[.ca] The Peanuts Holiday Collection (A Charlie Brown ... (ISBN 0792169182)

Amazon.com Essential Video:
Two of the all-time cartoon classics It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966) and A Charlie Brown Christmas (a Peabody and Emmy winner from 1965) highlight this three-disc, six-episode set. Although the DVDs contain no extras (good grief!) and could have been combined on a single disc (drat!), the collection looks and sounds wonderful on DVD. The content is the same on the VHS and DVD sets, with two episodes per tape or disc. Accompanying Pumpkin is You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown, a cute spin on politics that has aged very well since its 1972 release. Christmas sports a lackluster sequel of sorts, It's Christmas Time Again, Charlie Brown (1992) that has Sally dwelling on getting (instead of giving), Charlie Brown facing a spending dilemma, and everyone suffering stage fright before the annual school play. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973) also won an Emmy but is not as well known as others; it also suffers from not having the original cast. Snoopy is foremost in helping to put on an impromptu feast (toast and popcorn) as the gang keeps forgetting the true meaning of the holiday. Also on the disc is a better Thanksgiving venue, The Mayflower Voyages (1988), part of the This is America, Charlie Brown series that breathed new life into the franchise. Mostly narrated by Linus, the show traces the Pilgrims' plight and doesn't talk down to youngsters on the hardships they faced. It's a treasure of a gift (for others or yourself), all nicely packaged. --Doug Thomas

No Features; Expensive; but Definately a Set to Cherish:
When this set first came out a few years ago, I was reluctant to buy it, secretly hoping that these three holiday classics would soon be re-released with special features. Well, I waited. And waited. And waited. And finally, out of complete desperation, I just bought it. Granted, none of the three main programs in the set are the greatest (I'm still waiting for the movies -- especially my favorite and the all-time greatest, Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown! -- and the masterfully done episodes from The Charlie Brown & Snoopy Show). And there aren't any extra features (unless you count the second episode on each disc). But it's a great way to get all three of the first wave of holiday releases at once. Even at $39, the box set is definately more expensive than if one were to purchase the DVD's individually. But if you search around, the set can easily be found for much cheaper. Heck -- if you don't find a better deal, just pay the $39. It's expensive, but definately a box set to cherish. Just please: don't pay the retail! It's not worth it.

In love with the peanuts:
I gave this four stars only because of the cost, which I feel could have been lessened by putting them all on one dvd. The price may be steep for a collection with no extras other then a bonus movie on each disk, but for a fan of the peanuts it's well worth it. I have never gotten to enjoy these movies without the interruption of commericals. I was pleased with the quality of the DVD's, which made it worth my money. I was happy to find out that the bonus movies were of the same quality as the three more popular ones. I also do perfer the Mayflower voyages over A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, which another reviewer also mentioned.

Could there be a better collection of Peanuts episodes?:
The 3 main titles are the holiday Peanuts episodes that had become a tradition by the time we Gen-Xers were growing up. I enjoy tradition, ergo, I enjoy these episodes. For many of us, it is comforting to look back to our roots. The other three episodes (the election day special, the Pilgrims special, and the alternate Christmas special), have a self-awareness that destroys the magic of the original Peanuts creation. As long as you consider them just bonus material, they are okay. The best, in my opinion, was the Pilgrims special. For those who have never seen these Peanuts episodes (and thus lack the nostalgia element), I recommend them on the strength that there is no foul language, no sex or violence, and they are short (roughly 15-20 minutes), which gives you something relaxing to watch for a short amount of time. They also make great shorts to show at holiday parties, as most people enjoy seeing them again and they are not offensive to anybody.

A Must For Peanuts Fans!:
Having been a Peanuts fan my whole life, I am rather partial to anything to do with Charlie Brown and the Gang. However, I can honestly say that this set is a must own for anyone who loves Peanuts. Not only do you get three beloved Charlie Brown holiday classics, but you get an additional Peanuts movie on each DVD! That is like 6 movies for the price of 3! As one other reviewer mentioned, there are not many extra features on these DVDs, but if you are a fan of these classics, you still will not be dissapointed.

"Gee. Do they still make wooden Christmas Trees?":
Charles M. Schulz (1922-2000) will be forever remembered for his endearing Peanuts comic strip characters. They include the unselfconfident Charlie Brown, the egocentric Lucy Van Pelt, the blanket-carrying Linus Van Pelt, Charlie's little sister Sally, the aspiring pianist Schroeder, the ever-messy Pig-Pen, Charlie's highly-intelligent dog Snoopy, the self-assured Pepperment Patty, the whiz-kid Marcie, etc. The popularity of his comic strip led to the filming of numerous animated shorts for television and several feature-length animated films. Of the animated shorts for television, three classic holiday shorts and three newer shorts (for a total of six) are included in this set of three DVD's. Most of the shorts were directed and co-produced by Bill Melendez, who also usually did the voices for Snoopy and Woodstock. Disk 1: "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown" (1966). Charlie Brown is delighted to be invited to his first Halloween Party. He goes trick-or-treating with Lucy, Violet, and several other children and gets rocks while everyone else gets candy. To Lucy's dismay, Linus has chosen to wait in a pumpkin patch all night for the Great Pumpkin to emerge. "You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown" (1972). Charlie Brown is discouraged from running for school class president after Lucy conducts a poll; so Linus decides to run instead. Disk 2: "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" (1973). Charlie Brown is dumbfounded when Pepperment Patty invites herself and two other friends to Charlie Brown's home for Thanksgiving dinner. Charlie, Linus and Snoopy speedily put together a holiday feast, but it isn't what Pepperment Patty was expecting. "The Mayflower Voyagers" (1988). The Peanuts gang portrays the first pilgrims that land at Plymouth Rock. They learn about the hardships of colonial life and have the first Thanksgiving. Disk 3: "A Charlie Brown Christmas" (1965). Charlie Brown is elected to direct a Christmas play for his school. After being asked to buy a big and beautiful Christmas tree, he returns with a puny one and is ridiculed by everyone. In the meantime, Snoopy is busy decorating his doghouse for the annual, neighborhood decoration contest. Of all Charles M. Shulz's shorts & feature-length films, this is the only one that contains a religious tone that non-Christians may or may not enjoy. "It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown" (1992). Arguably not as good as the original, the message from this short is not as intense as the original. It focuses on Sally's minimal role in the annual Christmas play (as well as Pepperment Patty), and Charlie Brown wants to raise money for his girlfriend. Though not all of the shorts contained in this three-DVD set are equally good, children and adults alike will more than likely enjoy Charles M. Shulz's legacy of characters brought to life in them. Therefore, I rate this three-DVD box set with 5 out of 5 stars.