“Charlie Brown Christmas” ( English A Charlie Brown Christmas ) - an American short-drawn Christmas animated cartoon by Bill Melendez, based on the famous comic strip “ Peanuts ”. The premiere took place on December 8, 1965.
| Charlie Brown Christmas | |
|---|---|
| A charlie brown christmas | |
| Cartoon type | hand-drawn animation |
| Genre | Family Film |
| Sequels | |
| Producer | Bill melendez |
| Producer | Bill melendez |
| written by | Charles Monroe Schulz |
| Roles voiced | Peter Robbins, Chris Shea, Tracy Statford |
| Composer | Vince haroldi |
| Studio | CBS Productions |
| A country |  USA |
| Duration | 22 minutes |
| Premiere | December 9, 1965 |
| Budget | $ 96,000 |
| IMDb | ID 0059026 |
| Rotten tomato | |
Charlie Brown comics became the basis for the visual solution. The cartoon was created with the assistance and sponsorship of The Coca-Cola Company . The script was written in a few weeks, and it was animated in six months, on a very meager budget. During the casting, the producers chose an unconventional path, and invited actors for children to voice acting. The musical accompaniment was also unusual for that time - jazz compositions by pianist Vince Haroldi. Due to the lack of voice-over laughter, as well as due to the peculiar atmosphere, rhythm, music and animation, the producers predicted the cartoon a failure. Despite this, Charlie Brown’s Christmas received high ratings and critical acclaim. He received the Emmy and Peabody Award . In the United States, the broadcast of the cartoon has become an annual tradition since the premiere. His jazz soundtrack also brought considerable income - in the United States 4 million copies were sold.
Story
The cartoon begins at the rink, where a bunch of kids are skating, while the song “Christmas Time Is Here” sounds behind the scenes. But not everyone is happy about Christmas - Charlie Brown is depressed. He shares his misfortune with Linus, believing that his worries due to the fact that Christmas is too commercialized and he can not understand what the true meaning of the holiday is. Linus does not attach great importance to Charlie's experiences, considering this to be his usual mood. Some time later, Charlie Brown sees that there is not a single greeting card in his inbox, and sarcastically thanks Violet for the card, which sent him nothing. But she only took the opportunity to humiliate him again. Feeling dejected, Charlie Brown goes to Lucy for psychiatric help. Lucy, after going over to Charlie all the phobias she knows, comes to the conclusion that Charlie Brown needs to do something to suppress his depression. She advises him to stage a Christmas play. Charlie Brown enjoys the chance to become a director, and Lucy promises to help him. On the way to the assembly hall, the boy sees how Snoopy decorates his booth with lights, and complains that even his dog is head over heels in the commercialization of Christmas. Further towards him goes his sister Sally, who asks him to help write a letter to Santa. When she says that she has a lot of requests and desires, so in return she will accept the money (“tens and twenty” is a rather large sum for a child in the 60s), Charlie becomes even sadder.
Charlie Brown arrives at the rehearsal, but he does not cope with the command, because the children are more interested in modernizing the play with dancing and fiery music. Lucy hands out scripts, quarrels with Snoopy over his dog kisses, tries to convince Linus to part with his "safe blanket" for a while, and does not calm down even when he uses it as a suit. Having decided that the play needs to be given "due mood", Charlie Brown is going to get the Christmas tree. Lucy takes over the directing and tells Charlie to take out a "big, shiny aluminum tree." Charlie and Linus set off on their way to the Christmas tree market, find many trees that fit the description, but his attention is attracted to the only real Christmas tree, albeit small and unpretentious. Linus doubts the choice of a friend, but he convinces him that after decorating the Christmas tree will be what you need. "And besides," he says, "I think she needs me." They return with the Christmas tree to the assembly hall, to which the children (mainly girls and Snoopy) laugh at Charlie Brown. In response, Charlie Brown asks loudly if anyone knows the true meaning of Christmas. Linus decides to tell about this, reading by heart a passage from the Gospel of Luke (chap. 2, 8-14):
8. In that country there were shepherds on the field who kept night watch by their flock. 9. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone upon them; and were afraid of great fear. 10. And the angel said unto them, Fear not; I declare to you the great joy that will be for all people: 11. for now you are born in the city of David the Savior, who is Christ the Lord; 12. And here is a sign for you: you will find the Baby in swaddling clothes lying in a manger. 13. And suddenly a large army of heaven appeared with the Angel, glorifying God and calling out: 14. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will in men!
- The Gospel of Luke
Charlie Brown smiles, quickly takes the Christmas tree and leaves the hall, deciding to bring her home, dress up and show that she will look great in the play. When he hung the ball on top, the branch banked and bent almost in half. Charlie Brown decides that he killed her and runs away, hating himself for this fatal oversight. Linus, along with the other guys and Snoopy, who were ashamed of the mockery of Charlie. Linus straightens a broken branch with his blanket. The guys decorate the tree, stand next to it and sing the festive hymn "News of the angelic land." Charlie returns, they congratulate him on Christmas and sing the first stanza of the hymn with him.
Links
- " Charlie Brown's Christmas ” on the Internet Movie Database
- Review and criticism of the film