Nutcracker (1986)

Director:

Carroll Ballard

Writers:

Kent Stowell (conceived by) &
Maurice Sendak (conceived by) ...

Release Date:

26 November 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Fantasy | Music

Tagline:

A magnificent Christmas spectacular

Plot Keywords:

Carrying Person | Lifting Person In Air | Classical Music | Ballet | Character's Point Of View Camera Shot

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Hugh Bigney	...	Herr Drosselmeier / The Pasha
Patricia Barker	...	Clara (after the battle) / Ballerina Doll
Vanessa Sharp	...	Clara (Christmas party; battle scene)
Wade Walthall	...	Nutcracker / Prince
Russell Burnett	...	Fritz
Laura Schwenk	...	Snowflake
Benjamin Houk	...	Father / Mouse King
Beatrice Bassett	...	Grandparent
Ann Renhard	...	Adult at the Party
Gregory Draper	...	Adult at the Party
Benjamin Bassett	...	Grandparent
Whitney Onishi	...	Child at the Party
Cary Stidham	...	Child at the Party
Emily Penhollow	...	Child at the Party
Joseph Carver	...	Child at the Party

Also Known As:

Nutcracker: The Motion Picture (USA) (promotional title)
Pacific Northwest Ballet's Nutcracker (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

USA:89 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

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

Certification:

USA:G (certificate #28394) | Australia:G | West Germany:o.Al.

Company:

Hyperion Pictures

Trivia:

The film's soundtrack album bears the same title as the movie posters ("Nutcracker: The Motion Picture"), but on the screen the title is simply "Pacific Morthwest Ballet's 'Nutcracker'".

Quotes:

Adult Clara (narrator): [opening lines] Christmas long ago was the memory of a dream that seemed never to end. But somewhere in the middle of that dream, I always did wake up, just in time to attend the Christmas party.

Movie Connections:

References Das Märchen von der harten Nuß (1972) (TV)

Soundtrack:

The Nutcracker

I pity you

I feel great pity for those who have only been able to see this on film, and for the fact that this film is not available on tape or even better DVD. Living only 12 miles from the Seattle Opera House where this particular production is staged each year (to sell out houses) I have seen it both ways. The film has very few effects which don't exist on the stage so when you are seeing the film you are seeing the stage show. As for the story line, this version holds the closest to the original story of any version I have ever seen, and I've seen quite a few. Truly this is a film to be treasured and shared and hopefully the owners of the film will realize this and make it available to the general public once again.