It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

This special is great. I love the background music, especially the upbeat tempo played while Charlie Brown dances because he has finally been invited to a Halloween party...by mistake. The scene with Snoopy and the Red Baron is an abrupt switch from the storyline, but it is very well done; 5 minutes or so without any talking.

Did anyone notice how big the moon is in the pumpkin patch? It is huge!

I grew up with this and all the other Peanuts specials. I remember sitting up until 8:00pm (late for me at that age) and loving it. I remember the Mounds and Almond Joy ads. I even remember the catchy CBS "Special Presentation" intro. What can be said for this classic that hasn't been said before? From Linus and Sally in the pumpkin patch all night to the still quoted "I got a rock!" line, not many holiday specials that don't involve Charlie Brown and the gang bring a smile to my face like It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. Thanks for the memories, Mr. Schulz.

My grade: A+

Although thousands of Halloween TV specials bombard us each October, one stands out as a can't-miss for anyone with children or anyone who ever was a child. The complete lack of scariness makes this the classic feel-good movie of the season. It is one film that is appropriate for children of every age, even very young children. It brings up the same nostalgic feelings that the Peanuts comic strip does, and gets me in the Halloween spirit every year. If you haven't seen it yet, spend some time this October to watch it with the children in your life. It's perfect with warm popcorn and orange candy corn. So for a change from the movies that give you nightmares, try the Halloween special that will give you sweet dreams of great pumpkins.

Another beloved family Classic, even if it's about as slow paced as one could imagine. Nice, light comedy with Linus's mixing of holiday traditions; although the gang (and especially Sally) can be quite cruel, ultimately the focus on the misfits is uplifting, even if lightly satyrical. Snoopy's waking dream of fighting the read barron, which ultimately leads to an encounter with Linus's vision of the Great Pumpkin in the patch, is brilliant. Just two questions: how old are these kids? And why is Charlie Brown basically bald?

Reviewed this after watching in 2020, not long after getting our Charlie Brown Halloween figures from the Bradford Exchange.

Now what would Halloween, my favorite holiday, be without Charlie

Brown and the Great Pumpkin? Not to date myself, but I remember the very first time it aired on

CBS at the ripe old age of 7! I've never missed it since! Nothing encapsulates childhood, camaraderie and the spirit of

Halloween more than this Charles M. Schultz classic. Charlie

Brown and his bag of rocks, Snoopy and the Red Baron, Linus'

ingenious use of his security blanket for a ghost costume, Vince

Guaraldi's great score, and of course, bossy Lucy and her

sarcastic voice of reason - I think we all know a 'Lucy' growing up! All the feelings of anticipation, excitement and fear so commonly

associated with this spooky holiday is captured here - even the

feeling of great disappointment when awakening the day after and

knowing one must wait another FULL year for this greatest of

holidays to come again - another year to plan and live out your

fantasy. Well, at least there's Charlie Brown Xmas to get us over

the hump! Good Grief!!