Amazon.com Essential Video
Things get off to a bumpy start. First, Charlie fails to make anything profound out of the cloud formations above, just a "ducky" and a "horsy." (But that's always been one of his best qualities--he calls them as he sees them.) Then he has a disastrous kite experience, followed by further humiliation on the baseball field (with its dandelion-covered pitching mound). Just when it seems as if things couldn't get much worse--they don't. Charlie finds something he's good at. Lucy, Violet, and the rest of the
Peanuts gang doubt that his spelling bee winning streak can possibly last, but Charlie proves them all wrong and makes it to the national championships in New York City. His best pal, Linus, and free-spirited pooch, Snoopy, arrive shortly afterwards and provide their support. Granted, this rare, full-length feature film ends just as it began, with one more small humiliation, but it's Charlie's achievement that leaves the bigger impression. There are even a few lessons to be learned, but the tone is never preachy or condescending. Along the way, there are numerous pleasures to enjoy: Vince Guaraldi's classic Oscar-nominated score (featuring lyrics by Rod McKuen), the brightly hued, clean-lined animation (which occasionally erupts into impressionist and pop art flights of fancy), Schroeder's lovely rendition of Beethoven's
Pathetique Sonata, Snoopy's ice-skating escapade at Rockefeller Plaza, and Linus's Fred Astaire-inspired dance with his long lost blanket.
--Kathleen C. Fennessy
Review
After making his mark in comic strips and television, it was only a matter of time before Charlie Brown hit the big screen. A Boy Named Charlie Brown is a very good debut vehicle, although not as perfect as one might wish. At 86 minutes, it goes on a little too long and the pacing is uneven; the animation is sometimes a little too stiff (although it is very good in many other places, and the character design itself is right on the money), and much of the score is only passable. That said, the pluses more than make up for these negatives. The story, though episodic, is involving and gives plenty of room for the wry humor that is the strip's hallmark. The characters are presented quite faithfully, and the somewhat melancholy air that underlies the humor is preserved to good effect. The "Star Spangled Banner" sequence and -- even more so -- the "Pathetique Sonata" sequence are wonderfully animated, with the latter showing an impressive degree of imagination and skill. Due to its concern with fears and troubles that are as real to adults as to children, Charlie Brown can be enjoyed by grown-ups as easily as by children. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
DVD ~ Bill Melendez
DVD ~ Larry Leichliter
DVD ~ Phil Roman
DVD ~ Phil Roman
