It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966)

Unlike Christmas themed movies, kid friendly Halloween films are a little more difficult to come by, which might explain the popularity of this little half hour cartoon, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. Based off the comic strip by Charles Schulz, the Charlie Brown "empire" grew to an even larger popularity in the 60's and 70's with the release of multiple holiday themed specials involving the large round headed Charlie Brown, his troublesome beagle, Snoopy, and his band of quirky friends. Now a days Charlie Brown seems to be more of a memory of the past, such as other classic characters Calvin and Hobbes and Garfield. Though some of the classic scenes and phrases from these short television specials still seem to hold a place in the hearts of millions who grew up watching them.

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown really focuses on the character of Linus more so than it does the usual cast of characters and it's star, Charlie Brown. Every Halloween Linus sits in the local pumpkin patch to await the coming of the Great Pumpkin. A fictitious character akin to Santa Claus, who arises every Halloween night from the "most sincere" pumpkin patch to bring toys and goodies to all the good little boys and girls. Linus's belief in the Great Pumpkin has turned him into the laughing stock of the neighborhood as every year he misses "tricks or treats" to sit alone in the pumpkin patch waiting for a giant pumpkin to appear. It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown has some of the usual Charlie Brown gags, whether it be Lucy faking Charlie Brown out with the football or Lucy getting grossed out after kissing Snoopy. It's all good clean fun and the added gags of Charlie Brown getting nothing but rocks during "tricks or treats" or Linus rambling on about the Great Pumpkin never really get old. Overall, it's probably the best and most well known Charlie Brown special and ranks among the best Halloween themed shows ever made, definitely worth a viewing every October.

8/10