Greetings, and welcome back to October Horror Fest! Today, in the spirit of Halloween, we visit one more animation before returning to good old horror. Today, watch with me as we revisit one of the most important animation specials ever created. Featuring an unforgettable cast of characters, and a story that will be in your mind for a lifetime, this short cemented it’s place in the Animation, and Halloween, halls of fame. Without further ado, sit back, relax, turn off the lights, grab some Candy and Popcorn, and let’s review…
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
Our tale begins with Linus and Lucy walking. The pair are siblings, and we hear the iconic Peanuts Theme in the background. Lucy instructs Linus to grab a pumpkin until he finds the largest one he can carry, and brings it back to his house. Lucy puts down paper on the floor, and slices the pumpkin, taking out the seeds. Linus begins to cry, upset that Lucy didn’t tell him that she was going to “kill it”. We then cut to trick or treaters in a beautifully animated sequence walking around and hiding from visions of ghosts and ghouls. They enter a pumpkin patch, and we see the title card engraved on a pumpkin.
We cut to everyone’s favorite beagle, Snoopy. He blows a leaf to a pile that Charlie Brown is making, and Charlie thanks him. Linus then jumps into the pile, dismantling all of the pair’s hard work. Then, we see another widely famous Peanuts gag. Lucy brings over a football, and asks Charlie to kick it. Lucy pulls out a signed document, and Charlie Brown believes in its legitimacy. He runs to the football, and Lucy pulls it away as always. Lucy says that the document was never notarized. Shortly after, we see Linus writing to The Great Pumpkin. On Halloween night, the Great Pumpkin rises out of the Pumpkin patch and flies through the air delivering toys to all the good children. Charlie Brown thinks he’s crazy, and he has to stop believing, when Linus rebuttals by saying Charlie believes in Santa. Snoopy comes over next, seeing Linus continue to write. He begins to laugh at Linus’s letter, and walks away laughing. Lucy comes next, still believing that Linus is the laughing stock of the neighborhood. Linus then thinks to himself, saying he has to stop talking to people about Religion, Politics, and the Great Pumpkin. As Linus finishes his letter, Sally comes over.
Sally has a crush on Linus, and he tells her all about the Great Pumpkin. Linus asks if she would like to sit with him on Halloween night at the Pumpkin Patch, and she agrees. Charlie Brown intervenes, pulling his little sister away. Linus then goes outside with Lucy, and uses his blanket to pull down the mailbox cover, as he uses the wind to get it inside. Charlie Brown then comes over, dancing about how excited he is to be invited to a Halloween party. Lucy says he was put on the wrong list, and his face turns red. Linus then walks by with a sign welcoming the Great Pumpkin. We cut to Halloween night, as the Peanuts gang make costumes for trick or treating. Linus isn’t with them, as he’s still in the Pumpkin patch. Charlie allows Sally to come along for trick or treating. Charlie Brown then puts on his costume, which is filled with holes. Snoopy then walks in wearing his World War One flying ace uniform. Snoopy marches out, saluted by one of the gang. As the gang starts trick or treating, Snoopy walks to his mission. Lucy and the gang call Linus a blockhead once again, as Linus says that the Great Pumpkin will choose his Pumpkin patch, as it is sincere. Sally doesn’t believe his story, as the gang heads out. Lucy then chooses to run back to Linus, and the two admire the beauty of the patch and the sky in another incredibly animated shot.
We cut to the gang trick or treating, as Lucy has to ask for extra candy for Linus. After every house the gang hits, they compare their hulls, and Charlie Brown famously gets a rock every single time. Charlie Brown then tells the gang what the World War One flying ace is doing, as we see Snoopy ride his house into the air, and try to complete his famous mission of shooting down the Red Baron. Snoopy, after many air battles, gets shot down. He lands back down where he started, and jumps into his food bowl. He then starts to crawl, and Charlie Brown says he is imagining he is down behind enemy lines. We see Snoopy make his way through the countryside, sneaking around. The gang then depart to the Halloween party, as they once again check in with Linus to insult him. Sally stands up for Linus, as he tries to convince her that the Great Pumpkin truly will show up. At the party, Charlie Brown has to “model” for the girls. This means he sits down, and they draw a Jack-o-Lantern face on the back of his head, as they carve the pumpkin in the exact shape. Charlie Brown gets red in the face.
We cut back to Snoopy, still traversing the land as spy music plays. The entire sequence is beautifully animated. Snoopy climbs into a war torn building, as we see him drop in at the Halloween Party. Lucy begins to bob for apples, as Snoopy comes out of the water. Lucy freaks out, as Snoopy walks to Schroder. For the next few minutes, Schroder plays several tunes on his piano. Snoopy dances to the ones he likes, and cries when he hears the ones he doesn’t like. Snoopy eventually walks out after howling in shame. He cries even more, and sets back out into the countryside, ending up in Linus’s Pumpkin Patch. Snoopy rises up, and Linus passes out, thinking he saw the Great Pumpkin. Sally, having Snoopy as her dog, immediately notices him. She scolds Linus, yelling at him. She leaves, as she is very upset. Charlie Brown and the gang leave with her, as Linus keeps telling them to wait for the Great Pumpkin.
The next morning, Lucy wakes up early. She walks to Linus’s empty room, and puts on a coat. She sees Linus in the Pumpkin patch, shivering with his blanket on him. She carries Linus into bed, and walks away. Our film concludes on Charlie Brown and Linus at school. Charlie is upset about his bag full of rocks, and he says that the Great Pumpkin is stupid. Linus begins to rant, as our credits roll.
That concludes It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown! I love this short, and I love the Peanuts series as well. This short raised a generation, and I’m happy I’m able to share it all with you. I hope you enjoyed it! Just remember, if you’re in a Pumpkin Patch late at night, and you see something start to rise in the distance, it’s the Great Pumpkin…
