BON VOYAGE, CHARLIE BROWN (AND DON’T COME BACK)

US, 1980, 71 minutes, Colour.
Voices of: Arrin Skelly, Laura Planting, Daniel Anderson, Bill Melendez.
Directed by Bill Melendez, Phil Roman.

Already in 1969 there was a film about Charlie Brown and his friends, A Boy Named Charlie Brown. Following that, in the early 70s, there was Snoopy Come Home and, and with further success, Race For Your Life, Charlie Brown in 1977. This film was the follow-up – although there were a number of television specials. in 2015, Charles Schulz’s son and grandson produced The Peanuts Movie, gathering together all the best aspects of the comic strips and the previous films, very popular at a box-office success.

This adventure, directed by Bill Melendez (who supplied the sounds for both Snoopy and Woodstock) with Phil Roman, who made Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown, makes several advances in the storytelling. The first is that there are some adult characters who use their own voices whereas previously there was a trombone kind of sound indicating adults, especially teachers and their booming. This film also takes the group to Europe.

The idea is a program for exchange students and Charlie Brown and the others going to France, the trip, experiencing cultural differences, some mishaps with Charlie Brown, of course, with Snoopy and Woodstock in tow, and a mysterious Castle in France, Baron, his niece and dark secrets.

Entertaining like the other films – but taking the cartoon a bit further, outside the US, and with adults.

1. The popularity of the comic strips by Charles Schulz, the film versions, television specials?

2. The nature of the comic strips, drawing, characters, backgrounds? The same style transferred to animation? The musical score?

3. The animation, delineation of the characters, situations, bright colours? United States, France, Europe?

4. The familiarity of the characters, Charlie Brown, quiet, self-image, down on himself? Lucy and her criticisms? Linus, his blanket, friendship? Marcie and the other children? Snoopy, his expressions, communication? Woodstock?

5. Introduction of adult characters, with adult voices?

6. The idea of the exchange students, Charlie Brown and friends going to Europe? Going to France? American experience in Europe? The comic touches? Cultural differences?

7. The trip, Lucy’s farewell, Charlie Brown and the others and their coping?

8. France, the mysterious castle, secret, the Baron, his niece? The characters and their involvement? The revelation of the secret?

9. A step further in the story of Charlie Brown, from home, from America, into the outside world and Europe?