The beginnings: ============= Many years ago I have watched a small animated clip for the Nutcracker. In brief it is about a girl who kills a mouse who have made a spell on a boy and turned him into a nutcracker. What was fascinating to me at that time was the beautiful Tchaikovsky musical on which the two heroes dance and dance gracefully and elegantly in a world full of magic and imagination. This was just the beginning....
The discovery: ============ As the reckless child I was at that time, I have lost the film among many of my favorite toys and games. Yet, the music and story have captured my heart and kept a need inside me to find it and get the hold of it again. One day, when browsing through the animated movies pictures at the movie rental next to my house I saw it. I saw what I thought to be the picture of the Nutcracker animated clip that I have cherished in my heart and kept in my mind for so long.
How it went: ============ I went home and with an overwhelming enthusiasm, I put the film in the VCR and to my astonishment saw a completely different set of characters... WOW this is not just an animated 10 minutes clip this is a whole movie, with a setting, plot, climax, etc. It was an amazing moment. I can still feel it that I could even remember the smell of chicken and chips my mum was cooking in the kitchen. Yes indeed, the course of the rest my childhood had changed the moment I saw the movie: The Nutcracker Prince.
THE NUTCRACKER PRINCE: ========================= In the following paragraphs
I shall be describing all aspects of this movie. I will be focusing on the setting, the characters, the plot, the climax, the theme, the mood and off course the ever enchanting Tchaikovsky's background music.
The characters: ----------------------- 1- Uncle Drosselmeier: The caring uncle, fairytale teller, toy maker and mechanic. 2- Clara: An 11 years old girl, curious, imaginative, romantic and aspires to become a ballerina. 3- Fritz: Clara's brother, always seems in competition with her 4- Nutcracker Prince: Was originally a normal boy but turns under a spell into the prince of dolls, valiant, courageous, daring and faithful especially to his uncle Drosselmeier. 5- Mouse queen: Evil, has power to cast spells on people, apathetic. 6- Mouse queen son/mouse king: Avenger, opportunity seeker, unfaithful, killer. 7- Marie: Clara's last doll, likes to be a center of attention. 8- Louise: Clara's sister, an adolescent whose in love with Erik and a center of ridicule by Clara. 9- Pantaloon: The brave and valiant old soldier who's ready to sacrifice for the right no matter what. 10- Mrs. Ingrid Stahlbaum: Clara's mother, traditional wife, anxiously waiting Clara's maturity. 11- Pavlova: The cat and Clara's center of affection. 12- Hans: The 11 years old human incarnation of the nutcracker prince.
The Setting: ------------------ During Christmas time in a small town. This makes the animated movie a classic to be enjoyed all the time but especially in Christmas. The spirit of charismas is conveyed with the tree, the presents, the banquet, the snow and the overall sense of joy.
The plot: ------------- The events of the movie begin as Clara's parents throw a chrismas party and invite their fellow townsmen and women among which one of them is Uncle Drosselmeier. The uncle is known to be a toys maker and thus he delivers Clara her new charismas toy, a nutcracker. Not only that, the uncle also narrates a fairytale about the nutcracker being originally a brave boy called Hans. Hans was able to break a spell that had been cast on a beautiful princes by an evil mouse avenging against the creation of mouse traps. The spell turned him into a nutcracker and would only be broken if he vanquishes the evil mouse and wins the heart of a young maiden. Clara becomes enchanted with the tale that when she trips gets transformed into the world of fantasy and witnesses the awakening and bringing of all her toys and dolls into life where among them is the Nutcracker prince.
The Climax: ----------------- A war rages between the mice lead by the mouse queen and later on by her son the mouse king and the dolls lead by the courageous prince of dolls ending up in the defeat and death of the mice leader.
Resolution: ------------------ The magic begins as the prince of dolls and Clara dance gracefully upon the beautiful Tchaikovsky piece of the nutcracker musical titled : The dance of the sugar plum fairies. It is an encapsulating piece of music that stirs the emotions and captures the heart. Now if you think that the movie must be coming to an end by now you are definitely wrong because one of the most important themes is still yet to come. While the two are dancing the prince asks Clara to stay with him in the castle and rule over the Kingdome of the dolls with him. Clara, the 11 years old girl looks so confused yet, unlike any other regular fairytale, she says NO. She amidst all her excitement realizes that she doesn't want to stay a child forever, she wants to grow up, see the world, visit places and become a ballerina. Being a princess of dolls is so amazing but would deprive her of going through all the exciting adventures of growing up. Sadly, this decision wilts away her dream worlds, wakes her up from her slumber. Clara finds no salvation but to dash off to her uncle Drosselmeier to ask him about whether what she has been through was a reality or just a fantasy. To her astonishment she finds a young lad , Hans who looks a lot like her prince of dolls but in flesh and blood. As their eyes meet the music gets stronger and something in your heart tells you that another adventure is yet to begin but this time in reality and not in fantasy.
Theme: ------------ There are many themes in The Nutcracker Prince, some of which include, the warmth and affection of the family, Clara's and the nutcracker's courage, the doll soldiers' loyaly, the power of unity and the supremacy of good over evil. However there is an important issue the story brings which is the transformation that takes place among young girls on the verge of turning to adolescents. The transformation rather gives a sense of confusion between the well known period of childhood with all its aspects and the unknown but interesting world of growing up. In this story, the actions and words of young Clara fully interpret this phase. This is in my opinion makes the movie highly recommended, for people of all ages but it certainly leaves a more everlasting effect among girls in puberty.
Music: ----------- The music has been associated with the story originally written by the German writer E.T.I Hoffmans and has been transformed into numerous ballets. The following is a list of the music in the film and they all form different parts of the Nutcracker musical for Pyotr llich Tchaikovsky. 1- Miniature Overture 2- March 3- dance of the sugar-plum fairy 4- Russian dance 5- Arabian dance 6- Chinese dance 7- Dance of the reed pipes 8- Waltz of the flowers
Credentials: ============ The Nutcracker Prince was released in 1990 and was directed by Paul Shibli. Some of the casting include the voices of: Peter Boretski: uncle Drosslmeier. Megan Follows: Clara. Kiefer Sutherland: Nutcracker prince. Peter O'tool: Pantaloon. phyllis Diller: Mouse queen. Mike MacDonald: Mouse king. Naom Zylberman: Fritz. It did not form a big hit as was expected but was nominated in 1991 with the Young Artist Award as the Most Entertaining Family Youth Motion Picture.
Although the running time of the film is around 75 minutes yet, the effect it leaves in the minds and hearts of those who love fairytales and classical music is everlasting.
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