I watched last evening, for the first time since I was a child ( in the 1990s, not 60s ) and I still loved it. Beautifully animated, with vivid colours, as Lucy and Linus begin chopping away at a pumpkin, beneath the glow of a deep red sun, oddly looking straight from a nuclear Holocaust, before Linus plants himself in his sincere pumpkin patch, waiting for his Halloween equivalent of Santa Claus, the titular Great Pumpkin. The music is a character in its own right Especially clever, in that it's not even remotely scary, but is still completely engaging as a Halloween story, without feeling watered down, or sanitised. It's childlike, but not childish. It's a very sweet and funny and clever story, and a good distraction from a chaotic day.

In 1950, cartoonist Charles Monroe Schulz created the well-known and timeless comic strip Peanuts, and the series became an essential part of pop culture. In 1965, animator Bill Melendez and television producer Lee Mendelson collaborated with Schulz to create the first ever animated cartoon based off the comic strip, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and it became such a success that the Peanuts name was becoming known in the media of animation as much as the media of newspaper comics. So naturally, they were told to create another blockbuster, and the result was the timeless classic It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown. I watch this film every October, and to this day, it never fails to impress me.Why is this still beloved? Well for one thing, the jokes, while simple, are hilarious, whether it be the great verbal jokes interacted by the Peanuts gang, the visual gags and pantomime done by Snoopy, or the famous "I got a rock" moment...need I say more? Not to mention, the special tackles Linus being obsessed with a spirit of a holiday that isn't even real without making him feel that he is wrong for having his own cherished beliefs, despite what others might say. Let's face it, we've all had things we've obsessed over that we never wanted to get rid of, making Linus the most relatable character in the entire special.The animation, while cheap, adds in to the simplistic charm of the Peanuts franchise, with the true highlight being the WWI flying ace scenes. Even though Peanuts was never originally meant for animation, Bill Melendez and his team of animators really embrace the artsy feel of France during the 1910s, and really recreate Snoopy as his own lovable alter ego. The characters in the special may come off as mean, but it's no more different as to how kids in real life would act, and even Sally who loves Linus had the right to call Linus out on his obsession. The voice-acting from child actors, while kinda stale at times, remains wonderfully authentic to how kids truly sound. Oh, and the music by Vince Guaraldi will always remain timeless.Well, October 2017 may be over, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy The Great Pumpkin anytime. In fact, why are you still reading this review? Go check it out now. You might gain back a moment of your childhood that you forgot about years ago, and will be thankful that you got it back.

A few stray observations about "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown": 1. Who actually hands out rocks on Beggar's Night? Or maybe these people know Charlie Brown's coming and harvest rocks just for him. That'd lend a sadistic edge to this story.2. Every year, maybe, just maybe, ol' Chuck *won't* fall for Lucy's football scam. I can't speak for anyone else, but I find myself thinking this every time.Either way, this special is essential to a good family Halloween, what with its wholesome message about believing in something. It's rewarding, no matter how many Octobers have passed. Combine this with Vince Guaraldi's first-rate score and an infusion of warm Fall colors, and this thing's a keeper.7/10

"It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" is a timeless animated family animated classic. This cute cartoon short is sure to please the kids (and a few adults) on Halloween.After recently re-watching this film short, I can't decide who I felt more sorry for Charlie Brown, who kept getting rocks instead of candy for Halloween treats, or Linus, who still did not see the Great Pumpkin rising out of the pumpkin patch... lol.If you or your kids have not seen this timeless Peanuts classic then you should give this short film a watch this Halloween season - it's sure to give you a few giggles.10/10