The Peanuts started as a comic strip in 1950 and ran until 2000 meaning it ran 50 years , 50 years amassed with a legacy and people growing up with it, passing it on, and then it was passed on again to the next until its apart of our world like Shakespeare. (Maybe we are stretching it, maybe not.) The one thing the Peanuts has amassed is nostalgia that connects people to the characters and stories it told. The Christmas special has run since 1965 non stop only switching networks once.
After the comics stopped and Schulz's death there was still more Peanuts media made. From new Christmas specials, new Valentine's Day special, to a few random non specific specials. There is 50 years of comics to pull stuff from and make it work. The biggest thing would be a movie. Now we have had these movies that took something nostalgic and put together that did well but maybe aren't received well so hearing the idea of a Peanuts movie seems to be something to fear. But it was done with loving hands by the family of Charles Schulz meaning we didn't get a movie that would be somewhat a disappointment at best, or worst, terrifying.
The point for all this is our talk about the 2015 movie , "The Peanuts Movie". I am breaking this up into 2 parts because it gives us a little more room to breathe.
First the animation.
This isn't a long winded talk about every part of the animation in the movie, this is to talk about Peanuts and animation. The comics were hand drawn by hand for the entirety so it has that style plus Schulz drawing style. In 1965, the comics were translated into their first animation special (not their first animated appearance though) and when you see the specials like " A Charlie Brown Christmas" you see they have a style to them. As animation changed it kind of where it followed the new techniques but didn't change the characteristics. "It was my Best Birthday Ever, Charlie Brown" used parts of digital ink. Other specials used that tech after that. They didn't go for a traditional 2D hand drawn or flash made movie, they also knew not to use 3D CGI that many animated movies use now.
The animation style is CGI and does give a hint of the 3rd dimension but it still feels like the comics. I will pick up they went with the more classic designs meaning that characters like , Lucy, are back in dresses when they started wearing pants in the 1980's. The animation was seemly carefully thought out as a way to make sure that it didn't make Peanuts fans go ugh in disgust and condemn the movie or something. Personal line: I do think it would have been nice to have a traditional style of animation movie but, they did a nice compromise.
I'll talk about the music later.
Let's talk about the movie ,(there are spoilers ahead ) and again I am breaking this up into __ parts so we aren't going to be doing it all in this post.
more after the jump
The movie starts with some familiar music and Woodstock flying around and landing on a snow covered Snoppy and then everyone around the area waking up because it's morning. Sally finds out that it's not a school because it's a snow day. Fun note , this movie even brought in characters not seen in sometime like Patty (not Peppermint ) and Violet. ( The legend was wrong then where if the two Pattys ever were together a space vortex opens up.) Also Peppermint Patty of course wears sandals in the snow keeping her characterization there. So the gang decides to play hockey and they are waiting for good ole Chuck Brown. He wants to fly his kite.
Charlie Brown gets his shirts in bulk/ Copyright Blue Sky
Charlie tries to vanquish his hardest task and guess what? Yeah he fails. Lucy tells him to give up. The movies you some other Peanuts lore like Snoopy snatching Linus' blanket, Sally Brown calling Linus her 'sweet baboo' and more. Along with "Linus and Lucy" the song. And Freida is also in this movie , another character kind of lost after the 1970's. Charlie Brown goes to his famous mound to practice still in winter. Of course, the famous thing where most of his clothes fall off happens.
Kites and Charlie Brown enemies for like 50 years. /Copyright Blue Sky
A new kid moves into the neighborhood and all the kids are interested in who they are and what they are like. Charlie Brown's thoughts are shown in a traditional comic strip style , which is a nice touch. C.B accidentally knocks down a fence and all the kids run away so we don't see the new person yet. In this movie's continuity : Marcie, Peppermint Patty, and Franklin go to the same school as C.B, Linus, Lucy, etc. The new kid is introduced at it is the little red headed girl.
Hello, I like math and umm pencils. / Copyright Blue Sky
Of course C.B has fallen for her. Snoopy is trying to be in the school and keeps getting kicked out because no dogs are allowed. (He should become an emotional support dog) Later on. Snoopy still uses a type writer so no laptop or other computing device for him as he does his writing thing. Charlie Brown still tries to muster up talking to TLRHG. (Not using that again) We get a Snoopy World War I flying ace story told in spectacular fashion. He also has new love interest named FiFi. Charlie Brown visits Lucy doing her psychology booth (which is still 5 cents, great deal!) for her help , and she convinces him to maybe he needs to act like a winner and gives him a book to help.
Snoopy seems really happy/ Copyright Blue Sky
He decides to try for the talent show. He decides to do magic show. When Sally's act isn't going well he decides to give up his own act and help her out. Peppermint Patty calls Charlie Brown and says that she signed up Charlie Brown to make cupcakes for a dance and she does that not listening thing she does so well. The next logical step , is to learn how to dance for the dance. Oh hey , old-fashioned Peanuts dancing. The little red headed girl wins the girl's part of a dance contest , Charlie Brown attempts to win the boys' version. Sadly, it goes wrong.
I didn't want to show it going wrong so instead here's this/ Copyright Blue Sky
Charlie Brown's class has to do a book report with partners and he ends up with Little. (Not going to do that again.) Meanwhile Charlie Brown got a perfect score some standardized test thing. ( There's something I saw before but, we may find out more about this later in the movie or not). Everyone follows his genius and thinks he's amazing. Lucy of course, is suspicious. I like how they also again keep some aesthetic. with the retro feel with older style camera and phones and etc.
This is where we cut. Will Charlie Brown get the girl? Will Snoopy's story get published will Peppermint Patty figure out Snoopy is a dog? All those questions answered .well maybe at least one of them next time ! Now stay tuned next on most of these Joshuaonline stations for Murder She Wrote, it's a good one!
(read part 2 here)
(read part 2 here)
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