"The Peanuts Movie" Review

"The Peanuts Movie" Review

Christian Burns

For The Clock

caburns1@plymouth.edu

On October 2, 1950, the first strip of Charles Schultz’ strip Peanuts premiered in nine newspapers nationwide. Two children, later identified as Shermy and Patty, discuss a third child, Charlie Brown. “Good ol’ Charlie Brown! How I hate him,” says Shermy, in words that are immortalized in strip comic history. As the comic strip developed over time, more characters were added. Lucy van Pelt and her brother Linus became both antagonist and friend, respectively. Charlie’s trusty dog Snoopy was introduced, alongside backyard bird Woodstock. Charlie’s school class was filled out with another Patty, her best friend Marcie, hockey-loving Franklin, and the mysterious Red-Haired Girl. Characters like Shermy and the original Patty faded into history, as the rest of the Peanuts were brought to television specials during the 1960s and 1970s. From there, they became vital members of pop culture, immortalizing themselves in the childhoods of many. Special after special was made, two musicals were produced, and the strip’s popularity boomed. But eventually, the television specials stopped being made and the popularity of the strip lessened. The strip itself stopped being written on January 3, 2000. Schultz himself died a little over one month later, and the strip went into syndication. While Charlie Brown and his friend would always be remembered, the Peanuts seemed to be relegated to pop culture history.

Then, in 2012, Blue Sky Studios announced The Peanuts Movie, a 3-D animated feature-length film, and the first Peanuts film in 35 years. Peanuts fans were initially skeptical, especially considering the over-saturation of 3-D films in the industry. In March 2014, the first trailer was released, showing a unique blend of 2-D and 3-D animation, an aesthetic that seemed to match that of the specials, and even the original voice of Snoopy, Bill Melendez. Melendez was the director of the specials and films, and died in 2008. The fact that archival voice footage was used to resurrect Snoopy’s voice resonated with many fans, and instilled faith that the movie would live up to their expectations. However, others remained skeptical, fearing unnecessary modernization.

Despite the big shoes and expectations that it had to fill, the movie stepped up to the challenge. The Peanuts Movie is a lovable and faithful send-up to the Peanuts legacy, celebrating the spirit of the specials and strips. This was most likely due to the involvement of Schulz’ son and grandson, Bryan and Craig Schulz. Coming out 65 years after the original strip, the film honors the traditionally pessimistic view of childhood that Schulz perfected. Charlie Brown, voiced perfectly by Noah Schnapp, is the lovable, sad sap that he’s always been. The movie is considerably more optimistic than the majority of the early strips, but conforms to the attitude of the later strips and specials. The film essentially follows the daily life of Charlie Brown and his friends, as Brown

COURTESY PHOTO/ http://www.usatoday.com

attempts to impress the Little Red-Haired Girl. The movie takes aspects from all corners of the Peanuts mythos, from the Kite-Eating Tree and Christmas skating, to the grand adventures of the Flying Ace, as played by Snoopy. The film plays loving homages to the multitude of specials and strips, and brings several understated or forgotten characters to the forefront. Even Shermy and Patty, who appeared in the first strip, make appearances in the film. All of the characters keep their traditional gimmicks and personalities. Linus is still philosophical, Lucy’s still irritable, Schroeder still loves Beethoven, and Pigpen still has less than admirable hygiene. The film also tries its very best to be as timeless as possible, and doesn’t incorporate modern technology and trends, as many fans had originally feared. Some modern music manages to creep its way into the film, but most of the score is composed of Vince Guaraldi’s classic orchestrations.

The Peanuts Movie is a nostalgic treat for fans of the original, and a good introduction to the world of Charlie Brown for the uninitiated. This is a movie good for families, adults, and anyone who just wants a little bit of nostalgia for the holidays.