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Directors: Bill Melendez & Phil Roman
Airing date: November 20, 1973
Stars: Charlie Brown, Franklin, Linus, Lucy, Marcie, Peppermint Patty, Sally, Snoopy, Woodstock
Rating: ★★★
Review:
‘A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving’, the tenth of the Peanuts television specials, is the third of the Charlie Brown holiday specials, this time devoted to Thanksgiving. As such it’s a little preachy, especially through Linus’s lines.
The episode’s main problem is caused by Peppermint Patty when she invites herself, Marcie and Franklin over to Charlie Brown’s house, when he’s not even supposed to be home. Luckily, Linus, Snoopy and Woodstock help out.
The episode’s highlight is the silent comedy of Snoopy and Woodstock setting up a dinner table in the yard. This part is accompanied by a charming soul song devoted to the little yellow bird. Actually, the background music is very charming throughout most of the episode, with Vince Guaraldi lively piano trio music, joined by Tom Harrell on trumpet and Chuck Bennett on trombone. Only when Snoopy and Woodstock are putting on Thanksgiving costumes, this is exchanged for some ugly electronic music.
As always with the Peanuts films, the pace is relaxed. The animation is fair, if not outstanding, and the characters charming, and faithful to Schulz’s original comic strip.
Watch an excerpt from ‘A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving’ yourself and tell me what you think:
‘A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving’ is available on the DVD-set ‘Peanuts 1970’s Collection Vol. 1’
Director: Bill Melendez
Airing date: March 11, 1973
Stars: Charlie Brown, Franklin, Linus, Lucy, Margie, Peppermint Patty, Sally, Snoopy
Rating: ★★★
Review:
‘There’s No Time for Love, Charlie Brown ‘is the ninth Peanuts television special. This instalment is a nice, quiet little affair, with a rather stream-of-consciousness-like quality to it.
The special starts with several comic-based loose gags on school, most of them starring Sally and Peppermint Party. After seven minutes the main story kicks in, in which the kids have to go on a field trip to a museum and write a report on it. Unfortunately, Charlie Brown, Sally, Peppermint Patty and Marcie end up in a supermarket. What’s worse, Peppermint Patty hurts Charlie Brown’s feelings there, too.
Marcie, who makes her screen debut here, has a particularly young sounding voice (by one Jimmy Ahrens). It’s nice to watch her interaction with Peppermint Patty on screen, as is the interplay between Peppermint Patty and Charlie ‘Chuck’ Brown.
Halfway the supermarket scenes there’s a short song on Snoopy’s Joe Cool character, while the accompanying images show Snoopy imagining himself as a world famous grocery clerk. The rest of the episode features a very attractive jazz score by Vince Guaraldi. Throughout, both the animation and the facial expressions are fair, and the whole episode is a pleasant, if rather understated affair.
Watch ‘There’s No Time for Love, Charlie Brown’ yourself and tell me what you think:
‘There’s No Time for Love, Charlie Brown’ is available on the DVD-set ‘Peanuts 1970’s Collection Vol. 1’
Dr. Grob's Animation Review 