The Halloween season wouldn’t be complete without watching the beloved animated classic It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. Not a year goes by that I don’t watch this film because it perfectly captures the spirit of the season. It’s a timeless classic with a universal theme that runs through the film, which makes it so special.
The plot of It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown may seem deceptively simple, featuring a child who believes in the existence of the Great Pumpkin, who supposedly emerges from a pumpkin patch to deliver toys to good children around the world. Linus Van Pelt, the central character of the story, wholeheartedly believes that The Great Pumpkin is real and sets out to wait for the mythical figure in a local pumpkin patch, abandoning the typical Halloween trick-or-treating with his friends.
Linus’s unshakable faith in the Great Pumpkin is at the heart of this classic tale. As the night goes on, Linus falls asleep in the patch, but the elusive Great Pumpkin never appears. Eventually he is taken home by his older sister, Lucy Van Pelt, and put to bed.
The film’s only secret, however, isn’t about the existence or appearance of a fictional character; it’s about the power of faith and unwavering hope in the face of adversity. According to Karen Johnson, director of the Charles M. Schulz Museum, this central theme is what endears the story to people:
“Philosophically and emotionally, people latch on to this and all its sweetness. It’s about friendship, loyalty to each other and believing in something bigger than yourself. Those are its universal appeals.”
The film’s origin story, told by Jean Schulz, Charles Schulz’s wife, reveals that her husband found the idea of a child mixing all the fall and winter holidays – Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas – amusing.
He told SF Gate that it started with “Sparky [her husband’s nickname] with his son thinking about what’s going on. But it was the underlying story of unwavering hope in the face of adversity that became the film’s most important aspect.
Schulz believed in highlighting the idea that things don’t always go as planned, but you have to endure and move forward. Lee Mendelson, Schulz’s professional partner, explains: “You don’t always get what you want or dream, but you hang in there. You keep going and you don’t give up. Which is why Linus says, ‘He’ll be here next year.’ “
It was the success of A Charlie Brown Christmas which paved the way for the creation of this iconic Halloween special. As the Washington Post reveals, “CBS called and said, ‘We need another holiday blockbuster.’ It was suggested by the network because they wanted another Christmas hit.” This request led to the decision to focus on Halloween, which wasn’t as obvious a choice as Thanksgiving.
It’s The Big Pumpkin, Charlie Brown made its debut on October 27, 1966, and half the nation tuned in to watch it the night it first aired. It received three Emmy Award nominations in 1967 and became an instant classic.
The Halloween special is also charming because of Charlie Brown’s hope for candy while trick-or-treating, which is met with one disappointment after another as he keeps getting rocks. So who could forget the epic showdown between Snoopy and the Red Baron in a five-minute flight sequence in his trusty doghouse!
Today, this classic Halloween special is available to stream exclusively on Apple TV+.
Source: Porta SF
by Joey Paur
Source: Geek Tyrant
Lloyd Grunewald is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. He is a talented writer who focuses on bringing the latest entertainment-related news to his readers. With a deep understanding of the entertainment industry and a passion for writing, Lloyd delivers engaging articles that keep his readers informed and entertained.
