Though it had the usual "Created and written by Charles M. Schulz" credit, this was the first animated special made after Sparky's death in 2000. It was also the second concerning Valentine's day and as such, there isn't the depressing vibe the first one had. In this one, Charlie Brown spends most of his time pining for The Little Red-Haired Girl who is usually an unseen character. But this one has her in a couple of scenes. Unlike the last one, Peppermint Patty and Marcie are also present both of whom think Charlie likes them and get disappointed when they find out otherwise. Add in Lucy still trying to get Schroeder's attention and Sally's ignoring her "Sweet Baboo's" protests of her love declarations and you have a pretty funny show lovingly directed, as usual, by Bill Melendez. But compared to the last Valentine one, it's not as effective...
15 Reviews
Another fun and amusing Peanuts TV special
Woodyanders10 February 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Valentine's Day with the Peanuts gang: Charlie Brown tries to muster up the courage to ask the little red-haired girl to the school dance, Lucy demands kisses and chocolates from Schroeder, Sally wants to make Linus her sweet baboo, Snoopy writes bad poetry, Marcie grapples with her crush on Charlie Brown, and Peppermint Patty wants Charlie Brown to take her as his date to the dance. Once again, this show offers Charles M. Schulz's trademark engaging blend of sharp humor (Snoopy's terrible stabs at poetry in particular are hilariously awful), well-defined characters, and bittersweet pathos (poor wishy-washy Charlie Brown's continual struggle with his low self-esteem and faltering attempts at getting the little red-haired girl to notice him are both funny and touching). The climactic dance is a total hoot, with Snoopy wooing all the ladies and even stealing the last dance with the little red-haired girl away from Charlie Brown. Linus' obdurate refusal to be Sally's sweet baboo likewise provides some good laughs and it's always a riot to see Lucy hitting on the blithely oblivious Schroeder. David Benoit supplies a nifty and lively revamp of Vince Guaraldi's classic theme music. Worth a watch for Peanuts fans.
Poor Charlie Brown
SnoopyStyle13 February 2015
It's Valentine's Day. Charlie Brown pines to be the little red-haired girl's valentine. He doesn't even have the courage to rescue her from a bully. Peppermint Patty also wants a Valentine. She sends one to Charlie Brown. Marcie also wonders if Charlie Brown likes her. Lucy is willing to settle for kisses and a hug from Schroeder. Sally wants Linus to be her sweet baboo no matter what he actually wants.
There is something hilarious about the pathetic Charlie Brown. Poor Charlie Brown! It's also his essence. It's just simply funny. I like both Marcie and Peppermint Patty in this. They are a favorite duo of mine. Snoopy has a funny bit putting on a red wig but this is all Charlie Brown. He is completely hopeless and completely funny.
There is something hilarious about the pathetic Charlie Brown. Poor Charlie Brown! It's also his essence. It's just simply funny. I like both Marcie and Peppermint Patty in this. They are a favorite duo of mine. Snoopy has a funny bit putting on a red wig but this is all Charlie Brown. He is completely hopeless and completely funny.
The most recent Charlie Brown special
kenny_c_hueholt14 February 2002
This special premiered tonight and I really enjoyed it. A lot of classic Peanuts strips were put into animation. Though this was probably the first Peanuts special produced after the death of Charles Schulz it still had the same classic animation and humor as the others. They even showed the Little Red Haired Girl dancing with Snoopy. One thing I've noticed though is that a lot of things are drawn the way they were in the comics: (Ex: In most Peanuts specials Lucy's hair is all black, here it has a white outline. The same thing with Snoopy's ears.) Oh, well. Still this was a great holiday special.
Peanuts in Love
Horst_In_Translation23 November 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Unfortunately, for them, pretty much all of it is unrequited in "A Charlie Brown Valentine". This is a 25-minute short film from almost 15 years ago and this was one made in the brief period after Schulz' death while Melendez was still alive. They could basically recycle some of the old stuff here for this one in terms of the story as the romantic preferences of the characters have been show in many films already. Charlie and his little red-haired girl is my personal favorite, but one girl's love for the piano virtuoso and the other one's for her little baboo are fairly entertaining too. All in all, another decent addition to this long-running franchise. We shall see how the topic of love is used are used in the new Peanuts film this year. We will certainly see a bit about these romantic connections in there as well. Until then, I recommend watching this one here. Snoopy's pranks are funny again too.
Great!
strhoads5-18 October 2003
This is my favorite of the "new" Charlie Brown specials. I liked it better than the Christmas tales and Lucy must be traded. It's also one of all time Charlie Brown specials-I'd say in the top 5 somewhere. I loved the dance part! I think the main reason that I loved it is because I could relate to about 90% of it! (Especially the dance part) Worth watching and even worth owning. It's suppose to come out in Jan, 2004. (PeanutsAnimation website)
Great!
strhoads5-119 January 2004
Its a must own!! When you own it, it adds four minutes of footage that did not air when it aired back in 2002. It's one of my favorites from the Peanuts gang! It's right up there with, a CB christmas, first kiss, short summer and Why CB why? Great special!!!
A Major Disappointment
Zantara Xenophobe14 February 2002
No spoilers in this review. But there is nothing to really spoil.
It is Valentine's Day, a day I always hate living through, and I just finished watching the newest Charlie Brown TV special. It is the first Peanuts television special since 1993, and I was interested to see if it would be any good. The nineties weren't too kind to anyone that liked or used to like Peanuts. The big TV stations started to crack down on its cartoon specials like Peanuts and Garfield, and the success that the sixties, seventies, and eighties brought it were stopped cold, with only the traditional Christmas special being shown (which I don't think is as good as people claim when compared to some of the other specials). The last special for television, `You're in the Super Bowl, Charlie Brown,' was absolutely the most wretched special ever made. The strip itself was also going South. Charles Schultz, I believe, should have quit ten years ago. I would read the strip in the paper and wonder where all the funny stuff went. Now, two years and two days after Schultz's death, a new cartoon is made. I found it odd that they made a Valentine's Day special, since there already was one, a good one, back in 1975. But I decided to watch with an open mind.
But I couldn't believe how bad this turned out to be, and it is with a heavy heart that I type this review. What it all really turns out to be is a whole bunch of short sketches with various members of the Peanuts gang doing different things leading up to Valentine's Day. Scene after scene, joke after joke, flops like a dead fish. You don't have to be a kid to like a Peanuts cartoon, so I don't think I am being unfair calling this horribly unfunny. I did not find any of this amusing. Part of the problem is that there is so much going on at once that you have trouble following it all. Characters are off doing their own thing, and Bill Melendez switches scenes every twenty seconds, and very few of the `subplots' are resolved. The main story involves the tired old plot of Charlie Brown having difficulty asking the Little Red-Haired Girl out. Most of the scenes involve Charlie Brown complaining to himself or Linus how he can't do it, how he is not tough, how she doesn't know he exists, etc. He's doing something different in each segment, so there is no real plot movement and no story structure at all, which completely kills the experience of enjoyment. What was the point of the Marcie and Peppermint Patty segments? Or the Lucy and Schroeder scenes? Or any of the scenes, for that matter? When they finally get to the scene involving the Valentine's Day dance, nothing happens and it is cut off after less than three minutes there. The final scene also doesn't explain itself. I am not sure what it was implying, really, but it looks like a desperate attempt to throw in a happy ending when the script has painted them into a corner Melendez couldn't get out of. There were other aspects I wasn't impressed with, too. The usually reliable Bill Melendez was really sleeping on the job here. There is a scene early on where Charlie Brown and Lucy are sitting and leaning against a tree, but their heads overlap the tree trunk. This might be excusable had the special been funny. The same cannot be said for a goof up at the dance, when you see Franklin in the background, but he has dirt marks all over his head like Pigpen, who makes his own cameo a few moments later. How did that slip by? Worst of all, I think, is the voice cast. It isn't that they were poor choices, though voices in past specials easily top them, it is just that they don't say things right. Many times the cast shouts their lines out when a character should be talking normally; other times a character plainly talks when the animated body movements suggest they should be shouting. And many of the voices are stiff, like the vocal actors didn't even get a practice take.
I was shocked that this was as poor as it was, particularly the lack of structure. If they make another Peanuts special, I sure hope it comes out better than this. I wouldn't call this the worst, as nothing could be worse than the Super Bowl special, but it ranks up there with the worst. Even `Flashbeagle' could be forgiven. This cannot. I would suggest that you skip this one and look for another. There are over thirty Peanuts specials in existence....so why can't the big stations just show some of the old, rare ones again so we can remember what it was like when the Peanuts were terrific? Zantara's score: 2.
It is Valentine's Day, a day I always hate living through, and I just finished watching the newest Charlie Brown TV special. It is the first Peanuts television special since 1993, and I was interested to see if it would be any good. The nineties weren't too kind to anyone that liked or used to like Peanuts. The big TV stations started to crack down on its cartoon specials like Peanuts and Garfield, and the success that the sixties, seventies, and eighties brought it were stopped cold, with only the traditional Christmas special being shown (which I don't think is as good as people claim when compared to some of the other specials). The last special for television, `You're in the Super Bowl, Charlie Brown,' was absolutely the most wretched special ever made. The strip itself was also going South. Charles Schultz, I believe, should have quit ten years ago. I would read the strip in the paper and wonder where all the funny stuff went. Now, two years and two days after Schultz's death, a new cartoon is made. I found it odd that they made a Valentine's Day special, since there already was one, a good one, back in 1975. But I decided to watch with an open mind.
But I couldn't believe how bad this turned out to be, and it is with a heavy heart that I type this review. What it all really turns out to be is a whole bunch of short sketches with various members of the Peanuts gang doing different things leading up to Valentine's Day. Scene after scene, joke after joke, flops like a dead fish. You don't have to be a kid to like a Peanuts cartoon, so I don't think I am being unfair calling this horribly unfunny. I did not find any of this amusing. Part of the problem is that there is so much going on at once that you have trouble following it all. Characters are off doing their own thing, and Bill Melendez switches scenes every twenty seconds, and very few of the `subplots' are resolved. The main story involves the tired old plot of Charlie Brown having difficulty asking the Little Red-Haired Girl out. Most of the scenes involve Charlie Brown complaining to himself or Linus how he can't do it, how he is not tough, how she doesn't know he exists, etc. He's doing something different in each segment, so there is no real plot movement and no story structure at all, which completely kills the experience of enjoyment. What was the point of the Marcie and Peppermint Patty segments? Or the Lucy and Schroeder scenes? Or any of the scenes, for that matter? When they finally get to the scene involving the Valentine's Day dance, nothing happens and it is cut off after less than three minutes there. The final scene also doesn't explain itself. I am not sure what it was implying, really, but it looks like a desperate attempt to throw in a happy ending when the script has painted them into a corner Melendez couldn't get out of. There were other aspects I wasn't impressed with, too. The usually reliable Bill Melendez was really sleeping on the job here. There is a scene early on where Charlie Brown and Lucy are sitting and leaning against a tree, but their heads overlap the tree trunk. This might be excusable had the special been funny. The same cannot be said for a goof up at the dance, when you see Franklin in the background, but he has dirt marks all over his head like Pigpen, who makes his own cameo a few moments later. How did that slip by? Worst of all, I think, is the voice cast. It isn't that they were poor choices, though voices in past specials easily top them, it is just that they don't say things right. Many times the cast shouts their lines out when a character should be talking normally; other times a character plainly talks when the animated body movements suggest they should be shouting. And many of the voices are stiff, like the vocal actors didn't even get a practice take.
I was shocked that this was as poor as it was, particularly the lack of structure. If they make another Peanuts special, I sure hope it comes out better than this. I wouldn't call this the worst, as nothing could be worse than the Super Bowl special, but it ranks up there with the worst. Even `Flashbeagle' could be forgiven. This cannot. I would suggest that you skip this one and look for another. There are over thirty Peanuts specials in existence....so why can't the big stations just show some of the old, rare ones again so we can remember what it was like when the Peanuts were terrific? Zantara's score: 2.
A Childhood Classic!
Jace_the_Peanuts_Fan11 February 2024
I've had a Charlie Brown Valentine DVD for as long as I can remember, and this has always been one of my favorite Peanuts specials! I still love the Peanuts franchise no matter how many times I see it! This and Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown are both good, and I'm not sure which one I like better, but neither of them are as good as the Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween, and Easter specials. This is a must watch during Valentine's Day! I believe this was the first Peanuts special to come out after Charles Schulz's death, though I'm not certain.
There are plenty of funny moments, like Snoopy writing "romantic" poems for Lucy and Sally, Charlie Brown finding the little red haired girl's pencil and saying why he can't talk to his crush, and Marcie trying to flirt with Charlie Brown. Before watching this, I didn't know that pretty faces made Charlie Brown nervous. I don't blame him, but I think that's kind of funny at the same time.
Marcie makes a Valentine card for Charlie Brown and signs it from both herself and Peppermint Patty. That was nice of her! He didn't get any Valentines in Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown, nor did he get any candy in the Great Pumpkin. Poor kid! Thankfully, he has more luck here, but he's still the same hapless and down to earth guy he's always been (nothing wrong with that, though). Snoopy dancing with all the girls at the dance and kissing them is also heartwarming and fun to watch! Mr. Big Shot! The ending is my favorite part: Snoopy walks around with a wheelbarrow full of Valentines and gives Charlie Brown a kiss and one of his Valentines, and Linus wishes the latter happy Valentine's Day. What a happy ending! Enough said.
There are plenty of funny moments, like Snoopy writing "romantic" poems for Lucy and Sally, Charlie Brown finding the little red haired girl's pencil and saying why he can't talk to his crush, and Marcie trying to flirt with Charlie Brown. Before watching this, I didn't know that pretty faces made Charlie Brown nervous. I don't blame him, but I think that's kind of funny at the same time.
Marcie makes a Valentine card for Charlie Brown and signs it from both herself and Peppermint Patty. That was nice of her! He didn't get any Valentines in Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown, nor did he get any candy in the Great Pumpkin. Poor kid! Thankfully, he has more luck here, but he's still the same hapless and down to earth guy he's always been (nothing wrong with that, though). Snoopy dancing with all the girls at the dance and kissing them is also heartwarming and fun to watch! Mr. Big Shot! The ending is my favorite part: Snoopy walks around with a wheelbarrow full of Valentines and gives Charlie Brown a kiss and one of his Valentines, and Linus wishes the latter happy Valentine's Day. What a happy ending! Enough said.
Is This the Future of Peanuts?
RestlessRust4 March 2002
Charles Schulz requested (though since he did not hold the copyright to Peanuts he could not demand) that no one create any new Peanuts stories after his death. United Media, on the other hand, did not want to let a cash cow like Peanuts fade into the night. So they compromised with Schulz's family, making the latest Peanuts special, "A Charlie Brown Valentine", from a conglomeration of numerous loosely connected comic strips penned by Schulz. Unfortunately, the special feels like a conglomeration of numerous loosely connected comic strips.
Unlike previous Peanuts features, which almost always contained a coherent (although occasionally bad) plot, the only prevailing theme here is that it is Valentine's Day. Actually, it's several Valentine's Days. The time frame jumps around *so* much that we can't keep any supposed story line straight. Early on, we get the impression the special takes place on February 14. Then Lucy announces that Valentine's Day is a week away. Then Charlie Brown tries to work up the courage to give the little red-haired girl a Valentine. Then we learn that V-Day is still a few days away, then Charlie Brown goes to a school dance.
While some of the jokes are funny, most fall flat, and its choppy style is more dizzying that enjoyable. All in all, "A Charlie Brown Valentine" plays more like a love-themed episode of _The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show_ than a legitimate television special. While such a variety show could get away with some unfunny sketches (_Saturday Night Live_ has been getting away with it for decades), a full-blown special has to pull its weight all the way through. Sadly, this one does not.
If Peanuts is to survive beyond one more TV special, a new compromise must be reached. We must allow the producers the opportunity to forge existing strips into a workable script--one with a story line--and the possibility of adding some new jokes. Otherwise, the next special may be, "It's the Last Hoorah, Charlie Brown."
Unlike previous Peanuts features, which almost always contained a coherent (although occasionally bad) plot, the only prevailing theme here is that it is Valentine's Day. Actually, it's several Valentine's Days. The time frame jumps around *so* much that we can't keep any supposed story line straight. Early on, we get the impression the special takes place on February 14. Then Lucy announces that Valentine's Day is a week away. Then Charlie Brown tries to work up the courage to give the little red-haired girl a Valentine. Then we learn that V-Day is still a few days away, then Charlie Brown goes to a school dance.
While some of the jokes are funny, most fall flat, and its choppy style is more dizzying that enjoyable. All in all, "A Charlie Brown Valentine" plays more like a love-themed episode of _The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show_ than a legitimate television special. While such a variety show could get away with some unfunny sketches (_Saturday Night Live_ has been getting away with it for decades), a full-blown special has to pull its weight all the way through. Sadly, this one does not.
If Peanuts is to survive beyond one more TV special, a new compromise must be reached. We must allow the producers the opportunity to forge existing strips into a workable script--one with a story line--and the possibility of adding some new jokes. Otherwise, the next special may be, "It's the Last Hoorah, Charlie Brown."
GREAT! But...There's a goof.
tylercraft-590905 August 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I love this Peanuts special, even though it came out six years before I was born, I still somehow saw it (I can also watch it on Dailymotion). But I noticed a goof (or should I say...A PRODUCTION MISTAKE!!!)... In the film; Charlie Brown and Linus are playing on the teeter totter, when Charlie Brown notices the Little Red-Haired Girl, he has Linus go over and talk to her for him. Linus explains to the Little Red-Haired Girl that Charlie Brown sits in the last row in school, but a few scenes later...Charlie Brown is seen sitting in front of Linus in class (which is not exactly close to the last row). So, why did Linus tell the Little Red-Haired Girl that Charlie Brown sits in the last row, when it clearly shows he doesn't?
It's nice for what it is
mitsubishizero20 May 2019
Warning: Spoilers
It may not be a classic but I still enjoyed it. It's interesting to note that this was the first special to air after Charles Schulz's death. The dialogue is what you'd expect from a Peanuts special. Witty comebacks and even biting commentary. The kids do a good job voicing their characters and the animation's pretty good. The special's about Charlie Brown trying to get the attention of the red-haired girl during Valentine's Day. Helping him out are his friends and his loyal dog Snoopy. Meanwhile his friends also celebrate Valentine's in their own way:
Linus does his best to avoid Sally who keeps calling him her "Sweet Baboo", Lucy tries to get Schroeder to like her to no avail as he's more in love with Beethoven and his toy piano, Peppermint Patty tries to tell Charlie Brown that she likes him more than just a friend much to his confusion and as for Snoopy he does everything he can to improve his writing for Valentine's day while also having fun in the process. It plays out like you expect it in that Charlie Brown's uncertain about whether what he does will turn out right as well as people around him putting him down. But what makes this special different is that it's more upbeat than the previous Valentine's special which's 'Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown' in that it's much more upbeat and fun to watch.
I really like the chemistry between the characters and the music played by David Beniot. It fits the theme of the special. A Charlie Brown Valentine is a great special and I highly recommend you check it out.
Linus does his best to avoid Sally who keeps calling him her "Sweet Baboo", Lucy tries to get Schroeder to like her to no avail as he's more in love with Beethoven and his toy piano, Peppermint Patty tries to tell Charlie Brown that she likes him more than just a friend much to his confusion and as for Snoopy he does everything he can to improve his writing for Valentine's day while also having fun in the process. It plays out like you expect it in that Charlie Brown's uncertain about whether what he does will turn out right as well as people around him putting him down. But what makes this special different is that it's more upbeat than the previous Valentine's special which's 'Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown' in that it's much more upbeat and fun to watch.
I really like the chemistry between the characters and the music played by David Beniot. It fits the theme of the special. A Charlie Brown Valentine is a great special and I highly recommend you check it out.
Cartoon Romance, Charlie Brown-Style
strong-122-47888512 March 2018
If you are someone who is deeply yearning for even a bit of love'n'romance to happen on this Valentine's Day - Remember - You are not going to be alone in your longing. No.
'Cause you can be sure that Mr. Lovelorn, himself, (good, old) Charlie Brown (good grief!), has got his romantic-eye set on the little, red-haired girl (who doesn't seem to know that he even exists).
(Poor Charlie Brown. Indeed.)
So - If you enjoy watching 2-D "Peanuts Gang" animated pictures - This is definitely a really cute one that is sure to keep you happily entertained for its 25-minute running time.
Kiss. Kiss. Hug. Hug.
'Cause you can be sure that Mr. Lovelorn, himself, (good, old) Charlie Brown (good grief!), has got his romantic-eye set on the little, red-haired girl (who doesn't seem to know that he even exists).
(Poor Charlie Brown. Indeed.)
So - If you enjoy watching 2-D "Peanuts Gang" animated pictures - This is definitely a really cute one that is sure to keep you happily entertained for its 25-minute running time.
Kiss. Kiss. Hug. Hug.
A perennial masterpiece
davidkreiniii-3499128 September 2022
If only they could air this on TV more often leading up to Valentine's Day. This early 2000s Peanuts special really holds a special place in me. With it's hilarious writing, cleaver jokes and just pure wholesome family friendly entertainment it's a special that I endear watching every year. Charlie Brown tries desperately to get a valentines card but to no avail. Either getting sidetracked with Marci and Peppermint Patty trying to go out with Charlie Brown or others coming to his aid. Such as Linus beating up a bully with his favorite blanket after the bully with annoying the little red haired girl. Or trying to return a pencil only for Lucy to return said pencil after the little red haired girl dropped it. Or even Sally wants to fall for Linus but gets rejected every time since she always calls him a sweet baboo. Even parts like Lucy asking Snoopy to come up with a good Valentine's Day card but every entry he gives her she just gets increasingly frustrated with it. (Dear angle food cake with seven minute frosting LOL). (You are breath and bread and water to me h aid and Chocolate chip cookies GOOD GRIEF). Thats amazing right there. That's the kind of stuff thats hilarious and just watching makes the peanuts very enjoyable. The story itself is kind of loose but warm-hearted at the same time. The animation is really stunning reflecting the classic Peanuts style and feel. The moment this special starts you feel like it was done in the 70s and the style that made Peanuts iconic.
Good, but has problems
bparker-6168218 August 2022
Warning: Spoilers
The only thing I hate about this is Peppermint Patty being a rude b**** and not listening to Charlie Brown, and Marcie is no different. "How come you fell down during the dance?" What the h***?! Why would she think someone fell down on purpose?! I love peanuts and all, but I just hate Peppermint Patty!
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