A documentary short detailing the making of the classic cartoon "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown," and the particular pressure the creative team felt after the massive success of its former creation, "A Charlie Brown Christmas."
Documentary on the making of the Peanuts Thanksgiving special.
For 50 years, Charles M. Schulz captivated and comforted millions with PEANUTS-his innovative daily chronicle of cruelty, hope, and heartbreak in the younger set. But unprecedented worldwide success did not quiet his own Charlie-Brown-style doubts. Instead, the outwardly mild-mannered Schulz relentlessly revisited the turbulent realities of his lost childhood in search of elusive answers.
Spike waves to a young woman driving a red pickup truck through the desert of Needles, California every day; it is the highlight of his day. In this combined animated and live-action special, we meet an aerobics instructor, Jenny, who wants to be a big city jazz dancer. She and Spike drive around looking at the desert scenery and spending some time at a roller rink. However, when Spike is accidentally thrown out of the skating rink he runs off and is pursued by people on a nighttime coyote hunt.
This documentary goes behind-the-scenes with Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz. This film paved the way for the future success of the Peanuts animated television specials, bringing together for the first time Schulz, animator Bill Melendez, producer Lee Mendelson, and composer Vince Guaraldi.