The Dot and the Line (1965)

The Dot and the Line, Chuck Jones/MGM's classic 1965 Oscar-winning short film based on Norton Juster's 1963 book The Dot and the Line: A Romance in Lower Mathematics inspired by Edwin Abbott Abbott's 1884 novella "Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions." When I was a kid and this came on between Tom and Jerry episodes, it blew my mind. Still does. (Thanks, Kathy Cheun!)

• [Steven]

  This is one of my favorite pieces.  

• [Amorette]

  I remember this fondly, both as a book and a short film.  To the vector belongs the spoils.  Heeheehee.  

• [Eric Schiller]

  Nice find. I think there was a tampon commercial based on that…

• [Jorpho]

  That’s Norton “The Phantom Tollbooth” Juster, to be sure.

• [vonbobo]

  Nice video!
  Can anyone help me find a similar short about lines, I remember it was something about inequality or inclusion or something. One scene I remember was where lines were choosing sides on top of a balance beam….

• [Chentzilla]

  I believe there was a sequel: The Dotcom and Online: A Crush within a Crash!

  Also, that looks like a good place to remind people of a brilliant cartoon called Flatworld: http://youtu.be/6DE3qPuJLV4

• [franko]

  right there with you. i love this short.

• [franko]

  “they all look alike anyway”
  *wince*

• [keithplocek]

  Oh wow, I haven’t thought about this in years. Thanks for posting.

• [cleek]

  i had nightmares about this for years, as a kid. i don’t know why it scared me. but, for some reason,  i always ended up stuck in that 2D world, pursued and eventually cornered by a malevolent trapezoid.

• [sdmikev]

  I didn’t have my reading glasses on and at first glance, I thought it read that this was about two newly rich hipsters that don’t live in Brooklyn – “A Romance in Lower Manhattan”

• [Cefeida]

  Lovely! For more mathematical puns and animation, try another classic: “Everything is a number” from 1967 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qrWnS3ULPk