It's The Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown

Rating:
Summary: A classic, enjoyable Peanuts special
Review: "Easter Beagle" is one of the classic Peanuts TVspecials, and still makes for fun viewing, even more than a quartercentury after its first broadcast. Although the Easter theme seems a bit tenuous at points, we and our kids enjoy watching the Peanuts gang's antics. Indeed, some of the "surreal" bits (such as the dancing in the department store) are some of the kids' favorite scenes. And Peppermint Patty's repeated "AAAAAAUUGH!" at Marcie's various egg-cooking mistakes never fails to throw our 6-year-old into the giggles. END

Rating:
Summary: Not the Best, But Still a True Cartoon Classic!
Review: Although not as good as the later Peanuts specials and movies (The timing in these earlier Peanuts shows is almost non-existant ... one of many examples: Marcie screws up; Peppermint Patty stares at her for five seconds before screaming), IT'S THE EASTER BEAGLE, CHARLIE BROWN is still a true animated classic. The scenes between Marcie & Peppermint Patty are priceless, and the whole thing with Woodstock's birdhouse is hilarious!

Programs like these are constant reminders of why we love cartoons in the first place, in that they help us to escape the real world. While a number of strips have accomplished just that, in the category of Sunday comics that have appeared on television, Peanuts is the reigning champion.

Rating:
Summary: Not the Best, But Still a True Cartoon Classic!
Review: Although not as good as the later Peanuts specials and movies (The timing in these earlier Peanuts shows is almost non-existant ... one of many examples: Marcie screws up; Peppermint Patty stares at her for five seconds before screaming), IT'S THE EASTER BEAGLE, CHARLIE BROWN is still a true animated classic. The scenes between Marcie & Peppermint Patty are priceless, and the whole thing with Woodstock's birdhouse is hilarious!

Programs like these are constant reminders of why we love cartoons in the first place, in that they help us to escape the real world. While a number of strips have accomplished just that, in the category of Sunday comics that have appeared on television, Peanuts is the reigning champion.

Rating:
Summary: A great back-up, an okay feature...
Review: As much as I love Peanuts, I have to say, the 'Easter Beagle' cartoon wasn't one of the strongest ones. While Peppermint Patty is frustrated with trying to teach the conventions of the holiday to Marcie, Linus insists that the Easter Beagle will save the day. The story feels like a hodgepodge of elements form other 'Peanuts' cartoons -- Linus's confusion about holiday icons smacks of 'It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown' (the twist being that this time, he's right), while Patty and Marcie's kitchen mishaps remind me of the fiasco in 'A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.'

It's still 'Peanuts,' so it's still warm and funny, but it's not one of the best.

Oddly enough the back-up cartoon on this DVD IS one of the best. 'It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown' starts out with a explanation of one of the most superfluous holidays imaginable and turns into a hysterical, well-written and wonderfully entertaining story about Charlie Brown's frequent baseball tribulations. His own team seems out to sabotage him this time, turning his baseball diamond into a garden, right down to the tree in the middle of his pitcher's mound. It's almost as good as 'Peanuts' gets.

Rating:
Summary: The Best Peanuts movie I've ever seen!
Review: As much as I love Peanuts, I have to say, the �Easter Beagle� cartoon wasn�t one of the strongest ones. While Peppermint Patty is frustrated with trying to teach the conventions of the holiday to Marcie, Linus insists that the Easter Beagle will save the day. The story feels like a hodgepodge of elements form other �Peanuts� cartoons -- Linus�s confusion about holiday icons smacks of �It�s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown� (the twist being that this time, he�s right), while Patty and Marcie�s kitchen mishaps remind me of the fiasco in �A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.�

It�s still �Peanuts,� so it�s still warm and funny, but it�s not one of the best.

Oddly enough the back-up cartoon on this DVD IS one of the best. �It�s Arbor Day, Charlie Brown� starts out with a explanation of one of the most superfluous holidays imaginable and turns into a hysterical, well-written and wonderfully entertaining story about Charlie Brown�s frequent baseball tribulations. His own team seems out to sabotage him this time, turning his baseball diamond into a garden, right down to the tree in the middle of his pitcher�s mound. It�s almost as good as �Peanuts� gets.

Rating:
Summary: "Something's funny about this 'bunny'"
Review: Characters:
Charlie Brown
Sally
Linus Van Pelt
Lucy Van Pelt
Schroeder
Peppermint Patty
Marcie
Snoopy
Woodstock
In this Easter Special, it shows naive Marcie trying to cook eggs to color, but she doesn't know how. Snoopy does a lot of dancing, and Lucy says, "It's the gift getting season!" Snoopy buys a house for Woodstock, and Linus preaches his belief in "The Easter Beagle".

Rating:
Summary: I think this movie is awesome!
Review: Don't believe the "bad press!" I think this mini-movie is hysterical. Woodstock's "groovy pad" is the ultimate. And you can't help but love the fact that you end up wanting to smack Marcy for being so dense. My friends and I (average age - 25) love "It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown." I definitely recommend it for any Peanuts fan.

Rating:
Summary: More Holiday Fun with the Peanuts Gang
Review: Easter's coming, and the gang is trying to get ready for it in different ways. Sally wants a new pair of shoes. Peppermint Patty is trying to teach Marcy how to color eggs. Snoopy wants to do a good deed for Woodstock. Charlie Brown is upset by the site of Christmas pre-sales at the local department store. And Linus is telling everyone about the Easter Beagle who rises up on Easter morning to give eggs to all the children. Will this familiar sounding tale have the same outcome as the Great Pumpkin?

This disc's bonus feature is "It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown." Sally has to give a report on this obscure holiday, and it gets the gang in the mood to participate. As a surprise to Charlie Brown, his baseball team decides to spruce up the baseball field will all kinds of new plants with surprising and humorous results.

Once again, I've never seen these two specials before getting this disc yet was utterly charmed by them both. While I was a little surprised and disappointed that the Easter one didn't reference the Biblical story ala A Charlie Brown Christmas, that's a minor point. I loved every minute of Arbor Day. It's a more coherent story and has some classic moments. Plus I learned a little more about this holiday. (I confess, my knowledge was about like Sally's at the beginning, so anything was better then nothing.)

If you've bought other Peanuts DVD's you know exactly what to expect here. The picture and sound quality are good, but there aren't any extras.

While extras would be nice, these discs are certainly fun the way they are. Any Peanuts fan will want this disc to continue their collection of these holiday classics.

Rating:
Summary: More Holiday Fun with the Peanuts Gang
Review: Easter's coming, and the gang is trying to get ready for it in different ways. Sally wants a new pair of shoes. Peppermint Patty is trying to teach Marcy how to color eggs. Snoopy wants to do a good deed for Woodstock. Charlie Brown is upset by the site of Christmas pre-sales at the local department store. And Linus is telling everyone about the Easter Beagle who rises up on Easter morning to give eggs to all the children. Will this familiar sounding tale have the same outcome as the Great Pumpkin?

This disc's bonus feature is "It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown." Sally has to give a report on this obscure holiday, and it gets the gang in the mood to participate. As a surprise to Charlie Brown, his baseball team decides to spruce up the baseball field will all kinds of new plants with surprising and humorous results.

Once again, I've never seen these two specials before getting this disc yet was utterly charmed by them both. While I was a little surprised and disappointed that the Easter one didn't reference the Biblical story ala A Charlie Brown Christmas, that's a minor point. I loved every minute of Arbor Day. It's a more coherent story and has some classic moments. Plus I learned a little more about this holiday. (I confess, my knowledge was about like Sally's at the beginning, so anything was better then nothing.)

If you've bought other Peanuts DVD's you know exactly what to expect here. The picture and sound quality are good, but there aren't any extras.

While extras would be nice, these discs are certainly fun the way they are. Any Peanuts fan will want this disc to continue their collection of these holiday classics.

Rating:
Summary: Springtime is here....
Review: Even cynical Lucy van Pelt can't help liking this...especially since she's got the starring role! Just kidding. Oops! Don't slug me, Lucy!

The scene in which the mall already has Christmas decorations fits perfectly with the over-commercialization of Christmas addressed in "A Charlie Brown Christmas." And this was 1974 before department stores refused to say Merry Christmas.

There isn't much mention of Jesus Christ that I recall considering Linus' recitation during the Christmas special. Easter is the celebration of the Resurrection. That said, this is still a classic.