It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown

source: It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown

This special was okay/average. 'It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown' is certainly not the best Peanuts special out there, but its not really the worst either. Seeing how I didn't grow up with this special like a few other specials, I don't think I have the nostalgia that other people might have for this special. To me it just comes off as fun but a little awkward and outdated especially to any new younger viewers born in the 21st century. The animation is still good and the musical numbers are catchy, but there isn't really a cohesive narrative. It probably fun for casual watching, but besides Snoopy's iconic dancing (which is adorably memeable by itself) this special is just kind of boring. Still though if your watching all of the Peanuts specials this is not a special to skip. Its fun and has some classic scenes you might love yourself! Oh and by the way Pigpen has a musical number and Fergie (from Black Eyed Peas) voices Sally. So that's pretty cool!

Snoopy assumes the alter ego of insanely hot and charismatic dance machine Flashbeagle. Meanwhile, Sally pines for Linus and Lucy bosses everyone around. Directors: Sam Jaimes, Bill Melendez Writers: Charles M. Schulz (creator), Charles M. Schulz Stars: Fergie, Gary Goren, Gini Holtzman

This 80's offering from the "Peanuts" shares a love-hate relationship with the fans of the series. People on the love side enjoy the silly nature of the program as well as the music. They also enjoy the cultural reference to what were popular trends in the mid 80's. People on the hate side however disliked the program for its attempt to capitalize of what were considered fads at the time. Personally, while not one of my favorite specials in the group...it's harmless. While seeing Snoopy dressed up in leg warmers is a bit rough to take, at least he's not being mauled by a dog sled team or being guilt-ed into moving back with his former owner. Watch this one after you've watched most of the others in the series.

There's not much of a story in this Peanuts special though the theme of dancing does connect the sketches. I do find it kinda strange that a kid's TV special is based on a R-rated movie however. None of the Peanuts gang appear to be happy unless they are dancing. Even Snoopy fancies himself as a Tony Manolo type. Obviously though old Chuck can't get into the spirit of things. Though Snoopy's propensity for dancing to funky, old-school 80s beats does earn Sally Brown her first A in show-and-tell. Bizarre really to think that Stacy Ferguson provided the voice of Lucy in this one.

Thirty years ago, CBS aired this cartoon. It was in the wake of the whole dance craze of the 80's. In fact, "Flashdance" started this trend in my opinion. Basically, it is Snoopy having a night out and becoming a disco king. This special is loaded with song and dance numbers just to pass the time. Charlie Brown gets bothered by the fact that his dog is not normal. There is character study and songs that express that. For instance, Peppermint Patty is bad with academics, but good with athletics. (Peppermint Patty's P.E. Program.) Lucy is dominant and bloats her ego a bit. (Lucy's the Boss.) There is something about the end of the cartoon. As soon as Sally takes Snoopy for show and tell, one kid takes out his boom-box and plays the theme song causing all the kids in the class room to dance. Is there no authority around here?! Did the teacher had this "if you can't beat them, join them" attitude and join in? All this noise would attract trouble! The principal would come in the room and bark stuff like "What's going on here?" "Stop that infernal racket!" I bet he got caught up in the music too. What I like about it, is the songs and the visuals. While the colors are cool, the theme song, "Flashbeagle" is catchy. I got a cassette tape of the album back in the day. I danced to the songs like a little maniac on the floor. I listen to it all the time over the past 30 years! What I didn't like about it, that it was cheesy by today's standards and embarrassing. "Video Movie Guide" bashed that special saying how lame and cheesy it is, saying that Charles Schultz's effort to coincide with the current decade (in this case the 80's), shows that he is an old man trying to be cool and hip. This song/cartoon takes me back to childhood, and when I saw the "Powerpuff Girls" episode, "Boogie Frights", I enjoyed it, because it reminded me of "Flashbeagle". Some of the songs in the album are featured in the special "It's your 20th Television Anniversary Charlie Brown" (1985). Do I recommend it? Yes I do! So check it out. It is pure 80's fun!

At the height of the 80's music and fitness craze Snoopy assumes the cool alter ego of insanely hot and charismatic dance machine Flashbeagle. Meanwhile, the smitten Sally Brown (voiced by none other than Stacy Ferguson a.k.a. Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas!) pines for Linus and Lucy bosses everyone around. This Peanuts TV special takes a welcome and refreshing break from the usual big message and/or moral format; instead it's just a nifty series of loosely strung together amusing vignettes that admittedly doesn't add up to much, but manages to be quite funny and entertaining just the same. For example, the deliciously deadpan exchanges between the brash Peppermit Patty and her nerdy, bespectacled steady gal pal Marcie are as hilarious as ever. Better still, Snoopy cuts loose with some sweet fresh dope moves when he hits the dance floor (Snoopy's dance double was Marine Jahan, who also was the uncredited double for Jennifer Beals in "Flashdance"). The throbbing discoid songs certainly hit the groovy spot, with the jaunty "I'm in Shape" and the marvelously snotty "Listen to Lucy" rating as the single most tasty and memorable tunes. A total hoot.

"It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown" is an American color cartoon from 1984, so this one's over 30 years old already, almost 35 in fact and the mention of one title character makes it obvious that this is another Peanuts television special by Melendez and Schultz. It runs for under 24 minutes, but is probably not among the gang's most known because it is not a holiday special of any kind. But the focus here is also not as much on Snoopy as you might think from the title. There are major segments without Charlie Brown's dog making an impact on the story at all. Early on the parts at the gym and classroom were okay, but not memorable either really. Everything else was completely forgettable with the exception of the audio. The songs you hear in here are pretty much fun, but there isn't really a reason why you shouldn't just listen to a record and do without the video site entirely. Anyway, I may be a bit biased as I am not the very greatest Peanuts fan out there, but I like Snoopy more than most of the others, but still his parts aren't too memorable. And by the way, beagles are among my favorite dogs on the planets and Snoopy looks Nothing like them. Why oh why. So all in all, I am not impressed and wouldn't really recommend checking this one out. Maybe BEP lovers can give it a go as you indeed hear the very young Fergie in here before the age of 10. The Emmys went for the fat cat that year and not for the dog we got here. It may have been the right decision. Flashbeagle gets a thumbs-down from me. Skip it.

I don't care if anyone else liked this or not, I know I will always love this Snoopy Special. I've had it for years on an LP and I used to play it over and over again. I memorized every song on the record. I was so excited recently when I saw a copy on VHS at a local video store. I bought that right up and I love it! Snoopy is just too cute in this episode. He is really happy throughout the whole video unlike some where he is just kind of "blah". I suggest to anyone who really likes Snoopy and really likes Flashbeagle, you need to find the record(LP) or possibly a cassette tape of the music. There are a few songs on it such as "Don't give up, Charlie Brown" and a song called "Woodstock" which are not on the VHS, plus a few others. Anyways, I give this a 10 out of 10 for creativity and for just being a happy little video. Brings back great memories!

Call me strange, but for some reason I've always had a tiny soft spot for those musical episodes that most popular cartoon shows tend to tackle at one point or another. You know, the ones which always revolve around the familiar characters breaking into random song and dance routines. A lot of it's just the novelty factor involved, I suppose - the type of music they usually feature is never anything you'll find me rushing out to buy on vinyl or CD after all. 'It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown', the 'Peanuts' special equivalent of such an episode, is one such example. What really tends to divide 'Peanuts' fans over this particular addition to the 'Charlie Brown' cannon, so far as I can see, is the underlying lack of substantial story or moral message. Whereas most 'Peanuts' specials always had something meaningful to say, in a melancholic tone that could punch through to all ages, all 'Flashbeagle' really consists of is a foursome of thinly strung-together music videos with very little of the beloved Charles Schulz dialogue filling in between. The truly cynical amongst us could even refer it as 'pointless'. It's also very much influenced by the sounds of the decade from which it hails, and, as you could probably decipher from the title, was out for a ride on the 'Flashdance' bandwagon at the time. How enjoyable you're likely to find it will essentially rest upon how tolerant you are of 80s music in general. If nostalgia's your thing then the more 'Flashdance'-y sequences won't disappoint - the title song 'Flashbeagle' is surprisingly agreeable and not a track which I'd especially object to have blurting out from my own stereo system (say what you will about the 80s, but it's an era that still holds a lot of warm childhood memories for me). The initial two songs, performed by Peppermint Patty and Lucy, respectively, aren't so much in that 80s music cache as they are in the vein of your typical kiddie-show sing-along fare, with simple tunes and basic lyrics. Lucy's number is fairly fun and does a good job reflecting her established disposition, but I'm a lot less keen on Patty's - it's too jaunty and childish, and may have older viewers retreating from the living room long before we've really had a chance to get to what we came here to see: Snoopy jamming away in his disco-frequenting persona Flashbeagle. That sequence alone makes it all worthwhile. Overall the whole affair is bright and lively and will probably find favour amongst nostalgic fans and younger viewers, but it's been looking dated for a long time now, and adults will most likely be left yearning for the usual ingredients in the trusty 'Peanuts' formula. By no means one of their best, but I think it's safe to say that this was at least one of the more memorable 'Peanuts' specials of the 1980s (their major heyday took place mostly in the 60s and 70s). Grade: B-