by Jake Bourgeois, Contributing Writer
I’ve always had a soft spot for animation. More years than not, at least a couple of animated features find their way onto my top 10 list. So, I’m setting out to shine a light on some films that may have passed you by. The idea here is to take a look at some underseen gems — so no Toy Story or Frozen here.
Let’s get started.
When I started this series, I expected there to be surprises. I looked forward to discovering new films that I had never heard of. However, this month presented a surprise of a different nature.
As alluded to at the conclusion of last month’s entry, I didn’t have an August selection in my mind and as the calendar turned, I still didn’t have something for this month. In turning to my fellow SiftPop writers, The Peanuts Movie was thrown out as being underseen. I thought, “Surely not,” but was surprised to find that does appear to be the case. (So thanks, Mike.) There’s a viewership cliff in the Blue Sky catalogue of films and (apparently) Charlie Brown and the gang find themselves on the wrong side of the drop. To put it in perspective, on the lowest end of the studio’s most-seen films, nearly three times as many people on Letterboxd have seen Ice Age: Continental Drift as The Peanuts Movie. It seems unfathomable for a franchise that was — and still is — a part of childhoods across the country. The Peanuts holiday specials are pop culture Hall of Famers.
Having said that, when I walked in to the theater back in 2015, I was expecting a charming time, but I was by no means a Peanuts superfan. I’d seen a few of the holiday specials and was obviously familiar with the characters, but not nearly as into the franchise as the hardcore fans. So. I was surprised that I had an earsplitting smile on my face from start to finish. It still sticks out in my mind as one of the most joy-inducing theater experiences I’ve had. Ever.
Revisiting the film six years later, it’s still got charm in spades. The basic story follows Charlie Brown as he tries to impress the new girl in class, The Little Red-Haired Girl. When so many modern remakes miss the boat, this one got basically everything right. For fans of classic Peanuts fare, there’s a sprinkling of callbacks with lines and Snoopy’s most famous storyline — his rivalry with the Red Baron. However, it’s not overdone and the film doesn’t just solely rely on nostalgia.
There are also some new wrinkles. The most obvious is the updated 3D animation — minus some nice, brief forays into 2D. Though while the animation gets an added dimension from its traditional 2D format, there are definitely touches in how the characters are animated that make them feel very much in line with the characters we know and love. There’s also plenty of detail and time put into the new look. Everything is rendered well. Even when the film inserts some modern pop songs alongside classic Peanuts melodies, it’s in a dance scene where it fits.
There are a couple of advantages this film has over some other animated reboots. When it comes to characters like Snoopy and Woodstock, there’s no dialogue needed. So the production was able to use archived sounds from their original voice actor, Bill Melendez, even though he passed away in 2008. With the animation department nailing the mannerisms, nothing feels out of place. Snoopy, as is often the case, steals the show. Even for the rest of the gang, the cast (including Stranger Things’ Noah Schnapp) do their job matching the voices.
Nothing distracts the audience. There’s no stunt casting where you see the actor providing the voice in place of the character. By keeping things simple in terms of story and not trying anything detrimental like, oh, I don’t know, putting the characters in a live-action setting, the film is able to take advantage of that built-in familiarity people have with the characters for a positive film experience.
Thanks to the wonder of corporate synergy, the film is now available on Disney+. If your (well-earned) skepticism of another updated animated classic kept you from checking this one out initially, give it a shot. If you’re a fan of the Peanuts, you’d be hard-pressed to come away disappointed.
I’m excited to continue to geek out on some great animated work you may not have had a chance to catch. The animated pickings look slim again next month. So, there may be no rhyme or reason for the next pick. Regardless, thanks for reading and I’ll see you at next month’s celebration.
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