With the holidays already locked up by Peanuts adventures, Charlie Brown takes another shot at Christmas with I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown, and true fans of the Peanuts gang are glad for the effort. Focusing on little brother Van Pelt, Rerun, the tale follows the dream of dog ownership. Rerun and Snoopy, as the curious and close friends they have become, set out to get Rerun his own dog for Christmas, even though his mom doesn't think he's responsible enough.
Snoopy's brother Spike soon shows up, and Rerun becomes fixated on adopting him.
The wild results are a fun-filled adventure with equal parts Peanuts charm and clever storytelling. While not the most famous Peanuts special, this is definitely one of the best. It has a bit more to the story, and doesn't rely so much on the easier gags. Similar to other lesser-known Peanut specials (notably: You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown and There's No Time For Love, Charlie Brown), the style is a bit of a transformation, and there is clearly a superior effort to that of the 60's specials which were enough to simply be the Peanuts on TV.
The DVD also includes Happy New Year, Charlie Brown, another one that doesn't get enough rebroadcasting. Assigned a book report on War and Peace, Charlie Brown's Christmas Holiday isn't filled with a lot of good cheer as his efforts are constantly interrupted, and the schoolwork looms over the festive time of year.
You also get an all-new featurette, Sibling Rivalry: Growing Up Van Pelt, which gives an in-depth look at the creation of the Rerun character.
Both of these are real treasures, and it's a real shame that they are frequently overlooked in favor of the other Peanuts classics. The Remasted Deluxe Edition, with enhanced video and audio only adds to the must-own status of this one.
Own it on DVD today!
Check out some clips below, and stay tuned, because this one will be included in the Massive Holiday Giveaway coming very soon.
Back of the Bike
Snoopy Plays BBall
Immunity
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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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