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{{Special|image=Itsthegirlintheredtruckcharlielogo-1-.jpg|director=Walter C. Miller|writer=[[Charles M. Schulz]], Monte Schulz|release=September 27, 1988|runtime=60 minutes|Previous Special = ''[[Snoopy!!! The Musical (TV special)|Snoopy!!! The Musical]]''|Next Special = ''[[Why, Charlie Brown, Why?]]''|media = ''It's The Girl In The Red Truck, Charlie Brown'' VHS}}
 
{{Special|image=Itsthegirlintheredtruckcharlielogo-1-.jpg|director=Walter C. Miller|writer=[[Charles M. Schulz]], Monte Schulz|release=September 27, 1988|runtime=60 minutes|Previous Special = ''[[Snoopy!!! The Musical (TV special)|Snoopy!!! The Musical]]''|Next Special = ''[[Why, Charlie Brown, Why?]]''|media = ''It's The Girl In The Red Truck, Charlie Brown'' VHS}}
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[[File:It's_the_Girl_in_the_Red_Truck_VHS.jpg|thumb|200px|The cover to the VHS release by [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount Home Video]].]]
'''''It's the Girl in the Red Truck, Charlie Brown''''' is the thirty-second television special based on the ''[[Peanuts]]'' comic strip by [[Charles M. Schulz]]. It originally aired on CBS on September 27, 1988. It is an unusual ''Peanuts'' special because it features a mixture of animation and live action and the main character is [[Snoopy's siblings|Snoopy's brother]] [[Spike]]. There are brief appearances by [[Charlie Brown]] and [[Snoopy]] at the beginning of the special but no other characters form the ''Peanuts'' comic strip appear, the other main characters in the program are human [[adults]].
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'''''It's the Girl in the Red Truck, Charlie Brown''''' is the thirty-second television special based on the ''[[Peanuts]]'' comic strip by [[Charles M. Schulz]]. It originally aired on [[CBS]] on September 27, 1988. It is an unusual ''Peanuts'' special because it features a mixture of animation and live action and the main character is [[Snoopy's siblings|Snoopy's brother]], [[Spike]]. There are brief appearances by [[Charlie Brown]] and [[Snoopy]] at the beginning of the special but no other characters from the ''Peanuts'' comic strip appear. The other main characters in the program are human [[adults]].
The special is very much a Schulz family production. The script was co-written by Charles M. Schulz and his son Monte Schulz. The title role of the young woman who drives a red truck was played by Schulz's daughter Jill Schulz.
 
  +
 
The show is very much a Schulz family production. The script was co-written by Charles M. Schulz and his son, Monte. The title role of the young woman who drives a red truck was played by Schulz's daughter, Jill. [[Universal Pictures]] sound studio was used for dubbing.
   
 
==Plot==
 
==Plot==
A brief animated introduction shows [[Charlie Brown]] finding a letter for [[Snoopy]] in the mailbox. He tells Snoopy that his brother [[Spike]] has sent him a letter and proceeds to read it to him.
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A brief animated introduction shows [[Charlie Brown]] finding a letter for [[Snoopy]] in the mailbox. He tells him that it's from his brother, [[Spike]], and proceeds to read it to him.
   
Spike describes his daily life in the desert, going for walks and learning French from cassettes. One day he sees a young woman driving an old red truck. He smiles and waves at her. He thinks that she smiles and waves back but is not sure. He waits in the same spot all day for her to return. When she returns in the evening he smiles and waves again and this time he is certain that she smiles and waves at him in return. This makes Spike very happy.
+
Spike describes his daily life in the desert, going for walks and learning French from his cassette. One day he sees a young woman driving an red truck. He waves at her. He thinks that she waves back but he is not sure. He waits in the same spot all day for her to return. When she does in the evening he waves again and this time he is certain that she waves back. This makes him very happy.
   
The next day Spike waits in the same place to smile and wave at the young woman. Her truck breaks down, She asks the dog if he can help and notices the name "Spike" on his cassette player. When the young woman gets her truck started again she takes Spike with her.
+
The next day. Spike waits in the same place to wave at the young woman. Her truck breaks down, She asks him if he can help and notices his on his cassette player. When she gets her truck started again she takes him with her.
   
It is revealed that the woman's name is Jenny, she works as an aerobics instructor but dreams of being a professional jazz dancer. Jenny takes Spike to a diner, where the owner, Molly, already knows him because he often comes in for a root beer, before taking him home.
+
It is revealed that the woman's name is Jenny. She works as an aerobics instructor but dreams of being a professional jazz dancer. She takes Spike to a diner, where the owner, Molly, already knows him because he often comes in for root beer, before taking him home.
   
Jenny's boyfriend Jeff, who works in the recording industry in Los Angeles, arrives at her house. Both Jeff and Spike appear to be somewhat jealous of each other. Jeff anounces to Jenny that he has arranged for an audition for her. Jenny is not happy about it because it clashes with an aerobics class that she is teaching and Jeff has organized the audition without consulting her first.
+
Jenny's boyfriend Jeff, who works in the recording industry in Los Angeles, arrives at her house. Both he and Spike appear to be somewhat jealous of each other. He announces to her that he has arranged for an audition for her. She is not happy about it because it clashes with the aerobics class she is teaching and he has organized it without consulting her first.
   
Spike, Jenny, Jeff and Molly go to a roller-skating rink together. Jenny skates with Spike but accidentally throws him out of the building's back door. Finding himself locked out, Spike heads back into the desert and finds himself getting shot at by some men hunting coyotes.
+
Spike, Jenny, Jeff, and Molly go to a roller rink together. Jenny skates with Spike but accidentally throws him out the back door. Finding himself locked out, he heads back into the desert and finds himself dodging gunshots by some men hunting coyotes.
   
Jenny and Jeff drive into the desert looking for Spike. They hear gunfire and manage to rescue him from the coyote hunters. Jeff and Jenny ask Spike to come home with them but he prefers to stay in the desert instead.
+
Jenny and Jeff drive into the desert looking for Spike. They hear gunfire and manage to rescue him from the coyote hunters. They ask him to come home with them but he prefers to stay in the desert instead.
   
 
Jeff agrees that he was wrong to arrange an audition for Jenny without telling her about it beforehand and decides he will let her pursue her career in her own way.
 
Jeff agrees that he was wrong to arrange an audition for Jenny without telling her about it beforehand and decides he will let her pursue her career in her own way.
   
 
==Critical reaction==
 
==Critical reaction==
The show was not well received, largely because it was unfavorably compared to the recently released ''[[wikipedia:Who Framed Roger Rabbit|Who Framed Roger Rabbit]]'', which also mixed animation with live action. Schulz was worried that people would think he had copied the idea from ''Who Framed Roger Rabbit''. He asked his daughter Jenny Schulz to stress during publicity for the show that he had come up with the idea long before ''Who Framed Roger Rabbit'' was released.
+
The show was not well received, largely because it was unfavorably compared to the recently released ''[[wikipedia:Who Framed Roger Rabbit|Who Framed Roger Rabbit]]'', which also mixed animation with live action. Schulz was worried that people would think he had copied the idea from ''Who Framed Roger Rabbit''. He asked his daughter, Jill, to stress during publicity for the show that he had come up with the idea long before ''Who Framed Roger Rabbit'' was released.
   
 
A review by John J. O'Connor from the ''New York Times'' on September 27 1988, the day the special was first shown, says that the comparison to ''Who Framed Roger Rabbit'' is superficial because; ''"the interaction between the actors and the characters is not terribly convincing, and the superimposing of the cartoon figures on real settings is generally clumsy."'' Of the show's plot, O'Connor says, ''"The problem with 'Red Truck' is that the story goes nowhere."''
 
A review by John J. O'Connor from the ''New York Times'' on September 27 1988, the day the special was first shown, says that the comparison to ''Who Framed Roger Rabbit'' is superficial because; ''"the interaction between the actors and the characters is not terribly convincing, and the superimposing of the cartoon figures on real settings is generally clumsy."'' Of the show's plot, O'Connor says, ''"The problem with 'Red Truck' is that the story goes nowhere."''
   
 
==Cast==
 
==Cast==
*Jason Riffle - [[Charlie Brown]] (voice)
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*[[Jason Riffle]] [[Charlie Brown]] (voice)
*[[Bill Melendez]] - [[Spike]] (voice)
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*[[Bill Melendez]] [[Spike]] (voice)
*Steve Stoliar - French teacher on cassette (voice)
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*Steve Stoliar French teacher on cassette (voice)
*Jill Schulz - Jenny
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*Jill Schulz Jenny
*Molly Brice - Molly
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*Molly Brice Molly
*Greg Deacon -Jeff
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*Greg Deacon Jeff
   
 
[[Snoopy]] appears in the animated introduction but is silent.
 
[[Snoopy]] appears in the animated introduction but is silent.
  +
  +
==Notes==
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''It's the Girl in the Red Truck, Charlie Brown'' and ''[[What a Nightmare, Charlie Brown]]'' are the only ''Peanuts'' TV specials in which [[Linus van Pelt|Linus]] does not appear. The only regular cast members who appear in both ''It's the Girl in the Red Truck, Charlie Brown'' and ''What a Nightmare, Charlie Brown'' are Charlie Brown and Snoopy.
   
 
==External links==
 
==External links==
*[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0173934 ''It's the Girl in the Red Truck, Charlie Brown'' on the Internet Movie Database.]
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*[[IMDB:tt0173934|''It's the Girl in the Red Truck, Charlie Brown'' on the Internet Movie Database.]]
  +
*[http://www.bcdb.com/cartoon/28579-Its-The-Girl-In-The-Red-Truck-Charl ''It's the Girl in the Red Truck, Charlie Brown'' on the Big Cartoon Database.]
  +
*[http://www.allmovie.com/movie/its-the-girl-in-the-red-truck-charlie-brown-v206667 ''It's the Girl in the Red Truck, Charlie Brown'' on AllMovie.]
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{{TVSpecials}}
 
{{ipn}}
 
{{ipn}}
   
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[[Category:TV specials]]
 
[[Category:TV specials]]
 
[[Category:1988]]
 
[[Category:1988]]
[[Category:Spike]]
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[[Category:TV specials featuring Spike]]
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[[Category:TV specials featuring Charlie Brown]]

Revision as of 17:39, 23 February 2020

It's the Girl in the Red Truck VHS

The cover to the VHS release by Paramount Home Video.

It's the Girl in the Red Truck, Charlie Brown is the thirty-second television special based on the Peanuts comic strip by Charles M. Schulz. It originally aired on CBS on September 27, 1988. It is an unusual Peanuts special because it features a mixture of animation and live action and the main character is Snoopy's brother, Spike. There are brief appearances by Charlie Brown and Snoopy at the beginning of the special but no other characters from the Peanuts comic strip appear. The other main characters in the program are human adults.

The show is very much a Schulz family production. The script was co-written by Charles M. Schulz and his son, Monte. The title role of the young woman who drives a red truck was played by Schulz's daughter, Jill. Universal Pictures sound studio was used for dubbing.

Plot

A brief animated introduction shows Charlie Brown finding a letter for Snoopy in the mailbox. He tells him that it's from his brother, Spike, and proceeds to read it to him.

Spike describes his daily life in the desert, going for walks and learning French from his cassette. One day he sees a young woman driving an red truck. He waves at her. He thinks that she waves back but he is not sure. He waits in the same spot all day for her to return. When she does in the evening he waves again and this time he is certain that she waves back. This makes him very happy.

The next day. Spike waits in the same place to wave at the young woman. Her truck breaks down, She asks him if he can help and notices his on his cassette player. When she gets her truck started again she takes him with her.

It is revealed that the woman's name is Jenny. She works as an aerobics instructor but dreams of being a professional jazz dancer. She takes Spike to a diner, where the owner, Molly, already knows him because he often comes in for root beer, before taking him home.

Jenny's boyfriend Jeff, who works in the recording industry in Los Angeles, arrives at her house. Both he and Spike appear to be somewhat jealous of each other. He announces to her that he has arranged for an audition for her. She is not happy about it because it clashes with the aerobics class she is teaching and he has organized it without consulting her first.

Spike, Jenny, Jeff, and Molly go to a roller rink together. Jenny skates with Spike but accidentally throws him out the back door. Finding himself locked out, he heads back into the desert and finds himself dodging gunshots by some men hunting coyotes.

Jenny and Jeff drive into the desert looking for Spike. They hear gunfire and manage to rescue him from the coyote hunters. They ask him to come home with them but he prefers to stay in the desert instead.

Jeff agrees that he was wrong to arrange an audition for Jenny without telling her about it beforehand and decides he will let her pursue her career in her own way.

Critical reaction

The show was not well received, largely because it was unfavorably compared to the recently released Who Framed Roger Rabbit, which also mixed animation with live action. Schulz was worried that people would think he had copied the idea from Who Framed Roger Rabbit. He asked his daughter, Jill, to stress during publicity for the show that he had come up with the idea long before Who Framed Roger Rabbit was released.

A review by John J. O'Connor from the New York Times on September 27 1988, the day the special was first shown, says that the comparison to Who Framed Roger Rabbit is superficial because; "the interaction between the actors and the characters is not terribly convincing, and the superimposing of the cartoon figures on real settings is generally clumsy." Of the show's plot, O'Connor says, "The problem with 'Red Truck' is that the story goes nowhere."

Cast

Snoopy appears in the animated introduction but is silent.

Notes

It's the Girl in the Red Truck, Charlie Brown and What a Nightmare, Charlie Brown are the only Peanuts TV specials in which Linus does not appear. The only regular cast members who appear in both It's the Girl in the Red Truck, Charlie Brown and What a Nightmare, Charlie Brown are Charlie Brown and Snoopy.

External links

Peanuts Animated Features
TV Specials Released 1960s A Charlie Brown ChristmasCharlie Brown's All-StarsIt's the Great Pumpkin...You're in Love...He's Your Dog...It Was a Short Summer...
1970s Play It Again...You're Not Elected...There's No Time for Love...A Charlie Brown ThanksgivingIt's a Mystery...It's the Easter Beagle...Be My Valentine...You're a Good Sport...It's Arbor Day...It's Your First Kiss...What a Nightmare...You're the Greatest...
1980s She's a Good Skate...Life Is a Circus...It's Magic...Someday You'll Find Her...A Charlie Brown CelebrationIs This Goodbye...?It's an Adventure...What Have We Learned...?It's Flashbeagle...Snoopy's Getting Married...You're a Good Man...Happy New Year...!Snoopy!!! The MusicalIt's the Girl in the Red Truck...
1990s Why, Charlie Brown, Why?Snoopy's ReunionIt's Spring Training...It's Christmastime Again...You're in the Super Bowl...It Was My Best Birthday Ever...
2000s It's the Pied Piper...A Charlie Brown ValentineCharlie Brown's Christmas TalesLucy Must Be Traded...I Want a Dog for Christmas...He's a Bully...
2010s Happiness Is a Warm Blanket...
2020s For Auld Lang SyneIt's The Small Things...To Mom (and Dad), With LoveLucy's SchoolOne-of-a-Kind MarcieWelcome Home, Franklin
Movies A Boy Named Charlie BrownSnoopy, Come HomeRace for Your Life, Charlie BrownBon Voyage, Charlie Brown (And Don't Come Back!!)The Peanuts Movie
The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show Season 1 "Snoopy's Cat Fight" • "Snoopy: Team Manager" • "Linus and Lucy" • "Lucy vs. the World" • "Linus' Security Blanket" • "Snoopy: Man's Best Friend" • "Snoopy the Psychiatrist" • "You Can't Win, Charlie Brown" • "The Lost Ballpark" • "Snoopy's Football Career" • "Chaos in the Classroom" • "It's That Team Spirit, Charlie Brown" • "Lucy Loves Schroeder"
Season 2 "Snoopy and the Giant" • "Snoopy's Brother Spike" • "Snoopy's Robot" • "Peppermint Patty's School Days" • "Sally's Sweet Babboo"
This Is America, Charlie Brown "The Mayflower Voyagers" • "The Birth of the Constitution" • "The Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk" • "The NASA Space Station" • "The Building of the Transcontinental Railroad" • "The Great Inventors" • "The Smithsonian and the Presidency" • "The Music and Heroes of America"
Snoopy in Space "The Application" • "Training" • "The Graduation" • "Welcome to the ISS" • "I Never Promised You a Space Garden" • "Space Sleepwalking" • "The Journey on Orion" • "Crater Crash" • "Searching for Moon Rocks" • "You're a Good Moon, Charlie Brown" • "The Next Mission" • "Mars or Bust"
Others Peanuts (2014 TV series) • Peanuts Motion ComicsThe Snoopy Show