O Natal do Charlie Brown

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.

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.

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.

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.