The Magic Roundabout/Doogal

Doogal Poster — February 2, 2005 (France)
February 11, 2005 (United Kingdom)
February 24, 2006 (United States)

The Magic Roundabout (known as Pollux – Le manège enchanté in France) is a 2005 computer-animated adventure fantasy film based on the original stop motion television series of the same name. It was released in France with a French dub on February 2, 2005, and an English-language version was released two weeks later in the United Kingdom on February 11.

In the United States, the film was released as Doogal on February 24, 2006 with a new English dub and script. Only Ian McKellen's performance was retained, while Kylie Minogue redubbed her role from the UK release. The UK and French dub received mixed reviews but the U.S. dub received overwhelmingly negative reviews.

Storyline[]

The wizard Zebedee, a red jack-in-the-box-like creature, is having a nightmare about an evil ice wizard named Zeebad, a blue jack-in-the-box-like creature. Dougal the well-meaning cheeky, slacker dog places a tack in the road to pop a sweet cart's tyre, hoping to be rewarded with sweets for watching the cart. After the driver goes for help, Dougal accidentally crashes the cart into the magic roundabout at the village. Zeebad emerges from the roundabout roof and flies away, followed by a Foot Guard figurine thrown off the roundabout as it freezes over, trapping repairman Mr Rusty, Dougal's young owner Florence, and two other children named Coral and Basil within an icy cell.

The horrified villagers, who are all animals, call upon Zebedee for help. He explains that the roundabout was a mystical prison for Zeebad. With it damaged, Zeebad is free to work his magic on the world again as he once did before by starting the Ice Age. The only way to stop Zeebad from freezing the world is by retrieving three enchanted diamonds (one of which is supposed to be hidden on the roundabout, while the other two are hidden at separate locations far beyond the village). Slotting the diamonds onto the roundabout will re-imprison Zeebad and undo his magic, but if Zeebad retrieves them first then he will use them to freeze the Sun itself. Zebedee sends Dougal, Brian the cynical snail, Ermintrude the opera-singing cow and Dylan the hippie rabbit, to accomplish this mission along with a magic train. Meanwhile, Zeebad crash lands after escaping the roundabout, and animates the Foot Guard figurine, Soldier Sam, to help him find the diamonds. After Zebedee's fellowship makes camp in the icy mountains, Dougal wanders off during the night and is abducted by Zeebad. Ermintrude breaks him out of his prison. Zebedee then arrives to duel Zeebad but is defeated with Zeebad freezing him and collapsing the cliff on which he stands, causing him to fall into the abyss.

Mourning for their friend, Dougal and his friends embark to recover the diamonds respectively from a lava-bordered volcano and an ancient temple filled with evil skeleton guards, but Zeebad takes both diamonds, leaving the only hope of stopping Zeebad by getting back to the roundabout before Zeebad does. The gang and Train are pursued by Zeebad in a drill-like vehicle, but they crash into a buffer stop, sending them flying before crash-landing into the snow, injuring Train in the process, forcing them to leave Train behind and return to the village on foot through the snowy barren wasteland the world is now freezing into. Zeebad, after having abandoned Sam to die wounded in the snow, beats the gang to the now-frozen village, but cannot find the third diamond. Sam then arrives on an elk, having realized that his true duty is to protect the roundabout against Zeebad, and tries to battle Zeebad but is quickly defeated. Learning that Sam was part of the roundabout, Zeebad discovers that the third diamond is and always been hidden inside Sam, and removes it from him, which ends Sam's life.

Zeebad begins to freeze the Sun with all three diamonds. However, the gang finally reach the village, steals back the diamonds, and puts them into their places on the roundabout until the third diamond remains. Though Zeebad beats them to it and seemingly secures his victory, the timely arrival of a healed Train knocks the diamond out of Zeebad's reach, giving Dougal the chance to place it in the roundabout's final slot and simultaneously redeem himself. Zeebad is then re-imprisoned as the world, along with the Sun, is thawed and freeing those who were trapped in the roundabout. Zebedee is revealed to have survived and re-joins his friends.

Of those trapped in the roundabout, a comatose Florence is revived by Dougal. As everyone goes for a ride on the restored roundabout, they discover that it is non-functional because Sam is lifeless. Zebedee restores Sam, reverting him to his inanimate form, and placing him back on the roundabout which functions once again. Dougal now realizes the true value of his friends and the good qualities of selflessness, courage, and humility.

The Magic Roundabout/Doogal

Contents

Storyline[]

Also See[]

Movie Trailer[]

Sound Effects Used[]

Original Version[]

American Version[]

Image Gallery[]

Audio Samples[]

External Links[]