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Tchaikovsky's timeless Yuletide ballet is presented in an all-new movie version with as much eloquence as one would find in a live stage production. Replete with gorgeous costumes and scenery, George Balanchine's production, adapted by Peter Martins, features the New York City Ballet with narration by Kevin Kline. From the moment the Nutcracker prince winds toymaker Drosselmeier's life-sized dolls, viewers are ushered into the captivating story of a little girl's Christmas Eve fantasy of beauty, magic, and sugarplums. While several versions of this beloved tale are available in video, this one is distinguished for the magnificent performances of a large cast of young ballet dancers from the School of American Ballet. While Culkin lends his star-studded name, that is all he lends in what is mostly a wooden performance (he often appears on the sidelines looking quite blasé and detached). More deserving accolades go to Jessica Lynn Cohen as Marie, whose genuineness never wanes and dance steps never falter. Bart Robinson Cook is wonderful as the playful Herr Drosselmeier, and Darci Kistler is the graceful Sugarplum Fairy. Mostly this film belongs to children--both on the stage and in the audience. What is lacking in spontaneous energy of live theater is made up for in a perfectly polished performance. The only thing missing is the well-earned applause.--Lynn Gibson
Excellent for younger children I use to show this to my Kindergarten class in December each year. Each year; all of the children enjoyed it and were able to follow it easily. Then, I went out on a limb and ordered it this year for my two year old daughter not sure if it would be over her head or not. She usually doesnt care for television but she was glued to the set for this. I had read her the story a few days before so she would have an idea of it, but I think seeing it play out in front of her brought it all together for her. She followed it easily, with a few explanations from me, and was in awe of the dancing and actors. She talked about it all night before bed and even waking up in her sleep and talking about it. I think it is an excellent way to introduce fine music and ballet to children at a young age so that they can understand it and appreciate it, rather than limiting your child to just the traditional children's music that is out there; which is fine, but this exposure to dance and music and creativity and imagination will allow them to use other methods of thinking. Great performance by actors and staging as well. I have seen several versions of this but this seems to be the best one for younger viewers; not too scary or high strung at all. So glad I got it for her.
Balnchine's Nutcracker is Divine! "The Nutcracker" was first staged for the Russian Czar's Imperial Ballet of St. Petersburg by choreographer Lev Ivanov (choreographer of the famous 'lakeside scene' in "Swan Lake") in 1892. The ballet was originally meant to be choreographed by the great 19th century ballet master Marius Petipa (creator of "Don Quixote", "La Bayadere", "The Sleeping Beauty", "Swan Lake" among others), however he fell ill before rehearsal began and the responsabilty of the dances was given to his assistant, Lev Ivanov. Petipa commissioned the ballet from Tchaikovsky in 1891 after thier earlier success with "The Sleeping Beauty". Petipa wrote down detailed instructions in a 'bar for bar' manner. Tchaikovsky fullfilled his task with one of the ultimate master works of theater. George Balanchine's production of this great classic for the New York City Ballet has been world famous since its premiere, and it shows why in this awesome movie version of the great work. Mackauly Culkin is in it (I guess to get everyone to see it), but other wise its all ballet dancers here, and they are all great. The second act dances are masterfully choreographed. Darci Kistler and Damien Woetzell do Balanchine proud in thier grand pas de deux, and the snowflake waltz is lovely as well. For a more authentic production see Peter Wrights production for the Royal Ballet on film, which makes a great companion to this one. Five Stars!
A Tasty Treat from the Land of the Sweets. Was Balanchine the most imaginative choreographer of the 20th Century?
I think so.
How many of us have seen the Nutcracker ? Since it is such a staple and so popular with community and school groups, I would say that a huge percentage of us have seen it in one form or another.
But I don't think anyone has put together a more creative, magical version than Balanchine.
There are many Nutcracker DVDs available, many different approaches to the piece, but this is the one that I like best.
This film is a fairly exact, expanded for film, version of the stage production that the NYC Ballet puts on stage for about 6 weeks each year during the holiday season. Although the Balanchine version is now 50 years old, it is still fresh and endlessly entertaining.
Although the first act can often be uninteresting with so much of it being pantomime, Balanchine treats the two lead children as the main players. Balanchine wisely casts Marie/Masha/Clara (the girl has different names in different versions) as a child rather than have an adult ballerina play the role. Most ballerinas can't stand the close scrutiny and tend to look ridiculous as a child. Perhaps the only exception here is the latest Royal Ballet version with Alina Cojocaru, if any ballerina has the looks and charm of a little girl, she has. But this version is spoiled with Anthony Dowell's fussy, hammy Drosselmeyer. Some one needs to take that cape away from him, he fiddles and swirls it endlessly.
Back to Balanchine. I don't think there has been any version of the mouse fight that is more fun. I love how the mice cheer from the sidelines as the King Mouse seems to be winning the battle with the soldiers.
All the adult dancers are very effective in their roles and again Balanchine's great imagination comes into play with the wonderful staging of the Act 2 divertissments in the Land of the Sweets.
Just a few quibbles. I can understand the logic of casting Macaulay Culkin as the young prince with his box office draw. But he is the single biggest flaw here. The young prince has been done far less self consciously by other children from the SAB.
Balanchine painstakingly recreated the young prince's famous mime scene in Act 2 where he describes so beautifully the battle scene with the mice. As a child, Balanchine knew this from the early 20th century Kirov production under what was still the Imperial Russian Era. In the theater this scene has tremendous effect , the children in the audience inevitably break into cheers.
Here Caulkin does the mime in a fuzzy, sloppy , unmusical manner. This blunts the impact of one of the major scenes. He also lacks the grace of movement needed here.
Also, although I'm sure the effect was to open up the ballet for film, I dislike the bed flying through the air as the children leave the house and go into the snowy forest. The effect is somewhat cheesy, the directer should have stayed closer to the stage version where the house vanishes and the children walk immediately into the forest where the snow starts falling. It's a magical effect that is missing here.
Still, let me not appear to quibble too much. This is a wonderful DVD and both adults and children will enjoy it immensely
