Peanuts 1960s Collection – DVD Review

It's difficult to put forward a very serious theory that I am somehow reviewing much about the DVD release of the Peanuts cartoons from the 1960s, apart from the release itself.  I suspect few people need me to sing the praises of A Charlie Brown Christmas.  On the other hand, there might be a few people out there who at least need a refresher on You're in Love, Charlie Brown, or It was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown.

Unfortunately, that still doesn't leave a lot of room for worthwhile discussion.  It's a great collection that features two of the most loved holiday shows in history, A Charlie Brown Christmas and It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.  Better yet, all the included episodes are remastered, and look amazing.

The set includes -

* A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) – In this Emmy® and Peabody Award winning classic, Charlie Brown is upset by how commercial the Christmas holiday has become. To coax him out of his holiday blues, Lucy suggests he direct the school’s Christmas pageant and decorate a glorious tree.  Charlie Brown concedes. The tree he finds however, is puny, prompting everyone to ridicule him.

* Charlie Brown’s All-Stars (1966) – Nominated for two Prime Time Emmys®, in this delightful special, Charlie Brown is faced with a difficult moral dilemma; should he accept brand new uniforms and give the rest of the gang a chance to be part of an official little league baseball team even if it means that due to policy, Snoopy, Lucy, Patty, Violet and Frieda must be kicked off?

* It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966) – This Emmy® Award-nominated special, finds the Peanuts gang outfitted in costumes, ready for trick or treating and crashing Violet’s Halloween party. Charlie Brown is in a ghost costume (with more eyeholes cut out than needed), Lucy dressed as a witch and Snoopy in a World War I flying ace costume. Linus decides to steadfastly hold vigil in the pumpkin patch as he awaits the Great Pumpkin.

* You’re in Love, Charlie Brown (1967) – This Emmy® Award-nominated special finds Charlie Brown trying to work up the courage to meet his school-girl crush, the little red-haired girl.  He enlists the help of his pals Linus and Peppermint Patty but they only aggravate the situation.

* He’s Your Dog, Charlie Brown (1968) – This Emmy® Award-nominated special finds Snoopy returning to the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm for a refresher course in obedience training after his mischievous behavior lands Charlie Brown in trouble.  On his way to the puppy farm however, Snoopy finds refuge in Peppermint Patty’s house, that’s until Charlie Brown gets a call from the puppy farm telling him Snoopy never showed up.  First Time Available on DVD.

* It was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown (1969) – At summer camp, the Peanuts gang put up with poor food and the girls winning all the sports competitions. To get even, the boys challenge them into a wrist-wresting contest between Lucy and “The Masked Marvel” – aka Snoopy in disguise.  First Time Available on DVD.

The set also includes Maestro of Menlo Park – Profiling Composer Vince Guaraldi, a short documentary which is very interesting for anyone interested in the jazz musician's life beyond Peanuts.

This is really a fabulous set that brings together the specials everyone wants to own with some of that are even more of a treasure in your collection because they are rarely aired.  Plus, the remasters look great no matter how big your set might be.

Check out the Official Site.

Own it on DVD July 7th!

Here are a clip from the set to enjoy.

[quicktime]http://www.areyouscreening.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/p60scoll_iwasscb_kindergarden_qt_300.smil[/quicktime]

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About Marc Eastman

Marc Eastman is the owner and operator of Are You Screening? and has been writing film reviews for over a decade, and several branches of the internet's film review world have seen his name. His reviews have brought him personal praise from the director of a major motion picture, and have been used as required reading in a course at a major University. These priceless rewards, along with just bags of cash, keep him from straying from freelance writing. He is also a member of The Broadcast Film Critics Association and The Broadcast Television Journalists Association.

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