A Charlie Brown Christmas

( 7 )

Overview

As incredible as it seems, CBS head man James Aubrey originally vetoed his network's presentation of the animated A Charlie Brown Christmas on the grounds that Charles M. Schultz's round-headed protagonist was a "loser" who wouldn't attract an audience! The story proposes that Charlie Brown is convinced that the true meaning of Christmas has been forgotten by his Peanuts friends, not to mention the rest of the world. "Psychiatrist" Lucy advises Charlie Brown to get into the holiday spirit by directing the kids' ...
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Blu-ray (Remastered / Special Edition / Full Frame)
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Overview

As incredible as it seems, CBS head man James Aubrey originally vetoed his network's presentation of the animated A Charlie Brown Christmas on the grounds that Charles M. Schultz's round-headed protagonist was a "loser" who wouldn't attract an audience! The story proposes that Charlie Brown is convinced that the true meaning of Christmas has been forgotten by his Peanuts friends, not to mention the rest of the world. "Psychiatrist" Lucy advises Charlie Brown to get into the holiday spirit by directing the kids' upcoming Christmas play. Despite his utter lack of control over his cast, Charlie Brown takes his job seriously, even setting out to find a genuine Christmas tree to decorate the set instead of the usual aluminum job. But Charlie Brown's tree is a scrawny, pathetic thing, and all seems lost. That is, until the rest of the Peanuts gang decide to pitch in and decorate the woebegone tree. An instant hit when first telecast December 9, 1965, A Charlie Brown Christmas has been rebroadcast virtually every year since. It was produced by Lee Mendelson and Bill Melendez, the latter providing the squeals and growls of Charlie Brown's hyper-intelligent dog, Snoopy.
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Special Features

Another story featuring gang: It's Christmas Again, Charlie Brown:; Holiday preparations include Charlie Brown selling wreaths door-to-door to make extra money, peppermint patty sweating out an important book report and the entire crew appearing in a Christmas pageant; Featurette A Christmas miracle: The making of a Charlie Brown Christmas
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Editorial Reviews

Barnes & Noble - Pete Segall
The first prime-time Peanuts special introduced Charles M. Schulz's timeless gang to the world of television and was awarded both an Emmy and a Peabody award. Originally broadcast December 9, 1965, on CBS -- years before Seasonal Affective Disorder entered our lexicon -- the story is driven by Charlie Brown, sort of a tyro Scrooge made even more miserable by the increasingly crass commercialism of holiday cheer. Charlie agrees to direct the school Christmas pageant and in the process tries to discover the true meaning of the holiday. Although its animation is dated and its evangelism is unsubtle, A Charlie Brown Christmas -- like all the Peanuts holiday specials -- is so good-hearted that it's very easy to overlook its flaws. Linus wrapping his blanket around the tiny, stunted tree remains among the most endearing images ever produced for network television. For grown-ups, this is how Charlie Brown and Snoopy and Sally will always be remembered, stumbling and dancing around the school stage in a childish torrent of goodwill. For kids, the simple charm of the white beagle with black ears and his friends will likely beguile them from here to next Tuesday. The new DVD is unedited and includes footage that was shorn after the initial broadcast, as well as the more recent special, It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown.
All Movie Guide - Craig Butler
"Peanuts" was already a phenomenally popular comic strip when A Charlie Brown Christmas first aired, but there was no guarantee that a short animated film based upon the strip would work. Over the years, as many strips had been poorly adapted ("Li'l Abner, "The Little King") as successfully transferred ("Popeye, "Superman") to the six-minute cartoon format, and "Peanuts" was a strip whose appeal was based more on subtlety, nuance, and character development than straight gags. But Lee Mendelson and Bill Melendez, working from a witty and insightful script by creator Charles M. Schulz, managed to make a film that was always true to the subdued spirit of the strip. Using "real" children rather than veteran child actors for the voices resulted in some occasionally stilted line readings, but it also captured the innocence and heightened naturalness that is so much a part of the strip's appeal. Although the plot is essentially a number of incidents strung together around a general idea, the looseness works to its benefit. The animation, while not up to Disney standards, has an appeal all its own and effectively translates the characters to the screen. A delightful blend of poignancy and humor, A Charlie Brown Christmas is a treasure to be enjoyed during any season.
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Product Details

  • Release Date: 10/6/2009
  • UPC: 883929085118
  • Original Release: 1965

    • Rating:

  • Source: Warner Home Video
  • Aspect Ratio: Full Frame
  • Presentation: Remastered / Special Edition / Full Frame
  • Sound: Dolby AC-3 Surround Sound
  • Language: English
  • Time: 25:00
  • Format: Blu-ray
  • Sales rank: 53,025

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
Sally Dryer Voice Only
Bill Melendez Voice Only
Peter Robbins Voice Only
Christopher Shea Voice Only
Tracy Stratford Voice Only
Technical Credits
Bill Melendez Director, Producer
Phil Roman Director
Vince Guaraldi Score Composer
Lee Mendelson Executive Producer, Producer
Charles M. Schulz Screenwriter
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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 5
( 7 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(6)

4 Star

(1)

3 Star

(0)

2 Star

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1 Star

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Sort by: Showing all of 7 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    The Best

    This is the best of the Christmas specials. As you watch, you learn what the true meaning of Christmas is, the birth of Christ. Linus' reciting of the scripture is pure. It just doesn't get any better than this. The music and message are truly wonderful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Can you make a 6 or 7 star rating for this?

    This special is so good, I think a working knowledge of it should be a requirement for American citizenship (chuckle)! Pete, you must be a young buck. I watched it the very first time in 1965 (I was 10) and at least once a season therafter. There's no evangelism in this show. There is only Linus's heartwarmingly tender recitation of the Christmas story from the Gospel of Luke, which was entirely fitting in 1965 - would that it were so today! Coupled with Charlie Brown's "every man" angst, Snoopy's antics, Vince Giraldi's timeless music (who knew you could create so much sound with three instruments?), the children's voices, their very real characters and excellent script - I cannot imagine Christmas without it.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Excellent

    A Charlie Brown Christmas is truly a classic. The innocence of the children, the thoughts on the very real commercialization of Christmas, the great mentions of Christ's birth as being the meaning of Christmas... genuinely gorgeous this film. However I must comment on the Barnes & Noble staff member Pete Segall commenting on this movie: <i>Although its animation is dated and its evangelism is unsubtle, A Charlie Brown Christmas -- like all the Peanuts holiday specials -- is so good-hearted that it's very easy to overlook its flaws.</i> Well how now is the 'unsubtle evangelism' a 'flaw?' The movie seeks to explain the meaning of Christmas, and the words within the 'evangelism' is the meaning of Christmas. I say the movie achieved its ever obvious goal. Christmas specials nowadays have no mention fo Jesus, who really is the 'reason for the season.' Segell, if you found 'evangelism' to be a flaw in this film, let it be known to you that Christmas IS the celebration of Christ's birth, and when a film like this acknowledges that, don't scorn it- as it is a CHRISTMAS special, not a generic 'holiday' special. Great film, highly recomended for those who want to find the meaning of Christmas.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    I love it

    I think it is great. Our school did 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' play and it was great. I love it because it tells the true meaning of Christmas.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    The best Christmas movie

    The only thing better than this movie, as christmas entertainment, is the Vince Guaraldi Trio's soundtrack that accompanies it. I can't imagine the holidays without both of them.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    The True Meaning of Christmas

    This is the only mass-marketed Christmas program that actually mentions the actual Biblical story of Christmas. A nice reminder in the midst of all the 'commercialism'!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 8, 2011

    No text was provided for this review.

Sort by: Showing all of 7 Customer Reviews