Nutcracker (1986)

The colorful holiday classic is finally brought to the big screen, designed by famed children's story author and artist Maurice Sendak, and written for the first time to be as close as ... See full summary »

Director:

Carroll Ballard

Writers:

Kent Stowell (conceived by), Maurice Sendak (conceived by)

Stars:

Hugh Duncan Bigney Mitchell, Vanessa Sharp, Patricia Barker

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Hugh Duncan Bigney Mitchell	...	Herr Drosselmeier / The Pasha (as Hugh Bigney)
Vanessa Sharp	...	Young Clara
Patricia Barker	...	Dream Clara / Ballerina Doll
Wade Walthall	...	Nutcracker Prince
Maia Rosal	...	Mrs. Stahlbaum / Peacock
Carey Homme	...	Mr. Stahlbaum / Moor
Russell Burnett	...	Fritz
Jacob Rice	...	Fighting Nutcracker / Dervish
Martha Boyle	...	Adult at the Party / Snowflake / Waltz of the Flowers
Laura Schwenk	...	Adult at the Party / Snowflake / Moor / Waltz of the Flowers
Benjamin Houk	...	Adult at the Party / Mouse Captain / Dervish
Beatrice Bassett	...	Adult at the Party / Grandparent
Ann Renhard	...	Adult at the Party / Snowflake / Waltz of the Flowers
Dianne Brace	...	Adult at the Party / Snowflake / Moor / Waltz of the Flowers
Christian Cederlund	...	Adult at the Party / Moor

Storyline

The colorful holiday classic is finally brought to the big screen, designed by famed children's story author and artist Maurice Sendak, and written for the first time to be as close as possible to the original story. A lavish, exciting and heart-warming celebration of dance, of music, and of life. Based upon the Pacific Northwest Ballet's original production.

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Plot Keywords:

dancing | clockmaker | toymaker | dream | voice over narration | 

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Taglines:

A magnificent Christmas spectacular

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Genres:

Family | Fantasy | Music

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Certificate:

G

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to director Carroll Ballard, the budget was so small that the film had to be shot in only 10 days.

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Quotes

Adult Clara (narrator): Dreams are strangely familiar places. They are not all make-believe, but only the homely inside of yourself, like the inner lining of your favorite coat, or like the sweet kernel of the hardest nut that only the jaws of my Nutcracker Prince could reveal to me.

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Crazy Credits

Wade Walthall is listed in the credits as playing the Nutcracker, when in fact he plays the Nutcracker Prince. The Nutcracker himself is billed in the credits as "Fighting Nutcracker", and is played by Jacob Rice.

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Alternate Versions

Current (2009) prints of the film feature the MGM roaring lion logo at the beginning. This is because MGM now owns the Atlantic Pictures library.

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Connections

Version of The IMAX Nutcracker (1997)

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Soundtracks

Duet of Daphnis and Chloe
from the opera "Pique Dame"
Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Performed by Robert Noble, Sarah Walker, and Cathryn Pope

User Reviews

A fresh, inspiring performance of Tchaikovsky's balletic masterpiece

PickMePickMe's commentary is almost three years old now, but it isn't too late to completely refute it. What was this reviewer watching? As far as the performers and dancing is concerned, this troupe has been 'fooling' the people of the US Northwest for over twenty years now with the Sendak Nutcracker. Tell it to the annual sold out performances!

As for the production itself, it couldn't be more cinematic without losing its balletic base. The Drosselmeyer toyshop background for the overture, for example, isn't even seen on stage, nor are the soaring views of Clara's living room. I could go on, but I suspect that PMPM is locked into to the wooden performances of the seventies, well represented in the current VHS/DVD world.

The overall production, as far as Nutcrackers go, is a stupendous, breathtaking affair and very accurately implies the dark E.T.A. Hoffmanesque background of the ballet.

The only letdown associated with it is the lack of a DVD, with which everyone's Christmas would surely brighten.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 November 1986 (USA)

Also Known As:

Pacific Northwest Ballet's Nutcracker

Filming Locations:

Stage 2, Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$351,633, 30 November 1986

Gross USA:

$781,727

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$781,727

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hyperion Pictures, The Kushner-Locke Company

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) Dolby Stereo (35 mm prints)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1