It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown

From Justapedia, unleashing the power of collective wisdom
(Redirected from Flash Beagle)
Jump to navigation Jump to search
It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown
File:ItsFlashBeagleCB.jpg
GenreAnimation television special
Created byCharles M. Schulz
Written byCharles M. Schulz
Directed byBill Melendez
Sam Jaimes
Voices ofBrett Johnson
Stacy Ferguson
Jeremy Schoenberg
Heather Stoneman
Gini Holtzman
Keri Houlihan
Bill Melendez
Opening themeFlashbeagle
Ending themeFlashbeagle
ComposersEd Bogas
Desirée Goyette
Country of originU.S.
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producerCharles M. Schulz Creative Associates
ProducersLee Mendelson
Bill Melendez
EditorsChuck McCann
Roger Donley
Mike Tomack
Richard Allen
Running time28 minutes
Production companiesUnited Media Productions
Mendelson-Melendez Productions
Release
Original networkCBS
Original releaseApril 16, 1984; 40 years ago (1984-04-16)
Chronology
Preceded byWhat Have We Learned, Charlie Brown? (1983)
Followed bySnoopy's Getting Married, Charlie Brown (1985)

It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown is the 27th prime-time animated musical television special based upon the comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. It originally aired on the CBS network on Monday, April 16, 1984.[1]

The special is presented as an original musical which features parodies of the early 1980s breakdancing craze, MTV, the films Saturday Night Fever, Flashdance and Footloose, and a number of popular top 40 hit songs of the early 1980s.[2] The program takes the form of a musical, presenting a series of different vignettes instead of a strong unifying plot.

Plot

After Snoopy defeats Peppermint Patty at football, he celebrates with a dance party ("Flashbeagle").

At school, Peppermint Patty leads her gym class in a workout ("Peppermint Patty's PE Program (I'm in Shape)")

Charlie Brown and Sally host a party, where everyone begins a game of "Simon Says" until Lucy takes charge ("Lucy Says"). Afterwards, the kids dance to a song about Pigpen ("Pigpen Hoedown").

The next morning, Snoopy is sleeping when Charlie Brown berates him for oversleeping while others work.

Later that day, Snoopy decides on an outfit for a night on the town and heads to a discothèque with Franklin, where his dance moves are met with acclaim from the other club-goers ("Flashbeagle (1st Reprise)"). When he heads home exhausted from his performance, Charlie Brown takes notice and can't believe what his dog has done and become.

The next morning, Sally takes a groggy Snoopy to school for Show and Tell. After 5 talks about his pet chameleon, Sally's turn comes, but Snoopy is still exhausted. However, 5 berates Snoopy for just sitting there asleep. He changes all of that by turning on his boom box, causing Snoopy to awaken and dance, and the children gradually join in ("Flashbeagle (2nd Reprise)").

Charlie Brown tells Sally that he should do something about his dog's behavior. Sally disagrees because, thanks to Snoopy, she got an "A" (for the first time) for Show and Tell.

Voice cast

  • Brett Johnson as Charlie Brown
    • Brad Kesten as Charlie Brown's singing voice
  • Stacy Ferguson as Sally Brown
  • Jeremy Schoenberg as Linus van Pelt
    • David T. Wagner as Linus' singing voice
  • Heather Stoneman as Lucy van Pelt
    • Jessie Lee Smith as Lucy's singing voice
  • Gary Goren as Schroeder/Tommy, the kid
  • Gini Holtzman as Peppermint Patty
  • Keri Houlihan as Marcie
  • Bill Melendez as Snoopy/Woodstock

Production

After seeing Flashdance, Schulz decided to draw a parody-tribute to what he saw with Snoopy performing as the "flashdancer", sporting the same dance clothes worn by the main character Alex (Jennifer Beals); in a November 29, 1983 comic strip[3] that later led to the idea of turning it into an animated TV special.

Bill Melendez explained that the dancing Snoopy in the club scene was done by a process called rotoscoping where the character is drawn over live-action pictures. Marine Jahan, the stunt dancer from Flashdance, was chosen to do scenes where Snoopy was dancing in the special. The animators rotoscoped live-action pictures of Jahan to Snoopy in order to make these scenes.

Schulz's 12-year-old daughter Jill was said to have inspired the "She's in Shape" sequence when Schulz drew images.

The cast of this special (except Gary Goren) would work on the second season of The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show.

Soundtrack

A soundtrack was issued on Disneyland Records under the "Charlie Brown Records" banner (like the earlier "Read-Along" records Disney issued for Peanuts) featuring songs from this special. Half of the other songs later appeared on the 1985 documentary It's Your 20th Television Anniversary, Charlie Brown. Songs were written by Ed Bogas and Desirée Goyette; Goyette sings on the album, alongside Joey Scarbury of "Believe It or Not" fame. The album was produced by Bogas, Goyette, Lee Mendelson and Jymn Magon. Bill Meyers, best known for his work on Earth, Wind & Fire's hit "Let's Groove", did the horn arrangements on some of the songs.

Side One:

  1. "Flashbeagle" *
  2. "Pigpen Hoedown" *
  3. "Don't Give Up, Charlie Brown" **
  4. "Peppermint Patty's PE Program (I'm in Shape)" *
  5. "Snoopy" *

Side Two:

  1. "Someday, Charlie Brown" **
  2. "Let's Have a Party" ^
  3. "Lucy Says" *
  4. "Woodstock" **
  5. "Snoopy's Big Debut" ** (sung by Robert Towers as Snoopy)
  • * - From It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown
  • ** - From It's Your 20th Television Anniversary, Charlie Brown
  • ^ - Theme from The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show; this version was later used for the second season in 1985

Home media

The special was released on DVD by Warner Home Video as a bonus feature to Snoopy's Reunion. In 2017, it was released on 4K Blu-ray as a part of the Peanuts Holiday Collection.

References

  1. ^ Woolery, George W. (1989). Animated TV Specials: The Complete Directory to the First Twenty-Five Years, 1962-1987. Scarecrow Press. pp. 215–216. ISBN 0-8108-2198-2. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  2. ^ Lenburg, Jeff (2009). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons (3rd ed.). New York: Checkmark Books. pp. 325–326. ISBN 978-0-8160-6600-1.
  3. ^ "Way Out Wednesday: "Flashbeagle"". 8 April 2009.

External links

Retrieved from "https://justapedia.org/index.php?title=It%27s_Flashbeagle,_Charlie_Brown&oldid=1118201294"