Its holiday season now and who’s better to spend it with than with the Peanuts gang. The Peanuts have movies and specials galore, and I always found the holiday-themed ones to be my favorites. With Halloween kicking the season off (with Election Day coming very short after it), obviously the first dvd to watch is a double feature containing It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and You’re Not Elected, Charlie Brown.
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown displays extreme qualities about the main characters. We realize that Linus is very naïve and borderline retarded for believing in such thing as a giant pumpkin that brings gifts to children on Halloween; we are constantly reminded how pathetic and tragic Charlie Brown’s life can be, displaying immense unpopularity and gaining only rocks while trick-or-treating; and Lucy, who is always bossy in general, is just a huge bitch in this movie, bringing her sass any chance she gets. I know these are things to find humorous about the characters, but when you take a close look, you see the reality of it all. Being made in 1966, you see actually how much has changed in pre-adolescent Halloween culture. Charlie and friends dressed up in homemade ghouls and (mainly) ghosts costumes; today kids are in super get-up superheroes and Disney princesses. Charlie and friends received quarters and cookies during trick-or-treating; nowadays giving a cookie during Halloween can result in a police visit. Charlie and friends went out at night without parental control; that would be considered completely unsafe and an act of bad parenting for today’s standards. The 60’s was an easier and less threatening time for children on Halloween. The movie leaves me feeling sorry for poor Sally, missing her first trick-or-treating because of her blind devotion for Linus, Lord knows why?! A child without candy on Halloween is a sad, sad story. I feel your pain Sally!
As for You’re Not Elected, Charlie Brown, it’s definitely not about celebration Election Day (usually not much to celebrate anyhow), but it does tie in with the day in that the movie is about a school election. The focus isn’t so much on Charlie Brown not being elected but more about Linus who is. Once again Lucy acts as a bossy bitch and organizes and pushes her brother’s whole campaign. Why she didn’t run for office herself I don’t understand, because she knows how to get what she wants and she loves ordering people about, so class president would seem ideal for her. Besides that Snoopy makes an appearance as Joe Cool, there really isn’t much interest about this Peanuts special. But don’t worry; there are plenty of others that are more enjoyable.
For more info on these movies, click on the links below:
It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060550/
You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069525/
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