tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post3964307697862644246..comments2024-03-05T21:05:36.848-05:00Comments on CommentaramaFilms: Halloween Special: The Great PumpkinAndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-36494326076137731642013-11-02T00:02:52.227-04:002013-11-02T00:02:52.227-04:00GypsyTyger, Calvin and Hobbes was fantastic. As a...GypsyTyger, Calvin and Hobbes was fantastic. As an aside, Watterson actually lives in Ohio.<br /><br />Bloom County was great for years.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-23094822416070106882013-11-01T23:58:42.558-04:002013-11-01T23:58:42.558-04:00I've never seen Calvin and Hobbes. The Cincinn...I've never seen Calvin and Hobbes. The Cincinnati Enquirer,which was the paper we got when I was growing up, never carried it. All hail Bloom County!<br />GypsyTygerAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-50106213088486790232013-11-01T16:24:51.906-04:002013-11-01T16:24:51.906-04:00KRS:
Yes, Schulz repeatedly said he WAS Charlie B...KRS:<br /><br />Yes, Schulz repeatedly said he WAS Charlie Brown. Bright kid, skipped not one but two grades from second to fourth grade, where he was not the smallest kid in class, eating his lunch alone on the bench, pining for the red haired girl, that he knew he would never be able to talk to. In high school he had some cartoons he had drawn for the yearbook, cut out at the last minute. PikeBishophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05761380937971970762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-73932078481626509612013-11-01T13:49:41.395-04:002013-11-01T13:49:41.395-04:00tryanmax, Excellent point! So perhaps the lesson ...tryanmax, Excellent point! So perhaps the lesson is that if you know what you are doing is right, just do it, and ignore(forgive) those are you who will try to drag you down at every opportunity?AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-73135056164573853562013-11-01T13:48:42.159-04:002013-11-01T13:48:42.159-04:00KRS, An excellent tribute. :) I suspect that the ...KRS, An excellent tribute. :) I suspect that the difference between the special and the comic strip is that Schultz probably had little to do with how the specials turned out. There are so many other people in the mix, and as we've seen time and again, when an author's book get made into a film, they change it -- even when the author is still involved.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-85031171129924413872013-11-01T13:45:22.029-04:002013-11-01T13:45:22.029-04:00Rob, Peanuts the comic strip definitely has a 1950...Rob, <i>Peanuts</i> the comic strip definitely has a 1950s feel to it, AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-1919605839247772032013-11-01T11:54:59.062-04:002013-11-01T11:54:59.062-04:00Thanks, Tryanmax!
And, holy cow, I just had a c...Thanks, Tryanmax! <br /><br />And, holy cow, I just had a childhood flashback of a neighborhood girl, Nancy, chasing me through the neighborhood and hitting me with a broom to the merriment of all the other kids. She was laughing at me the whole time, too. I could have taken it away from her, but my Dad had already trained me that there is never an excuse for fighting or even hitting a girl. So my only choice was to run home, with Nancy swatting me all the way.<br /><br />Good grief!<br /><br />KRSnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-21669431415956090042013-11-01T10:42:59.166-04:002013-11-01T10:42:59.166-04:00Here's the first Peanuts strip: LINK
I think ...Here's the first Peanuts strip: <a href="http://graphitefurnace.blogs.com/main/jan1001.JPG" rel="nofollow">LINK</a><br /><br />I think KRS and Rob Rice have pegged the whole idea of Charlie Brown. If there are any lessons to be taken, they are to be taken almost exclusively from Chuck and no other character. And he really does prove repeatedly to be the most competent of the gang. That does draw a special kind of contempt. If Chuck draws the question, "Why doesn't he just abandon them all?" it can only be answered with the question, "Why don't any of us?" tryanmaxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09881154741574720094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-56364205147050863682013-11-01T10:13:07.042-04:002013-11-01T10:13:07.042-04:00I'm throwing out my last salute to the Great C...I'm throwing out my last salute to the Great Charles Schultz.<br /><br />It's interesting that Calvin and Hobbes came up in this discussion. Bill Watterson gave life to Calvin's immagination - a very cool device. There was a lot of innovative thinking on Watterson's part that set him apart from his contemporaries.<br />So the comparison to Schultz is apt.<br /><br />I know Schultz broke a lot of "progressive" ground - having girls on the baseball team, strong - and sometimes violent - female characters. The introduction of black and Hispanic characters (I actually remember my shock as a boy when Franklin appeared - I was probably 7-8 years old).<br /><br />Charlie Brown is a character that could only have been created by a wounded boy and I'm betting Charles Schultz spent a lot of his childhood in his creation's shoes. I think that is were the darkness in the TV shows emerges and that there realy isn't any covert messaging or fadish cynicsm (fadish, because our greatest cynics are the ones who have the least about which to complain - the Baby Boomers). <br /><br />In the end, Charlie Brown does prevail over all obstacles; the strip must have made Schultz a multimillionare and the call signs for Apollo 10 were his characters.<br /><br />God rest his soul.KRSnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-20987927633009589772013-11-01T08:35:47.927-04:002013-11-01T08:35:47.927-04:00"Somone out there said he was going out on ha..."Somone out there said he was going out on halloween as Obamacare, but his costume wasn't ready. "<br /><br />It was Albert Brooks. Actual quote: "My Halloween costume won't be ready so I'm going as the health care site."<br /><br />I always liked that guy.<br /><br />KRSnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-76825236391404823942013-11-01T02:21:59.806-04:002013-11-01T02:21:59.806-04:00I just wish more people had seen 'The Hallowee...I just wish more people had seen 'The Halloween Tree' when I mentioned it in the 'Great Halloween Specials' thread. I had thought to watch for five minutes and spent the whole 90. <br /><br />Coming out of the Truman and Eisenhower eras, I think Shultz had an idea of a leader as quietly in charge and the universal scapegoat whenever things went wrong, no matter what the cats he was herding were up to. I can still remember a special where the gang shouted, 'LEAD US, CHARLIE BROWN, LEAD US!' as they drifted on an out of control raft helplessly down a river.<br /><br />My favorite special was the one where Charlie Brown bought an old, cheap, despised mini-bike that overcame every obstacle thrown in its path and outperformed the flashier devices. I own a 1970 Dart. It resonated.Rob S. Ricehttp://www.robricebooks.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-84568955735193990152013-10-31T23:29:08.129-04:002013-10-31T23:29:08.129-04:00Rustbelt, Interesting. I had no idea. I guess I&...Rustbelt, Interesting. I had no idea. I guess I'm in good company, even if it sounds a bit like he's saying this tongue in cheek. :)<br /><br />Happy Halloween!AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-26523779205745258262013-10-31T23:23:32.937-04:002013-10-31T23:23:32.937-04:00Btw, Happy Halloween everybody! Btw, Happy Halloween everybody! Rustbelthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12190297078043033514noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-87254259186055183522013-10-31T23:16:04.457-04:002013-10-31T23:16:04.457-04:00Andrew, I heard similar criticism of this special ...Andrew, I heard similar criticism of this special from a respected source. It seems Ray Bradbury so disliked this special that he wrote (and ultimately produced and narrated) "The Halloween Tree" as a counter-response to it. But don't take my word for it. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iEcGU1el9M" rel="nofollow">Here's</a> the man himself. Rustbelthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12190297078043033514noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-66431383509711121312013-10-31T22:47:15.484-04:002013-10-31T22:47:15.484-04:00KRS, LOL! And then he should have taken his half-...KRS, LOL! And then he should have taken his half-finished costume and had a breakdown every five minutes. :)<br /><br />Are you questioning Peppermint Patty's uh, sexuality? LOL!<br /><br />I agree about Charlie Brown. He perseveres and does his best. But to me, he's not actually the problem. It the way he's treated that bothers me.<br /><br />Good night and good luck in the pumpkin patch!AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-60246709676952046282013-10-31T22:33:17.690-04:002013-10-31T22:33:17.690-04:00AND Peppermint Patty thought Charlie Brown was gre...AND Peppermint Patty thought Charlie Brown was great and she was the coolest boy in the gang!<br /><br />Okay, I done. Off to bed in the pumpkin patch.KRSnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-21783036224229856112013-10-31T22:28:57.236-04:002013-10-31T22:28:57.236-04:00You know, for the Peanuts gang, Charlie was the go...You know, for the Peanuts gang, Charlie was the go-to guy to get anything done. Pitcher and manager of the team, director of the Christmas play. As much as they bust his chops, they all count on him in some way. He also keeps true to his principles through all trials. I think Shultz always meant Charlie Brown to be the example for all boys and men. I know he once said Linus was his spiritual self and Linus quotes the Bible in CBXmas.<br /><br />I think I can find a lot in these examples to inspire my kids.<br /><br />Btw, the punch line to the very first published Peanuts gag was, "I hate Charlie Brown."<br /><br />I'm going out and get me a yellow polo with a crooked black stripe.KRSnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-57613677211602149792013-10-31T22:20:24.905-04:002013-10-31T22:20:24.905-04:00Somone out there said he was going out on hallowee...Somone out there said he was going out on halloween as Obamacare, but his costume wasn't ready.KRSnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-8403041223487918922013-10-31T21:46:12.800-04:002013-10-31T21:46:12.800-04:00LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!! Bravo!LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!! Bravo!AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-69318148534152921332013-10-31T21:37:55.944-04:002013-10-31T21:37:55.944-04:00Sorry to hijack this thread, but I had to share th...Sorry to hijack this thread, but I had to share this: <br /><br />I love Halloween!<br /><br /> It's the one night a year when you can dress up and go around and give someone a really good scare.<br /><br /> I just got back from a productive night.<br /><br /> I went to the houses of Obama voters dressed like a job.PikeBishophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05761380937971970762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-22033243337036427542013-10-31T21:01:33.155-04:002013-10-31T21:01:33.155-04:00P.S. I have no idea how they let Charlie be pitche...P.S. I have no idea how they let Charlie be pitcher and manager (or either frankly), or why they would let him continue with his record. I always figured that none of the others could throw the ball so he was it by default.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-32430432683703265012013-10-31T20:59:52.528-04:002013-10-31T20:59:52.528-04:00KRS, I agree. The comic strip had a very differen...KRS, I agree. The comic strip had a very different tone than the specials and I don't get nearly the same cynical feeling from them (if any).<br /><br />I wonder if part of this is a matter of tone and part of it is the limited exposure in any one strip. Basically, when you see a strip, you get a very isolated look into their world and you can assign it whatever tone you want. Since it's apparently meant to be funny, presumably, we would fill in with something funny. But then the television specials filled all of that in for us, and they really took (in my opinion) a very depressed tone. I would bet that's part of it.<br /><br />That said, however, I have read the strip for years and I really don't get the same cynical feel from it that I do from the specials. I don't find it to be all that funny, but it doesn't strike me as particularly cruel or angry or depressed. By comparison, the television specials feel really dark to me.<br /><br />Maybe it was a function of the time period when it was made? I doubt that if they made <i>Peanuts</i> as a television show today that they would use jazz and minimalism... but for the late 1960s, early 1970s, it really did fit the age.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-11692087194227083832013-10-31T20:44:56.092-04:002013-10-31T20:44:56.092-04:00I think the books should be near center stage in t...I think the books should be near center stage in this discussion because much of the way we perceived the shows came from the extensive knowledge we had of each character going in. There were hardships - such as Lucy and the football - but also victories. The comic strip was clever and more upbeat.<br /><br />Keeping the adults out of it all is a critical feature of the strip and the reason they all sound like plastic trombones when they speak in the shows. I think Shultz would not have handled adults with the same flair as we see in Calvin and Hobbes, but Peanuts was innovative for its time.<br /><br />I'm not saying the strip didn't have cruel moments but the better side of the characters was well developed, and it was no more cruel than BC, Pvt Bailey, Andy Capp, etc. As a kid, I acquired and still have books from all these strips.<br /><br />Btw, Charlie Brown was the pitcher and manager of the baseball team. How did he accomplish that?KRSnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-4291186687478340212013-10-31T20:32:37.318-04:002013-10-31T20:32:37.318-04:00Scott, When I grew up, it was on every year on one...Scott, When I grew up, it was on every year on one of the big networks. So everyone watched it. I wonder if there is a generation difference actually since all the whippersnappers in this here country probably didn't see it as an event like we did.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-25234404769226509562013-10-31T19:39:10.169-04:002013-10-31T19:39:10.169-04:00Andrew, thinking about it part of it was back then...Andrew, thinking about it part of it was back then cartoons were meant to be funny and or voilent and Peanuts to me didn't fit either of those. Now days cartoons are just another form of story telling which can fit any genre of stories.<br /><br />Plus add in the facts that I only saw the show every now and then so it wasn't a regular thing for me like with other cartoons.<br /><br />Scott. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com