Harry Nilsson's The Point

Green background with white outlined text surrounding an illustration of the main character, Oblio, wearing his characteristic pointed hat, looking up at his dog, Arrow. 

Between 1970-1971, Harry Nilsson (1941-1994) wrote a folk rock concept album titled The Point! An illustrated comic book accompanied the LP, and Fred Wolf directed an accompanying animated movie for “ABC Movie of the Week,” also titled The Point!, which aired one month later. The main character of the narrative, Oblio, is a little boy born with a deformity: his head is round. Everyone else in “the Land of Point” has conical-shaped heads. Because of this deformity, Oblio is banished and travels through the “Pointless Forest” with his dog, Arrow, learning many lessons along the way.

Much like the Beatles’ Yellow Submarine, The Point! features Nilsson’s songs throughout, which compliment the movie’s scenes and vignettes. There is a sharpness to the film (pun intended!) and its sociopolitical commentary; fear of the “other” is explored in the film, as is the enforcement of hegemony and bias. It is a criticism of the patriarchy, where “the Land of Point” is comprised of a triangular hierarchy filled with citizens who practice blind adherence to nonsensical laws and are willing to tolerate violence and bias against anything that runs contrary to society.

Harry Nilsson rubbed elbows with important artists of his day. The artist is credited as being the Beatles’ favorite American musician, helping launch Randy Newman’s career, and being close friends with Mama Cass (of the Mamas and the Papas) and Keith Moon (of the Who).