Curiously packaged as a special feature, 1976's It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown could have had its own release on DVD, but instead, as with the 2003 DVD release, it is included with It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown. This Peanuts special is an informative and entertaining look at Arbor Day, and it is also the last special to feature the original music of Vince Guaraldi, who died shortly after completing the soundtrack.
The plot of It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown revolves around Sally's Arbor Day school report, which results in her being inspired to plant trees. Lucy cleverly convinces Sally and Linus that they should plant in Charlie Brown's baseball field. Hilarity ensues when Charlie Brown and Peppermint Patty find their teams squaring off in a baseball field that better resembles an English garden. One of my favorite exchanges between the characters on this DVD occurs in this special:
Peppermint Patty: "You know what I don't understand, Chuck. I don't understand love."
Charlie Brown: "Who does?"
Peppermint Patty: "Explain love to me, Chuck."
Charlie Brown: "I can recommend a book or a painting or a song or a poem, but I can't explain love."
Some have criticized It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown for using a relatively obscure holiday for the storyline, but I found myself enjoying it more than It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown. The special conveys information about Arbor Day without being too preachy or pedantic, which warms my librarian heart. The pacing is a little faster, and there are fewer non-plot interludes than in the main feature, which a modern audience will find more appealing.
It's Easter, and if you haven't already had your holiday dose of Peanuts cheer, pick up a copy of the newly remastered It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown. It will go well with the new high-def TV you bought for Christmas.
.jpg?t=20120527181101)
Article comments