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A Charlie Brown Christmas

A Charlie Brown Christmas

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A Charlie Brown Christmas

A Charlie Brown Christmas

A Charlie Brown Christmas

1965

Comedy, Family/Kids

TV Special

25m

Repelled by the commercialism he sees around him, Charlie Brown tries to find the true meaning of Christmas. (imdb)

Directed by:

Writer:

Charles M. Schulz

Starring:

Peter Robbins, Christopher Shea, Sally Dryer, Kathy Steinberg, Ann Altieri, Tracy Stratford, Karen Mendelson, Geoffrey Ornstein, Chris Doran

Franchise:

Genres:

Comedy, Family/Kids, Animation

Country:

Language:

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A Charlie Brown Christmas

1965

Comedy, Family/Kids

TV Special

25m

Your probable score

Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer

Average Percentile: 66.54%

Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

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Average Percentile: 66.54%

09 Jul 2015

A timeless Christmas classic.

09 Jul 2015

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10 Jul 2008

I'm a sucker for this one, as it's a Christmas holiday tradition at my family's house (along with "A Christmas Story".) Heartwarming in that this-was-made-before-everyone-in-the-world-was-cynical kind of way. Even if you're not particularly religious (and my family isn't), it's hard not to appreciate the spirit of the story and Schulz' attempt to tease out the true meaning of Christmas from the "modern" commercialism that he saw taking over even 40 years ago. A brilliant score as well.

10 Jul 2008

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10 Feb 2008

I watch this every single year and it warms my heart every time. Oh, Charles Brown. And let's not underestimate the soundtrack, which is awesome.

10 Feb 2008

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26 Dec 2020

There's something oddly comforting and relieving to me about this holiday classic. Its moral ambiguity, anti-commercialism stance, and melancholy help a lot of people (including myself) get their voices heard in a season that can so often be about distraction and manufactured joy. In the middle of it all, though, is a message of redemption and resurrection of the existential sadness that can affect the human spirit so easily and readily. And all of this happens in less than half an hour.

26 Dec 2020

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26 Jul 2009

Meh, I found it boring, preachy and badly animated. Some stuff near the beginning is good but it goes downhill.

26 Jul 2009

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28 Feb 2008

Good movie. My favorite Christmas short. The Linus speech is pretty good. And Snoopy does a good job decorating his house.

28 Feb 2008

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13 Aug 2007

The standard against which all Christmas animation sould be judged. End of story.

13 Aug 2007

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13 Aug 2007

My favorite Charlie Brown cartoon. I watch it every year it's on t.v. It never gets old and is an essential holiday film.

13 Aug 2007

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24 Jan 2016

Simply the best Christmas movie of all time.

24 Jan 2016

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28 Apr 2011

My all-time favorite Christmas special. Feels so unique in how honest, thoughtful and intelligent it is.

28 Apr 2011

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08 Jan 2011

Though I was never a fan of the Peanuts comic strip A Charlie Brown Christmas seems to be more and more relevant with each passing year. Sure it's a bit ham-fisted in it's meaning and the directly stated Christian over-tones date this animation quite a bit but ultimately it can still be watched and appreciated for the fact that Christmas can be about more than just physical accumulation of goods.

08 Jan 2011

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14 Dec 2010

Magnificent. The simplicity of this film conceals its power. Schultz's narrative focuses attention on two things: the rampant commercialism of the season and the true meaning of Christmas. He handles the former with a deft touch and much humor, but it's the latter that is so striking. In a simple shot of Linus on stage, Schultz has his character simply recite Luke 2. No fanfare. No special graphics. As a contrast to what's come before, it works exceedingly well.

14 Dec 2010

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04 May 2010

What else is there to say - best Christmas Special Ever!

04 May 2010

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14 Jan 2010

The true meaning of Christmas (the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ) truly shines through. A true Christmas classic.

14 Jan 2010

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15 Mar 2009

Great Christmas film, the best to watch if you don't want it to take up your entire evening.

15 Mar 2009

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24 Feb 2009

Charlie is depressed, Lucy makes him the director of the play to cheer him up, he is then depressed that no one will listen to him because they are busy having fun and he isn't, gets a bad tree and then is depressed when no one likes it, Linus tells everyone the real meaning of Christmas, Charlie goes home and tries to spruce up tree doesn't work, everyone uses Snoppy's decorations stripped from his house he worked hard on to finally fix it. Moral, bitch enough and others will make you happy.

24 Feb 2009

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23 Dec 2008

Yeah, I celebrate chanuka but some of these short films carry a real message and are quite enjoyable. I finally know where that song from "Arrested Development" comes from :).

23 Dec 2008

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13 Dec 2008

The definitive Peanuts cartoon, & the definitive Christmas animated feature. For me personally, the Christmas season simply has not arrived until I have seen this. Enough said.

13 Dec 2008

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03 Oct 2008

Classic this nice animation. Simple and captivating. Today is not child-quality animation like this.

03 Oct 2008

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08 May 2008

How can you not love this?

08 May 2008

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16 Mar 2008

I've always found it kind of hypocritical that the story's about the overcommercialization of Christmas, and yet this is one of the most overcommercialized Christmas specials out there.

16 Mar 2008

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21 Jan 2008

The soundtrack alone puts it up there, but otherwise it's charming and something nice to watch with the family at or around Christmas.

21 Jan 2008

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12 Nov 2007

You just can't go wrong with Charlie Brown and the Gang.

12 Nov 2007

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05 Oct 2007

Childhood nostalgia.

05 Oct 2007

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25 Sep 2007

Offering the only real competition to the Grinch as greatest holiday-season special.

25 Sep 2007

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26 Aug 2007

I LOVED this. My favorite is the sad tree Charlie Brown gets. I talked my father into getting a rejected last tree at a treestand on Christmas Eve solely because of this film.

26 Aug 2007

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13 Aug 2007

A fantastic film for the holidays.

13 Aug 2007

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07 Dec 2023

It was genuinely great up until the Christian propaganda showed up.

07 Dec 2023

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21 Jul 2023

don't remember it

21 Jul 2023

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15 Aug 2022

Torn on this one. It's a nostalgic childhood favorite, but also it really pushes religion. Not as noticeable back in the day when I was being raised in said religion and also being raised severely ignorant of the real world. Now, in my adulthood, and these days, while most of it is charming the religious interlude is grating, uncomfortable and unwelcome.

15 Aug 2022

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11 Aug 2022

True timeless classic. I try to watch it every year.

11 Aug 2022

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16 May 2022

The plot + writing - 9 The acting - 9 The entertainment value - 10 The look - 10

16 May 2022

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25 Dec 2021

Even in 1965, people were appalled by the over-commercialization of Christmas in America. It has never changed. That's pretty sad, but this is still a neat special. Charmingly animated, with a timelessly catchy score and the most adorable little tree ever committed to animation.

25 Dec 2021

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26 Dec 2020

Jazz makes everything better. Except hands.

26 Dec 2020

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25 Dec 2020

Recently rewatched this, and while there's a lot of good moments, I was struck by how tonally and thematically inconsistent it is. Charlie Brown directing a play has little to do with looking for a good Christmas tree, which doesn't have much to do with trying to find the true meaning of Christmas. Plus, it's more cynical than I remembered, and more "put the Christ back in Christmas"-y. The individual moments still work well, mind you, and I had a good time - it's just funny how memory betrays.

25 Dec 2020

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06 Dec 2020

Seen: 3+.

06 Dec 2020

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23 Dec 2019

they somehow nailed all the tone and timing and pacing in this. when linus calls for the lights and gives his little speech it's like all the tension just goes away, then after that it's chill, great ending, many of the jokes still slay. just a perfectly crafted little thing.

23 Dec 2019

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25 Nov 2019

Charlie Brown's tree has three sparse boughs on it, yet somehow, at the end, it turns into a tree worthy of Rockefeller Center. WTF were they smoking at that afterparty?

25 Nov 2019

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20 Dec 2018

rvw. it's not consistently that good but seeing them is

20 Dec 2018

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10 Dec 2018

Charlie Brown: "I just don't understand Christmas, I guess. I like getting presents and sending Christmas cards and decorating trees and all that, but I'm still not happy. I always end up feeling depressed."

10 Dec 2018

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27 Dec 2017

A heartwarming Christmas story. Who would have thought that the commercialisation was present in the '60s! The message of the short is absolutely up-to-date. Even though it's aimed for kids and has its cringe moments, I'd still show it to people who can't appreciate the Christmas spirit and joy. On the side note, it's funny to see credits which aren't written with capital letters - almost 50 years before it was cool.

27 Dec 2017

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24 Dec 2017

Old school Christmas classic.

24 Dec 2017

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22 Dec 2017

One of my favorite Christmas specials. Re-watching it as an adult I realized how simple this show is. I was always expecting a bit more than it gives, but what it gives is satisfying. It's interesting that of the popular holiday specials, this is really the only one that connects Christmas to the birth of Christ even though it is over 50 years old. The music, the message, and the slow, thoughtful style all come together for something special.

22 Dec 2017

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18 Jan 2017

The soundtrack is one of my favorite albums and the movie itself is so nostalgic. I know it's in the suburbs, but Charlie Brown just screams Manhattan to me. With all of his neuroses and idiosyncrasies, Charlie Brown is like a mini Woody Allen for kids. If you haven't, see this movie. It's timeless.

18 Jan 2017

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07 May 2015

A kid who isn't looking forward to christmas, how cute can you get. While Peanuts tv specials and films improved later on, this is still warm and sweet. There's the religious speech, but it's nicely enough presented as pov of one of the characters.

07 May 2015

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24 Dec 2014

Beautiful, quiet, astonishing.

24 Dec 2014

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04 Jul 2014

I'm an atheist and this movie still gives me a warm feeling at Christmastime.

04 Jul 2014

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03 Apr 2014

Classic Christmas film starring the Peanuts.

03 Apr 2014

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24 Dec 2013

Jesus was born and then died for our sins, y'all. I was never big on Peanuts except for Snoopy and Woodstock, who are undeniably great. I have a Woodstock shirt, actually.

24 Dec 2013

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22 Dec 2013

I love Charlie Brown.He's My favorite.

22 Dec 2013

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13 Sep 2013

A melancholy classic.

13 Sep 2013

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08 Apr 2013

Dated, but charming. The music is fantastic.

08 Apr 2013

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15 Jun 2012

Beautiful, even now

15 Jun 2012

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19 May 2012

It is what it is.

19 May 2012

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24 Jan 2012

Why are you reading this review? Either you know how fantastic it is, or you should close up Criticker and go watch it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgsznmPlJOo

24 Jan 2012

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20 Nov 2011

A charming little Christmas TV classic. There's something about the music, the characters, and the thought put into this is that's simply heartwarming.

20 Nov 2011

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26 Oct 2011

Infinite rewatches through childhood. Beautifully melancholic. Gets a lot out of a little.

26 Oct 2011

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07 Jun 2011

A true classic.

07 Jun 2011

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20 Jan 2011

A Christmas Classic.

20 Jan 2011

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17 Dec 2010

A classic, solid effort at rooting out the meaning of Christmas. Given its characters and scope, it's probably best that it stays polarized in its portrayal of the Christmas spirit. Schultz's view of commercialism has an intriguingly dystopian edge that I appreciate. Great music, supporting an underlying theme: having fun with other people is Good. Side note: I feel like half of Woody Allen's oeuvre is basically the Peanuts translated into Judaism.

17 Dec 2010

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09 Oct 2010

Another endearing piece of my childhood. That poor sad sack Christmas tree. Brilliant.

09 Oct 2010

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30 Jul 2010

Of cultural importance.

30 Jul 2010

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25 May 2010

Another perfect family holiday film, no matter how old I get!

25 May 2010

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07 May 2010

Perfection. Is there any kid cuter than Linus?

07 May 2010

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20 Feb 2010

Velcro feels good, yeah maybe, IN ITS SLEEP

20 Feb 2010

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14 Dec 2009

Simplistic animation and very american - I wanted to like it but found it a bit dull. Probably best if mixed in with a healthy bit of nostalgia and Pavlovian conditioning from childhood christmas celebrations

14 Dec 2009

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18 Sep 2009

beautiful score

18 Sep 2009

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26 Jul 2009

Classic. Wonderful. Animation values not high. Christmas values appropriate.

26 Jul 2009

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15 Jul 2009

Classic soundtrack, good message.

15 Jul 2009

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25 Jun 2009

Great Soundtrack!

25 Jun 2009

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06 Apr 2009

The moral of this story: be original! Best moral of a story I can remember for a long damn time better than all that golden rule shit.

06 Apr 2009

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02 Jan 2009

A perfect visual translation of Schulz's style and an indispensable piece of American pop culture. Great soundtrack too. The secularist in me balks a bit at the Christmas=Jesus hardlining.

02 Jan 2009

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15 Nov 2008

The music playing when he picks out the tree makes me cry.

15 Nov 2008

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02 Sep 2008

"Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown!!"

02 Sep 2008

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20 Jul 2008

a true christmas classic.

20 Jul 2008

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01 Jun 2008

it's not that the movie is great, it's because of vince guaraldi's genius as a composer. the story here is about at good as schulz can write, and will appeal to anyone born within forty years afterward.

01 Jun 2008

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01 May 2008

You cannot mess with classics, top notch.

01 May 2008

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08 Mar 2008

Cool.

08 Mar 2008

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11 Feb 2008

How can you NOT give this high ratings? You grew up with it, you can recite it word for word, and you quote it as often as the most popular movies. It has no violence, no harsh language, no adults, and a touching moral. Grab a nice crunchy dog bone, decorate your tree and house, and enjoy this classic. Also, the soundtrack from this one is the ultimate X-mas party CD--a must own!

11 Feb 2008

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13 Jan 2008

I shouldn't like it but I did. Quite fun and although it hits you with a fairly unsubtle message, its a message we could all do to hear.

13 Jan 2008

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12 Jan 2008

Man, I love Charlie Brown. Shit is gold. Classic Christmas animation, right here.

12 Jan 2008

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20 Sep 2007

This is probably one of my favorite Christmas movies. It really captures what Christmas means to me.

20 Sep 2007

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13 Aug 2007

Classic Christmas special, almost required viewing each December.

13 Aug 2007

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24 Jun 2007

The video that recuts this footage to Outkast's "Hey Ya" is a HELL of a lot better

24 Jun 2007

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19 Jun 2007

Funny, entertaining, and surprisingly meaningful. I was never big on Peanuts as a comic strip but the Charlie Brown shorts were awesome.

19 Jun 2007

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05 Jun 2007

This is possibly the best of the incredibly lovable Peanuts films. The music is memorable and the characters are some of the best that the world of comic strips has to offer. Really good!

05 Jun 2007

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08 Jan 2007

The best peanuts and the best animated christmas short special. Uplifting and heartwarming.

08 Jan 2007

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02 Jan 2007

Em honra de Peter Robbins (1956 - 2002). Nada melhor do que passar o aniversário num binge de Peanuts em honra do menino que fez a voz do Charlie Brown nos anos 60. Não há nada para não amar aqui, como usual na dobradinha Schulz/Melendez. BlurayRip CiNEFiLE.

02 Jan 2007

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Cast & Info

Directed by:

Writer:

Charles M. Schulz

Starring:

Peter Robbins, Christopher Shea, Sally Dryer, Kathy Steinberg, Ann Altieri, Tracy Stratford, Karen Mendelson, Geoffrey Ornstein, Chris Doran

Franchise:

Genres:

Comedy, Family/Kids, Animation

Country:

Language:

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