As I have stated before, many times actually, I grew up on Peanuts. They were some of my friends through child hood and I still relish the fact that I can see Classic Peanuts in the Sunday Paper. So Snoopy’s Reunion was like a family member was having a reunion and Snoopy sure has some intersting family! We also have It’s Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown, which reminds us how Schulz and company were in touch with what was going on in the world and reflected it in his television specials (and comics). I wonder what Charles M Schulz would decide to do for a special these days?
Lee Mendelson makes two great observations (in the special features of this DVD) about Peanuts and Charles M Schulz which really got me thinking. There will always be a market for innocence. I fully agree, no matter how we all turn out, or how the world has changed, I fully believe in shows that keep our innocence as children and at the same time help shape our morals and social skills. I do not believe anyone has accomplished that in such a profound manner as Schulz did, and remains one of the reasons that Peanuts still remains popular, even with no new Schulz (1922-2000) material. The second reason was that he spoke to the common man, Charlie Brown’s family was that regular neighborhood in suburbn USA. A perfect blend. Something that I think we are missing in our society is the closeness of family and Schulz and the Peanuts gang remind us how important that is.
Synopsis: Snoopy is homesick for his puppyhood at the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm, so he and Charlie Brown organize a reunion of his siblings Spike, Andy, Olaf, Marbles, Belle, Molly and Rover. However, when they arrive at the puppy farm, Charlie Brown is aghast to find that urban sprawl has replaced it with a parking garage. Snoopy and his family however, calmly begin to play musical instruments they’ve each bought, thoroughly satisfied that they are together on the sidewalk in front.
OWN IT ON DVD – April 7, 2009
Features:
Peanuts: Snoopy’s Reunion
I had never seen this episode before, so I was excited to be watching a Peanuts cartoon for the first time in so many years. There was a bit of emotion for me seeing Snoopy’s mother, something that reminds me of my childhood past to see Snoopy’s litter. That overwhelming feeling is then replaced with the cuteness of the puppies, and subtle humor of the way they have a dog buffet to feed themselves. Then we get the puppies taking out their instruments to play them while in the barn, one cqn only image having that many puppies (babies) that all wanted to play a bit of music at the same time? I just one would say it is a bit of instrumental jugband country music that these puppies jam to. Once the “puppies for sale” goes up it brings a tear to your eye, as well it should, they are a family and a band and it is tough to break up either one of them.
The television special is from 1991 and the quality of the cartoon is quite good. I think many Peanut enthusists will point out that this specific episode do not follow Peanuts comic strip canon, and we have a talking adult! Not just a wah wah wah voice with a silhouette. A few things that jumped out to me is that Sally is quite old for when Snoopy is bought from Daisy Hill Puppy farm, the reason he gets the dog is a bit different, why Lily has to return Snoopy, and a few other points. That does not stop the fun, just more of an observation. From what I have read, Schulz did not consider material from the television specials to be canonical in the world of the comic strip so there we have it. We have a few of the siblings of Snoopy that are named in this show and a few that we have never seen in the strip. Molly and Rover never appeared in the comic strip and Andy and Missy are introduced here first I believe. Getting all the technical stuff out of the way though, this is about getting the band and family back together only to realize that you can never really go home. A bitter sweet sort of ending, but one that teaches us to make the best of the situation and put a rather large emphasis that family is the most important part, home is where the heart is.
Snoopy finished the special up by putting on his flying googles and flying his family home on the Sopwith Camel, which is really his dog house. I always find this part of the Peanuts world a bit interesting, does the plane really fly or not? Ah, a question for the ages.
Snoopy’s Reunion for me becomes difficult to judge as a super Peanuts fan because you have to seperate the fact that the TV specials are not canonical in relation to the comic strip. Take the television special for what it is, and you can then truly appreciate it. It gives us a great feel good story of a family reunion set in the rich world of Peanuts. Also when did Snoopy switch from guitar to jaw harp?
It’s Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown
Flashdance was the craze of 1983 and It’s Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown is a 1984 TV special that shows us how Schulz and team can put something that is part of pop culture and make it fun and suited for children. It also reminded me of how big of a role team sports plays in the Peanuts gang with the beginning football game and how much of a great dancer Snoopy is. I do not know if I would call them parodies, but rather tributes to Flashdance and breakdancing with a little Saturday Night Fever thrown in.
It’s Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown also reminds us how the children break into song routine, with Peppermint Patty doing an exercise song routine and a game of “Simon Says”, turning into a song version of “Lucy Says.” Pig-Pen also leads the kids in a hoedown (square dance type) routine. Always a lot of interesting songs when we talk Peanuts TV specials.
What I love about this special is it highlights one of my favorite Peanuts gags, dog germs. While Charlie Brown and Sally are having a party at their house and Snoopy and Woodstock are helping out by serving punch in cups with a straw. After Charlie Brown goes over to thank Snoopy he comes to realize that Snoopy is taking a sip out of each of the cups through the straw before handing them out to the guests. Dog germs is always a classic because it still reminds us no matter how human Snoopy can act he is a still a dog.
”Show and Tell” sessions at school are always something that children can relate to and while Sally seemingly drags Snoopy to school for “Show and Tell” in this episode it because a highlight of Snoopy’s dancing and an unexpected (for Sally) grade by the teachers.
While not on the same level as the Holiday Specials (can anything really be?), It’s Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown is a great look back at Peanuts characters and the 1980s.
Special Features:
Together Again: A Peanuts Voice-Cast Reunion- approximately 10 minutes feature that show the voice actors for the Peanuts gang as they get together at ComicCon 2008. Lee Mendelson (producer) starts off by giving a nice insight to the history of Peanuts voice acting. It is interesting to see these actors all grown up talking about the bond they have together. Peanuts history, even the voice acting history is exciting and it seems it broke new ground by using children voice actors. It must have been tough to animate and put voices to such a huge successful comic strip. To everything that we take for granted with these classic voices, it seems it was not as easy at the start.
Sesame Street Presents Follow That Bird Trailer – 25th Anniversary Deluxe edition DVD trailer for one of the best Sesame Street presentations. A classic and if you have not seen it or do now own it the trailer is a good way to get a taste.
Check out the official site
This is probably the best quality Peanuts you are going to see as it is a remastered deluxe edition. Still, you have to remember in It’s Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown, that even the originals have aged a bit, so enjoy them but do not expect the quality you see on television in the digital age. For Snoopy’s Reunion though, the quality is top notch as it was a bit more recent. You have to own this if you are a Peanuts fan, and if you are not yet, if you buy this you will see what makes Peanuts such a classic, even if Snoopy’s Reunion does not follow Peanuts comic strip canon it is an enjoyable watch. The Peanuts Holiday specials are classics each and every one of them, but they also set the stage for the larger world of Peanuts that every needs to check out. This DVD is just another part of that world that everyone should be aware of.
