Common Sense Note
Parents should know that this Peanuts classic appeals to all ages. It promotes many favorite American Halloween traditions like trick-or-treating and apple bobbing, not to mention the infamous Great Pumpkin (who must have missed Linus' pumpkin patch somehow). When Snoopy dresses up as a WWI flying ace, he hams it up during a pretend battle atop his dog house -- complete with flying bullets. Some of the Halloween imagery (ghosts, skeletons) may alarm the very youngest viewers.
Families can talk about what their favorite Halloween traditions are. Have you ever tried apple bobbing? Do you like carving pumpkins? If you could hand out something extra special at Halloween, what would it be? Families can also talk about how Snoopy took his Halloween costume so seriously -- and just how funny it is to see him flying his dog house. When you put on your costume, will you get into character? Why or why not?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Carrie R. Wheadon
You can almost smell the donuts, cider, and piles of leaves on a crisp fall day when you start watching IT'S THE GREAT PUMPKIN, CHARLIE BROWN. Generations of trick-or-treaters have grown up on this Peanuts classic.
It's almost Halloween, and the optimism is infectious. Linus (voiced by Christopher Shea) is crafting his letter to the Great Pumpkin (think Santa in a pumpkin patch), Charlie Brown (Peter Robbins) is thrilled about being invited to a party, and Lucy (Sally Dryer) has the perfect witchy costume.
But since this is Charlie Brown, bubbles must burst, and "good griefs" must be expressed to the fullest. No one believes Linus' tales of the Great Pumpkin's visit -- Sally (Kathy Steinberg) wants to, though, so she decides to spend the night waiting with Linus in the pumpkin patch. Charlie Brown, in his ghost costume that looks more like a potato, trick-or-treats all night, and all he has to show for it is a bag of rocks. Lucy bobs for apples and comes up with a beagle kiss –- blech!
One of the most memorable images isn't the arrival of the Great Pumpkin (maybe next year, Linus), but rather of Snoopy hamming it up atop his red dog house as a WWI flying ace -- he takes his costume very seriously. He's so in character that he doesn't realize when he walks from the French countryside he's conjured up for himself into the Halloween party.
One of the sweetest moments is when Lucy retrieves a shivering Linus from the pumpkin patch and puts him to bed. It's a difficult end to the holiday for Linus, but he wakes up the next morning determined to wait in the pumpkin patch all over again, just like so many Peanuts fans will come back to this gem year after year.
Fans of this classic will also love A Charlie Brown Christmas. Another not-so-scary Halloween option is Pooh's Heffalump Halloween Movie.
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentVery mild. Lucy's lips touch dog lips -- very unintentionally. Sally tells Linus "If you hold my hand, I'll slug you." |
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ViolenceWhen Snoopy pretends he's a WWI flying ace atop his dog house, shadows of bullets fly by with sound effects, and he makes gun motions with his front paws. His dog house also goes down behind enemy lines. The opening sequence shows the kids dressed up as ghosts running from skeletons and specters. |
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LanguageLots of Charlie Brown-speak: "stupid," "blockhead," and "good grief!" |
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Social BehaviorFor all of Lucy's outward disapproval of her brother, Linus, and his silly Great Pumpkin, she asks for extra candy for him and wakes up in the middle of the night to fetch him from the pumpkin patch and put him to bed. |
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CommercialismNo brand-name Halloween candy. |
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