8.4 | / 10 |
Users | 4.2 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Christmas lights may be twinkling red and green, but Charlie Brown has the Yuletide blues. To get in the holiday spirit, he takes Lucy's advice and directs the Christmas play. And what's a Christmas play without a Christmas tree? But everyone makes fun of the short, spindly nevergreen Charlie Brown brings back - until the real meaning of Christmas works its magic once again.
Starring: Peter Robbins (I), Tracy Stratford, Christopher Shea (I), Cathy Steinberg, Chris Doran (I)Family | 100% |
Animation | 76% |
Comedy | 69% |
Holiday | 40% |
Short | 17% |
Comic book | 8% |
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.37:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.33:1
English: Dolby Digital 5.1
Audio spec is Dolby Digital 5.1 for the main feature. This has been confirmed by multiple sources.
English SDH
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 2.5 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
There's a brief exchange in A Charlie Brown Christmas... a passing line that perfectly encapsulates everything I adore about the endearing 1965 television holiday special, everything I love about its characters, and the immense affection I feel for its every line and frame. "Charlie Brown, you're the only person I know who can take a wonderful season like Christmas and turn it into a problem. Maybe Lucy's right. Of all the Charlie Browns in the world, you're the Charlie Browniest." More than a timeless seasonal treasure, more than a charming animated endeavor, more than a sweet and simple children's story, A Charlie Brown Christmas is a classic because it grants its diminutive protagonists some very adult sensibilities. When I was young, I was mesmerized by the Peanuts gang and their misadventures in tree hunting and play productions. But today, some twenty-eight years after it first captured my imagination, I feel even more attachment to its refreshing message and all-too-resonant observations. In an age when consumerism has become a religion, it's wonderful to watch something -- even a forty-five-year old cartoon -- that reminds us of the things we lost, forgot, or abandoned so long ago.
"I don't care. We'll decorate it and it'll be just right for our play. Besides, I think it needs me."
Despite its inherent shortcomings -- color fill fluctuations, moderate print damage, and somewhat inconsistent clarity -- I can safely say that A Charlie Brown Christmas has never looked better. Presented with a bold, relatively beautiful 1080p/VC-1 transfer, the 1965 television classic has been granted deeper blacks, more brilliant colors, crisper lines, and a more technically proficient image, all of which deserve serious praise. A quick comparison to the standard DVD reveals a wealth of upgrades. Detail is so strong that every imperfection, every errant brush stroke, and every quaint background blip is visible. Every artistic nuance of the production is, for better or worse, on full display. More importantly, artifacting, banding, and other digital nonsense is kept to a minimum, and the animation is given the opportunity to rise and fall on its own merits. Granted, the Blu-ray edition of A Charlie Brown Christmas doesn't boast the sort of high-dollar restoration a studio like Disney affords its beloved classics, but it also isn't the rushed holiday cash-in I was expecting.
A Charlie Brown Christmas arrives alongside Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!, and all three suffer strikingly similar sonic fates. Instead of offering lossless stereo mixes, Warner has simply repurposed the 192kbps Dolby Digital stereo tracks that appear on the animated specials' standard DVD counterparts. The tracks are passable and, considering their age and condition, altogether serviceable, but wavering music, at-times muffled voices, and background hiss are frequent issues. Though they'll undoubtedly earn a free pass from nostalgic fans focused on the cartoons' humble productions -- perhaps rightfully so -- I wanted more. A lossless stereo track, a more extensive audio restoration... something. Anything more than recycled mixes from previously released DVDs. No, its meager audio offering shouldn't prevent anyone from purchasing A Charlie Brown Christmas, but it certainly won't leave a lasting impression.
While short on lengthy content, the Blu-ray edition of A Charlie Brown Christmas nevertheless features a pair of high-quality extras. "A Christmas Miracle" (SD, 16 minutes) is an unexpectedly engrossing and extensive overview of the last-minute genesis of the project, the many challenges its creators faced (including a tight deadline), the decisions that made the special everything it is, and more. "It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown" (HD, 23 minutes) is a second Peanuts holiday special that appears to have been given the same solid, high definition overhaul as A Charlie Brown Christmas. Personally, I'd rather have two fantastic supplements than a slew of craptastic features (like those that litter the Blu-ray edition of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas). The set also includes a standard DVD and Digital Copy of the film, a nice touch for those who don't have Blu-ray players in their kids' rooms.
Unfortunately, Warner's packaging is problematic. Covered in glitter, the 2-disc set's cardboard slipcover leaves aggravating flecks of plastic everywhere. I'm sure it makes the case stand out on store shelves, but it's a practical nightmare. Ah well, it's easy to toss the slipcover aside -- just prepare to wash your hands.
Honestly, even if the Blu-ray edition of A Charlie Brown Christmas set me back forty bucks, I'd still pick up a copy. That being said, twenty dollars for twenty-five minutes is a stretch; a decision that will inevitably limit sales and, unfortunately, cause modern families to miss out on an unforgettable holiday classic. Sure, it helps that Warner's 2-disc release features an excellent video transfer, but its standard Dolby Digital audio track and its small (albeit satisfying) supplemental package won't convince frugal fans to fork over more cash. Price point aside, I can't help but recommend this one. If nothing else, drop it on your Wish List and wait for the cost to come down. Either way, make sure A Charlie Brown Christmas finds a home in your collection.
+ It's Christmas Time Again, Charlie Brown / It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown
1965
+ It's Christmas Time Again, Charlie Brown / It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown
1965
Peanuts Collection / + It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown / Exclusive Lenticular + Postcards
1965
Special Edition | A Charlie Brown Christmas / It’s Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown / It’s Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown
1965
Special Edition
1965
Iconic Moments
1965
1965
Peanuts Collection / + Mayflower Voyagers
1973
+ It's Magic, Charlie Brown / Charlie Brown's All-Stars
1966
Deluxe Edition
1964
Warner Archive Collection
1930-1969
1966
1989-2008
Donkey's Caroling Christmas-tacular
2010
2013
2011
2004
1999
Collector's Edition
2015
Deluxe Edition
1969
2018
Peanuts Collection
2011
2017
Warner Archive Collection
1940-1967
1970
2011
2007-2012