Nutcracker: The Motion Picture

Carroll Ballard's 1986 filmization of Tchaikovsky's popular Christmas-themed ballet preserves a production by Kent Stowell for the Pacific Northwest Ballet that is notable for its lovely and imaginative sets and costumes designed by Maurice Sendak. The score is also nicely played by the London Symphony under Charles Mackerras, although the stereo sound is frankly mediocre. Patricia Barker as grown-up Clara and Wade Walthall as her Nutcracker Prince, along with the company, appear to be fine dancers—at least what one can see of them: one of the major flaws here is that Ballard indulges in lots of editing and close-ups, so that the entirety of the dancers' motions is often obscured, with images frequently cut off at the waist (the battle of the Nutcracker against the Mouse King is particularly cluttered). Another curiosity is a prologue in which the elder Clara looks back wistfully on her experience, especially her relationship with Drosselmeier (Hugh Bigney), whose near obsession with young Clara (Vanessa Sharp) has a slightly creepy undertone. Despite its failings, this rethinking of The Nutcracker has a distinctively dreamlike quality, and the final act—with its succession of short solos and ensembles, as well as a pas de deux—is less subject to over-editing than the earlier segments. While there are many fine straightforward stage productions of this beloved ballet on DVD and Blu-ray, this will still appeal to those looking for a more cinematic approach. A strong optional purchase. (F. Swietek)