The ‘True Neutral’ of Halloween, I have no fond attachment to ‘It’s the great Pumpkin Charlie Brown’ it didn’t really air in my country, I didn’t grow up with it and I saw it for the first time 12 months ago and was kind of non plusses…and thats kind of where I was tonight.

The plot, revolving around Linus being derided for believing in a ‘Santa’ analogue called ‘The Great Pumpkin’ and waiting all night in a Pumpkin patch for his arrival while the other kids enjoy the Halloween festivities is a slow burn, but charming special that I didn’t entirely ‘Love’ but I can appreciate it for what it is I guess.

There are a half dozen decent jokes across the runtime, for the mid 60s it must have felt quite charming and refreshing. But this kind of slower paced, warm animation probably couldn’t be made today.

The animations find but a tad messy, the non HD copy I watched was a little ropey, but that absolutely helped the film along.

I can understand how people could have nostalgia or a fondness for this special, I’m a little lost as to how anyone could outright LOVE this. It’s a little too slow for its own good, but ultimately harmless…I’d watch it again, but I don’t think I’d go out of my way to make time for it.

source https://letterboxd.com/tytdreviews/film/its-the-great-pumpkin-charlie-brown/