THE PLOT THUS FAR
As the owner of legendary hotspots like police pressure-spearheaded by Mayor Giuliani’s determined crackdown on nightlife in the mid-’90s-led to Gatien’s eventual deportation to Canada and to the shuttering of his glitzy kingdom.
WHAT WE THOUGHT
Carroll Ballard’s version of the “Nutcracker” allows for bits and pieces of the original’s first act subtly suggest that Uncle Drosselmeier is inappropriately sweet on young Clara. The second act then becomes a battle between Drosselmeier and the Nutcracker Prince to see who can impress her the most with the dances and spectacles they put on for her entertainment, both hoping to be the winner of her affections.
The dancing is excellent, of course, but I’d like to see the Kirov or Bolshoi Ballet do a film like this, rather than the Pacific Northwest Ballet. The sets and costumes by Maurice Sendak are superb…for a stage performance, but not for a movie. The overall effect is basically of a PBS special production of the stage ballet. If you like the grace and beauty of the world’s most famous ballet, you’ll like this film. If you like Tchaikovskiy’s amazing music, you’ll like this film.
The DVD comes with no special features. But, you get an adequate transfer and Dolby mix for a DVD-R. Seeing as how this is the film’s first jump to DVD, it fares pretty well. I did notice some edge enhancement at the start of the film, but it’s nothing that major. In the end, I’d recommend a purchase for Sendak and Ballet fans.
RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW!
