PEANUTS 1970'S COLLECTION - VOLUME ONE

I've spent my entire life getting really excited about Peanuts specials and then suffering through them in a state of disappointment, confusion, and boredom.  To this day I will brake for a Peanuts' special, but I can't say they're getting any better.  Somehow Charles Schulz managed to create a weird little universe populated by neurotic kids, unseen adults, and a dog with some sort of narcissistic personality complex.  And against all logic, we LOVE it.  Even when we can barely make it to the end of a cartoon, we LOVE it.  The Peanuts 1970's Collection is no exception.

This collection includes six specials from the 1970s.  "Play it Again, Charlie Brown" finds Lucy attempting to win over Schroeder by signing him up to play in a school concert.  Of course Schroeder thinks he'll be playing Beethoven, and is mortified, devastated, and disgusted to learn that it's a rock concert.  This does little to forward Lucy's cause, and guarantees that she'll be spending the rest of her life draped over his little piano, futilely vying for his attention.   This special is notable because the character's voices are jarringly different.  The unmistakable Pamelyn Ferdin voices Lucy herself, and the whole thing just feels wrong.

In "You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown", Charlie makes a failed run for student body president, and the kids lament the pressures of elementary school in "There's No Time for Love, Charlie Brown".  This oddly titled special finds the Peanuts gang taking a field trip to the art museum, but Charlie Brown, Sally, Marcie, and Peppermint Patty get confused and enter the supermarket instead.  What follows is a typically trippy Charlie Brown comedy of errors, and these spacey little kids spend half their time believing a stack of cans is some sort of pop art installation.  The classic "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" rounds out disc one, and despite the chronic "you're not invited" issues facing these children, everyone manages to have a nice feast on popcorn and toast.  This special is certainly one of the best, and holds up well from year to year.

"It's a Mystery, Charlie Brown" kicks off disc two, and allows us to spend lots of time with the adorable Woodstock as he tries to figure out who stole his nest.  He is assisted by a Snoopy Sherlock Holmes, and eventually we discover that the nest has been kyped by little Sally, who needed something science-y for show and tell.  Last, but not least, we have "It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown", a tedious and nerve-wracking tale of egg-dying gone awry.

The collection may leave you scratching your head for obvious reasons, but if you grew up in the 70s or 80s, it's still likely to be a nostalgic hit.

This collection includes a nifty, detailed fearturette on the creation of Snoopy's pal (and my favorite character) Woodstock.