Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #10161 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-08-24
• Rating: Unrated
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Format: NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English
• Running time: 25 minutes

From Amazon.com
This television classic features the Peanuts characters in the story of Charlie Brown's problematic efforts to mount a school Christmas pageant. Everybody's on board: Lucy, Snoopy, Schroeder, Pig-Pen, but the biggest impression is surely made by Linus, who stops the show with his recitation from the gospels of the story of Christ's birth. --Tom Keogh

Review
"Peanuts" was already a phenomenally popular comic strip when A Charlie Brown Christmas first aired, but there was no guarantee that a short animated film based upon the strip would work. Over the years, as many strips had been poorly adapted ("Li'l Abner," "The Little King") as successfully transferred ("Popeye," "Superman") to the six-minute cartoon format, and "Peanuts" was a strip whose appeal was based more on subtlety, nuance, and character development than straight gags. But Lee Mendelson and Bill Melendez, working from a witty and insightful script by creator Charles M. Schulz, managed to make a film that was always true to the subdued spirit of the strip. Using "real" children rather than veteran child actors for the voices resulted in some occasionally stilted line readings, but it also captured the innocence and heightened naturalness that is so much a part of the strip's appeal. Although the plot is essentially a number of incidents strung together around a general idea, the looseness works to its benefit. The animation, while not up to Disney standards, has an appeal all its own and effectively translates the characters to the screen. A delightful blend of poignancy and humor, A Charlie Brown Christmas is a treasure to be enjoyed during any season. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide

On the DVD
Bonus feature: "It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown"
Standard version
Dolby Digital
English mono
English subtitles
Interactive menus
Scene selection

Customer Reviews

A True Holiday Classic!
Every year since I was a child I have watch this program on TV, now I'm happy to own it. In this crazy mixed up world we live in, A Charlie Brown Christmas takes all back to a simpler time when we re-discover the true meaning of Christmas. I grew up on Charlie Brown and my kids will to. There are many Christmas specials we all look forward to watching, but by far, this one is the true classic.

The special that could not be made in this day and age.
In addition to being a true classic, "A Charlie Brown Christmas" is a cultural landmark -- an indicator of where our nation has been, and where it is going. In 1965, it was acceptable to put on network TV a program with an explicit Christian message (Linus reads from the Gospel of Luke! The kids sing "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing"! The names "God" and "Christ" actually spoken!). Today, the script would not pass muster at the networks. We might offend someone, you know. I can't think of a better indicator than this great program to measure the decline of our society. I guess when the moral busybodies finally succeed in removing "A Charlie Brown Christmas" from the annual rotation (and they will eventually attempt to do so, in the name of "multiculturalism" or "tolerance"), we can close the book on our once-great country.

Still brings tears to your eyes!
A TRUE Christmas classic. There are lots of great Christmas movies and TV shows that are fun to watch each year, from CHRISTMAS VACATION to THE GRINCH. But there is something special about Charlie Brown's take.

First of all, it's the only mainstream Christmas classic that actually DARES to bring the story of the birth of Jesus to front and center!! When Linus takes centerstage and quotes the bible for us, you can almost feel the air suck out of the room. It's a moment of simple drama that can really bring a tear to your eye. Linus, without saying a harsh word, essentially tells everyone to "shut up and remember the meaning of this holiday!" It's a beautiful moment.

There's plenty of amusing stuff too. The pitiful tree...Snoopy's hijinks, etc. It's not laugh out loud funny, of course, but sweet and innocent. These are kids who live in a world without adults...and don't seem to need them either! It's always a nice 22 minute trip down memory lane. Every adult should own this...if only to take minute to journey back to childhood. And kids need to keep seeing this. I'm glad it has remained a classic.

The animation is no great shakes, of course, but the style is executed marvelously. The voice acting, on the other hand, leaves nothing to be desired. The kids involved have done a terrific job. The music, ever present, is great, as we've come to expect from any Peanuts special. All in all, this is a MUST OWN DVD.

(I do wish there were more extras available. Other than a 2nd Christmas special...it's okay, but no classic...there is nothing. Can't believe there isn't some little documentary or something out there.)