Name: “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!”
Purchased At: playing on the ABC network or at your local dvd store
Price: free or $14.98 from Amazon
Availability: Year Round on dvd/Seasonal on tv

Last night I watched “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!” for the first time in quite a while and I found myself wondering how kids today view the classic cartoon. Is it boring? Is it too low tech? Is it as relevant to their lives as a Jane Austen novel? Hmm I’m not sure.

I sooo love it. Possibly my love is mostly because of those warm and fuzzy feelings that bring me back to my own childhood. Charlie Brown cartoons were a BIG deal. I didn’t have cable and there was a lack of cartoons shown on network television in good old Idaho. I took what I could get and Charlie Brown cartoons were some of the best. Also, I think my love comes from a strong identification with Linus and his search for the Great Pumpkin. He’s going to believe no matter how many people laugh at him or how many times the Great Pumpkin just never shows up. I respect his faith and tenacity. Oh yeah, the pumpkin surely contribute to my adoration.

When I read that the cartoon was originally released on October 27, 1966 I was surprised because Charles M. Schulz seems to have been a feminist before feminism was cool. The lines he gave Sally were brilliant:

Linus: He’ll come here because I have the most sincere pumpkin patch and he respects sincerity.
Sally Brown: Do you really think he will come?
Linus: Tonight the Great Pumpkin will rise out of the pumpkin patch. He flies through the air and brings toys to all the children of the world.
Sally Brown: That’s a good story.
Linus: You don’t believe the story of the Great Pumpkin? I thought little girls always believed everything that was told to them. I thought little girls were innocent and trusting.
Sally Brown: Welcome to the 20th century!

Sally Brown: If you try to hold my hand, I’ll slug you!

Sally Brown: Am I going to trick-or-treats with you, big brother?
Charlie Brown: Of course, Sally.
Sally Brown: Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! How do you do it?
Lucy Van Pelt: You just go to a house, knock on the door and yell “Tricks or treats!”
Sally Brown: Are you sure it’s legal?
Lucy Van Pelt: Of course it’s legal.
Sally Brown: I wouldn’t want to be accused of taking part in a rumble.

Linus: [to Charlie Brown after Sally just ripped him a new one] You’ve heard of the fury of a woman scorned, haven’t you?
Charlie Brown: Yeah, I guess I have.
Linus: Well, that’s nothing compared to the fury of a woman who has been cheated out of trick-or-treats.

If you’ve never watched “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!” give it a try. You can get lengthy plot synopsis and some interesting trivia over at Wikipedia. There are also some Ecards, wallpaper, and a trivia game over at the Peanuts website.

Rating: 5 out of 5 for the pumpkin parts but the Flying Ace storyline puts me to sleep

P.S. Happy Halloween!!!