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Released by: Warner Brothers
Released on: 10/20/2009
Director: Various
Cast: Various
Year: Various
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The Movies:
One of the most enduringly popular series of animated specials of all time, the many Peanuts specials originally aired on CBS, starting over forty-years ago back in the 1960s and lasting into the next few decades. The fact that these are just as well known now as they were back then is testament to the incredible popularity of Charles Schulz's comic strip and the various spin-off cartoons that have been created over the years. Warner Brothers has collected all of the sixties specials in one handy two disc set and while some of them have received special editions of their own with more extras than appear here (completists will want to hold on to those) this is a great way to get the essentials at a good price.
The six cartoons are spread over two discs and presented in chronological order as so:
DISC ONE:
Play It Again, Charlie Brown (1971)
Appearing for the first time on DVD in this collection, Play It Again Charlie Brown puts the focus on Lucy, who is still (perpetually, even) pining away for old Schroeder. Unsure how to win his love, she consults with her friend, Peppermint Patty, who suggests that she work the music angle seeing as he's far more interested in his piano than he is in Lucy. Taking this advice to heart, she arranges for Schroeder to perform at the upcoming PTA meeting but what Lucy doesn't realize is that the program calls for rock music, not classical. Knowing full well that Schroeder won't play rock music and only ever wants to play Beethoven, she finds herself having to do some pretty quick thinking and run damage control.
You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown (1972)
School elections are fast approaching and a few of the kids talk Linus into running for class president. He agrees and Lucy and Charlie Brown wind up working as his campaign managers, doing their best to help him win when they're not squabbling amongst one another. Thankfully crafty snoopy and his pal Woodstock are willing and able to pitch in too, and it looks like Linus is going to win until he starts making ridiculous campaign promises and trying to convert his fellow classmates into Great Pumpkin believers!
There's No Time For Love Charlie Brown (1973)
With the school year in full swing, the kids are working hard to try and keep their grades up. Poor Charlie Brown is told that he's going to have to get an A on his upcoming report that he is to write about a trip to the art museum or he's going to be held back. Obviously not wanting to fail, he commits himself to doing the best he can until an overtired Peppermint Patty winds up distracting Charlie Brown and Sally from the task at hand and they wind up at a supermarket instead of the art museum. Unsure why the art museum offers up art so cheap, Charlie winds up writing a ridiculous report thanks in no small part to Patty's emotional outbursts. Once he realizes what has happened, he's going to have to rush to set things right or repeat the grade he so desperately wants to finish.
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973)
Charlie Brown decides to play the host with the most after Peppermint Patty invites Marcia and the rest of the kids over to Charlie Brown's house for a Thanksgiving Day celebration. Of course, none of it ever goes as planned so Snoopy and Woodstock decide to pitch in with predictably funny results, which all leads up to an appropriately sweet conclusion. This is probably the most popular special in this collection and the one that gets the most airplay on television. Like the other specials on the first disc, it holds up well and finds that nice mix of humor and sweetness that has made the property as endearing as it is for so long as it has been.
DISC TWO:
It's A Mystery, Charlie Brown (1974)
Sally's given a science project to do at school while at the same time, poor Woodstock's nest gets stolen! As Sally goes about trying to figure out what to base her school project on, Snoopy decides to take on a Sherlock Holmes guise and find out who stole his best friend's home and why. When he finds who he believes to be the thief in question, he brings the suspect into court to face judge Lucy!
It's The Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown (1974)
The second special from 1974 is also a pretty well known one that still shows up on television every spring, much to the delight of kids of all ages. This special follows the kids as they all prepare for the upcoming holiday in their own way. Snoopy is trying to find Woodstock a new place to live while Peppermint Patty and Marcia make Easter Eggs with varying degrees of success. As everyone goes about busying themselves, Linus warns them all of the impending arrival of The Easter Beagle, but as is so often the case with Linus, no one really listens to him…
Video/Audio/Extras:
Everything in this set shows up in 1.33.1 fullframe, just as it should be. The quality is pretty good and it appears that the specials have been restored to a certain extent as they're cleaner and better looking than they previously were on DVD. Colors look nice and bright without appearing overcooked and there are only minor instances of any noticeable serious print damage (just specks here and there). Some mild grain is visible in some spots but that's completely forgivable, it just looks more film like. There aren't any problems with compression artifacts or edge enhancement to complain about and overall the material looks quite good.
The English language Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono soundtracks are clean and clear and as simple as they've always been. Dialogue is always nice and easy to understand and there aren't any problems with hiss or distortion. Levels are properly balanced and everything sounds fine. Optional 2.0 Mono dubs are available Dolby in Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish while optional subtitles are supplied in English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai.
Aside from some trailers, menus and chapter selection the only extra is a quick featurette entitled Woodstock: Creating Snoopy's Sidekick (12:41). This is a fun and affectionate look back at how the character was created in comic strip form and animated form and about his impact on the series and enduring popularity.
Inside the keepcase is a coupon for a free iTunes download for two Charlie Brown songs.
The Final Word:
Not quite as strong an offering as the collection of specials from the last decade, this is still a treat for Charlie Brown fans as it compiles a really solid collection of specials, holiday themed and otherwise, in one nice set and in great quality. The extras are light but the spotlight on Woostock is amusing enough and it's hard not to recommend this release to Peanuts fans.