It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown moving to Apple+

[Mike Scott]

LOL  I said "MOVE," not "movie."

D'Oh!

[Monsters For Sale]

I've been hearing a lot of DJs trashing this move on the air, in several markets.

Friends with two young, stay-at-home kids asked me about suggestions for Halloween movies. I recommended Halloween Town or Disney's Hocus Pocus but NOT Great Pumpkin.

Great Pumpkin has too many long pauses where little happens and musical numbers kinda drone on.  These kids have Notepads and expect instantaneous responses/solutions to questions/problems. They do not suffer from short attention spans - they've just been conditioned to expect a faster-paced  world.

I can't imagine them existing in my 1950's world where there were no such electronic devices and no one owned microwaves. My questions were answered by walking to the library, searching through a card file, going to the Dewey Decimal-labeled shelf only to discover that the desired volume had been checked out and I needed to fill out a Request Card and wait for the library to mail me a postcard that it had been returned and was being held for me on my return trip to the library.

I always loved using the card file.  For me, the hunt was fun.  I could always find just the right book faster than any of my fellow students.  (The very first time I went to a library and had to ask the librarian where the card file was, only to be pointed to a computer...  I walked out.  I had never used a computer and had no idea what to do with it.)

Perhaps the reviewers are from a newer generation than those of us who saw Great Pumpkin when it first aired, and simply find it tedious - or never knew the daily comic strip and can't appreciate the intentionally jumpy animation that was intended to be reminiscent of the little panels, and not be fully animated like a Bugs Bunny cartoon.  It also helps to be familiar with the running gags in the strips before seeing the TV Specials - helps the allusions to them make more sense and seem much funnier.


Sorry, I took longer than I should to get to my point (again).  I thought putting it in context would help.

[Mike Scott]

They do not suffer from short attention spans - they've just been conditioned to expect a faster-paced  world.

How can you tell the difference?

[Monsters For Sale]

How can you tell the difference? 

When they can spend hours hammering at you about the same thing and never get tired or distracted.

Now can we go? Now can we go?  Now can we go?  Now can se go? ...

      - or -

Do it again.  Do it again.  Do it again.  Do it again. ...

[Mike Scott]

Now can we go? Now can we go?  Now can we go?  Now can se go? ...

      - or -

Do it again.  Do it again.  Do it again.  Do it again. ...

Sounds the same, to me.

[TheMadScientist]

Perhaps the reviewers are from a newer generation than those of us who saw Great Pumpkin when it first aired, and simply find it tedious - or never knew the daily comic strip and can't appreciate the intentionally jumpy animation that was intended to be reminiscent of the little panels, and not be fully animated like a Bugs Bunny cartoon.  It also helps to be familiar with the running gags in the strips before seeing the TV Specials - helps the allusions to them make more sense and seem much funnier.

I'm not sure if this is in response to BijouBob8mm's post, but I think they meant that the move to being an Apple+ exclusive has been getting a bad response, not the movie itself.

They do not suffer from short attention spans - they've just been conditioned to expect a faster-paced  world.

Granted, I know nothing about children, but as you say, a lot of this has to do with the media they are shown. Some of they watch more things like The Great Pumpkin, or similar slower movies/shows, they might start to respond to that more and more.

[Monsters For Sale]

I'm not sure if this is in response to BijouBob8mm's post, but I think they meant that the move to being an Apple+ exclusive has been getting a bad response, not the movie itself. ... 

My mistake.

I thought they were reacting to the TV special.

[horrorhunter]

I watched my DVD copy on Halloween same as usual, and enjoyed it like always. We gave up on regular TV years ago. The closest thing we use now is PLUTO TV because it's FREE. I know, I know, what a concept.

[Monsters For Sale]

I watched my DVD copy on Halloween same as usual, and enjoyed it like always. We gave up on regular TV years ago. The closest thing we use now is PLUTO TV because it's FREE. I know, I know, what a concept. 

I haven't had cable in years.  Sometimes, when I am babysitting, I see my friends watching "regular" TV - and I can't believe how many commercials there are.  Doesn't bother them.

[horrorhunter]

I haven't had cable in years.  Sometimes, when I am babysitting, I see my friends watching "regular" TV - and I can't believe how many commercials there are.  Doesn't bother them.

Yeah, the purpose of all those annoying commercials is to pay for the TV shows. Then greed won out and people have been paying with their time, aggravation, and money for decades. There's too many things to do for entertainment to waste money on Pay TV. That's my attitude towards it anyway.

[Mike Scott]

I haven't had cable in years. 

So, is DVD the only way you watch "drama"?

[Monsters For Sale]

So, is DVD the only way you watch "drama"? 

Watch some drama and British comedy on YouTube, too.

I like science/history documentaries.  Plenty of those on YouTube.  I watch them on my 55" TV.  Many years of Nova, National Geographic, BBC shows, college lectures, etc.   Quite a few old movies that can't be had on dis, too.

More than I could ever watch - and my smart TV screens out almost all of those irritating little commercials.

I need to get another 72" x 38" DVD storage cabinet for my overflow.  Really glad I moved all my stuff into slim cases..

[BijouBob8mm]

I can't imagine them existing in my 1950's world where there were no such electronic devices and no one owned microwaves.

Well, technically you COULD have owned a Radarange microwave in the 1950s if you were affluent enough...prices ranged from $2,000 to $3,000.  (But, at that price, I'd be willing to wait until the ol' gas stove got the job done!)

[Mike...In 3-D!]

I can't imagine them existing in my 1950's world where there were no such electronic devices and no one owned microwaves.

I got a major kick out of telling my niece and nephews that I grew up without the internet, and explaining everything that entailed. The shock on their faces was priceless.

[Monsters For Sale]

I got a major kick out of telling my niece and nephews that I grew up without the internet, and explaining everything that entailed. The shock on their faces was priceless. 

I like explaining a camera that takes only 12 pictures - on film.  And then taking the film to the local drugstore that would have the black & white prints ready two days later.

Back then no one I knew "wasted" film.  It might takes months to complete a roll.  And no one I knew ever took a selfie.