User reviews

I remember the first time that I saw this cartoon. I was about 6 or 7 years old, and I was starting to get into the Peanuts comic strips as I was learning how to read. From the first time I saw it, I knew there was something very different about this animated Christmas special that set it apart from others. Maybe it was the fact that it actually gave the true meaning of Christmas by having Linus quote Luke 2:8-14. Maybe it was able to capture charm and whit of the Peanuts comic strip by Charles Schulz. Maybe it was the jazzy background music by Vince Guaraldi. Maybe it was all the above. I'm gonna go with the last one. To this day I still find this Christmas special to be a very touching one.

.......and certainly by far this is the best of the Peanuts specials. Odd that the first one was the best, ya know? (And in running down the long list here in the Schulz credits-what were some of those-You're a Good Man Charlie Brown? You'll Find Her Charlie Brown? It's Arthritis, Charlie Brown, etc....You got the point...too much of a good thing...) I associate watching this w/ seeing it back to back w/ Frosty or the Grinch, coming inside after sledding outside in the snow, that famous CBS whirling Special intro, and those York Peppermint Patty(TM) ads. Just somehow all seemed to fit, back in '74 and now.

The animation-sure it's sloppy, typical TV '60's stuff-Schulz always said he didn't like this show nearly as much as everyone else seemed too-it was too rushed-but it does work. The best parts-the singing at the end, the great Linus speech-have resonated down thru the years and continue to hit home even now.

I don't expect there to be a better Christmas special ever.

****

A Charlie Brown Christmas is probably the most unique Christmas film you can find. It's different because the Peanuts gang seem melancholy and introspective much of the time. I mean, do kids really worry about the commercialization of Christmas?!

Nevertheless, the special really speaks to adults and probably older kids, and keeps you thinking after it's over. It has a very good message, and the music, while also melancholy, sticks with you for a long time afterwards. You could probably play a few notes of their "Christmastime" song, and I'll immediately picture this film. This movie should definitely become part of anybody's holiday collection, even if it's only to stand out from the other material.

My IMDb Rating: 9/10. My Yahoo! Grade: A- (Almost Perfect)

When Charles M. Schulz passed away, he left behind a legacy of joy beyond measure; through Charlie Brown and the whole Peanuts gang, he offered insights into human nature that rival that of Thackeray and Twain, and he did it simply and succinctly, through his endearing characters and his own personal generosity of spirit. And it's that spirit that is concisely captured in `A Charlie Brown Christmas,' directed by Bill Melendez and featuring an original score composed and performed by Vince Guaraldi. And you could not find a more perfect example to more aptly illustrate the contributions and enrichment to our lives and to our world made by this consummate artist who through a comic strip managed to convey an unparalleled kind of down-to-earth wisdom and common sense.

This is only one of many `holiday' offerings featuring the Peanuts gang (at least two of which, `It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown' and `A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving,' are especially endearing), but it's the real jewel in the crown among the many treasures to emerge from the vivid and fertile imagination of Charles Schulz. Without a doubt, `A Charlie Brown Christmas,' which premiered in 1965, has since become a cherished classic in it's own right. In this one, Charlie Brown gets picked by Lucy to direct their Christmas play, but he runs into some trouble picking out a proper Christmas tree. And Snoopy gets caught up in the commercialism of the season by entering the neighborhood decorating contest, adorning his dog house with such an array of lights and trim that it just may have a chance at winning the grand prize. But the most memorable moment of the film belongs to Linus, when he takes the spotlight to explain in his own inimitable way what Christmas really means. it's poignant and heart-felt; a moment that remains touching no matter how many times you see it. It's beautifully expressed, and in it's simplicity speaks volumes about the things that really matter in our lives.

The cast includes the voices of Peter Robbins (Charlie Brown), Christopher Shea (Linus), Tracy Stratford (Lucy), Sally Dryer (Violet), Karen Mendelson (Patty), Kathy Steinberg (Sally), Geoffrey Ornstein (Pig-pen), Chris Doran (Schroeder), Ann Altieri (Freida), Pamelyn Ferdin (also Lucy) and Bill Melendez (Snoopy). A fitting tribute to a man who gave us so much, `A Charlie Brown Christmas' is a story that will find it's way into the hearts of generation after generation, a timeless tale filled with humanity and universal appeal. Warm and entertaining, this is a film that can be seen over and over again without ever losing it's charm or it's magic. Charles M. Schulz may be gone, but he will never be forgotten. Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown! I rate this one 10/10.

How can you not love it? I'm a 46-year-old Jewish agnostic, and this still makes me laugh and brings a tear to my eye after dozens of viewings; and I don't think it's just nostalgia. I think if you can't enjoy this, you might as well just pack it in. Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without this and the ORIGINAL Grinch. Too bad the follow-ups, with the exception of course of It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, have never matched its humor, charm and heart. Favorite funny line? Lucy complains about always getting toys and bikes and clothes. "What do you want?" Charlie Brown asks. "REAL ESTATE!" Favorite touching moment? The transformation of the scrawny tree into a beautiful one of course.

This movie is a true Christmas Classic. I can not think of a Christmas passing without at least once watching this film. It is one of the few Christmas Specials that actually tells what the true meaning of Christmas is. I love the animation. I am sure it is primitive compared to 2003 standards, but who cares.I can watch this over and over again.

Repelled by the commercialism he sees around him, Charlie Brown (Peter Robbins) tries to find the true meaning of Christmas.

The story goes that when this cartoon was first made, it ran into issues because of the lack of canned laughter and the religious overtones. Despite some apprehensions, it went forward as planned. And guess what? It became one of the most successful Christmas specials ever aired.

I could not even imagine this with laughter. I mean, Charlie Brown is something of a sad sack -- we should not be laughing at him, but feeling sympathy for him. And how can we not appreciate his message of commercialism gone too far? I was not alive in the 1960s, but I think it would be a fair assumption to say that the commercialism of Christmas has not decreased... not one bit.

Peanuts will always exist in middle class mid-century America. It's exclusively a child's world that is presented, with all adult voices just coming across as a "mwah mwah mwah mwah" sounding drone, which is no doubt what you heard when adults spoke and you were a child and no doubt what your own children really hear when you speak.

Charlie Brown is a child everyman with dreams who exists in a world with a sometimes cruel pecking order. Lucy is always besting him, but Charlie Brown's own dog bests Lucy with nothing more than the threat of a slobbery kiss. The episodes teach lessons that in many cases, sadly, could not be taught today. For example, , A Charlie Brown Christmas has Charlie Brown wondering what Christmas is all about. In the end, as an answer, Linus presents the simple Biblical tale of Jesus' birth. The moral comes across as "Christmas is not about getting more stuff", and in the 60's did not ignite a firestorm - as it would today no doubt - of people claiming they were offended by the "exclusivity of the message" so that you had to water down the message to the point where there is no message at all.

I was a kid in the 60s, so it's about the nostalgia for me, but I think most people will find this simple tale of childhood charming.

Like fine wine, A Charlie Brown Christmas improves with age. It has become the standard not only for the other Charlie Brown specials but also for the animated Christmas specials that have followed it over the decades. Thanks to innovations like video and DVD, Peanuts devotees the world over can enjoy their favorite Charlie Brown specials any time of the year (read Christmas in July). Charlie Brown, the Van Pelt siblings and, of course, Snoopy, are heaven-sent and will be in the hearts of future generations long after us earthlings are no more.

God bless Charlie Brown and the Van Pelts. God bless Charles M. Schultz for creating such legendary icons.

This is the beloved classic! This is the tender, caring Charlie Brown Christmas that keeps the family warm holiday season after holiday season! What is Christmas about? Why is everything becoming so commercial? These questions were asked back in 1965, and the answers hit the nail right on the head. Today, the meaning is just that much more impactful because, frankly, today is even more commercial and soulless than 1965.

The writing is typical Peanuts wry, and is well-placed by the children actor's voices. Having children do children voices is actually kind of rare, but this shows it shouldn't be: they do really well and it's touching to hear them.

The animation itself is starting to get a bit dated and is a little slow/jerky, but considering the belovedness of this classic... people are either going to get offended at the mention of that fact or will claim that it doesn't matter. So there you go. It's enjoyable anyways.

And, of course, Snoopy rules.

--PolarisDiB

This morning I turned on the television to find something with just the right atmosphere for opening Christmas presents. But in the 500-channel universe, could I find the Queen, or the Pope, or anything? I could find practically anything but Christmas.

The most inappropriate programme on wasn't the infomercial for the miracle juicer, no, it was the annual Parade of Expensive Children's Merchandise direct from Disneyland, in case there were some kids left who hadn't coerced a Mickey, or Terk, or Pumbaa from their beleaguered parents. One of the French channels did have a service from Notre Dame in Paris which was the right sort of thing, with an actual church and choir, but it was entirely in French. But then I found "A Charlie Brown Christmas" on one of the stations.

Once upon a time, "Charlie Brown" was just a prelude for its television viewers, most of whom would be attending church closer to Christmas Day. Nowadays, it's probably more than just the prelude; it's likely to be the whole concert.

Thank goodness Charles Schulz and company did such a fine job of crafting this programme back in 1965. Thirty-five years later, Charlie Brown is still as earnest and sympathetic as ever. He was even decrying the commercialization of Christmas back then, decrying in the wilderness, it seems.

Vince Guaraldi normally gets a lot of credit for his music, but there is far more to the show than just that. It is extremely well-written with a lot of charming and funny lines. I particularly like Linus as "an innocent shepherd", but even Snoopy as a penguin is sure to get a big laugh.

But at the midway point in the programme, the tone changes from quality seasonal fun to something very sincere and deeply held. Linus delivers his heartfelt sermon from the pulpit (the school stage). The Peanuts gang renews its faith (in Charlie Brown, at the very least). The congregation assembled there together raises its collective voice in the recessional hymn "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" as we bid them farewell and take our leave. It is these parallels from the church service, I feel, that contribute to the strong emotion many of us experience whenever we view this small triumph of television programming.

Would I say that everything in the story conforms to a higher design conceived by Charles Schulz? I won't hazard a guess, but I do like to feel that he felt a little touch of divine inspiration with this one.

While many people have fond memories of this CBS special, I'm not so sure this holds up well some 40 years later. Poor voice acting, even worse animation (could they have spent a few more dollars here, network execs?) and a mean-spirited plot detract from the overall message. In the year 2007, who is the target audience? It cannot be children, as they would be easily bored and confused; only hardcore Peanuts fans need apply. The only saving grace for me is the great soundtrack. Now don't get me wrong; I'm all about reliving childhood cartoons, especially when it is with your own children. But like a 40 year-old fruit cake, this one just isn't as good as you may have remembered.

Charlie Brown saved my little soul. I assume I have one. Talk amongst yourselves. In 1965, my parents were transitioning from college graduates and fine people to bereft psychically-crippled people who were dysfunctional relicts living in Appalachia, with no direction, and a hellish road to nowhere. They were hung/strung out to dry by company policies which had no category for " special cases in need of emergency psychological help". Then came Charlie Brown's Christmas. What a great gift to me. A cool jazz soundtrack, and a hopeful story. This cartoon sings. It is a true work of art, however minor in the grand scheme of life. It is relentlessly hopeful. A child of ten needs a relentlessly hopeful message before hydra-headed reality descends upon him. Reality is negotiable, once you reach the age of majority. A life of crime is a choice for example. A life of accomplishment is also a choice. Charles Schultz's brilliant cartoon gave me a choice in the midst of my parents' psychic nightmare. I thank Charles Schulz. He saved my life.

One of the best Holiday movies of all time, I wonder why it's not on the AFI top 100 list?

****CAUTION SPOILERS*** THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPH TELLS THE READER WHAT THE MOVIE IS ABOUT, IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW, PLEASE DON'T READ ANY FURTHER.

In case you haven't seen the movie, here is how it goes. Charlie Brown (a local boy who seems to fail in everything he does), is upset because no one has given him a Christmas card, plus all of his friends seem to have forgotten the true meaning of Christmas. All his sister wants for Christmas are toys, she says, "I want what's coming to me." Charlie buys a tiny Christmas tree for the Christmas play, but it's made fun of by his friends. Fed up with everybody, Charlie finally yells, "Does anyone know the true meaning of Christmas?" What happens next is one of the best scenes in a Christmas movie ever! Charlie's friend stands up and announces to everyone in the room the true meaning of Christmas, quoting from the Bible.

The first Charlie Brown special may also be the best (although it runs second on my list of favorites). With a soundtrack that has become part of Christmas to Christopher Shea getting Linus spot-on to the courage to quote from a Gospel in a prime-time cartoon, it doesn't get much better than this. 10/10

Every year, I inevitably watch part or all of this special. Charlie Brown's search for the true spirit of Christmas always has resonance at this time of the year. It's no wonder that this is a Christmas classic. With the constant commercialization of the Holidays, Charlie's plight and Linus' speech is a great antidote. "My own dog gone commercial. Arg!" Now that say it all.

It's always poignant when Linus takes center stage to explain the meaning of Christmas. It is something beyond a simple TV show. It transcends mere entertainment.

Beside the big Linus speech, there is an innocent humor about the show. Many of the jokes leave me with a smile. And a scrawny tree is forever known as a Charlie Brown Christmas tree. It's a cultural touchstone.

Unlike simple video presentations, this timeless Christmas offering is bit of comfort food as much as it is a piece of Americana. Charile Brown searches for the meaning of Christmas, running into the utter commercialism we all deride (yet we fill up the shopping malls anyway). Charlie (who is abused at every turn) takes on the role of the director a Christmas play, much to the disdain of his peers. They continually refer to him as a blockhead. Even his dog enters a Christmas lighting contest, turning his doghouse into a showplace. As time passes, the din of the season overwhelms our young hero to where he can't stand it anymore. He must seek out the true meaning of the holiday. This is a precious offering, utilizing one of the most recognizable soundtracks in all of cinema, and seems to give us a little boost at the holiday season. See it an grab a little childhood.

If you have heard of Charlie Brown (who hasn't?) and haven't seen it before, this is a good film to get you started. It is my personal favourite of the Charlie Brown stories.

As the title suggests, this is the popular Christmas story. The Peanuts gang are putting on a play, and Charlie Brown's responsibility is to get the Christmas tree. It doesn't turn out quite like the gang expected, but the moral of the story is to learn the true meaning behind Christmas.

Like all Charlie Brown cartoons, the animation is a little dated and minimal. The dancing scenes are compromised of a few movements in an animation loop. The Christmas tree gains and loses branches. However, the animation is cute and funny in its own way.

I must also credit this Christmas special in its wonderful use of Christmas music with the famous 'Christmas-time is Here' tune by the Peanuts Gang (Vince Guaraldi Trio). Excellent.

I'd recommend this film as an introduction to Charlie Brown. If you really like it, then go watch some of the others.

This might just be the best kid's Christmas special ever. RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER and HOW THE GRINCH STOLE Christmas are very, very close but I think I'd give this film the nod for two major reasons. First, the music by Vince Guaraldi is amazing--and one of the best sound tracks ever. Second, Charles Shultz insisted that this Christmas special actually talk about the REAL meaning of Christmas--with a reading from Luke of the Christmas story. Oddly, studio executives were apparently worried this might offend people! Imagine the gall of mentioning Jesus in a Christmas story!! This special is also amazing because it was the first Charlie Brown cartoon and subsequent films using the characters never quite matched this first great film and its success led to these other Peanuts films.

I remember watching this when I was a kid and truly realizing what Christmas was about. My most memorable and favorite part was when Linus recites the passage from Luke 2:8-14 about the birth of Christ. This is the most touching and

fascinating scene. It demonstrates that it is possible to create great stories and animation without moral or Biblical compromise. A Charlie Brown Christmas is a timeless classic and I highly recommend it to any family. Thank God for great animation and story telling like this!!

'A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)' feels decidedly contemporary, taking a relatively unexpected approach to its material by focusing on a depressed Charlie Brown as he grapples with the disparity between how he's feeling and how everyone tells him he should be feeling around the holidays. The short isn't bleak, but it has a really melancholic undertone - or, perhaps, overtone - and its vibe is a little strange overall. Still, it has plenty of smile-inducing moments, which mainly arise thanks to the frankness and beyond-their-years nature of most of the characters. It ends on a hopeful note of overtly religious Christmas cheer, which is a bit of a surprise considering how divorced the season is from its 'birth of Jesus' roots in most mainstream media. It's interesting to see that even back in 1965 there was a sense that the holiday was too commercial for its own good, something which is only more pertinent today and is yet another reason that this has remained such an enduring Christmas classic. The piece is really enjoyable and interesting overall, with a cute aesthetic and convincing voicework. Its approach to the material is distinct and its message is nice, if a little heavy-handed.

The hero, Charlie Brown, supposedly is disappointed at the comercialisation of Christmas. Funny how in the original the Coca Cola logo appeared so prominently! This has been edited out & the recent versions don't show this blatant comercialism at all. A slight improvement, but not much.

What I dislike about this cartoon so much makes for a long list. First of all is the poor animation, then there's the wooden voices of the kids reading the lines, then there's the sappy story line, the cheap music & finally the screechy singing.

On 2 occasions there's music the characters on screen are supposedly dancing too, but the actions bear no resemblance to the sounds. The animation is also spastic & repetitive. I am reminded of a spoof I once saw (I can't recall who made it) with a cartoon Super Hero called "Cheap-o Cartoon Man". I have to say Charlie Brow's Christmas is actually worse on all the points lampooned in Cheap-o Cartoon Man.

I don't know what people see in this, the story line is sappy &, as usual, the sentimentality is layered on thickly to cover the mindless theme. Some seem to think it a classic, but I cannot agree. It is obviously as cheaply & poorly done as possible without rendering it unwatchable & it shows. The original version, with prominent advertising, even undermines the message it supposedly tries to convey.