Peanuts

[Rob S.]

When Charlie Brown Christmas and the Great Pumpkin first came out (in '65 & '66, respectively), my friends and I were huge Peanuts fans. Books, newspaper strips, and especially those two TV specials. In fact, they spoiled me, because those are the only two Peanuts cartoons or movies I will watch.

Anyway, this year is special, because the Great Pumpkin was, and Charlie Brown Christmas will be (on Sunday, Dec. 19) broadcast on PBS, which means no commercials. And I'll tell you, even if you recorded them on an old VCR, with your unblinking eyes on the screen and your nervous finger on the pause button, this year's Public TV airings are far superior. Completely seamless. So program your DVRs for 7:30 p.m. on PBS.

I love them both, with the original cast voices and that marvelous music, but Great Pumpkin is the best. I'm particularly fond of the dogfight with the Red Baron and Snoopy making his way through the French countryside. I've already watched it several times since I recorded it almost two months ago.

[GS1150Pilot]

I own them. They are priceless. By far my favorite specials. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving has to be counted among them as well.

[Nessism]

gocomics.com has the whole comic series. Peanuts Begins is for the old ones. I started reading the series, starting with the October 02, 1950, and working to the present. I'm in the 1970's now. The old ones are my favorite.

[trent]

I like the peanuts, even the parody ghetto versions that are on you tube...or they use to be??

Always stay up and watch Christmas Carol, scrooge? Allister Sims version. Even though it's on all evening repetitive, I like the midnight viewing

[GS1150Pilot]

That is a really cool tradition, trent.

[Rob S.]

The trouble I have with all Peanuts movies and animated TV shows after Christmas and Great Pumpkin is the different voice actors for the main characters. Of course, puberty changes things and new, young voices were needed, but I just couldn't accept that change. For me, Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus and Sally were Peter Robbins, Tracy Stratford, Christopher Shea and Cathy Steinberg. Later in life I learned that Lucy was a caricature of Charles Schulz's second wife - greedy and bossy. Poor Lucy never gets what she really wants for Christmas: real estate!

Another animated Christmas special I loved watching every year is Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol. I'm not found of musicals by any stretch of the imagination, but Jim Backus' rendering of Alone In The World always brings a tear to my eyes. Besides Mr. Magoo, the only version of Christmas Carol I watch is 1951's Scrooge starring Alastair Sim. My favorite scene is when Scrooge meets Ignorance and Want.

[GS1150Pilot]

My favorite version of A Christmas Carol is Bill Murray's Scrooged. I love Murray and pretty much everything he's done, so that one hit all the angles for me at a time when I was ready for a newer take on the old story.

[trent]

My favorite version of A Christmas Carol is Bill Murray's Scrooged. I love Murray and pretty much everything he's done, so that one hit all the angles for me at a time when I was ready for a newer take on the old story.

I know about Murray's version but can't remember if I've watched it, for some strange reason.
As I like Murray's movies
Diffentatly gonna make sure to check it out.

Guess I like the old Allister Sims one is I stayed up late as a kid and watched it...it scared a bit and then good all nice nice. lol

[GS1150Pilot]

I know about Murray's version but can't remember if I've watched it, for some strange reason.
As I like Murray's movies
Diffentatly gonna make sure to check it out.

Guess I like the old Allister Sims one is I stayed up late as a kid and watched it...it scared a bit and then good all nice nice. lol

I totally get that. I feel the same way about the original King Kong. I used to watch it every Thanksgiving while dinner was being made.

[Rob S.]

I'm watching (and recording) 1951's Scrooge starring Alastair Sim right now. Funny thing is, it's listed in the guide as A Christmas Carol (Interests, Science Fiction).