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Snoopy's Reunion

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Wikipedia article




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Five of the siblings appeared at some point in the 'Peanuts' comic strip; Molly and Rover were created for this special.

'Snoopy's Reunion' is the 34th prime-time animated TV special based upon the comic strip 'Peanuts,' by Charles M. Schulz. It originally aired on the CBS network on May 1, 1991 as part of the animated anthology series 'Toon Nite'. It is one of three 'Peanuts' projects to date (the other being 'Snoopy, Come Home') not to have "Charlie Brown" in the title (though the working title was 'Those Were the Days, Charlie Brown') and one of the few 'Peanuts' specials to feature adults on-screen.

Summary



The story begins in a flashback at the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm, set at the time of Snoopy's puppyhood. The next day, the puppies quickly mature. While still puppies, Snoopy and his siblings quickly become adept musicians, with each puppy learning to play an instrument. Snoopy plays the guitar, Spike plays the first fiddle, Belle on the second fiddle, Marbles on banjo, Olaf on jug, Molly on mandolin, Rover on steel guitar, and Andy on drum set. At the same time, the owner puts a sign which reads "PUPPIES FOR SALE". Missy (the puppies's mother) and the puppies cry as when they see (and read) the sign. After reading it, the puppies realize they are going to be parting ways (from both their mother and each other) when they are sold from the puppy farm. Then they think about who their new owners are going to be when they get sold.

Meanwhile, Charlie Brown, depressed from a recent defeat, arrives home to an empty, unwelcoming house. He tells his sister Sally he needs to have someone to welcome him home after a defeat, like a dog.

Back at the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm, Snoopy and his siblings are all playing music together. The farmer (owner) of the puppy farm has all the puppy names on a chalkboard (with Snoopy as the first of the eight puppies on the list). Snoopy is sold to Lila, his first owner. His siblings are also sold, one by one. After the final puppy (Olaf) is sold, the farmerownercrosses off Olaf's name on the list. At last, the list of puppy names is now completed (all of them are sold).

Lila and Snoopy have fun together for a brief time in Lila's house, which is at first shown with her family living in a neighborhood. But some time later, Lila and her family move to an apartment building. Finally, they are told by the landlord that no pets are allowed. Then the scene cuts to where Lila and her mother are living in their apartment building. Soon when Lila's mother tells her they can no longer keep Snoopy (and that meant that Snoopy must go back to the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm), Lila breaks down. Lila responds by crying out loud "But Mom...! They can't do that! It's too unfair! His heart will break! How can I ever tell him?"

Lila tells Snoopy (who is not in trouble) she has to have a word with him. She tells Snoopy that he has been a good puppy. She has a word with him and tells him about the sad news. The sad news is that she and her family can no longer keep him because pets are not allowed in the apartment building (according to the building's law and landlord). She continues that is very sorry and he has to go back to the puppy farm. She promises him that she will visit him. With her mother, Lila returns Snoopy to the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm and tearfully says goodbye and that she is going to miss him.

The owner of the puppy farm tells Snoopy that he promises to find him a new home and owner. He has not failed yet. He goes back to the chalkboard and reinstates Snoopy's name on the list. Snoopy is the only puppy who becomes purchased by an owner, only to be returned, and (temporarily) still living at the puppy farm. With Missy (his mother) still at the puppy farm, Snoopy is returned and living with his mother again until someone else becomes the right owner for him.

The next buyer turns out that it is going to be Charlie Brown, who decides it's time for him to get a dog and when he found an ad on the paper about looking for a dog in Daisy Hill Puppy Farm. He and Linus head to the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm. He negotiates with the owner and is able to purchase Snoopy for $5. While talking to the owner, Linus looks at some paperwork. The owner of the puppy farm tells Charlie Brown that a dog like Snoopy costs more than $5 and may be expensive, but senses Charlie Brown is the right owner for Snoopy, and sells Snoopy for $5. Charlie Brown spots Snoopy in the shed (where the puppies had all been previously sold) with his mother Missy and near Olaf's jug. Linus tells Charlie Brown that Snoopy had a previous owner and is a "used dog". Charlie Brown happily takes him home, tries to train him, and soon realizes that he is an unusual dog. A montage showcases some of his abilities, such as playing baseball, sledding, surfing, and tennis.

In The present day after about a lustrum (five years), Charlie Brown realizes that Snoopy (since he's been his dog for four or five years) misses his family. So he invites Snoopy and his siblings to a reunion at the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm. Invitations are sent to Belle, Spike, Olaf, Marbles, Molly, Rover, and Andy, who unanimously agree to the reunion. Each one excitedly heads to the reunion, carrying their respective instruments.

After breakfast, Snoopy and his siblings all arrive at Charlie Brown's house. He, Sally, Snoopy, and Snoopy's siblings get on a bus to visit the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm for their reunion. Eventually, they arrive at the bus stop (for Daisy Hill Puppy Farm). But when they get there, they see a parking garage (parking structure) instead of a puppy farm. (It's just a parking garage, a small pile of dirt, and no puppy farm.) Charlie Brown (when he finds nothing but a parking garage instead of the puppy farm) is confused and asks the bus driver if it's the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm. The bus driver insists that it is the puppy farm. He lies that it is still there. Snoopy and his siblings exit the bus and play music on the sidewalk in front of the parking garage. They do not realize Daisy Hill Puppy Farm had been demolished and replaced with a parking garage. The bus driver (earlier on) was indeed wrong when he said the location was the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm.

While Snoopy and his siblings (on their musical instruments) are playing a song, Charlie Brown (who at first doesn't know about the puppy farm's demolition and discontinuation) explores the area. He doesn't know until he later discovers an old "DAISY HILL PUPPY FARM" sign half buried in the dirt pile. Then he unburies it and picks it up. And finally, he knows that it was the puppy farm (upon seeing the old "DAISY HILL PUPPY FARM" sign). He (finding the sign) says out loud it is in fact the puppy farm. (At least they are at the correct place and at least it is the puppy farm.) But despite the fact that it's at least the puppy farm, the old "DAISY HILL PUPPY FARM" sign itself is all that is left. He shows it to Snoopy and his siblings and tells them it is where their old home was. Then he reveals that the puppy farm is no more. The puppy farm was broken down and redeveloped into a parking garage. Despite the (permanent) loss of the puppy farm, Snoopy and his siblings do not mind the puppy farm gone forever. Instead, they are happy to be together again and continue to play more music. Finally, they play one more song before their reunion comes to a conclusion and leaving the area.

When the reunion is over, Charlie Brown later realizes that the reunion has made Snoopy and his siblings happy. But he declares it was a reunion even if it was not the best. He then wonders how Snoopy's siblings are going to get home. Snoopy responds by getting into his World War I flying ace costume, and ushers them up on top of his doghouse (i.e. Sopwith Camel). The camera cuts back to Charlie Brown and Linus, insinuating that Snoopy is flying his 'plane'. All his siblings have gone back home. Charlie Brown is shocked and wonders aloud how he could do that, to which Linus replies, "Well, he's your dog, Charlie Brown".

Continuity



Charles Schulz did not consider material from the television specials and films to be canonical with the Peanuts comic strip. This results in the following continuity errors:

*In the comic strip, Snoopy existed as Charlie Brown's dog long before Sally and Linus were born. In this special, Charlie Brown doesn't acquire him until long after they were born.

*In the comic strip, Charlie Brown and Snoopy knew each other way before Charlie Brown adopted Snoopy. In this special, Charlie Brown sees Snoopy for the first time.

*In the comic strip, Snoopy acts as an ordinary dog prior to his adoption by Charlie Brown. In this special, he is already well talented when Charlie Brown adopts him.

*In 'Snoopy, Come Home', Lila had to take Snoopy back to the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm because Lila and her parents moved to an apartment building where the landlord did not allow dogs. In this special during the flashback, Lila says she has to take Snoopy back because the landlord has made a new rule saying no dogs allowed.

*Originally in the strip and later in the 1972 movie 'Snoopy, Come Home' and the 1980 special 'Life Is a Circus, Charlie Brown', Charlie Brown tells Linus about how a kid dumped sand on him and made him cry, and the next day he and his parents went to the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm to get Snoopy. In this special, they both go to get him.

*In the strip and 'Snoopy, Come Home', Linus calls the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm to find out about Snoopy's history when he goes to see Lila in the hospital, and finds out that he was a "used dog". In this special, when Charlie Brown and Linus go to pick him up, Linus finds out about his history in a ledger sitting on a desk.

*In the strip, Snoopy (and Woodstock) find out on their own that the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm (Snoopy's old home) was closed and demolished and turned into a parking garage. In the special Charlie Brown discovers this and shows this to Snoopy and his siblings. Charlie Brown even says a line similar to what Snoopy says in the strip: "Do you realize what happened? They're parking on your memories.". In the strip, however, Snoopy is shown with Woodstock at this. Snoopy (as Woodstock looks on) says about the parking garage (which is what the puppy farm was turned into after it was demolished), "YOU STUPID PEOPLE! YOU ARE PARKING ON MY MEMORIES!".

Voice cast



*Phil Shafran as Charlie Brown

*Josh Keaton as Linus van Pelt

*Kaitlyn Walker as Sally Brown

*Bill Melendez as Snoopy and his siblings

*Megan Parlen as Lillian "Lila" Emmons Allcroft

*Laurel Page as Lila's mom

*Steve Stoliar as Bus driver/Mr. Allcroft

References




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