Product Description

Join Charlie Brown and the rest of the delightful "Peanuts" gang in their smashing debut on the silver screen in the late Charles M. Schulz's first full-length animated motion picture. It's a movie filled with all the characters and charm that has made "Peanuts" the most popular comic strip in the world. And it is musical entertainment that will positively make you grin from ear to ear. Our story begins with Charlie Brown gearing up for his first pitch of the baseball season - stopping midstream because his pitcher's mound is filled with dandelions. It's one enchanting scene after another in this very special movie that brings all our "Peanuts" characters to fun-loving life. With excitement added by Vince Gauraldi's jazz music and songs by Rod McKuen, A Boy Named Charlie Brown is a motion picture Gene Shalit said is "so cheerful I can hardly wait for the next one!"

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3894 in DVD
• Brand: PARAMOUNT HOME VIDEO
• Released on: 2006-03-28
• Rating: G (General Audience)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Animated, Color, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .25 pounds
• Running time: 86 minutes

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

Customer Reviews

A "Peanuts" Classic
I, like the other reviewer before me, remember watching this in a movie theater when it was first released; my grandfather took me to see it and I must have been about 4 or 5 years old. I remember being totally mesmerized at the thought of seeing my "heroes" on the big screen, and I didn't move a muscle the entire time the movie was rolling. And yes, I will also agree that the film's end can have you shedding a tear or two, with Linus' reminder, "Did you notice something, Charlie Brown? The world didn't come to an end", after Charlie Brown feels that he has humlitated himself one too many times. You can imagine, this film has a very special place in my heart. It retained several of the original character voices, including Peter Robbins, the first and best Charlie Brown. This is also the only one of the four theatrical features to use Vince Guaraldi's trademark theme music. I take issue with the statement that the additional songs composed for the movie by Rod McKuen are "absurd". I thought the title tune was very touching, featuring the lyric, "We're all a Boy Named Charlie Brown". Indeed.......That was the genius of Charles Schulz in a nutshell; he created characters that mirrored all of us. Please get this film and introduce your kids to it.......Help pass along Mr Schulz's legacy. (If you can find the out-of-print soundtrack album for this film, I highly recommend it as well.)

A premium in entertainment for people of all ages
Though I highly recommend this film for children, it is by no means a movie that can be enjoyed only by children, with mindless dialogue and aimless plot. On the contrary; I am a 19-year-old college student, and even though I should technically be writing a review on Fellini's "Satyricon" as I sip some kind of mocha and smoke a cigarette, I instead choose to rave about the merits of this intelligent, wonderful little film. I would first like to state that the soundtrack is absolutely ASTOUNDING. Vince Guaraldi really outdoes himself in this film, with my favorites being "Baseball Theme" and "Surfin' Snoopy". I'm sorry to say that many of the songs on this film can only be acquired through the VHS medium; though there is a soundtrack, it provides music from an NBC Charles Schultz special, not this film. Consumers, beware! :) Secondly, the original compositions by Rod McKuen, such as "Champion Charlie Brown" and "Boy Named Charlie Brown" are heartwarming and delightful, again with paradoxically smart and mature lyrics (these too, unfortunately, are unavailable on CD). The animation is delightful. I love the bright, cheerful hues of the wallpaper in Charlie's hotel room and his bathroom. And yes, the visual rendition of Beethoven's "Pathetique Sonata" is stunning, with animation reminding you of the "Eleanor Rigby" scene from "Yellow Submarine" (NOT the psychedelic type); for some, it can definitely be a tear-jerker. Snoopy's graceful skate at Rockerfeller Plaza in New York City is additionally delightful. If you're a parent concerned with the lessons your child may learn from this film, allow me to present you with a list: gleeful content with who we are, acceptance of failure, healthy appreciation of victory, and perhaps most of all, how to be a friend. Charming. Beautiful. It will bring a smile to your face even after years of viewing. You will NOT be disappointed with this buy.

Charming film, but they Letterboxed a Full Frame movie!
This movie was shot full frame, and meant to be seen full frame. When you compare the movie to the old Full Frame Laserdisc you will see that this Letterboxed DVD cuts off the top & bottom and ads little to the sides.

Enough complaining, there are positives about this DVD. The picture quality is 100 times better than the old, yellowed & grainy Laserdisc. The colors look true and the image is smooth & clean. Even the soundtrack is punched up.

The movie itself is a delight. This is Peanut's first full length theatrical movie, and the story of Charlie Brown & the gang going off to a spelling bee will keep the young ones watching. Even the old ones like me.

The false letterboxing will not distract from the enjoyment of the film.