Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Race for Your Life,Charlie Brown |
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UK Promotional poster
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| Directed by |
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| Produced by |
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| Written by | Charles M. Schulz |
| Starring |
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| Music by | Ed Bogas Judy Munsen (music supervisor) |
| Editing by |
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| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
| Release date(s) | July 16, 1977 (Japan) August 3, 1977 (New York) August 24, 1977 (United States) |
| Running time | 75 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Money made | $3.2 million |
Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown is an animated adventure comedy film from 1977. It was made by United Feature Syndicate for Paramount Pictures. The movie was directed by Bill Melendez and Phil Roman. It is the third film based on the popular Peanuts comic strip.
This film was the first Peanuts movie made after the composer Vince Guaraldi passed away. It used the same voice actors from TV specials like You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown (1975) and It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown (1976). Liam Martin, who voiced Linus in this movie, later voiced Charlie Brown in the 1978 TV special What a Nightmare, Charlie Brown. The movie received good reviews from people who watched it. It came out five years after Snoopy, Come Home.
Plot
The Peanuts gang is excited to go to Camp Remote, located in the mountains. But Charlie Brown accidentally gets left behind at a rest stop. He has to catch a scary ride on Snoopy's motorcycle to reach the camp. Snoopy drives very fast, and Charlie Brown shouts in fear!
Camp Life Adventures
When they arrive, the kids find camp life very different from home. It's strict and not very fancy. They are confused by the 24-hour clock schedule. Franklin wonders if "oh-five-hundred" (5:00 AM) means noon. Sally thinks "eighteen-hundred" (6:00 PM) is a year!
While the kids try to get used to camp, Snoopy enjoys himself. He has his own tent and eats ice cream sundaes. He even watches Western films on his portable TV.
The Big Race Challenges
The gang soon meets three mean bullies. These bullies have a tough cat named Brutus, who scares even Snoopy and Woodstock. The bullies brag about winning the raft race every year. Linus uses his security blanket like a whip to keep them away. This makes Sally call him her "Sweet Babboo," which Linus doesn't like.
It turns out the bullies only win by cheating. Their raft has a hidden outboard motor, a direction finder, and even radar and sonar! They also play dirty tricks to stop other teams. The kids are split into three groups for the race. Charlie Brown, Linus, Schroeder, and Franklin are in the boys' group. Peppermint Patty, Marcie, Sally, and Lucy are in the girls' group. Snoopy and Woodstock are their own team.
Charlie Brown is the leader of the boys' group. He feels unsure of himself but tries his best. Peppermint Patty leads the girls' group. She is very confident but not a great leader. She makes them vote on every small decision. If the vote is tied, or she doesn't like the result, she often changes it. The bullies race ahead using their cheating raft. But they are so busy bragging that they crash into a dock. This costs them a lot of time, letting the other teams pass.
The groups see amazing sights along the river, like mountains and forests. They also face many problems. They get lost, get stuck, and face storms and blizzards. The bullies also try to sabotage their rafts. During a storm, Snoopy and Woodstock get separated. Snoopy searches everywhere for Woodstock. They finally find each other and are very happy to be reunited. Snoopy and Woodstock then meet up with the gang at an old cabin.
Charlie Brown starts to become a better leader. The bullies damage everyone else's rafts. So, the boys' and girls' teams join together. Even when things go wrong, Charlie Brown handles it well. For example, when the team gets stuck on a water wheel, he figures out how to get them free.
Winning the Race
Thanks to Charlie Brown's growing confidence, the gang has a good chance to win. They have overcome many challenges. But Peppermint Patty gets the girls to celebrate too early. In their excitement, they accidentally knock the boys overboard! The girls try to save them but fall in too. The bullies quickly pull ahead.
The bullies are sure they will win. But their over-confidence and fighting have caused many accidents. Their raft is badly damaged. Just before the finish line, their raft breaks apart and sinks! This leaves only Snoopy and Woodstock in the race. Brutus, the bully's cat, slashes Snoopy's inner tube. But Woodstock quickly builds a tiny raft from twigs and a leaf for a sail. He keeps going towards the finish line!
When Brutus tries to attack Woodstock, Snoopy punches the cat. Woodstock then wins the race! The bullies admit defeat and promise to get revenge next year. But Snoopy beats up Brutus again for threatening Woodstock. Brutus runs away, now scared of Snoopy.
As the gang gets on the bus to go home, Charlie Brown thinks about what he learned. He decides to be more confident and believe in himself. But right after he finishes speaking, the bus leaves without him again! He has to get another ride with Snoopy as the movie ends.
Voice cast
- Duncan Watson as Charlie Brown
- Bill Melendez as Snoopy, Woodstock
- Gail Davis as Sally Brown
- Melanie Kohn as Lucy van Pelt
- Liam Martin as Linus van Pelt
- Stuart Brotman as Peppermint Patty
- Jimmy Ahrens as Marcie
- Greg Felton as Schroeder, Camp Announcer
- Tom Muller as Franklin, Bully #1
- Kirk Jue as Bully #2
- Jordan Warren as Bully #3
- Fred Van Amburg as Radio Announcer
Violet, Patty, Pig-Pen, 5, Frieda, and Roy have silent roles.
