"It's Magic, Charlie Brown" In the beloved television special "It's Magic, Charlie Brown," viewers are taken on an enchanting journey with the Peanuts gang as they explore the power of magic. The story centers around Snoopy, who discovers a magic wand and decides to put its powers to the test. As Snoopy begins his magical adventures, he quickly realizes that being a magician is not as easy as it seems. He attempts to pull a rabbit out of a hat but ends up with unexpected results. However, his determination and creativity shine through as he continues to learn and improve his magic tricks. Throughout the special, Charlie Brown and his friends provide plenty of humor and heart as they navigate through the ups and downs of Snoopy's magical escapades.
It’s Magic, Charlie Brown Original and Limited Edition Art
It's Magic, Charlie Brown is the 21st prime-time animated television special based upon the comic strip Peanuts , by Charles M. Schulz . It originally aired on April 28, 1981. Plot Snoopy takes a book out from the library – on Charlie Brown 's card – and the book is about magic tricks, which inspires Snoopy to hold a magic show, taking the stage name "The Great Houndini", using Marcie and Sally as his assistants. In the show, once Snoopy silences a kid heckling his "Woodstock-out-of-the-hat" trick, he does the "stick-in-the-hole" trick to Franklin , the "amputation-decapitation" trick to Peppermint Patty , cutting Linus ' trademark security blanket into strips (it's unknown how Linus got it back after that), the " levitation " trick to Lucy Van Pelt , and biggest of all, making Charlie Brown literally disappear. Unfortunately, a sudden rainstorm ends the show early, and Charlie Brown is left invisible . Convinced he's going to remain that way for the rest of his life, he prepares to "roam the world as a lost soul", and Sally begins moving her stuff into his room. When Snoopy realizes he can't yet reverse the trick, he tries a couple of different ideas to make Charlie Brown somewhat visible again, including draping a sheet over his head, which scares Sally, and causes Charlie Brown to faint when he sees himself in the mirror. Meanwhile, Linus tells Lucy that Sally told him what happened to Charlie Brown, which Lucy doesn't believe. Back at the Brown's house, Snoopy tries working on reversing the invisible trick, but still has trouble with it even after seeing his supper dish floating in mid-air. While Snoopy searches for a counterspell, Charlie Brown realizes he has a golden opportunity to kick Lucy's infamous football without her usual pulling-away prank. Taking advantage of his invisibility, Charlie Brown finally kicks the ball out of Lucy's hand and taunts her about it. Lucy is at a loss to know what is going on as she can only hear Charlie Brown's voice. But when he tries another attempt, Snoopy casts the counterspell to make him visible again just as he runs toward the football, and this time Lucy does her usual prank, with Charlie Brown again landing flat on his back. Nevertheless, Charlie Brown is happy that he finally kicked the ball at least once, which leads to Lucy saying that nobody will believe him. When Charlie Brown says that Snoopy will believe him, Lucy scoffs at Snoopy's magical abilities. The insulted beagle magically levitates Lucy into the sky, and leaves her stuck there for payback. Snoopy and Charlie Brown happily laugh and dance away to conclude a satisfying day, ignoring Lucy's pleads to let her down. During the credits Linus eventually pulls Lucy down with his blanket. Lucy, despite being free, is furious about what happened. She blames Linus for the mishap, gives up, and stomps away. You can currently find it to watch here: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4icq0h
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Western Animation / It's Magic, Charlie Brown
It's Magic, Charlie Brown is the 21st Peanuts special, first aired on April 28, 1981. It was later released as a bonus feature on the remastered deluxe DVD of It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.
Taking Charlie Brown's advice to take some books to read rather than just eating and sleeping, Snoopy heads off to the library with Charlie Brown's library card and borrows a magic book, and after having some fun testing out his newfound abilities (and getting his doghouse destroyed by the angry cat next door), he decides to put on a magic show, labeling himself "The Great Houndini", and performs several magic tricks (most of which do not succeed as expected), but when he turns Charlie Brown invisible and is about to revert him, a rainstorm occurs and ends the show early.
Charlie Brown laments his predicament, believing that he is now a lost soul condemned to roam the Earth, but he soon grows to enjoy his new state when he realizes he can successfully kick Lucy's football without her usual instinct to pull it away. This infuriates Lucy so much that she orders Snoopy to change him back, lest she pound him. Scared about this, Snoopy decides to get to work at Lucy's behest and tries to find something to help him revert Charlie Brown, before eventually perfecting it. Going out into a grassy field where Lucy has set up another place kick, he eventually blasts Charlie Brown with the counterspell, rendering him visible again (though he is too focused on kicking the football to realize). This allows Lucy to successfully pull the ball away, causing the now-visible Charlie Brown to fall flat on his back.
Not humiliated about that failure in the slightest, however, Charlie Brown declares that he finally kicked that football, despite Lucy arguing that he didn't. She then makes the mistake of insulting Snoopy, which offends him so much that he levitates her high into the air (just like what he did to her in the magic show), then dances back home with Charlie Brown. A few moments later, Linus comes by and lassoes Lucy by the leg with his blanket, pulling her back down, and also heads home along with her.
Throughout the special, Charlie Brown and his friends provide plenty of humor and heart as they navigate through the ups and downs of Snoopy's magical escapades. From Lucy's skepticism to Linus' unwavering faith, each character adds their unique perspective to the story. One of the memorable moments from "It's Magic, Charlie Brown" is the mesmerizing scene when Snoopy transforms his doghouse into a glorious castle.
It's Magic, Charlie Brown contains examples of:
- Brick Joke: Snoopy levitates Lucy in the air during his magic act, and does the same to her once she insults him and his magic abilities .
- Continuity Nod: Near the end of the special, after Charlie Brown is made visible again, Lucy greets him with "Welcome home, Charlie Brown", much like she did at the end of A Boy Named Charlie Brown.
- Creative Closing Credits: Linus brings Lucy back down to the ground with his blanket after the latter has been leviated into the air by Snoopy. She's visibly annoyed about this .
- Credits Gag: The title and the creator's credit appear on clouds caused by Snoopy practicing his magic tricks, while the Lee-Mendelson/Bill Melendez credit appears and falls apart after Snoopy's house gets destroyed by the cat next door.
- Cursed with Awesome: Charlie Brown, while unhappy with his invisibility at first, soon grows to enjoy it when he realizes that he can successfully kick Lucy's football.
- The Dog Bites Back: Charlie Brown, taking advantage of his invisible state, manages to kick the football from Lucy and mocks her about it. He even makes her hold it in place so he can kick it again .
Charlie Brown: What's the matter? Did you lose something? Is this yours?
(Charlie Brown shoves the ball into Lucy's hands, then forces her arm out to hold the football, then kicks it again)
Charlie Brown: (laughs victoriously to the tune of "Ring a Ring o' Roses")
- Snoopy's doghouse is destroyed by the cat next door at the beginning, yet is back in one piece the next time we see it.
- Linus' blanket gets cut up into pieces by Snoopy and somehow is back to normal later on in the special, though it might probably be just a spare blanket.
It's Magic, Charlie Brown
It's Magic, Charlie Brown is the 21st prime-time animated TV special based upon the comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. It originally aired on April 28, 1981.
This visually stunning sequence showcases the power and wonder of magic, captivating both the characters and the audience. As the story unfolds, the Peanuts gang learns valuable lessons about friendship, perseverance, and embracing one's talents. Snoopy's determination to become a successful magician encourages viewers to believe in themselves and pursue their passions, even in the face of challenges. Moreover, "It's Magic, Charlie Brown" highlights the importance of teamwork and the joy of sharing one's talents with others. The bonds between the characters are strengthened as they come together to support Snoopy in his magical endeavors, reminding viewers of the power of friendship. In the end, "It's Magic, Charlie Brown" showcases the magic that lies within each individual and the endless possibilities that can unfold when one believes in themselves. The special's timeless message and delightful storytelling continue to enchant audiences of all ages, making it a cherished part of the Peanuts legacy..
Reviews for "Unlocking the Messages in 'It's Magic Charlie Brown': Lessons in Life and Magic"
1. John - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "It's Magic Charlie Brown". The plot was weak and the jokes were just not funny. I found myself waiting for something exciting to happen, but it never did. The animation was also not up to par with other Charlie Brown specials. Overall, I felt like this was a wasted opportunity and one of the weakest Charlie Brown specials I've seen.
2. Sarah - 1 star - I have been a fan of Charlie Brown for years, but "It's Magic Charlie Brown" was a huge letdown. The whole magic theme felt forced and out of place. The story lacked depth and the characters felt flat. Even the iconic humor that I loved about Charlie Brown was missing. It felt like they were just trying to cash in on the popularity of magic at the time. I would not recommend this special to any Charlie Brown fans.
3. Michael - 2 stars - As a long-time fan of the Peanuts gang, I had high hopes for "It's Magic Charlie Brown". Unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The magic theme seemed forced and did not fit well with the overall tone of the show. The jokes were repetitive and lacked the cleverness that I have come to expect from Charlie Brown specials. The animation was also disappointing, with some scenes looking sloppy and rushed. It pains me to say it, but this is one special I won't be watching again.
4. Emily - 3 stars - While "It's Magic Charlie Brown" wasn't the best in the series, it still had some redeeming qualities. The magic tricks were fun to watch and the special had a lighthearted vibe that I enjoyed. However, the storyline felt a bit scattered and the pacing was off at times. The animation was decent, but not as visually appealing compared to other specials. Overall, it was an average Charlie Brown special that could have been better with more focus on the plot and character development.