Phantom Tollbooth | 
| Directors: Abe Levitow, Chuck Jones, Dave Monahan (iii)
Actors: Butch Patrick, Mel Blanc, Daws Butler, Candy Candido, Hans Conried
Studio: MGM (Warner)
Buy Used: $21.99
New (1) Used (20) Collectible (2) from $21.99
Rating:  33 reviews
Sales Rank: 643
Format: Color, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: G (General Audience)
Media: VHS Tape
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.3 x 4.2 x 1.1
ISBN: 6301971523
UPC: 027616015532
EAN: 9786301971522
ASIN: 6301971523
Theatrical Release Date: November 7, 1970
Release Date: August 1, 1992
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Ex-rental tape. Open case. tape inside is clean and intact. comes in plastic case w/ artwork. Ready to ship!
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| Customer Reviews: Read 28 more reviews...
 Better As Just A Passing Curiosity January 25, 2008
Brian Himes
For fans of Chuck Jones, this is a great way to see some of his work outside of the Looney Tunes.
For fans of the book, this is just a passing curiosity.
Too many liberties were taken with the property. It only resembles the book in the most superficial of ways. The magic and charm of the book is lost in this animated version. I was very disappointed in it. Especially after wanting to see it for years. The songs in the film don't work as a way to advance the plot. They're just in there to be in there. They have no function at all.
As stated, most of the charm and magic of the book is gone. You get the basic plot. Milo gets the tollbooth. Takes his journey to rescue Rhyme and Reason. Along the way are Tock and the Humbug. In a nut shell, you go from The Land of Expectations, to the Doldrums, to Dictionopolis, to Digitopolis to the Castle in the Air. 90% of the little side excursions are gone. No Valley of Sound. No Island of Conclusions. No cities of Reality or Illusions. No Alex. No 5/8 child. Heck, even the demons in the Mountains of Ignorance are not even that interesting. Rhyme and Reason are not much more than blobs of color. Almost like the animators just couldn't be bothered to even try and make them look like people. Tock is drawn all wrong. Short Shrift if wrong. I could go on and on.
Since the book isn't all that long, I didn't see the need to cut so much of the more interesting parts out. If they had left out the songs, there would have been more than enough time to be more faithful to the book.
I'll stick to reading the book. It's 100% better. Maybe in a few years some one will get the idea to make a more faithful adaptation. I hope so because if done correctly a movie of The Phantom Tollbooth could be really spectacular. This version wasn't.
 They need to make this movie on DVD January 18, 2008
Judy Schinske (Everywhere)
I was so happy to find this movie but the price was outrageous. I got it for my sisters birthday because her and this movie go way back. I guess it was worth the amount of money just because in my family it is a classic. They really need to make this movie on a DVD though because they last longer. This movie is so funny and just amazing. If you haven't seen it then I would suggest you rent it first because you may not be into this kind of movie. It is kind of trippy in some parts but the whole movie is just great. There is some singing and it is mostly a cartoon. It starts off as real life but then turns into a cartoon. This movie is a classic.
Can't understand the negative reviews! January 16, 2008
No One In Particular (Virginia)
I just want to say that I absolutely love this movie, and I am a grown woman (41). I saw this as a teenager, and was so taken by it, I purchased it for my children. I fell in love all over again! I just think the the negative reviews are short sighted, and wanted to tell anyone that they SHOULD get this, they will love it!!
Inspiring a love of learning in a child's mind! September 30, 2007
Monty Moonlight (TX)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Milo is a boy who is bored with everything and can't see any rhyme, reason, or beauty in the world. In school, all he can think about is going home. At home, he still wishes he was somewhere else. However, Milo's world is turned upside down when a mysterious box appears in his bedroom. The box transforms into a kid-sized, magical tollbooth, complete with kiddie car and coins. Milo agrees to drive the little car through the talking tollbooth in the hopes of some sort of adventure, and he is not disappointed. Test driving through it a few times, he is amazed to find he is transformed into a living cartoon character. When he finally bites the bullet and goes all the way through, Milo enters a cartoon world of letters and numbers, kings and castles, demons and princesses, and all sorts of other oddities. The boy passes through all sorts of odd situations and obstacles, befriending a talking "watchdog" and a few other strange characters along the way, and learns the real value of knowledge and using time wisely when he quests to rescue two princesses from the terrifying "Castle in the Air."
Starring Butch Patrick (TV's Eddie Munster) in the role of Milo, along with legendary voice talents the likes of Mel Blanc, Daws Butler, Hans Conried, June Foray, and many more, this Chuck Jones classic is a cherished memory to countless children who have seen it since its release in 1970. Based on the book by Norton Juster, "The Phantom Tollbooth" is all about the importance of thought and learning. Its message may grow tiring to some adult viewers after a while, but it has a nice pace that should keep most viewers interested, along with creative animation and bizarre situations! Sure, it's yet another story that feels in some ways like a "Wizard of Oz" retread, but it's different enough to be worthwhile. The overall 1970 look of the film puts one in mind of "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" during the live-action sequences, but this only adds to the film's charm. Let's hope a DVD release comes along sooner or later. I know many people are waiting for it!
Not like I remembered June 21, 2007
Daniel Elliott (Colorado, USA)
I remember watching this as a kid, so after reading the book (which is great!) to our kids, we bought the video. It's different, scarier, than the book. It's got a few cute things in it that our girls enjoyed, but we all preferred the book.
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