A Charlie Brown Christmas: 1965

Release date: December 9, 1965 (initial release)
Director: Bill Melendez
Running time: 25 minutes
DVD release date: September 12, 2000
Sequel: A Boy Named Charlie Brown
  
   Well, the Christmas Season is upon us yet again. I guess now it's time to review a Christmas-ish movie, and this year I've picked one that I hold very dear. I watched this movie so many times when I was younger, and it has been quite awhile since I sat down with it again. I am also quite glad that I still own this film today on VHS, because in a bit we'll never see the likes of the format again. I know that this film is very different from my last selection, "Santa Clause Conquers The Martians," but who knows, maybe next year I'll have something stranger in store. But now, lets not waste any time in taking a look at a childhood memory of mine, "A Charlie Brown Christmas."

   All my life I've had sort of had a bone to pick with commercialism, and it only just occurred to me that this may be where that originated. This movie, or short film isn't entirely about Christmas (as far as Christmas specials go. You all know how a Christmas special goes! The characters in the show meet Santa and help him with some problem he has, and they take it upon themselves to quote on quote, "Save Christmas," by delivering the presents to all the good girls and boys, but this doesn't happen here. In fact, the characters never see Santa at all, and what's more is that he's not even mentioned! The only thing Christmas-related in the special, is a Christmas tree. And I submit to you, dear readers, that this short film represents the true meaning of Christmas better than any other episode submitted to public entertainment with the similar, if not the same intention. 

   The plot of the short film goes like this. Charlie Brown is feeling a bit down during the Christmas season, but he can't figure out why. While trying to deal with this dilemma, he is chosen by his, "friends" to be the director of the Christmas play they are presenting in their school (with no adults around, of course). Charlie Brown really tries his best in directing the actors and positions to create the play they were intended to present. This, unfortunately does not go over well, and Charlie Brown decides with a complete lack of cooperation, and because the rest of the world is being too commercial, none of the play can be presented. They decide that the thing that the play needs is a Christmas Tree to give the play an authentic look. Charlie and Linus proceed into town to find the biggest tree, but when they get there, they notice that all of the tree's being sold are aluminum (all except one). The only wooden tree left in the lot was the smallest, and overall most unappealing one there. Charlie Brown picks this tree, because he said, "it needed him." It is my belief that the other reason Charlie picks this tree, is because he relates to it. throughout the strips he has been in, Charlie Brown has always thought little of himself, if anything at all. But he always tells the truth, and he does the best that he can in anything he tries to do. The film shows an example of this when Charlie Brown is given the task of directing the school play.

   When Charlie Brown presents the tree to the others, they insult the tree's value, and by extension, insult Charlie Brown's value in their usual fashion. But before Charlie loses all hope, Linus divulges the true meaning of Christmas, plain and simply. Charlie Brown then takes the tree outside (the others following) and tries to decorate the tree with a single ornament, but the tree bends over, and Charlie Brown believes that he killed the tree, and (once again) by extension, the spirit of Christmas. But the theme of the film appears at the very end, when the others decide (supposedly in Charlie Brown's pity) that the tree wasn't as bad as they had originally thought. They decorate the tree and make it look nice, and surprise Charlie Brown with their cooperation, thus reconstructing the traditional Christmas. The End.

      I like this movie, and people in general like this movie and I think I know why. Everyone at one time has felt as though they were not accepted or understood. This is what Charlie Brown goes through in "A Charlie Brown Christmas," among other things.we connect with the character, and since the story revolves around the character, we also connect with the story. So, for a simple 20 minuet long story, it is quite engaging. Every character in the peanut series is a bully to Charlie Brown, maybe with the exception of Linus. This is because Charlie Brown doesn't really stand up for himself, so he's easy to knock down frequently. He is different from the group, and when this is pointed out to him, he feels bad about it and considers changing. On the contrary, one of the character's, Pigpen (my favorite) is also different from the bunch. However, what differentiates Pigpen from Charlie Brown, is due to their tolerance for who they are. In other words, Pigpen is secure, while Charlie Brown is not. In the comics, Charlie Brown frequently became agitated by Pigpen, because he didn't care about the way he looked or did things and the rest of the group (for the most part) accepted him. Pigpen just didn't care what anyone thought, and that's why he is my favorite character in the Peanuts franchise. So, on that note, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy New Year, and for the more extreme one's Happy D-Day! I've got some more cult favorites coming at ya for the next few months, but for my next review I think I'll take a detour down doomsday lane.

8.2/10

Click here to watch the trailer

Next Review: 2012 2009