"It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown" is an American animated short film from 1969, so this one will soon have its 50th anniversary. The title already gives away that this is another Peanuts work by Melendez and Schulz of course, one of the earlier films obviously. The voice cast members here are all around the age of 60 now, slightly under for the most part. The animation style is typical for the Peanuts and this one here does not focus on a particular holiday, but on summer in general as one of the gang registered everybody for summer camp. No need to thank her! So for the most part of these 24 minutes we see boys vs. girls contests and discussions at summer camp. I have seen many Peanuts films, but this one here really doesn't do too much for me and it is nowhere near my favorites. So only watch it if you love the gang or at least like them more than I do. I thought it was on the boring side and the usual sobering melancholy is also not at the highest level admittedly in this one. It is definitely not a failure, but my advice is still to skip it.

Sixth animated special based on the cartoon strips of Charles M. Schulz deals with Charlie Brown's attempts to write a report on what he did this past summer, and Charlie tells how Lucy signed everyone up for summer camp, where it was the boys against the girls, and the girls won every time, until the last match, which was an arm-wrestling competition between Lucy and the Masked Marvel(Snoopy) that ends quite unexpectedly, but decisively. The problem still remains if poor talentless Charlie Brown can still get a good grade on his report! OK tale is mostly routine until the bright finish with the Masked Marvel. The last one aired during the 1960's.

One of the lesser known of the "Charlie Brown" shorts, but that doesn't make this story a bad one. In fact, it's downright entertaining and funny. This episode centers around the gang attending a Summer camp. While there a "boys vs. girls" series of competitions take place. The boys find new and interesting ways to loose to the girls and try to find a way they can win....just once...to save face. Enter the "Masked Marvel" (aka Snoopy). Do the boys finally get a win? You decide. Nothing serious in this special at all....it's all fun and (one sided) games. Be sure to catch the over the top and completely hilarious arm wrestling match between Snoopy and Lucy.

The one where Snoopy, dressed as the Masked Marvel, would arm wrestle Lucy at the end, while the infamously recognizeable Peanuts music (actually called Linus and Lucy's theme) played over the competition.What a fight. Lucy and Snoopy both sweated profusely, gritted their teeth, hair became ragged. Intense.I have just now seen Charlie Brown All Stars, the second of all the Charlie Brown specials, for the first time in who knows how many decades.I remembered that story more for the storybook that we could buy from the book store in the school library.I have since seen this camping episode in the past couple of years. I daresay I think my brother may have it recorded.But it was that arm wrestling match that was the coup de grace.Nothing like it ever seen for this kid.Oh, the outcome? Snoopy kissed Lucy, the music came to an end, and Lucy flew into one of the fiercest rages I have ever seen."Foul! Foul! I've got dog germs! I won! I won!" This has reigned with me ever since. Talk about poor sportsmanship.Or winning isn't everything if it brings about this behavior.charlie Brown, you never won, but trust me, kid, you were always the winner.