2007
This is a fun cartoon, great for kids...etc. More important, though, is the music. Nilsson wrote "One" (is the loneliest number..") and "Lime in the Coconut". He even did the definitive version of "Without You" which really blows any American Idol out of the water... but this is his creative peak. Before the drinking and the blown vocal chords, this man's voice alone changed things. His song writing and instrumentation (oh..the clavinet!!) changed the ways a lot of people think about music, and this album changed how a lot of people think about making albums. Superb. Best concept album ever? Probably so. Sick of singing "spongebob squarepants" with your kids? Why not rear them on the good stuff? What a gift to give children, cartoons with the kinds of songs they will love for ever. Check out Me and My Arrow, Think About Your Troubles, Is There Anybody Else Here, and Are You Sleeping. Who wouldn't want their kids watching animations of those songs?
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