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The Color of the Great Pumpkin

By Holly Willis
October 31, 2009
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The 1966 animation It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown had everything a Peanuts cartoon should have: cheery music, kid's humor, philosophy, the angst of Linus, the exploits of Snoopy and the officiousness of Lucy. According to LA-based animator Justin Hilden and his essay "Color Design in It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, however, it also made terrific use of color. In the images here, for example, we move from day to night, from cheerful pumpkin-picking to the moody hues of evening. "While we have been busy watching Linus wrestle his pumpkin homeward," Hilden writes, "the very air around the characters has changed and we can feel the coolness of night and a hint of the excitement that darkness will bring to Halloween." Hilden's essay gives readers a new way to enjoy the film and understand how it achieved its particular kind of emotional power. Thanks to Motionographer for the tip, and happy Halloween!

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