The other night I revisited my past by way of Bill Melendez, Charles Shultz, and a Charlie Brown Christmas. I am not a complete die hard fan of all things limited animation and hold that there are the good and the bad as there is with any animation or any film for that mater. The style has to fit the subject. This is some of the best fitting of style to content ever undertaken.

There is a certain grim hopeless optimism to poor ol` Charlie Brown which is belied by the simple and even cute style of Shultz`s drawing. There is also a lot of standing around and talking in the comic strip that needs to be there to be true to the content. The simple drawing and the stillness of the stripe are a nightmare for adaptation. They leave the artist nothing to hide behind.

Melendez makes it look easy but not boring. Charlie Brown is an old friend. And so is Bill Melendez, even if I have only met Bill slightly and he would not remember my name or my face. After all he and his vision of Charlie Brown has been honored guests in my living room every Christmas since 1965.  ¶ 7:42 AM