FILM REVIEWS

The popular comic strip, by Charles M. Schulz, was made into a decent feature-length film in 1969.

In this plot, usually failing Charlie Brown (Peter Robbins) attends the National Spelling Bee and gets the worst sandlot team in the history of baseball. Linus loses and retrieves his security blanket. Snoopy the beagle dances wildly and plays shortstop.

Then the irascible Lucy Van Pelt tricks Charlie Brown into kicking the football, but at the last minute she pulls it back and sends him flying onto his back. Although he loses the spelling bee, his friends greet Charlie Brown back to town upon his return.

Many songs are included in this Oscar-nominated film. The characters remain true to Schultz’s original vision, and there’s attention to matching the appropriate voices to the characters personalities.

This is the first of many successful animated features of the gang from Peanuts.

Some of the score is performed by Guaraldi’s jazz trio.

Oscar Nominations:

Original Song Score

Oscar Context:

The winner was the Beatles Let It Be.

MPAA: G.

Running time: 86 Minutes.

Directed by Bill Melendez.

Written By: Charles M. Schulz.

Released: December 4, 1969.

DVD: March 28, 2006