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The Magic Roundabout Doogal
File:Doogal-one-sheet.jpgPoster for Doogal (North America). North America IMDB 2.4/10 (843 votes) IMDB bottom 100: #46 Europe IMDB File:2hv out of 5.png 5.4/10 (397 votes)
Directed by	Dave Borthwick Jean Duval Frank Passingham
Written by	Paul Bassett Raolf Sanoussi Stephane Sanoussi Butch Hartman (North America)
Starring	Sir Ian McKellen Kylie Minogue
Distributed by	Pathé (Europe), The Weinstein Company (North America)
Release dates	February 11, 2005 (Europe) February 24, 2006 (North America)
Running time	85 min. (Europe) 78 min. (North America)
Languages	English, French
Budget	$20,000,000

The Magic Roundabout (released in North America as Doogal) is a film based on the television series of the same name. The film was released on 11 February, 2005 in the United Kingdom and France, and on February 24, 2006 in North America.

Plot

Template:Spoiler The film begins with a shaggy, candy-loving dog named Dougal ("Doogal" in North American version) trying to steal candy from the sweets cart. He goes so far as to place a tack in the road to pop its tire. After tricking the driver to leave, Dougal accidentally starts the cart up again and manages to crash it into the titluar magic roundabout at the center of the village. A blue jack-in-the-box-like creature emerges from the top and flies away, snatching a decorative Foot Guard figurine from the roundabout before leaving. The roundabout freezes over, trapping repairman Mr. Rusty, Dougal's owner Florence, and two other children named Basil and Coral within.

The villagers, natually, are horrified by this development, and call upon the resident wizard, Zebedee, for help. He explains that the roundabout acted as a mystical prison for the evil ice wizard Zeebad and by wrecking it Zeebad is free to work his magic on the world again (it is implied he started the first ice age). The only way to return Zeebad to his prison is to place three magic diamonds in the roundabout, or else the world will slowly freeze over again. Zebedee sends Dougal, Brian the cynical snail, Ermintrude the opera-singing cow, Dylan the hippie rabbit, and the magic train named Train.

Zeebad is not without his followers either. He animates the Foot Guard figurine, Sargeant Sam, and enlists him to find the enchanted diamonds first, for with them Zeebad can freeze the sun itself. Meanwhile, Zebedee's fellowship makes camp in the icy mountains near Zeebad's old lair. It's not long before Dougal wanders off and gets himself captured by Zeebad and taken to his lair, where he's "tortured" by Sam. Ermintrude breaks him out, and after a short chase, Zebedee shows up to battle his evil counterpart. Zeebad quickly gains the upper hand and overpowers Zebedee, freezing him and colapsing the cliff he's standing on ("Zeb's dead, baby; Zeb's dead," Dylan slurs). The fellowship runs off, disheartened but determined to find the diamonds and save the world.

Cultural References

The American version in particular makes a number of cultural references:

• "I have waited 10,000 years for my revenge, and as you know, Revenge is a dish best served cold"
• "Can't do that Sir, Geneva Convention. I don't care if it's a Star Trek convention, beam him off"
• "I know Kung Fu, John Woo, and Chai Tea"
• "We're going to be beat by Thomas the Tank Engine? I don't think so"
• "My precious (imitates Gollum)"
• " I'm the train, and you're not"
• "Just a couple of Muggles"
• "We gonna bust you out of here"
• "I got my moves on Soul Train"
• "Hey, Dairy Queen!"
• "My Ax-caliber!"
• "Looks like the Blue Man Group is in town"
• I was taught by Neo!
• There is no spoon!
• "I think he's got a problem. First it starts with a Milky Way bar..."
• "You killed my chocolate!"
• "I can fly.... No I can't"
• "Anybody seen Pimp My Boat?
• "I'm OK, my face broke the fall"
• Talk it over with H.R.
• "Is there a severance package?", "Best I can do is not freeze you"
• "You'll have 3 weeks summer vacation off. Of course, there will be no summer..."
• Looking over cliff: "That's deep"
• "Peace On!"
• Whoah, Give Peace a Chance!
• Pet.... Fried...
• "Interns.."
• "The evil laugh comes from deep down the throat..."
• "ChilliTown, no, Frostopia, no... We'll have Focus groups"
• Among the the deadly weapons in the gauntlet is a fork and ping pong ball.
• "It would take a mountain of lava to stop us now... No... Way..."
• Skeleton music mocks Thriller
• "You'll just explode. Funny you should say that sir..."

Template:Spoilerend

British reception

The Magic Roundabout gained generally favourable reviews from critics in Britain, for retaining its charm from the original television series and its superb animation. While some critics questioned the update for today's children and its subtle drug references, the reviews were mostly positive. The public also supported the film, and while some were disappointed on the nostalgia factor, their praise earned this film a total gross of 5.8 million pounds at the box office, as of April 2005.

American reception

As of March 16, 2006, the film grossed a total of 7.2 million dollars in the United States box office, which is considered low by CGI animated film standards (the film that held the record before Doogal was Valiant in 2005). In the North American version of the film, where audiences are unfamiliar with the series, the majority of original British voices have been replaced by celebrities more familiar to the American public, and the script rewritten to accommodate pop culture references (see section) and flatulence jokes, neither of which were present in the original release. The reviews were ragingly bad; it got a 5% from Rotten Tomatoes and was named one of the worst animated films ever. As of 29 July 2006 it has been rated 2.5 by IMDb users (compared to 5.4 for the UK version) and is on the bottom 100 on No. 50. After its short era of advertising it pretty much vanished from theaters, but is widely carried in US retail outlets such as Safeway as a children's DVD in stores and rentals.

Main Characters

• Doogal
• Florence
• Zeebedee
• ZeeBad
• Dylan
• Brian
• Ermintrude
• Soldier Sam
• The Train
• The Moose
• The Narrator

Voice artists

Music

• Magic by Pilot is used, its 2nd use in a movie soundtrack after

Herbie Fully Loaded.

• Mr Blue Sky, by the Electric Light Orchestra is a classic 70s tune that is used in the film for the final victory celebration, but buyers should know it is not included on the US soundtrack.
• Sugar by the Archies is used only during the closing credits and album.

1. Main Titles - Mark Thomas
2. The Magic Roundabout - Kylie Minogue – VOCAL
3. Meet Doogal - James Venable
4. Magic – Pilot - VOCAL
5. You Really Got Me - Bill Nighy & Catherine Bott - VOCAL
6. Doogal the Mechanic - James Venable
7. Zeebad Escapes - Mark Thomas
8. Sam Marches - John M. Davis
9. The Magic Roundabout - Andrea Remanda and Goldust – VOCAL
10. Meet Zeebad - James Venable
11. Setting Up Camp - Mark Thomas
12. Spinning - Andrea Remanda and Goldust - VOCAL
13. Duel Of The Springs 2 - Mark Thomas
14. Simply Wonderful - Andrea Remanda and Goldust - VOCAL
15. The What-a-Snails Waltz - Mark Thomas
16. Zeebad Threatens - James Venable
17. Train¹s Back - Mark Thomas
18. Lost In The Cold - Mark Thomas
19. See The City - Mark Thomas
20. The Frozen City - Mark Thomas
21. Frozen Florence - John M. Davis
22. The End Of Zeebad - Mark Thomas
23. Florence Awakes - Mark Thomas
24. Sugar Sugar - The Archies - VOCAL
25. I Love To Boogie - T.Rex - VOCAL
26. Lean Mean Machine - Andrea Remanda and Goldust - VOCAL
27. Believe - Andrea Remanda and Goldust - VOCAL
28. Bust This Joint - Andrea Remanda and Goldust - VOCAL

See also

• List of animated feature films

External links

• The Magic Roundabout official website
• The Magic Roundabout at IMDb
• Doogal official website
• Doogal at IMDb

• 2005 films
• Computer-animated films
• Kylie Minogue films
• The Weinstein Company films