Nutcracker: The Motion Picture
Encyclopedia
Nutcracker: The Motion Picture (a.k.a. Pacific Northwest Ballet's Nutcracker or Nutcracker), is a 1986 film produced by Pacific Northwest Ballet
in associates with Hyperion Pictures
and Kushner/Locke
. It is a film adaptation of the ballet The Nutcracker
by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
as well as based on the short story by E.T.A. Hoffmann
. The film was nominated for a Young Artist Award
in 1988.
(who noted the costumes and sets). The film is based on Stowell/Sendak's 1986 stage version of The Nutracker originally performed in Seattle, Washington
. The film is directed by Carroll Ballard
, who prior to the film directed The Black Stallion
.
Pacific Northwest Ballet
Pacific Northwest Ballet is a ballet company based in Seattle, Washington in the United States. Founded in 1972 as part of the Seattle Opera and named the Pacific Northwest Dance Association, it broke away from the Opera in 1977 and took its current name in 1978. It is said to have the highest per...
in associates with Hyperion Pictures
Hyperion Pictures
Hyperion Pictures is an American film production company founded by Thomas L. Wilhite, who had previously been the head of motion picture and television produced for and owned by Walt Disney Productions, and writer/director Willard Carroll...
and Kushner/Locke
The Kushner-Locke Company
The Kushner-Locke Company is an American independent motion picture/television production company founded in 1983, it is named after its founders Donald Kushner and Peter Locke....
. It is a film adaptation of the ballet The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker is a two-act ballet, originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The libretto is adapted from E.T.A. Hoffmann's story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King". It was given its première at the Mariinsky Theatre in St...
by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Russian: Пётр Ильи́ч Чайко́вский ; often "Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky" in English. His names are also transliterated "Piotr" or "Petr"; "Ilitsch", "Il'ich" or "Illyich"; and "Tschaikowski", "Tschaikowsky", "Chajkovskij"...
as well as based on the short story by E.T.A. Hoffmann
E.T.A. Hoffmann
Ernst Theodor Wilhelm Hoffmann , better known by his pen name E.T.A. Hoffmann , was a German Romantic author of fantasy and horror, a jurist, composer, music critic, draftsman and caricaturist...
. The film was nominated for a Young Artist Award
Young Artist Award
The Young Artist Award is an accolade bestowed by the Young Artist Foundation, a non-profit organization founded in 1978 to recognize and award excellence of youth performers, and to provide scholarships for young artists who may be physically and/or financially challenged.The Young Artist...
in 1988.
Production
The film was conceived by ballet choreographer Kent Stowell and book illustrator/author Maurice SendakMaurice Sendak
Maurice Bernard Sendak is an American writer and illustrator of children's literature. He is best known for his book Where the Wild Things Are, published in 1963.-Early life:...
(who noted the costumes and sets). The film is based on Stowell/Sendak's 1986 stage version of The Nutracker originally performed in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
. The film is directed by Carroll Ballard
Carroll Ballard
-Biography:Carroll Ballard started out making documentaries for the U.S. Information Agency, Beyond This Winter's Wheat and Harvest ; the latter was nominated for an Academy Award...
, who prior to the film directed The Black Stallion
The Black Stallion (film)
The Black Stallion is a 1979 American film based on the 1941 classic children's novel The Black Stallion by Walter Farley. It tells the story of Alec Ramsey, who is shipwrecked on a desert island, together with a wild Arabian stallion whom he befriends...
.
Cast
- Hugh Bigney - Herr DrosselmeyerThe NutcrackerThe Nutcracker is a two-act ballet, originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The libretto is adapted from E.T.A. Hoffmann's story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King". It was given its première at the Mariinsky Theatre in St...
/ The Pasha - Patricia Barker - ClaraThe NutcrackerThe Nutcracker is a two-act ballet, originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The libretto is adapted from E.T.A. Hoffmann's story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King". It was given its première at the Mariinsky Theatre in St...
/ Ballerina Doll - Vanessa Sharp - Younger Clara
- Wade Walthall - Nutcracker Prince
- Jacob Rice - Fighting Nutcracker
- Russell Burnett - FritzFritzFritz originated as a German nickname for Friedrich, or Frederick , as well as for similar names including Fridolin...
- Benjamin Houk - Mouse King / Father/ Russian