After the successful run of A Boy Named Charlie Brown, it was only a matter of time until another Peanuts movie was produced. Well, three years later, Bill Melendez and Charles Schulz caved in, and presented Snoopy Come Home in the summer of 1972. This one stands out from most Peanuts content as the center star is Snoopy as opposed to Charlie Brown or any of the other supporting gang, with a cute introduction to the famed beagle's canary friend Woodstock. Despite initially not doing well financially on its original release due to poor marketing, it did gain a cult following amongst Peanuts fans and even critics alike. As for me personally, while I do personally rank it as one of my least favorite Peanuts films, it still wouldn't be without its charm.
In this movie, Snoopy gets a letter from his original owner Lila to come visit her at the hospital, so now he must decide between her or the Peanuts gang. What makes this film charming is how different Snoopy is from Charlie Brown, as he likes to skip through life and have crazy encounters with the gang as opposed to being bottled up in his own insecurities. However, what does oppress him is the constant amount of signs that state "No Dogs Allowed", although it acts more as a running gag compared to the more serious crisis regarding sweet little Lila desperately wanting to see her old dog again. The film often cuts back from Snoopy and Woodstock traveling to find Lila to Charlie Brown grieving over his pet's sudden leave of absence, which allows for the gang to think a bit more deeply about Snoopy's background and what he means to them. The clever witty dialogue by Schulz still remains at play here, which notable lines such as "You got a used dog, Charlie Brown" and "How can I tell you something that will shock you if you pass out before I can tell you?" Although Snoopy and Woodstock's travels can get a bit repetitive and the main gang can feel a bit too drab at times, the film does have a stronger structure than A Boy Named Charlie Brown.
While the story is simple enough to follow in its own right, there can be times when a sudden obstacle can almost stop the flick dead in its tracks. One notable encounter with Snoopy and Woodstock is an overly eager child named Clara practically incarcerating the poor beagle, down to naming him Rex and mistaking him for a sheepdog. Although the sequence has its funny moments, it does drag on longer than it needs to and can even feel like torture in a way. Even the Peanuts gang worrying about Snoopy in addition to enjoying their summer feels monotonous, as it feels like they just recap on what they both love and hate about the lively beagle, in spite of them trying to live to the fullest themselves. Also, as stated before, the "No Dogs Allowed" signs are treated more like a running gag than a full realized story arch. I can understand them preferring to stick to Snoopy getting to Lila, but it could have used more fleshing out since it is a massive crutch to where Snoopy can go to. Not to mention, without spoiling the ending, let's just say the outcome is so predictable that it feels justified in some way, since it does relate to the aforementioned signage barring over Snoopy's life.
Interestingly enough, the Sherman Brothers, most well known for writing the songs from Mary Poppins and The Jungle Book (1967), provided the movie's musical numbers on behalf of Charles Schulz wanting a more commercial aesthetic, and most of them work pretty well. The opening title song is very upbeat with simple lyrics and a rhythmic melody, the No Dogs Allowed verses are appropriately bold thanks to Thurl Ravenscroft's triumphant vocals, The Best of Buddies sums up Snoopy and Woodstock's charming friendship with its encouraging lyrics, and Woodstock's Samba will never leave your ears. Arguably the most energetic out of them all is Fundamental-Friend-Dependability, as its fast-paced tempo and nonessential lyrics feel straight out of Mary Poppins, with the addition of Clara boastfully singing while unwittingly abusing Snoopy. However, the most heart felt song has to be Do You Remember Me?, as it captures the emotional state of Lila wanting to see her old fiend again, complete with a beautiful performance by Shelby Flint. The only ones I'm not fond of are At the Beach as it sounds like standard beach fare, Getting' it Together for sounding too similar to Best of Buddies, and It Changes for sounding too drab for my tastes.
In some ways, this film is structured and even paced better than A Boy Named Charlie Brown, and in other ways more heartfelt, but it could have used a little more momentum as well. Although Snoopy Come Home may have some slow and repetitive moments and an obvious conclusion, it's nevertheless a rousing experience thanks to the beagle's charming antics, Charles Schultz's clever writing and commentary, the unforgettable gang, and some catchy songs. If there';s anything to take away from this movie on a universal scale, it's the theme of longing for absent friends, something that anyone can relate to both Charlie Brown and Lila. Friends may come and go, but the ones we cherish the most will last forever, be it a human or a pet.
In this movie, Snoopy gets a letter from his original owner Lila to come visit her at the hospital, so now he must decide between her or the Peanuts gang. What makes this film charming is how different Snoopy is from Charlie Brown, as he likes to skip through life and have crazy encounters with the gang as opposed to being bottled up in his own insecurities. However, what does oppress him is the constant amount of signs that state "No Dogs Allowed", although it acts more as a running gag compared to the more serious crisis regarding sweet little Lila desperately wanting to see her old dog again. The film often cuts back from Snoopy and Woodstock traveling to find Lila to Charlie Brown grieving over his pet's sudden leave of absence, which allows for the gang to think a bit more deeply about Snoopy's background and what he means to them. The clever witty dialogue by Schulz still remains at play here, which notable lines such as "You got a used dog, Charlie Brown" and "How can I tell you something that will shock you if you pass out before I can tell you?" Although Snoopy and Woodstock's travels can get a bit repetitive and the main gang can feel a bit too drab at times, the film does have a stronger structure than A Boy Named Charlie Brown.
While the story is simple enough to follow in its own right, there can be times when a sudden obstacle can almost stop the flick dead in its tracks. One notable encounter with Snoopy and Woodstock is an overly eager child named Clara practically incarcerating the poor beagle, down to naming him Rex and mistaking him for a sheepdog. Although the sequence has its funny moments, it does drag on longer than it needs to and can even feel like torture in a way. Even the Peanuts gang worrying about Snoopy in addition to enjoying their summer feels monotonous, as it feels like they just recap on what they both love and hate about the lively beagle, in spite of them trying to live to the fullest themselves. Also, as stated before, the "No Dogs Allowed" signs are treated more like a running gag than a full realized story arch. I can understand them preferring to stick to Snoopy getting to Lila, but it could have used more fleshing out since it is a massive crutch to where Snoopy can go to. Not to mention, without spoiling the ending, let's just say the outcome is so predictable that it feels justified in some way, since it does relate to the aforementioned signage barring over Snoopy's life.
Interestingly enough, the Sherman Brothers, most well known for writing the songs from Mary Poppins and The Jungle Book (1967), provided the movie's musical numbers on behalf of Charles Schulz wanting a more commercial aesthetic, and most of them work pretty well. The opening title song is very upbeat with simple lyrics and a rhythmic melody, the No Dogs Allowed verses are appropriately bold thanks to Thurl Ravenscroft's triumphant vocals, The Best of Buddies sums up Snoopy and Woodstock's charming friendship with its encouraging lyrics, and Woodstock's Samba will never leave your ears. Arguably the most energetic out of them all is Fundamental-Friend-Dependability, as its fast-paced tempo and nonessential lyrics feel straight out of Mary Poppins, with the addition of Clara boastfully singing while unwittingly abusing Snoopy. However, the most heart felt song has to be Do You Remember Me?, as it captures the emotional state of Lila wanting to see her old fiend again, complete with a beautiful performance by Shelby Flint. The only ones I'm not fond of are At the Beach as it sounds like standard beach fare, Getting' it Together for sounding too similar to Best of Buddies, and It Changes for sounding too drab for my tastes.
In some ways, this film is structured and even paced better than A Boy Named Charlie Brown, and in other ways more heartfelt, but it could have used a little more momentum as well. Although Snoopy Come Home may have some slow and repetitive moments and an obvious conclusion, it's nevertheless a rousing experience thanks to the beagle's charming antics, Charles Schultz's clever writing and commentary, the unforgettable gang, and some catchy songs. If there';s anything to take away from this movie on a universal scale, it's the theme of longing for absent friends, something that anyone can relate to both Charlie Brown and Lila. Friends may come and go, but the ones we cherish the most will last forever, be it a human or a pet.