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Barbie In The Nutcracker

2001, Movie, NR, 78 mins

Barbie In The Nutcracker: Review

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America's most popular fashion doll stars in this candy-colored, computer animated reworking of the classic children's tale. The story opens in a ballet studio, where ballerina Barbie (voice of Kelly Sheridan) and budding dancer Kelly (Chantal Strand) rehearse to the strains of Tscahikovsky's "Nutcracker," performed by the London Symphony Orchestra. Kelly despairs of ever getting the steps right, and Barbie tells her the inspiring story of orphaned teenager Clara (Sheridan again), who lives with her stern grandfather (French Tickner) and bratty little brother, Tommy (Alek Doduk). Clara dreams of adventure, and on Christmas Eve her free-spirited Aunt Elizabeth (Kathleen Barr) regales her with stories of travel and exotic lands, and gives her the gift of a small nutcracker. That night, Clara falls asleep beneath the Christmas tree and has a remarkable dream. The room is overrun by warrior mice, led by the fierce Mouse King (Tim Curry), who shrinks Clara to doll size. She and the magically animated Nutcracker (Kirby Morrow) fight off the mice and journey to the Nutcracker's homeland of Parthenia, where the Mouse King has deposed the rightful ruler, Prince Eric, and laid waste to the land. Only the fabled Sugar Plum Princess can help them fight the Mouse King, so they go in search of her island hideaway, accompanied by Major Mint (Christopher Gaze), Captain Candy (Ian James Corlett), two adorable children (Britt McKillip, Danny McKinnon) and a pink horse named Marzipan. The Mouse King, aided by a treacherous bat named Pimm (Peter Kelamis), opposes them at every turn. Eventually things are put right and not-so-hidden identities are revealed, none of which should come as a surprise to any but the smallest children. The animation is bright and pastel colored, the story is simple and sweet, and the villains are not too frightening and quickly vanquished by the good guys. Though Clara's story is nominally set in the 19th century (to judge by the clothes), she's a thoroughly modern girl with a sweetly sassy mouth and a can-do attitude. Dance enthusiasts may be interested to know that noted choreographer Peter Martins created dances for the movie's snow- and flower-fairies, as well as a classical pas de deux for Barbie and Prince Eric. The sequences were filmed using New York City Ballet dancers Charles Askegard, Maria Kowroski, Benjamin Millipied, Abi Stafford and Janie Taylor, and then animated. The movie debuted on broadcast television. leave a comment --Maitland McDonagh
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