If A Charlie Brown Christmas is a grand slam, then Charlie Brown's All-Stars!, originally broadcast in 1968, is a home run, or at least a solid triple. Like its more famous predecessor, this too was an instant classic, with its best gags and indelible moments taken from Charles Schulz's iconic comic strip. After yet another humiliating loss, manager and pitcher Charlie Brown faces a walkout of his baseball team. But they rally around Charlie when he receives the promise of a league sponsorship and actual uniforms for the team. Unfortunately, there's a catch: Snoopy and the girls are not allowed in the sponsored team league, and Charlie Brown must decide whether to sacrifice his friends. Although not as well known as other Peanuts specials, this holds up well. Extras include the 1982 special A Charlie Brown Celebration—a collection of vignettes that includes a classic in which an unwitting Peppermint Patty is enrolled in an obedience school for dogs. Recommended. (D. Liebenson)
Charlie Brown's All-Stars!
Warner, 74 min., not rated, DVD: $19.98 Volume 32, Issue 1
Charlie Brown's All-Stars!
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