Bill MelendezReseñas

Christmas lights may be twinkling red and green, but Charlie Brown has the Yuletide blues. To get in the holiday spirit, he takes Lucy's advice and directs the Christmas play. And what's a Christmas play without a Christmas tree? But everyone makes fun of the short, spindly nevergreen Charlie Brown brings back - until the real meaning of Christmas works its magic once again in this treasured favorite.

Turkey, cranberries, pumpkin pie...and the Peanuts gang to share them with. This is going to be the greatest Thanksgiving ever! The fun begins when Peppermint Patty invites herself and her pals to Charlie Brown's house for a REALLY big turkey party. Good grief! All our hero can cook is cold cereal and maybe toast. Is Charlie Brown doomed? Not when Linus, Snoopy and Woodstock chip in to save the (Thanksgiving) Day. With such good friends, Charlie Brown has so many reasons to be thankful.

Longtime believer Linus believes that this year the Great Pumpkin will come, and he decides to keep watch all night in the pumpkin patch to welcome him. Charlie Brown dresses up as a ghost, but does not scare up the usual kinds of Halloween loot when trick-or-treating. Snoopy crashes Violet's party, as well as Linus' vigil.

Acting (Voice): 4.5; Theme: 5.0; Content: 5.0; Language: 5.0; Overall: 5.0

Charlie Brown comes to the realization that Christmas has become commercialized and he must do something about it, but what? Linus shares with all the Peanut gang what the true meaning of Christmas is- the story of the Saviour of the world, Jesus Christ. Highly recommend.

***December 16, 2023***

A TV special starring Peter Robbins and Christopher Shea (CBS, 1966).

A group of children don't believe in The Great Pumpkin.

C- (Meh).

I don't get it. I've seen this several times, but I always remember it as something I've only seen parts of. Because surely what I've seen couldn't be the entire story?

(Oct. 2022)

A classic that has worn well. One of the few popular tv broadcasts (and videos) that acknowledges the Christ part of Christmas.

Second feature is not as good, having no coherent plotline, but is an amusing set of Peanuts vignettes.

(Multiple viewings, including first tv releases.)

A depressed kid is talked into directing the school Christmas play.

Mildly wonderful. I probably saw it as a kid, but I have no memory of watching it before yesterday. So, I was quite pleasantly surprised to find out how good it is.

Concept: C
Story: D
Characters: B
Dialog: B
Pacing: A
Cinematography: D
Special effects/design: D
Acting: C
Music: A

Enjoyment: B

GPA: 2.4/4½

Christmas-related sketches.

A relentless barrage of four-panel "jokes," animated for no apparent reason. All the faults of the 60's special, magnified, with none of the charm. Why does this exist?

Concept: D
Story: F
Characters: B
Dialog: C
Pacing: D
Cinematography: D
Special effects/design: C
Acting: D
Music: B

Enjoyment: C minus

GPA: 1.6/4

It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966)
This classic "Peanuts" tale focuses on the thumb-sucking, blanket-holding Linus, and his touching faith in the "Great Pumpkin." When Linus discovers that no one else believes in the creature, he sets out to prove that the Pumpkin's no myth—by spending the night alone in a pumpkin patch. (source: TMDb)

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973)
Turkey, cranberries, pumpkin pie... and the Peanuts gang to share them with. This is going to be the greatest Thanksgiving ever! The fun begins when Peppermint Patty invites herself and her pals to Charlie Brown's house for a REALLY big turkey party. Good grief! All our hero can cook is cold cereal and maybe toast. Is Charlie Brown doomed? Not when Linus, Snoopy and Woodstock chip in to save the (Thanksgiving) Day. With such good friends, Charlie Brown - and all of us - have so many reasons to be thankful. (source: TMDb)

A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)