Circling back to this to tell you how great of a job you did! The characters being altered and the thought provoking nature are two things that I miss even in specials that Schulz produced. I know this is what real fans think of Peanuts as, but it’s kind of wild that there’s more Peanuts media without that kind of stuff than there is with it now lol. Kinda like how everyone says “the first eight seasons of The Simpsons”, meanwhile there’s like 15 more years. Nevertheless, great job breaking all of this down! You can really see the time and care put into this one. Much love.
It really is like The Simpsons! The characters have just sort of morphed into weird parodies of themselves that don't really match how they originally were. It's always sad to see when something so great loses its way over time. My friends know I throw literally everyone in the credits of these videos and do everything I can to spread the love whenever I can, and those credits felt incomplete without crediting a huge inspiration behind this video's creation. I'm thrilled that tagging you on a whim resulted in you checking this out. Thanks for the incredibly kind words, man!
To Tariq's point, even the comic strip itself has less of the thought-provoking, Pulitzer-level humor and writing that diehard fans tend to romanticize. The strip's peak years (roughly 1957-1972 imo) were only about 15 of a 50 year run. I'd argue that due to the sheer numerical quantity, Peanuts could never hit the quality ratio of a series like Calvin & Hobbes that lasted 10 years and was excellent nearly the entire run. To be honest though, thinking about it that way makes Schulz's consistency even more incredible - he spent 15 years pumping out greatness on a nearly daily basis (most series don't even last that long, let alone soar that high for that long) and in 50 years the strip never dropped below "above-average". That's a staggering artistic achievement for any medium, but especially one that requires your to bring your A-game every single day.
@@Encyclopedia_Brown97 I string I think the strip was firing on all cylinders all the way through. It's almost always funny. There was never a decline. It's equally as good as Calvin and Hobbes in my opinion.
It’s pretty impressive how timeless the animated versions of the Peanuts look. Like it’s definitely limited, but for some reason they don’t feel dated. The character designs and their style was just tailor made for the medium, unintentionally
Seriously! A Charlie Brown Christmas looks way better than a lot of other material from that time. Fuck it looks better than most of the 80s/90s specials for that matter
Some of the newest is getting away from that unfortunately (see the apple tv specials - they keep the basics but it feels too polished) its a shame they didn't follow the style of The Peanuts Movie in 2015, which was perfect imo
Fun fact: Linus let’s go of his blanket while giving his speech in the Christmas special, specifically at the line “fear not. For I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people” he might not always be holding it (he wraps it around the tree latter in the special) but this is he only time he simply lets go of it because it’s not needed.
I was always barely aware of Peanuts when I was little. One day, I went to see The Peanuts Movie in theaters and thought. "This is one of the greatest things I have ever watched. The art style is amazing and the gags are funny" Then I started reading the comic strip every day,got the Peanuts daily calendar, and bought all the Dailly strips from the 50's-80's. I have a few of the 90's ones and I want to collect every strip ever. Now I am a Peanuts super fan. It's one of the funniest things I have ever read. The deadpan humor is second to none and the characters feel like real people you can walk into. My favorite characters are Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Snoopy, PigPen, Peppermint Patty, Marcy, Patty, and Violet. I think Patty and Violet are underrated they get good jokes.
The strip's hilarious non-stop laughs, it's so so good. Reading through the strips both for research and in the edit just constantly had me surprised and laughing. The strip at 5:30 still baffles me at how relevant it is to today's modern US politics
Dude, you absolutely nailed it. I’ve actually been wanting for years to make a video to the effect of “How Peanuts Lost It’s Edge”, but you’ve honestly said everything I could have. You’re the first person I’ve seen point out the dichotomy between the wry, observational comedy of the comic strip and the rich, almost haunting quality of the TV specials, and how both those qualities are all but gone from the franchise today. It’s a shame your not so big on A Boy Named Charlie Brown, which may well be among my very favourite films of all time. The fact that Schulz managed to translate the central conflict of the comic into a cohesive character-narrative while also adapting almost every other Peanuts set-piece into a single epic movie just blows my mind. It’s the world of Peanuts at its most devastating and cruel, but also at its most empathetic and sincere. It’s like an exact polar opposite to the cuddly, sanitised world of modern Peanuts. A Boy Named Charlie Brown didn’t feel the need to explain its message in clear terms or give the audience an explicitly happy ending. There’s a raw emotional honesty to it that’s always stuck with me. (Also that Guaraldi score is absolute flames 🔥) As much as we criticise, a part of me is still quite thrilled by the fact that Peanuts specials are still being made with such gorgeous production values and clear passion. Even if they’ve clearly cheapened and homogenised Schulz’s world somewhat, they’re definitely not phoned-in or soulless. Both the new specials felt like bold new directions for the world and characters and the artists clearly care about the work they’re doing. I’m excited to see where the franchise goes with this new, more stylised approach to tone and pacing. I just wish the narratives themselves were less schmaltzy and more Schulzy.
I agree with everything in this statement!!!! A Boy Named Charlie Brown has wowed me more and more every watch and while I find The Snoopy Show good but lackluster, I find the newer specials as absolutely Beautiful and really driving at what Schulz stands for-and Peanuts as a whole! I Love the Passion of Peanuts Fans!!!!!
I never noticed how totally different the comics were from the specials like A Charlie Brown Christmas, but it seems so incredibly apparent after watching your video. I really liked how you covered so much of the series history. This was informative, but it clearly came from a place of love and appreciation for Schulz's work. You always put so much into your videos; it shows so clearly, so keep up the fantastic work, my friend. This was a real joy to watch.
I enjoyed this. I had no idea they were still making Peanuts specials. That saddens me because while I accepted the Blue Sky movie as a one-off, I liked the idea of Peanuts ending with Schulz. Although as you pointed out, the specials have such a different tone to the strip that it’s not too much of a problem. Speaking of the odd tone of the specials, the one I remember always watching as a kid is where Snoopy eats too much and has a nightmare where he’s a sled dog.
It's a Nightmare, Charlie Brown! That special scared me when I was a kid, Snoopy as this feral dog had an uncanny valley element to it. Don't remember where I first saw it; maybe on a DVD or VHS for a more well-known special...
@@MMLCommentaries For me, it would've been on VHS. It's one of my favorites, especially the opening and the piano scene. I also still love "Race For Your Life, Charlie Brown" and quote it constantly. My brother watched it every day for a month when he was little. "Snoopy Come Home" was just the best too. When I bring up these other specials and films, most people haven't seen them. The ones they've seen are just the holiday specials, and sometimes nothing more than the first Christmas one. But my grandma got me into Peanuts very early on so I've seen a ton and read all the comics. I still have my very first Snoopy doll from when I was 1.
As a kid, my only exposure to Peanuts was the occasional newspaper and the Christmas and Halloween specials. I liked them and they stuck out, but I never really delved much further into the series. My mom, however, is a lifelong fan and I remember her being gutted after the death of the creator. I understand much more now why Peanuts is so renowned and special. You did a wonderful job with the narrative and history of the series. Also, REALLY nice editing. The skits were also great, lol.
I thought the Peanuts Movie was as faithful as we would be able to get, all things considered. Also Apple probably calls it SNOOPY in Space and the SNOOPY show, because Snoopy is so marketable, which is pretty sad for fans of Charlie Brown.
I liked the peanuts 2015 movie, I thought Snoopy filler scenes were entertaining compared filler scenes in the other movies and didn’t feel boring, and I liked the moment with Sally And Charlie Brown at the play. A lot of the stuff that were “recycled” was to be references so old fans can enjoy while showing them to a newer generation who isn’t really familiar with the gags of Peanuts. I do agree that Snoopy Show is poop, I watched all season one episodes and one stuck out to me(It was the one where Snoopy was writing a script), I get that it’s called the Snoopy Show but focusing on Snoopy mostly is what makes it a letdown
Two years ago, I watched every Peanuts special and movie in release order and did a thorough deconstruction of all of them on Letterboxd. It was interesting to realize how especially in the 1980's when I feel the specials severely strayed from the initial formula as the earlier specials and the comics. However, even with the newer ones like I Want a Dog or He's a Bully - I found myself especially satisfied with this tonal change. I felt that He's A Bully worked exceptionally well because in the end, Charlie Brown is the winner. The franchise ended on a high note. Even when Happiness Is a Warm Blanket was released - that felt more of a non-canonical remake with a modern sense of comedic spice. As for these AppleTV+ specials, I think they work really well in giving a new angle to the characters. A lot of my family dismisses Peanuts as a whole for its overall melancholic tone, and while I embrace that "you never quite win" relatable element, I do find this deeper exploration of the characters quite refreshing and I'd even say overall more appealing to the social attitudes of the younger minds today. Sure it's different but it is a new angle and I personally find that compelling.
This was fantastic, and perfectly captures my biggest issue with The Peanuts Movie in particular. Peanuts is at its best when there’s plenty of sour to go with the sweet
See here’s a video that exemplifies what I love about the internet. Someone’s super hyper focused on a topic (or just does really good research with good reasonings) and it’s a topic of mild interest to people or something nostalgic. The person makes a video essay on it with good visuals and they present it in a way that keeps you interested. And now your brain digs up a small piece of nostalgia as you learn more about it from this one person. Thank you for this video
It's a relic from a different time. Strip or TV shows, Peanuts examines persistent failure, grumpy, bossy, often unpleasant girl characters (the girls are the bullies in "Peanuts"), religion, occasional agony ("Snoopy Come Home"), kids having silly romantic crushes on each other - yeah, all of that - ALL of it - are big, big, BIG no-nos in today's children's entertainment. It also comes from one man's experience and POV, rather than from a committee of child psychiatrists and "experts", to say nothing of corporate money grubbers like Apple. If Apple's "Peanuts" doesn't feel the same as the old stuff, that's because it's not only NOT the old stuff, it's more or less the exact opposite of the old stuff. Anyway, fascinating recap!
Great video! As someone who's read a lot of the strip and has seen several specials and movies over the years, I never picked up on "the duality of Peanuts", as it were. It's a great observation and kind of explains why some of the animations based purely on retellings of the strips feel so different (aside from the, at-times, awkward pacing). One thing I'd like to say about the Blue Sky movie is that while I agree it's not quite the same as the older specials, and doesn't quite get the tone right, I feel like it would have come off differently if it ended up being the last Peanuts animation. I haven't seen it in years, but when I saw it, it felt like a send-off for the characters. Their personalities were different, but it was less like they weren't themselves, and more like they had grown a bit and them leaving school for the summer was them moving on to something new altogether. I'm not saying the film's perfect, just that I think it plays better as a finalie to Peanuts than as just another movie/special. The fact that Apple is now continuing to make Peanuts stuff kind of ruins that, IMHO. Just my two cents.
That's a super interesting perspective. If only it actually were the last animated Peanuts project... instead it seems like a transition point to this new weird era
@@MMLCommentariesmy problem with the movie,is that it doesn’t deserve the title peanuts,you could rename it,add three new characters and you would have a good movie.
Yknow, to me the snoopy show (2021) feels like "I forced a bot to watch all of the peanuts specials and then made it write a full length snoopy show on its own".
I knew I would love this video. You did a great job on the presentation and it was interesting hearing about the nuances of the characters. I remember engaging with a lot of Peanuts media when I was younger, but I didn't realize how different The Peanuts movie felt when I saw it at the time. Too young to notice. My favorite Peanuts stuff was always the comic strips and the Christmas special. I enjoyed the strips humor a lot even when I was younger, and they inprired me quite a bit back then. Overtime I've come to appreciate the themes of the Christmas special despite some rough edges, but I honestly think there's a load of charm to those imperfections. Great video Matt!
Could i point out that the peanuts movie is actually following the art style of the 60's peanuts viewmaster strips. For those that don't remember, viewmaster was a toy that showed 3d images through a special pair of binocular like eye pieces. the strips on these had a clay model type look that the movie is obviously emulating.
I was only going to watch 2-3 minutes of this video, but your acted-out-comics snippets were so enjoyable that I ended up watching the whole video because I kept wanting to see the next one. I don’t know what the copyright status of stuff like that is, but it would be awesome to have a whole video like that.
I personally think that the problem with Modern Peanuts is that the ones in charge or the higher ups never let the franchise do anything with its characters. I have tons of ideas for Peanuts specials and movies that I have came up with over the last 8 years that people would be interested in seeing come into fruition if the Schulz estate didn’t put unnecessary mandates. For example, I think Peanuts media would work a lot better if you rebooted the specials almost completely. That way, you can still be true to its routes will letting it go new things (i.e. including the parents in the stories thus allowing for so many more possibilities than if they were still absent) in a way that would let it stand on its own from the source material.
I personally loved the Peanuts movie but I do see the overall point here. The Peanuts have become what SpongeBob is today. An IP that the original creator would likely be disappointed with the network mishandling what made it good in the first place
fantastic video! I wasn’t too exposed to the Peanuts as a kid outside of Snoopy (a lot of his specials worked well outside the anglo world due to lack of dialogue). Only learned more about the specials as I grew up and realized we had access to the Vermont tv channels 😂 Wild how much appeal the specials had despite not really carrying over the same themes as the strip that made them so popular. Great work! 🙌
This video is Incredible. Charlie Brown and Snoopy are my most favorite things literally of all time, so I am so delighted to see You finding such immense interest in their deep-cut universe! Not many think of “Peanuts” as anything more than an adorable beagle and some smarty pants kids. Cause yes, this is a franchise for Everyone, it is witty, it is mature, it is shocking-remember Sally and the School Building!-it is not made solely for kids
Thank you so much for the kind words! I really enjoyed making this deep dive into Peanuts' adaptions in film and TV. It's a really nostalgic franchise to me that, to your point, continues to make a significant impact on me as an adult.
Cool video essay with a lot of effort and insight put into it, I'm glad UA-cam recommended it to me. As a non-American, I find it peculiar that in its country of origin the animated adaptations of Peanuts seem to be better known than the original comic strip itself, because where I live it's practically the other way around. I love the comic strip and I really like the older animations too but I think American Peanuts fans tend to slightly overrate the most famous holiday specials at the expense of some others that do a better job in bringing the strip to life. One important difference for me is that the comic strip is (or at least was in its golden years) even more pessimistic and more remorseless towards its characters than some of its best known adaptations are. It's really committed to exploring the themes of failure, disappointment, insecurity, unrequited love, negative sides of social relations (such as bullying and casual meanness) and how people never really change for the better. This difference is manifested in the fact that several of the Peanuts animations include happy endings typical for more generic family entertainment that kind of miss the point of what makes Peanuts special and different. For example, in my opinion the sudden happy ending in A Charlie Brown Christmas (Charlie Brown quickly overcoming his angst after hearing Linus quoting the Bible and everyone else instantly changing their negative opinion about him and his Christmas tree for no apparent reason) feels out of place in a Charlie Brown story. The rest of that story could have probably occured in the comic strip but not the ending (this isn't my only criticism of the ending but I don't want to get sidetracked here). An even more blatant example is She's a Good Skate, Charlie Brown (also mentioned in the video), which is otherwise a pretty faithful adaptation of one particular story arc from the strip but the ending has been changed to the complete opposite of the original. In the strip, Peppermint Patty's series of humiliating setbacks concludes with the reveal that she has actually signed up for a roller skating competition whereas in the special there's just a clichéd happy ending where she wins the skating tournament. My favourite endings in the Peanuts animations are the bittersweet ones from Charlie Brown's All Stars! and A Boy Named Charlie Brown. They feel faithful to the strip's spirit while still being kind of poetic in their combination of pessimism, idealism and melancholy. The holiday specials often tend to struggle in how to combine the core Peanuts themes of failure and disappointment with the need to say something positive about the holiday in question. The refreshing exceptions are It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown, which remain melancholic to the end and portray Halloween and Valentine's Day as nothing more than a series of disappointments for the main characters. Both of them also end with a similar scene where the characters' optimistic feelings about next year are portrayed as delusional clinging to false hope. Snoopy, Come Home actually pulls off a happy ending in a way that fits Peanuts, with everything just returning the same after temporarily being worse (and closing with a joke about Snoopy still remaining an egocentric jerk who gets on everyone's nerves). While I personally consider A Boy Named Charlie Brown the best Peanuts adaptation, it's nice to see Snoopy, Come Home getting praised in this video. They're both underrated and unfortunately overshadowed by the holiday specials. It probably goes without saying that I'm not a fan of the ultra-happy ending of The Peanuts Movie. That one feels almost like an antithesis of what Peanuts is about, and I also agree with the other criticism about the rest of the movie in this video. Although the movie deserves some credit for the fun way it brings Schulz's pen line to life in the faces of the characters and for having cool Easter eggs for hardcore Peanuts fans. And besides it's still definitely better than some of the Peanuts animations that Schulz wrote in the 1980s and 1990s, perhaps even a little bit better than the two previous films. (This comment turned out quite long and polemic, but I wanted explain about how different things can be for someone who is a fan of the comic strip first and the animations second. Feel free to disagree with me.)
Completely agree with this premise and it's something I didn't touch on as much in this video. The happy endings of some of these specials feel extremely off when compared to the comics, and I absolutely love the ending to A Boy Named Charlie Brown, even if the whole film didn't land for me. Peanuts' whole thing is about being understated and being grounded, and later animated Peanuts material, especially the Peanuts Movie, just doesn't understand that core tenet. Thanks for watching and glad you enjoyed the video!
26:56 Also, they stray incredibly far from where Sally Brown was taken in the strips and in previous animated stuff, where in the final decades she seemed to take on some of Lucy’s judgmental traits, to the point where she seemed to harbor little respect from her brother (if Charlie Brown had died, I could have seen the first words out of her mouth being: “so when do I get his room?”). The Sally in the Peanuts movie either had a lobotomy, or suffered a bout of amnesia given how positive and supportive she is to her brother.
I noticed some of the special feel slightly different from the strip. The comic strips are a laugh riot. I can't read them without rolling on the floor. Biggest differences are that Snoopy can "talk" in the Strips and he is one of the best characters. He is so aloof.
As I watched this I thought the conclusion, about Peanuts without Charles Schultz around to influence it, is much like what has become of Star Trek without Gene Roddenberry.
This is such an underrated video! The amount of work you've put into reading, watching, and analyzing all things Peanuts is inspiring to me. I was engaged the whole way through, despite not really growing up with Peanuts. I hope this blows up!
Found this on Twitter, I don’t even have any interest in the subject but you’ve done a fucking great job man keep up the work and enjoy riding this wave!
Thanks a lot! I talk about a wide array of subject matter, if this wasn't the one for you feel free to poke around the channel and see if anything else piques your interest!
About the Peanuts movie, I like to think it was made as a tribute to classic Peanuts material. Sure, it follows some modern trends, but I'm honestly amazed of how the studio responsable for the Ice Age movies was faithfull to the source
Amazing to think today is the 23rd anniversary of his last strip. "Peanuts" is weird but sweet and occasionally funny, and Snoopy will always be my favorite character. I remember finding the "The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show" in college and amazed that there was more content besides the holiday specials. Loved seeing you change costumes lol stay awesome
5:05 I never knew this strip existed and it warms my heart! ❤ As a long Charlie Brown fan since the 80s, this is a great Christmas Gift! Thank you for such a wonderfully crafted video! Your hitting all the marks to this, itself, being a Charlie Brown Classic!
I think it's kind of funny how the specials and the strips had more of a different feel to them despite Charles Schulz being involved with both. At least you can feel some of his humor, cynicism, and meaningful messages felt through both mediums. With exceptions to the Charlie Brown movie , and a few specials here and there , some of the newer specials / shows, even flash animated ones, lack that charm. I believe it's without Schultz's involvement, but it could also just mean an entirely different direction that didn't really understand what made Charlie Brown the Charlie Browniest.
I still love Peanuts and I have been watching Apple's take on Peanuts and I'm planning to watch the Netflix shorts when the time is right but I do agree with the different tone. They don't have as much bounce to them as before and aren't as lively as before with the exception of Happiness is a warm blanket Charlie Brown. But I do enjoy how the characters are growing, how closer Charlie Brown and Snoopy's relationship has gotten and how Charlie Brown became less of a cosmic plaything. The Peanuts Movie felt like the perfect sendoff to classic Peanuts but as long as people but love and thought into new Peanuts stories I'll be happy to accept new content.
That was one awesome job you did. I can’t even imagine how many hours you guys had to put for accumulating the material for this video. Greatly admirable.🎉
11:27 "aired for free" is an oxymoron when combined with "on ... cable television." Cable -- even basic cable -- isn't free so the airing isn't free. Well except when it's over the air on CBS PBS or ABC, then it is (as close as can get to) free.
I respect that take. I prefer the 2014 Peanuts show as a direct strip adaption and like the creative liberties taken in the earlier Melendez specials... but Warm Blanket is still quite good!
@@MMLCommentaries what's important is the characters feel like the characters they have there edge to them. For example Lucys anger is not put on a short leash
Wow. Absolutely INCREDIBLE video essay. I’m a small (though much smaller than you haha) video essay channel as well, and I’m blown away by your polish, passion, and intellect. I ADORE Peanuts, and it was great to see someone analyze the franchise so thoroughly. My favorite special will always be Happiness is a Warm Blanket, but I’m biased because Linus is one of my all time favorite fictional characters and holds a very special place in my heart. Also, your ending line about someone with passion and drive creating the next A Charlie Brown Christmas hit me hard as an aspiring author/screenwriter. I have no doubt Peanuts inspired a whole new generation of artists❤️
Two years too late but this video definitely highlighted things I noticed as somebody who's enjoyed Peanuts enough to watch some of the specials and read some of the comics, but ultimately not all of either of them. Notably, Marcie--I think one of the more drastic redirections in characterization in recent years. Since this video was posted, another short came out titled One Of A Kind Marcie, which actually brings to light this straying of her character as the theme of the short; that being, her depiction as a more nerdy, mousy person than the bookwormish and weird, but ultimately NOT shy character Schulz had written her to be.
I actually really loved For Auld Lang Syne nearby its premier I happened to have a really disappointing Christmas that year, mostly having to miss out on the celebration, so when my brother found something to cheer me up to watch on New Years, I watched this special and Man the part where Lucy's Xmas went and flew by, it hit me hard, and I related so hard with how she wanted to cheer herself up with a New Years Party, and it really enjoyed it I liked the shift in perspective in Lucy here, always shown as a more antagonistic person on Charlie's life and showing us another side to her I love that special as it feels very different, even if Peanuts was meant to be timeless, it also needed to evolve in regards of what newer generations have to listen to. I think the film's message of not striving for perfection and letting high standards ruin your day or planned activity is something I feel people now need as well
I’m thinking that one day we will see a return of a proper use of these characters in animation given the recent interest from UA-camrs. If not that’s fine, those original shorts movies still exist and encapsulate such an irreplaceable feeling that I don’t think will ever be replaced.
This was so well put together! Always fun to see the history of how these things came about and I had no idea about a lot of the newer ones. I wonder if the shortcomings of the original Xmas special actually kind of lent to its charm. I always thought the voice acting and pacing made it feel like something different than most animations
I was a fun of Peanuts for a very long time although it was for Snoopy Come Home and was the most of peanuts I consumed for basically my entire life not even thinking of the comics very much. Sad the meaning it once had became no more. Also I liked Snoopy Come Home so much I used to watch that shit all the time when I was younger
Good job, Matt! Lately,.I've seen commentaries in many of the Peanuts specials. While I'm happy for Apple, I can't help but think they let greed get the best of.them. I gave my own cartoon strip and I've attempted to make it the same way Peanuts did by adding personal experiences. I've been doing it almost 30 years. Unlike Charles Schulz, I got a job in life and sometimes finding time for the cartoon made it difficult to make it a full-time job like he did. Also, the entertainment world is not about giving everyone a chance seeking it. That's ok. I survived. And so has my cartoon.
It's odd that the people who made it hated the Charlie Brown Christmas Special. It's quite possibly my favorite Christmas movie. I haven't watched in years, but I need to do it this Christmas.
Yeah, Peanuts media lately can get pretty corporate feeling at times. They do well with what corporate restrictions they have. But they are still notable restrictions. The Peanuts Movie was a neat movie that gave Charlie Brown a rare win for once. Did it play it safe a bit too many times? Yeah, but it was a solid film overall. The 2 new Apple shows are honestly my least favorite new Peanuts media so far. They basically feel like average kids cartoons that just feature the Peanuts cast. I honestly really like the 2 new specials from Apple. Yeah, they do something new with the characters that they’ve haven’t done before in the comics, but new ain’t always a bad thing and it does the new things pretty well. Lucy getting insecure like that weirdly works for me in “For Auld Lang Syne”. Also glad I’m not the only one who noticed and got weirded out by Peppermint Patty in “Its the Small Things, Charlie Brown”. Her acting like a smug and snarky rival in that special was rather off putting for me. I’m guessing she was like that there to encourage Charlie Brown to become rather selfish in the 3rd act. And yup, at this point the comic strips and the specials, shows and movies are basically their own separate beasts. Comparing the comics with the animated media would basically be comparing apples to oranges. A pretty solid retrospective/video essay you made here overall.
The French Peanuts series and the short motion comics were by far the best animated series for the Peanuts in recent times. And the movie was a masterpiece (in my opinion)
Amazing video! I really liked the presentation of it all, you deserve a ton of subscribers. I loved watching Peanuts, whether it be on TV or the 2015 movie. I learned a lot about Peanuts that I never knew before in this video.
I’d say completely ironically, the best part of Peanut’s tenure on Apple is it’s presence on For All Mankind, where it fits as background details because the historical presence Peanuts in the US Space Program (Apollo 10’s Command Module was named Charlie Brown and the Lunar Module Snoopy for example, and a plush Snoopy even was on Artemis I).
Ick... It didn't even matter if Apple wrote good Peanuts show or not. The simple act of Peanuts ending up on a streaming service really goes against the spirit of Peanuts as a whole.
@@MMLCommentaries Kind of understandable, as from what I’ve seen Garfield was basically created and written by someone trying to cater to corporate mindsets. It does what it does with its restrictions pretty well, but still pretty corporate.
@@MMLCommentaries You mean that cronenburg Garfield? Yeah, that strip has fallen from grace unlike Peanuts have (although that series is starting to get there too).
I am lucky enough to have, somewhere in my house, a sealed bubble wrapped envelope containing the last comic strip from the Orange County Register in California which hasn't seen the light of day in 23 years. Here is a fun fact. Jim Davis, creator of Garfield, could not figure out how to get Garfield to look good standing up. It was Shultz himself, who has already proven himself to be a world class veteran print cartoonist, suggested making Garfield's feet much larger to help stabilize the orange cat.
I love this video. A lot of love and care was put into this video essay and it was wonderful. I would be interested in hearing what you think of the Broadway Musical, "you're a Good Man, Charlie Brown".
Great video and analysis of what’s changed over time. It might just be me, but I think you glossed over the impact Vince Guaraldi’s music had on establishing a tone for the specials. Most of the music in children’s movies is fairly similar and rote in composition. In contrast, Guaraldi’s use of Latin influenced cool jazz added a tinge of melancholy due to its fairly tensionless progressions. The music reinforces the tone of the earlier specials and imbues it with a sense of bittersweet. It also just sounds great! Check out some of Guaraldi’s solo music. It’s has a similar vibe and features more of his great improv. It’s a shame he died so early in his career. I often think of the music he could have brought was he still alive during later specials.
I love Guaraldi's work and really wanted to highlight his impact on Peanuts, especially for the Christmas special, but I also didn't want to make the video any longer than it needed to be. I totally agree with you that Guaraldi's soundtrack for Peanuts was so completely unlike anything else out there and really helps accentuate the tone the early specials were going for. Thanks for this comment and thanks for watching!
First of all: "black-haired Sally". I'm dying. Second: I don't know why I clicked on this video, but I enjoyed it. Well done. Also, the costumes were great. Commenting for the algae rhythms.
As a huge Peanuts fan, I completely agree with you. The Peanuts Movie just felt…off, when I first watched it. I still liked it, but I couldn’t pinpoint what was wrong. Now that I’m a lot older, I realize; the movie just didn’t feel like Peanuts at some points. Same with the newer stuff. A part of the Peanuts specials that made them so iconic *was* simplicity. The simple and messy nature of the specials was what made them so iconic. Something about the new, more polished style just doesn’t feel that way. To me, when a Peanuts special “feels like Peanuts,” it stays consistent to everything the older specials did. That’s why I agree with you on the points you made about the Peanuts movie. Marcie is more out of character, the randomly placed pop songs would never be allowed in the original specials, there’s a disturbing lack of jazz in the soundtrack (which was a quintessential part of the older specials), etc.
Circling back to this to tell you how great of a job you did! The characters being altered and the thought provoking nature are two things that I miss even in specials that Schulz produced. I know this is what real fans think of Peanuts as, but it’s kind of wild that there’s more Peanuts media without that kind of stuff than there is with it now lol. Kinda like how everyone says “the first eight seasons of The Simpsons”, meanwhile there’s like 15 more years.
Nevertheless, great job breaking all of this down! You can really see the time and care put into this one. Much love.
It really is like The Simpsons! The characters have just sort of morphed into weird parodies of themselves that don't really match how they originally were. It's always sad to see when something so great loses its way over time.
My friends know I throw literally everyone in the credits of these videos and do everything I can to spread the love whenever I can, and those credits felt incomplete without crediting a huge inspiration behind this video's creation. I'm thrilled that tagging you on a whim resulted in you checking this out. Thanks for the incredibly kind words, man!
Yoo its the peanuts guy!
To Tariq's point, even the comic strip itself has less of the thought-provoking, Pulitzer-level humor and writing that diehard fans tend to romanticize. The strip's peak years (roughly 1957-1972 imo) were only about 15 of a 50 year run. I'd argue that due to the sheer numerical quantity, Peanuts could never hit the quality ratio of a series like Calvin & Hobbes that lasted 10 years and was excellent nearly the entire run.
To be honest though, thinking about it that way makes Schulz's consistency even more incredible - he spent 15 years pumping out greatness on a nearly daily basis (most series don't even last that long, let alone soar that high for that long) and in 50 years the strip never dropped below "above-average". That's a staggering artistic achievement for any medium, but especially one that requires your to bring your A-game every single day.
@@Encyclopedia_Brown97 I string I think the strip was firing on all cylinders all the way through. It's almost always funny. There was never a decline. It's equally as good as Calvin and Hobbes in my opinion.
Yessss Tariq! Love Your Charlie Brown videos
It’s pretty impressive how timeless the animated versions of the Peanuts look. Like it’s definitely limited, but for some reason they don’t feel dated. The character designs and their style was just tailor made for the medium, unintentionally
Seriously! A Charlie Brown Christmas looks way better than a lot of other material from that time. Fuck it looks better than most of the 80s/90s specials for that matter
@@MMLCommentaries I think the reason is that it's simple and pure-hearted, just like the characters
Some of the newest is getting away from that unfortunately (see the apple tv specials - they keep the basics but it feels too polished) its a shame they didn't follow the style of The Peanuts Movie in 2015, which was perfect imo
@@kj6446 I think 3D animation is too expensive.
@@livvy94
"Simple and pure-hearted"
The Lucy Van Pelt in question:
I always felt that the flaws of "A Charlie Brown Christmas" were part of its charm and magic.
If it wasn't as flawed it wouldn't be as loved 100%
It's truly because no one understood the characters like Shultz .He often stated that the characters where reflections of aspects of his personalitys
Fun fact: Linus let’s go of his blanket while giving his speech in the Christmas special, specifically at the line “fear not. For I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people” he might not always be holding it (he wraps it around the tree latter in the special) but this is he only time he simply lets go of it because it’s not needed.
I was always barely aware of Peanuts when I was little. One day, I went to see The Peanuts Movie in theaters and thought. "This is one of the greatest things I have ever watched. The art style is amazing and the gags are funny" Then I started reading the comic strip every day,got the Peanuts daily calendar, and bought all the Dailly strips from the 50's-80's. I have a few of the 90's ones and I want to collect every strip ever. Now I am a Peanuts super fan. It's one of the funniest things I have ever read. The deadpan humor is second to none and the characters feel like real people you can walk into. My favorite characters are Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Snoopy, PigPen, Peppermint Patty, Marcy, Patty, and Violet. I think Patty and Violet are underrated they get good jokes.
The strip's hilarious non-stop laughs, it's so so good. Reading through the strips both for research and in the edit just constantly had me surprised and laughing. The strip at 5:30 still baffles me at how relevant it is to today's modern US politics
Cheesecake is bad for me
It’s this fucking guy again I remember you
"My favorite characters are..." lists every character
@@gusborg8 I don't recall Listing Rerun, Woodstock, Franklin, etc.
Dude, you absolutely nailed it. I’ve actually been wanting for years to make a video to the effect of “How Peanuts Lost It’s Edge”, but you’ve honestly said everything I could have. You’re the first person I’ve seen point out the dichotomy between the wry, observational comedy of the comic strip and the rich, almost haunting quality of the TV specials, and how both those qualities are all but gone from the franchise today.
It’s a shame your not so big on A Boy Named Charlie Brown, which may well be among my very favourite films of all time. The fact that Schulz managed to translate the central conflict of the comic into a cohesive character-narrative while also adapting almost every other Peanuts set-piece into a single epic movie just blows my mind. It’s the world of Peanuts at its most devastating and cruel, but also at its most empathetic and sincere. It’s like an exact polar opposite to the cuddly, sanitised world of modern Peanuts. A Boy Named Charlie Brown didn’t feel the need to explain its message in clear terms or give the audience an explicitly happy ending. There’s a raw emotional honesty to it that’s always stuck with me. (Also that Guaraldi score is absolute flames 🔥)
As much as we criticise, a part of me is still quite thrilled by the fact that Peanuts specials are still being made with such gorgeous production values and clear passion. Even if they’ve clearly cheapened and homogenised Schulz’s world somewhat, they’re definitely not phoned-in or soulless. Both the new specials felt like bold new directions for the world and characters and the artists clearly care about the work they’re doing. I’m excited to see where the franchise goes with this new, more stylised approach to tone and pacing. I just wish the narratives themselves were less schmaltzy and more Schulzy.
I agree with everything in this statement!!!! A Boy Named Charlie Brown has wowed me more and more every watch and while I find The Snoopy Show good but lackluster, I find the newer specials as absolutely Beautiful and really driving at what Schulz stands for-and Peanuts as a whole! I Love the Passion of Peanuts Fans!!!!!
While it was tragic Charles Shultz passed away, he probably left at the best time. Just before the world was turned straight on its head.
Oh. That explains why I love that Christmas Special OST. It's jazzy, without trying to be too Christmasy.
I never noticed how totally different the comics were from the specials like A Charlie Brown Christmas, but it seems so incredibly apparent after watching your video. I really liked how you covered so much of the series history. This was informative, but it clearly came from a place of love and appreciation for Schulz's work. You always put so much into your videos; it shows so clearly, so keep up the fantastic work, my friend. This was a real joy to watch.
snoopy come home legit traumatised me as a kid. that crying scene and Everything Changes haunt me to this day
That was the first time I ever cried at a movie. I was 4.
Aww poor baby@@ElanaVital83 I know it's been years, but take care of yourself.
I enjoyed this. I had no idea they were still making Peanuts specials. That saddens me because while I accepted the Blue Sky movie as a one-off, I liked the idea of Peanuts ending with Schulz. Although as you pointed out, the specials have such a different tone to the strip that it’s not too much of a problem. Speaking of the odd tone of the specials, the one I remember always watching as a kid is where Snoopy eats too much and has a nightmare where he’s a sled dog.
It's a Nightmare, Charlie Brown! That special scared me when I was a kid, Snoopy as this feral dog had an uncanny valley element to it. Don't remember where I first saw it; maybe on a DVD or VHS for a more well-known special...
Idk. The last peanuts special by Schulz was pied piper. One of the worst specials. It would've ended on a sad note if it just ended there.
@@MMLCommentaries For me, it would've been on VHS. It's one of my favorites, especially the opening and the piano scene. I also still love "Race For Your Life, Charlie Brown" and quote it constantly. My brother watched it every day for a month when he was little. "Snoopy Come Home" was just the best too. When I bring up these other specials and films, most people haven't seen them. The ones they've seen are just the holiday specials, and sometimes nothing more than the first Christmas one. But my grandma got me into Peanuts very early on so I've seen a ton and read all the comics. I still have my very first Snoopy doll from when I was 1.
As a kid, my only exposure to Peanuts was the occasional newspaper and the Christmas and Halloween specials. I liked them and they stuck out, but I never really delved much further into the series. My mom, however, is a lifelong fan and I remember her being gutted after the death of the creator. I understand much more now why Peanuts is so renowned and special. You did a wonderful job with the narrative and history of the series.
Also, REALLY nice editing. The skits were also great, lol.
Man i absolutely love bill melendez as a warner bros animation history enthusiast. He beams excitement in every interview i love it
I thought the Peanuts Movie was as faithful as we would be able to get, all things considered. Also Apple probably calls it SNOOPY in Space and the SNOOPY show, because Snoopy is so marketable, which is pretty sad for fans of Charlie Brown.
I liked the peanuts 2015 movie, I thought Snoopy filler scenes were entertaining compared filler scenes in the other movies and didn’t feel boring, and I liked the moment with Sally And Charlie Brown at the play. A lot of the stuff that were “recycled” was to be references so old fans can enjoy while showing them to a newer generation who isn’t really familiar with the gags of Peanuts.
I do agree that Snoopy Show is poop, I watched all season one episodes and one stuck out to me(It was the one where Snoopy was writing a script), I get that it’s called the Snoopy Show but focusing on Snoopy mostly is what makes it a letdown
Two years ago, I watched every Peanuts special and movie in release order and did a thorough deconstruction of all of them on Letterboxd. It was interesting to realize how especially in the 1980's when I feel the specials severely strayed from the initial formula as the earlier specials and the comics. However, even with the newer ones like I Want a Dog or He's a Bully - I found myself especially satisfied with this tonal change. I felt that He's A Bully worked exceptionally well because in the end, Charlie Brown is the winner. The franchise ended on a high note. Even when Happiness Is a Warm Blanket was released - that felt more of a non-canonical remake with a modern sense of comedic spice.
As for these AppleTV+ specials, I think they work really well in giving a new angle to the characters. A lot of my family dismisses Peanuts as a whole for its overall melancholic tone, and while I embrace that "you never quite win" relatable element, I do find this deeper exploration of the characters quite refreshing and I'd even say overall more appealing to the social attitudes of the younger minds today. Sure it's different but it is a new angle and I personally find that compelling.
This was fantastic, and perfectly captures my biggest issue with The Peanuts Movie in particular. Peanuts is at its best when there’s plenty of sour to go with the sweet
See here’s a video that exemplifies what I love about the internet. Someone’s super hyper focused on a topic (or just does really good research with good reasonings) and it’s a topic of mild interest to people or something nostalgic. The person makes a video essay on it with good visuals and they present it in a way that keeps you interested. And now your brain digs up a small piece of nostalgia as you learn more about it from this one person. Thank you for this video
Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much!
It's a relic from a different time. Strip or TV shows, Peanuts examines persistent failure, grumpy, bossy, often unpleasant girl characters (the girls are the bullies in "Peanuts"), religion, occasional agony ("Snoopy Come Home"), kids having silly romantic crushes on each other - yeah, all of that - ALL of it - are big, big, BIG no-nos in today's children's entertainment. It also comes from one man's experience and POV, rather than from a committee of child psychiatrists and "experts", to say nothing of corporate money grubbers like Apple. If Apple's "Peanuts" doesn't feel the same as the old stuff, that's because it's not only NOT the old stuff, it's more or less the exact opposite of the old stuff. Anyway, fascinating recap!
Great video! As someone who's read a lot of the strip and has seen several specials and movies over the years, I never picked up on "the duality of Peanuts", as it were. It's a great observation and kind of explains why some of the animations based purely on retellings of the strips feel so different (aside from the, at-times, awkward pacing).
One thing I'd like to say about the Blue Sky movie is that while I agree it's not quite the same as the older specials, and doesn't quite get the tone right, I feel like it would have come off differently if it ended up being the last Peanuts animation. I haven't seen it in years, but when I saw it, it felt like a send-off for the characters. Their personalities were different, but it was less like they weren't themselves, and more like they had grown a bit and them leaving school for the summer was them moving on to something new altogether.
I'm not saying the film's perfect, just that I think it plays better as a finalie to Peanuts than as just another movie/special. The fact that Apple is now continuing to make Peanuts stuff kind of ruins that, IMHO.
Just my two cents.
That's a super interesting perspective. If only it actually were the last animated Peanuts project... instead it seems like a transition point to this new weird era
@@MMLCommentariesmy problem with the movie,is that it doesn’t deserve the title peanuts,you could rename it,add three new characters and you would have a good movie.
Honestly, I like old Peanuts specifically because it looks and sounds so "amateur". It always felt very from the heart and special in it's own way.
Yknow, to me the snoopy show (2021) feels like "I forced a bot to watch all of the peanuts specials and then made it write a full length snoopy show on its own".
IT DOES!
I knew I would love this video. You did a great job on the presentation and it was interesting hearing about the nuances of the characters. I remember engaging with a lot of Peanuts media when I was younger, but I didn't realize how different The Peanuts movie felt when I saw it at the time. Too young to notice.
My favorite Peanuts stuff was always the comic strips and the Christmas special. I enjoyed the strips humor a lot even when I was younger, and they inprired me quite a bit back then. Overtime I've come to appreciate the themes of the Christmas special despite some rough edges, but I honestly think there's a load of charm to those imperfections. Great video Matt!
You seriously embody Charlie Brown, I don’t know il that’s necessarily a compliment, but that’s the way it’s meant.
I felt that it’s different, but I’m not upset about it. I kinda like this evolution.
I gotta respect someone who loves to geek out on Peanuts history like that. Subscribed! BTW you guys were adorable
Could i point out that the peanuts movie is actually following the art style of the 60's peanuts viewmaster strips. For those that don't remember, viewmaster was a toy that showed 3d images through a special pair of binocular like eye pieces. the strips on these had a clay model type look that the movie is obviously emulating.
I was only going to watch 2-3 minutes of this video, but your acted-out-comics snippets were so enjoyable that I ended up watching the whole video because I kept wanting to see the next one. I don’t know what the copyright status of stuff like that is, but it would be awesome to have a whole video like that.
I personally think that the problem with Modern Peanuts is that the ones in charge or the higher ups never let the franchise do anything with its characters. I have tons of ideas for Peanuts specials and movies that I have came up with over the last 8 years that people would be interested in seeing come into fruition if the Schulz estate didn’t put unnecessary mandates. For example, I think Peanuts media would work a lot better if you rebooted the specials almost completely. That way, you can still be true to its routes will letting it go new things (i.e. including the parents in the stories thus allowing for so many more possibilities than if they were still absent) in a way that would let it stand on its own from the source material.
That's what makes specials like the Christmas one and that one Flashbeagle special so unique (for different reasons lol)
I personally loved the Peanuts movie but I do see the overall point here. The Peanuts have become what SpongeBob is today. An IP that the original creator would likely be disappointed with the network mishandling what made it good in the first place
Schulz would be raging at what they did to his comic strip.
fantastic video! I wasn’t too exposed to the Peanuts as a kid outside of Snoopy (a lot of his specials worked well outside the anglo world due to lack of dialogue). Only learned more about the specials as I grew up and realized we had access to the Vermont tv channels 😂
Wild how much appeal the specials had despite not really carrying over the same themes as the strip that made them so popular. Great work! 🙌
This video is Incredible. Charlie Brown and Snoopy are my most favorite things literally of all time, so I am so delighted to see You finding such immense interest in their deep-cut universe! Not many think of “Peanuts” as anything more than an adorable beagle and some smarty pants kids. Cause yes, this is a franchise for Everyone, it is witty, it is mature, it is shocking-remember Sally and the School Building!-it is not made solely for kids
Thank you so much for the kind words! I really enjoyed making this deep dive into Peanuts' adaptions in film and TV. It's a really nostalgic franchise to me that, to your point, continues to make a significant impact on me as an adult.
Cool video essay with a lot of effort and insight put into it, I'm glad UA-cam recommended it to me. As a non-American, I find it peculiar that in its country of origin the animated adaptations of Peanuts seem to be better known than the original comic strip itself, because where I live it's practically the other way around. I love the comic strip and I really like the older animations too but I think American Peanuts fans tend to slightly overrate the most famous holiday specials at the expense of some others that do a better job in bringing the strip to life.
One important difference for me is that the comic strip is (or at least was in its golden years) even more pessimistic and more remorseless towards its characters than some of its best known adaptations are. It's really committed to exploring the themes of failure, disappointment, insecurity, unrequited love, negative sides of social relations (such as bullying and casual meanness) and how people never really change for the better. This difference is manifested in the fact that several of the Peanuts animations include happy endings typical for more generic family entertainment that kind of miss the point of what makes Peanuts special and different.
For example, in my opinion the sudden happy ending in A Charlie Brown Christmas (Charlie Brown quickly overcoming his angst after hearing Linus quoting the Bible and everyone else instantly changing their negative opinion about him and his Christmas tree for no apparent reason) feels out of place in a Charlie Brown story. The rest of that story could have probably occured in the comic strip but not the ending (this isn't my only criticism of the ending but I don't want to get sidetracked here). An even more blatant example is She's a Good Skate, Charlie Brown (also mentioned in the video), which is otherwise a pretty faithful adaptation of one particular story arc from the strip but the ending has been changed to the complete opposite of the original. In the strip, Peppermint Patty's series of humiliating setbacks concludes with the reveal that she has actually signed up for a roller skating competition whereas in the special there's just a clichéd happy ending where she wins the skating tournament.
My favourite endings in the Peanuts animations are the bittersweet ones from Charlie Brown's All Stars! and A Boy Named Charlie Brown. They feel faithful to the strip's spirit while still being kind of poetic in their combination of pessimism, idealism and melancholy. The holiday specials often tend to struggle in how to combine the core Peanuts themes of failure and disappointment with the need to say something positive about the holiday in question. The refreshing exceptions are It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown, which remain melancholic to the end and portray Halloween and Valentine's Day as nothing more than a series of disappointments for the main characters. Both of them also end with a similar scene where the characters' optimistic feelings about next year are portrayed as delusional clinging to false hope.
Snoopy, Come Home actually pulls off a happy ending in a way that fits Peanuts, with everything just returning the same after temporarily being worse (and closing with a joke about Snoopy still remaining an egocentric jerk who gets on everyone's nerves). While I personally consider A Boy Named Charlie Brown the best Peanuts adaptation, it's nice to see Snoopy, Come Home getting praised in this video. They're both underrated and unfortunately overshadowed by the holiday specials.
It probably goes without saying that I'm not a fan of the ultra-happy ending of The Peanuts Movie. That one feels almost like an antithesis of what Peanuts is about, and I also agree with the other criticism about the rest of the movie in this video. Although the movie deserves some credit for the fun way it brings Schulz's pen line to life in the faces of the characters and for having cool Easter eggs for hardcore Peanuts fans. And besides it's still definitely better than some of the Peanuts animations that Schulz wrote in the 1980s and 1990s, perhaps even a little bit better than the two previous films.
(This comment turned out quite long and polemic, but I wanted explain about how different things can be for someone who is a fan of the comic strip first and the animations second. Feel free to disagree with me.)
Completely agree with this premise and it's something I didn't touch on as much in this video. The happy endings of some of these specials feel extremely off when compared to the comics, and I absolutely love the ending to A Boy Named Charlie Brown, even if the whole film didn't land for me. Peanuts' whole thing is about being understated and being grounded, and later animated Peanuts material, especially the Peanuts Movie, just doesn't understand that core tenet.
Thanks for watching and glad you enjoyed the video!
26:56
Also, they stray incredibly far from where Sally Brown was taken in the strips and in previous animated stuff, where in the final decades she seemed to take on some of Lucy’s judgmental traits, to the point where she seemed to harbor little respect from her brother (if Charlie Brown had died, I could have seen the first words out of her mouth being: “so when do I get his room?”).
The Sally in the Peanuts movie either had a lobotomy, or suffered a bout of amnesia given how positive and supportive she is to her brother.
I noticed some of the special feel slightly different from the strip. The comic strips are a laugh riot. I can't read them without rolling on the floor. Biggest differences are that Snoopy can "talk" in the Strips and he is one of the best characters. He is so aloof.
As I watched this I thought the conclusion, about Peanuts without Charles Schultz around to influence it, is much like what has become of Star Trek without Gene Roddenberry.
snoopy come home is so overlooked, i’m glad you highlighted it!! great video all around
It bombed at the box office, the next two movies were direct to dvd
Still, "The Peanuts Movie" managed to capture the atmosphere of the comic WAY better than "Peter Rabbit" did with the Beatrix Potter universe.
This is such an underrated video! The amount of work you've put into reading, watching, and analyzing all things Peanuts is inspiring to me. I was engaged the whole way through, despite not really growing up with Peanuts. I hope this blows up!
Rather tragic that Peanuts slowly became the very thing it was against from the beginning.
It’s inevitable
Unfortunately that's pretty much the fate of all legacy franchises no matter how sincere they're intentions are in the beginning
Found this on Twitter, I don’t even have any interest in the subject but you’ve done a fucking great job man keep up the work and enjoy riding this wave!
Thanks a lot! I talk about a wide array of subject matter, if this wasn't the one for you feel free to poke around the channel and see if anything else piques your interest!
I can only hope now that Apple TV will have every single Peanuts movie. Like "You don't look 40, Charlie Brown," and some other ones. Great video!
They do have Flashbeagle (in 4k no less). There's some hope.
About the Peanuts movie, I like to think it was made as a tribute to classic Peanuts material. Sure, it follows some modern trends, but I'm honestly amazed of how the studio responsable for the Ice Age movies was faithfull to the source
Just wait. They'll ruin it eventually. That's what corporations do.
Amazing to think today is the 23rd anniversary of his last strip. "Peanuts" is weird but sweet and occasionally funny, and Snoopy will always be my favorite character. I remember finding the "The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show" in college and amazed that there was more content besides the holiday specials. Loved seeing you change costumes lol stay awesome
can I just say that peanuts has such a specific vibe to it
5:05 I never knew this strip existed and it warms my heart! ❤ As a long Charlie Brown fan since the 80s, this is a great Christmas Gift! Thank you for such a wonderfully crafted video! Your hitting all the marks to this, itself, being a Charlie Brown Classic!
Wow, you’ve really made me feel bad about enjoying The Peanuts Movie
I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who noticed this. Very well done and thoughtful essay.
I think it's kind of funny how the specials and the strips had more of a different feel to them despite Charles Schulz being involved with both. At least you can feel some of his humor, cynicism, and meaningful messages felt through both mediums. With exceptions to the Charlie Brown movie , and a few specials here and there , some of the newer specials / shows, even flash animated ones, lack that charm. I believe it's without Schultz's involvement, but it could also just mean an entirely different direction that didn't really understand what made Charlie Brown the Charlie Browniest.
I still love Peanuts and I have been watching Apple's take on Peanuts and I'm planning to watch the Netflix shorts when the time is right but I do agree with the different tone. They don't have as much bounce to them as before and aren't as lively as before with the exception of Happiness is a warm blanket Charlie Brown. But I do enjoy how the characters are growing, how closer Charlie Brown and Snoopy's relationship has gotten and how Charlie Brown became less of a cosmic plaything. The Peanuts Movie felt like the perfect sendoff to classic Peanuts but as long as people but love and thought into new Peanuts stories I'll be happy to accept new content.
That was one awesome job you did. I can’t even imagine how many hours you guys had to put for accumulating the material for this video. Greatly admirable.🎉
11:27 "aired for free" is an oxymoron when combined with "on ... cable television." Cable -- even basic cable -- isn't free so the airing isn't free. Well except when it's over the air on CBS PBS or ABC, then it is (as close as can get to) free.
Which isn't cable, those are network!! Thanks for the comment btw i was looking for one like it!
Happiness is a worm blanket is the best one cause it stays true it just an animated version of the strip. It's pure
I respect that take. I prefer the 2014 Peanuts show as a direct strip adaption and like the creative liberties taken in the earlier Melendez specials... but Warm Blanket is still quite good!
@@MMLCommentaries I like that the characters have more of an edge to them
@@MMLCommentaries what's important is the characters feel like the characters they have there edge to them. For example Lucys anger is not put on a short leash
snoopy come home would be the canon version of the last strip
I actually prefer the compilations over the original stories. It feels more like the strip.
If you like that then the underrated Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show is very much that. A show with vignettes and compilation episodes.
@@rommix0 I have seen it.
Wow.
Absolutely INCREDIBLE video essay. I’m a small (though much smaller than you haha) video essay channel as well, and I’m blown away by your polish, passion, and intellect. I ADORE Peanuts, and it was great to see someone analyze the franchise so thoroughly. My favorite special will always be Happiness is a Warm Blanket, but I’m biased because Linus is one of my all time favorite fictional characters and holds a very special place in my heart. Also, your ending line about someone with passion and drive creating the next A Charlie Brown Christmas hit me hard as an aspiring author/screenwriter. I have no doubt Peanuts inspired a whole new generation of artists❤️
Charlie brown really is an impressive character. He rarely gives up, even though he rarely succeeds at anything.
The comic strip was my world when I was little, it was more real to me than the animations.
Two years too late but this video definitely highlighted things I noticed as somebody who's enjoyed Peanuts enough to watch some of the specials and read some of the comics, but ultimately not all of either of them. Notably, Marcie--I think one of the more drastic redirections in characterization in recent years. Since this video was posted, another short came out titled One Of A Kind Marcie, which actually brings to light this straying of her character as the theme of the short; that being, her depiction as a more nerdy, mousy person than the bookwormish and weird, but ultimately NOT shy character Schulz had written her to be.
laughed too hard at "the non peppermint patty"
2:33 You may have started out being the goat, Charlie Brown, but you ended up being the G.O.A.T.!!
I actually really loved For Auld Lang Syne nearby its premier
I happened to have a really disappointing Christmas that year, mostly having to miss out on the celebration, so when my brother found something to cheer me up to watch on New Years, I watched this special and
Man the part where Lucy's Xmas went and flew by, it hit me hard, and I related so hard with how she wanted to cheer herself up with a New Years Party, and it really enjoyed it
I liked the shift in perspective in Lucy here, always shown as a more antagonistic person on Charlie's life and showing us another side to her
I love that special as it feels very different, even if Peanuts was meant to be timeless, it also needed to evolve in regards of what newer generations have to listen to. I think the film's message of not striving for perfection and letting high standards ruin your day or planned activity is something I feel people now need as well
I've always found it interesting hearing people talk about franchises I don't know much about, and this is no exception. Really well done video
You should do more of these.
Check the channel! There's plenty more, and plenty more to come!
@@MMLCommentaries I meant more Peanuts stuff. You and your girlfriend did the bits good.
@@Asukenick Not sure if there's gonna be more Peanuts stuff specifically, but there definitely will be more similar stuff!
Just going to ignore the great pumpkin...
“It’s the Great Menorah, Chucky Beige!” -Fairly Odd Parents: Channel Chasers
I loved this is America Charlie Brown when I was younger! We would always watch it the day before thanksgiving break in elementary school
I’m thinking that one day we will see a return of a proper use of these characters in animation given the recent interest from UA-camrs. If not that’s fine, those original shorts movies still exist and encapsulate such an irreplaceable feeling that I don’t think will ever be replaced.
This was so well put together! Always fun to see the history of how these things came about and I had no idea about a lot of the newer ones.
I wonder if the shortcomings of the original Xmas special actually kind of lent to its charm. I always thought the voice acting and pacing made it feel like something different than most animations
im really happy snoopy come home was talked about- it was easily one of my favorite movies as a kid and i barely find anyone talking about it
I was a fun of Peanuts for a very long time although it was for Snoopy Come Home and was the most of peanuts I consumed for basically my entire life not even thinking of the comics very much. Sad the meaning it once had became no more.
Also I liked Snoopy Come Home so much I used to watch that shit all the time when I was younger
Good job, Matt! Lately,.I've seen commentaries in many of the Peanuts specials. While I'm happy for Apple, I can't help but think they let greed get the best of.them.
I gave my own cartoon strip and I've attempted to make it the same way Peanuts did by adding personal experiences. I've been doing it almost 30 years. Unlike Charles Schulz, I got a job in life and sometimes finding time for the cartoon made it difficult to make it a full-time job like he did. Also, the entertainment world is not about giving everyone a chance seeking it. That's ok. I survived. And so has my cartoon.
It's odd that the people who made it hated the Charlie Brown Christmas Special. It's quite possibly my favorite Christmas movie. I haven't watched in years, but I need to do it this Christmas.
Yeah, Peanuts media lately can get pretty corporate feeling at times. They do well with what corporate restrictions they have. But they are still notable restrictions.
The Peanuts Movie was a neat movie that gave Charlie Brown a rare win for once. Did it play it safe a bit too many times? Yeah, but it was a solid film overall.
The 2 new Apple shows are honestly my least favorite new Peanuts media so far. They basically feel like average kids cartoons that just feature the Peanuts cast.
I honestly really like the 2 new specials from Apple. Yeah, they do something new with the characters that they’ve haven’t done before in the comics, but new ain’t always a bad thing and it does the new things pretty well. Lucy getting insecure like that weirdly works for me in “For Auld Lang Syne”.
Also glad I’m not the only one who noticed and got weirded out by Peppermint Patty in “Its the Small Things, Charlie Brown”. Her acting like a smug and snarky rival in that special was rather off putting for me. I’m guessing she was like that there to encourage Charlie Brown to become rather selfish in the 3rd act.
And yup, at this point the comic strips and the specials, shows and movies are basically their own separate beasts. Comparing the comics with the animated media would basically be comparing apples to oranges.
A pretty solid retrospective/video essay you made here overall.
Really enjoyed the video man. Very well thought out and done! Also the costume changes were a really nice touch!
the costume work holy moly
The wig was so itchy!
Yeah the Linus drip went bonkers
this is amazing! exactly the video i was looking for, this deserves so many more views ♡
Thank you so much for the kind words!
The French Peanuts series and the short motion comics were by far the best animated series for the Peanuts in recent times. And the movie was a masterpiece (in my opinion)
Everyone knew that Apple buying the Peanuts was a terrible thing for fans! Corporate buyouts all end up this way!
Live-action Lucy made my day! Awesome casting and acting.
I cried during the Charlie Brown song in snoopy come home when I was younger.
Amazing video! I really liked the presentation of it all, you deserve a ton of subscribers. I loved watching Peanuts, whether it be on TV or the 2015 movie. I learned a lot about Peanuts that I never knew before in this video.
Thanks for watching! Appreciate the kind words
I’d say completely ironically, the best part of Peanut’s tenure on Apple is it’s presence on For All Mankind, where it fits as background details because the historical presence Peanuts in the US Space Program (Apollo 10’s Command Module was named Charlie Brown and the Lunar Module Snoopy for example, and a plush Snoopy even was on Artemis I).
I found this video about the peanuts a more enjoyable watch than the peanuts lol
Ick... It didn't even matter if Apple wrote good Peanuts show or not. The simple act of Peanuts ending up on a streaming service really goes against the spirit of Peanuts as a whole.
I was today years old when I learned about Rerun. With how ubiquitous Peanuts is I'm baffled I don't have any memory of a little Linus
"It occasionally turned him into as shallow of a comedy tool as Garfield." How dare you diss Garfield.
I prefer what the internet has turned Garfield into to the actual strip itself, haha
@@MMLCommentaries The actual strip is almost always 8 out of 10. The jokes are really good.
@@MMLCommentaries Kind of understandable, as from what I’ve seen Garfield was basically created and written by someone trying to cater to corporate mindsets. It does what it does with its restrictions pretty well, but still pretty corporate.
@@MMLCommentaries You mean that cronenburg Garfield? Yeah, that strip has fallen from grace unlike Peanuts have (although that series is starting to get there too).
the thumbnail of this video is perfect
dude, you nailed the live action parts!
Peanuts stayed good way longer than the Simpsons did.
You don't get such quality entertainment anymore!
I am lucky enough to have, somewhere in my house, a sealed bubble wrapped envelope containing the last comic strip from the Orange County Register in California which hasn't seen the light of day in 23 years. Here is a fun fact. Jim Davis, creator of Garfield, could not figure out how to get Garfield to look good standing up. It was Shultz himself, who has already proven himself to be a world class veteran print cartoonist, suggested making Garfield's feet much larger to help stabilize the orange cat.
I didn't even know there were animated Peanuts specials besides Christmas and Halloween.
I love this video. A lot of love and care was put into this video essay and it was wonderful. I would be interested in hearing what you think of the Broadway Musical, "you're a Good Man, Charlie Brown".
I consider myself a huge Peanuts fan but I learned a lot of things I didn't know about. Especially that weird America education one. Great Video!
Somebody might want to tell black-haired Sally that's a marker.
Great video and analysis of what’s changed over time.
It might just be me, but I think you glossed over the impact Vince Guaraldi’s music had on establishing a tone for the specials.
Most of the music in children’s movies is fairly similar and rote in composition. In contrast, Guaraldi’s use of Latin influenced cool jazz added a tinge of melancholy due to its fairly tensionless progressions.
The music reinforces the tone of the earlier specials and imbues it with a sense of bittersweet.
It also just sounds great! Check out some of Guaraldi’s solo music. It’s has a similar vibe and features more of his great improv.
It’s a shame he died so early in his career. I often think of the music he could have brought was he still alive during later specials.
I love Guaraldi's work and really wanted to highlight his impact on Peanuts, especially for the Christmas special, but I also didn't want to make the video any longer than it needed to be.
I totally agree with you that Guaraldi's soundtrack for Peanuts was so completely unlike anything else out there and really helps accentuate the tone the early specials were going for.
Thanks for this comment and thanks for watching!
First of all: "black-haired Sally". I'm dying. Second: I don't know why I clicked on this video, but I enjoyed it. Well done. Also, the costumes were great. Commenting for the algae rhythms.
As a huge Peanuts fan, I completely agree with you. The Peanuts Movie just felt…off, when I first watched it. I still liked it, but I couldn’t pinpoint what was wrong. Now that I’m a lot older, I realize; the movie just didn’t feel like Peanuts at some points. Same with the newer stuff. A part of the Peanuts specials that made them so iconic *was* simplicity. The simple and messy nature of the specials was what made them so iconic. Something about the new, more polished style just doesn’t feel that way.
To me, when a Peanuts special “feels like Peanuts,” it stays consistent to everything the older specials did. That’s why I agree with you on the points you made about the Peanuts movie. Marcie is more out of character, the randomly placed pop songs would never be allowed in the original specials, there’s a disturbing lack of jazz in the soundtrack (which was a quintessential part of the older specials), etc.