The Point (1971) (TV)

Director:

Fred Wolf

Writers:

Harry Nilsson (story) and
Carole Beers (story) ...

Genre:

Animation | Family

Plot:

An animated story of an unusual kingdom in which everything and everybody is pointed - except for a young boy named Oblio...

Plot Keywords:

Dog | Narration | Outcast | Kids And Family

Cast

Ringo Starr	...	Narrator / Father (home video release) (voice)
Paul Frees	...	Oblio's Father / Pointed Man's Right Head / King / Leaf Man / Villagers (voice)
Lennie Weinrib	...	Count (voice) (as Lenny Weinrib)
Bill Martin	...	Rock Man (voice)
Buddy Foster	...	Count's Son (voice)
Joan Gerber	...	Oblio's Mother (voice)
Mike Lookinland	...	Oblio (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Alan Barzman	...	Narrator / Father (second telecast)
Dustin Hoffman	...	Narrator / Father (first telecast)
Alan Thicke	...	Narrator / Father (third telecast)

Runtime:

USA:74 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Not Rated

Company:

Murakami-Wolf Productions

Trivia:

When the kids start selecting players for the triangle toss, they call for Harry, Fred, and Richard. They are in reference to Harry Nilsson (the singer/writer of the movie) Fred Wolf (the director) and Ringo Starr (the narrator, AKA Richard Starkey)

Soundtrack:

Poli High

A delightful film, no matter which version you choose

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.