Breathing new life into much-loved characters

THE pop-culture phenomenon that is the most famous comic strip in the world hasn't lost any traction in the 65 years since it first appeared in a handful of US newspapers, nor since the last original strip ran in 2000 - the day after after creator Charles M Schulz died.

Peanuts lives on in syndication, reruns and in the hearts and minds of hundreds of millions of fans, who - good grief - finally have something new to cheer: the first Peanuts feature film in 35 years.

The Peanuts Movie is a testament to Schulz's enduring legacy and - thanks in large part to the close involvement of his surviving relatives - stays true to the Peanuts spirit with animation that remains reassuringly familiar even as it features 3D computer-generated images and a US$100 million budget.