Religion, Politics and The Great Pumpkin

There won't actually be any religion or politics in this post, so I'm sorry if you feel that I have led you on. There will, however, be The Great Pumpkin, one of the best animated specials of all time. I can't really say what I like most about It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!. Between the hilarious story and dialogue, to the water color night skies and Snoopy's battle with the Red Baron, there's a ton of material to choose from. The music ranks pretty high in my estimation, though. I can't describe in words how I feel when I first hear Vince Guaraldi's "Linus and Lucy" as the two characters walk out the door on their way to pumpkin patch when the special begins.


One of the most remarkable features of the Great Pumpkin is the water colors used for the skies. The sunset as Snoopy crawls past WWII enemy lines, the various darks and blues that blotch the night as the group goes trick or treating; this style of coloring defines the Charlie Brown specials, but is an element of the animation that is easy to gloss over. The next time you watch this show, try to look at the skies and backgrounds. A lot of great texture and depth will become apparent as the water colors bleed together and provide a soft, natural feel.




This special appeals to so many people because it covers a lot of aspects of Halloween night. Carving a pumpkin, making a costume (and possibly having trouble with the scissors), going out on the hunt for candy, venturing into unknown neighborhood territory, hitting up the Halloween party, and of course, setting yourself up for a huge night only to be let down by your crazy expectations. I've had my share of bummer Halloweens and I can sympathize, as we all can, with Linus wanting things to go just right. Sometimes it just doesn't work out.

To begin a season of any sort, be it Christmas or Halloween, there should be a single element that truly puts you in the mood. It could be the sight of a pumpkin sitting on sheets of newspaper waiting to be eviscerated, or it might start in September with the first tinge of red coming into the leaves. It might even be as late in the game as the first doorbell ring of a trick-or-treater. I can watch all the horror movies I want, but I really start to feel Halloween in my bones when I watch It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown. I hope everyone who reads this, all 1 of you, have seen this special and watch it yearly.

No matter how you spend your holiday, no matter if you watch The Great Pumpkin or not, here's another animator's take on the events of a Halloween night, some 50 years ago...


via videosift.com