Il casello fantasma

Growing up I thought the movie was fascinating (HELLO! He goes into another WORLD that is CARTOON!). The songs are awesome too, and the whole film is a mystery. Now that I am older I am noticing how very clever the movie is too, including the use of language (you'd have to see it to understand). I also find a bit creepy now that I'm older, it gives me the willies. May it's the old animation, I don't know, but some of the scenes are really scary! It's a good show, watch it with a ten year old...and enjoy! You could also watch it with a 7-11 year old too. Like I said, it's a great show for kids. Especially if they're at that age where they want to be a little creeped out.

I very much enjoyed Phantom Tollbooth, a rare occurrence of the movie being worthy to the book. With weird music, great writing, and somewhat educational.

The plot of this film is that there's this boy named Milo. He leads a crappy life because he can't make up his mind about anything, when ever he's inside he longs to be out, and whenever he's outside he long's to in (that was from the book). Well one day he find's this strange box. In the box, there's a freaky tollbooth that talks. Then afterwards there's this car that shows up, he gets in the car and goes on his quest for happiness.

Even though it may seem like a acid trip when you see it, as the film goes on, you can tell that there's method to the madness. I would suggest this film to anyone.

I feel bad for a lot of underrated movies, mostly because the people who'd like them the most have probably never heard of them. I argue that Chuck Jones is the most important of the animation directors of the Golden Age of Cartoons, and this is his only full-length feature. If you like his cartoons, you should definitely hunt for this charming adaptation of Norton Juster's charming (if pedantic) novella.

Here's the interesting thing about "Phantom Tollbooth". Neither the book nor the movie strike me as a children's' story. Don't get me wrong, kids will probably like this movie, particularly older kids, but it's more for adults who can get the puns and such. Adult will also probably appreciate the psychedelic artwork from longtime Jones collaborator Maurice Noble. The amoebic Doldrums are a highlight as is the Awful DYNN, a manic crayon scrawl, and the cities of Dictionopolis and Digitopolis; they look like a riot at the Avant-garde Graphic Design class. Adorable and very, VERY sixties.

I believe I saw this one on Cartoon Network a few years back, and I agree that it's a pretty good movie. It displays that language, and logic is an important factor, and this was inspiring for me at the time I saw this (I think it was before I turned 10). The animation was good, and the music was pretty good too. Overall, a nice animated adaption of Juster's great book, and another excellent animated feature from Chuck Jones.

A simple fantasy tale, mostly animation with some live action at the beginning and end. Milo is a "latchkey kid" living a somewhat isolated life in an apartment block in the big city. While complaining on the phone to his friend that he is bored stiff, he is startled by the sudden arrival of a strange package which, when unwrapped, unfolds into a gateway into a magical world...

Like all of Chuck Jones' work, this movie is great for children and doesn't seem dated at all. My two kids aged five and six were enchanted by it just as I was when I first saw it at the age of ten.

The characters are colorful and entertaining. Milo is easy for any child who has ever been bored or lonely to identify with. The avuncular "Watch Dog" Tock will look fairly familiar to any regular viewer of Chuck's work on Warner Brothers' short cartoons. The Humbug and the Spelling Bee are reminiscent of Dr Seuss characters; Officer Short Shrift is somewhat more surreal but that only makes him stick in your mind all the more. The songs are lots of fun and you'll probably be humming them for a long time afterwards.

All in all a great movie for kids, and Mums and Dads too. Pass the popcorn!