Snoopy, Come Home (1972)

Released in 1972 - Snoopy, Come Home is an animated musical comedy-drama film directed by Bill Melendez and written by Charles M. Schulz based on the Peanuts comic strip. The film marked the on-screen debut of Woodstock, who had first appeared in the strip in 1967.As the story goes - Charlie Brown's beloved dog Snoopy receives a letter from his original owner, Lila, who has been sick in the hospital.With his bird friend Woodstock, Snoopy goes to visit Lila, making his way across the country despite seeing "no dogs allowed" signs everywhere.When Lila gets better, she asks Snoopy to live with her. After a farewell party, he sets out to live with Lila, leaving Charlie Brown depressed.

As much as I love the "Peanuts" series, I stand neutral on this one. First off, I honestly think the series is much better off in 30 minute special form rather than feature length...part of the charm is the "quick simplicity, quick delivery, and to the point storytelling which sadly becomes clumsy, drawn out, and uneven in "Snoopy Come Home". We know very little about Lilia, why she's sick or why she suddenly want Snoopy back. Did her illness make her yearn for some form of comfort? With the sad music that accompanies her scenes in the hospital one could feel for her, but you just don't. (The hospital scenes in "Why Charlie Brown Why? are far superior as the viewer is able to understand the plight of Janice thus gaining sympathy for her.) On the subject of music, the whole soundtrack seems out of place in this film. As for the emotional components, the transition from sad to happy is too abrupt and that takes away from what could be a good story. On the plus side, the animation is charming, and you do feel for Charlie Brown with what he has to go through in the film. A good attempt that just could have turned out better.

I first saw Snoopy, Come Home in a theater in its original release and several other times on TV. It was great to see the Peanuts gang in their first film after A Boy Named Charlie Brown but i thought it was an emotional kids movie since the mood swung from happy to sad and back to happy again. It started happy when Snoopy went to the beach to meet Peppermint Patty than went to sad when we first saw Lila, Snoopy's original owner in the hospital, lonely and sad while we heard the song "Do You Remember Me?" one of several songs in the movie written by The Sherman Brothers. Also memorable were several scenes where Snoopy got kicked out of various places with a bass voice (Thurl Ravenscroft) bellowing "NO DOGS ALLOWED!" I thought the scenes where everybody was in tears at Snoopy's going-away party and Charlie Brown choking up were so sad. Same with his song "It Changes" with his spoken interlude about hating goodbyes. I have also thought that Charlie Brown's least favorite words were "Goodbye" and the song got to the point. But it turned out to be a happy ending when Snoopy returned. Woodstock, making his debut as Snoopy's bird buddy was delighted to see him. For those of you who saw Snoopy, Come Home and plan to watch it with your kids, I suggest you bring a box of tissues.

As a kid,I watched "Snoopy,Come Home" on CBS every time it was on. Each year that it was on,I understood a little more about the storyline than the last time before. To very briefly summarize,Charlie Brown has gotten fed up with Snoopy's ongoing shenanigans and Snoopy feels rejected by his owner (whom he refers to in the comic strips as "that round -headed kid".)This sets him off on a quest to find his previous owner Lila,which comes about after Lila writes to Snoopy from the hospital,asking him to visit her.I'm guessing also Snoopy's thinking she will appreciate him more than Charlie. I wouldn't have admitted it when I was younger but the scenes between Lila & Snoopy plus Charlie & The kids saying good-bye at Snoopy's farewell party did make me sad. I never forgot the songs from this,"Snoopy,Come Home","No Dogs Allowed","It Changes" and of course "Me and You (A Two Man Crew"). I occasionally find myself whistling the latter song from time to time. Which just shows how strong and wonderful this animated film was.As for the ending,I think that not only are the kids glad Snoopy (and Woodstock) returned,I think Snoopy's glad too. ....but maybe he appreciates the friends he has in the Peanuts gang a lot more now. As for his asking for his things back,well,that's the way Snoopy "always" is! He's kinda smug sometimes,I give you that.10 stars,for this and all Charles Schulz brought to us through these characters. I really miss the Peanuts strip on Sundays. (END)