Photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons
Written by Emilie Kefalas
It begins with a blank screen. Seconds in, an invisible source draws a few shapeless black lines. With the fluidity of animated ink, a few black lines form the portal to vibrance, adventure, and nostalgia.
You’re a movie star, Charlie Brown!
After a 35 year hiatus from the big screen, the world’s most beloved blockhead, his trusty beagle Snoopy and the whole Peanuts gang made a triumphant and heartfelt return to theaters November 6, just in the nick of time for the kids to get bored with pre-holiday schoolwork.
Some elements of American life have not changed at all since the last time the world saw Mr. Brown in a major motion picture. As it was in late May 1980, a democrat was president and audiences were seeing lightsabers in their sleep. But these are minor similarities, as half the targeted audience for “The Peanuts Movie” was not born until around the time Craig Schulz, son of legendary cartoonist Charles Schulz, was in the process of writing a new screen adaptation for his father’s iconic comic strip in 2006.
The round-headed protagonist is globally recognized as a born loser, albeit a lovable one that fans have rooted for since he first appeared in Charles Schulz’s premise to Peanuts, Li’l Folks.
A relatable next-door-boy both sincere and sorry for the almost endless stream of setbacks that follow him. Charlie Brown must face standardized tests, talent shows, awkward school dances, and book reports all while in attempt to muster up the courage to talk to the Little red-haired girl.
Adapting Charles Schulz’s quintessential piece of Americana for the 21st century was not the concern when Craig and his son, screenwriter Bryan Schulz, began pitching the idea for a new Peanuts film.
When Twenty-First Century Fox Inc. and Blue Sky Studios signed on to create this 3D animated film, the most critical element for Craig was control. Too often are cherished cultural characters crudely revamped for fleeting pop culture humor and cheap moments of, “Ok, I guess that was funny.” Recent animated films considered, I was concerned for my dear Charlie Brown and what fate he awaited in his new cinematic adventure. Thankfully, the Schulz father-son duo guarded their material with all ferociousness of the World War I Flying Ace hurtling his sop-with camel through pencil-drawn skies.
All I had to hear was that iconic Vince Guaraldi score to ease me from any worry I had carried with me into the theater. After about ten of the film’s total of 93, I exhaled a sigh of relief. No “good grief’s” present here.
Director Steve Martino has successfully constructed a pint-sized hero’s epic. Every Peanuts zealot is certain to appreciate several classic routines Martino tailors to Craig and Bryan Schulz and Cornelius Uliano’s faithfully thematic script. The film’s score by Christophe Beck satisfies with a balanced blend of gentle instrumentals and appetizing Vince Guaraldi compositions featuring jazz pianist David Benoit.
The result is a quilt patched with the most effective characteristics of Charles Schulz’s world. No new characters are introduced, not a single joke is made about someone passing gas, and, as mean as she can be, even neighborhood psychiatrist Lucy does not unleash more than her usual mouthful of judgement on Charlie Brown (never referred to as “Charlie,” strictly “Charlie Brown”).
Make no mistake, each member of this lovable ensemble could not be more genuine to their original maker’s vision. Linus still coddles a blue blanket occasionally yanked across a frozen pond by Snoopy. Peppermint Patti continues to fall asleep in class with loyal friend Marcy there to wake her up to reality. It would have been easy to translate Schulz’s comic strip drawings into disproportioned, much-less charming computer-animated avatars. Thankfully, Martino and his animators and have flawlessly reflected the allure of Schulz’s style through gorgeous design and movement both adorable and adequate.
