Donald in Mathmagic Land (1959)

it is finally so absorbing because it plays like a lyrical road odyssey that’s also a detective story.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

"Donald in Mathmagic Land" is the sort of cartoon that math teachers have been showing their students for years. It's a case of bait and switch, as important scientific and mathematics concepts of contained here...and it looks like fun since it stars Donald Duck. While this does make the material more palatable, it still is a well made but rather dry film.When it all begins, Donald wanders into an odd land where there are lots of numbers and symbols. Suddenly, the narrator (Paul Frees*) begins talking about Pythagoras and geometry. Donald, inexplicably, finds this all very fascinating and this isn't completely surprising as the concepts are explained in ways that normal folks could understand--such as the use of geometry in games such as football and billiards. By the end of the film, Donald has been thoroughly convinced how swell math is and the viewer, hopefully, is still awake.I am a bit cynical about this one. Considering what the film is trying to get across, it does it in about as entertaining a fashion as possible. And, the artwork is very nice. But it's STILL a relatively dry topic and kids hoping to see Donald up to his usual antics will no doubt feel a bit let down by it all. Not a bad film at all...and one that was nominated for an Oscar, by the way.*Frees is also the voice of the narrator in Disney's Haunted Mansion at Disneyland and Disneyworld. He also is the voice of Boris in old Bullwinkle cartoon.

When I was a freshmen student at the start of high school in 1967 my math teacher brought this film to class to wake up the lethargy and the lack of interest for math in the class. Everybody laughed when he was setting up the projector since it was a cartoon with Donald Duck. The general feeling was it was for 3rd graders and it was going to be a very long and boring 30 minutes. Once the shades were drawn and the lights turned off however the laughing stopped in about 5 minutes into the film. You could hear a pin drop the rest of the way through the presentation. After the film was over the questions started and never really stopped until the end of the semester. That film breathed new life and interest into the world of mathematics for all of us in that class. Our teacher was a great instructor and I guess he had similar experiences with that film in his other classes as well. That film woke up an interest in me that stayed with me through high school and college and even now to this day. I have a copy and I still watch it once in awhile just for the great memories of so long ago.

I first saw this wonderful film in school in the early 60's. For several years it was an "annual event". Considering I was never in the same school district twice in a row, it was fascinating to see what grade level each district thought it was for.It gives a clear and understandable approach to the question of "What is math (arithmatic) good for anyway?" Fun, musically diverse, and perhaps a bit silly, it stands the test of time. Paul Frees' outstanding narration allows the youngers to enjoy the fun of the movie, and the olders to understand the concepts.It also explained how to calculate a bank shot on a billiard (or pool) table using the spots. heh.

This animated documentary was an excellent combination of entertainment and education and is a real feather in Disney's cap. Most people have varying degrees of either disinterest or dislike of mathematics. This renders math comprehensible as well as making it fun and interesting-a combination most of my math instuctors were either unwilling or unable to accomplish. After 41 years plus, this doesn't feel the least bit dated. I'm glad to see it's available. Three cheers for the mouse (and the duck too, though I must confess that, for the most part, Donald leaves me cold. Not here, though.). Most recommended.