HolidayTV © Seanlockephotography © | Seanlockephotography Dreamstime.com An enduring tale The story of a little girl whose favorite toy comes to life and whisks her away to a magical doll kingdom has become a Christmas staple the world over. Two hundred years after its initial publication, it’s clear just how beloved “The Nutcracker” truly is. HolidayTV | The Nutcracker A timeless Christmas companion ‘The Nutcracker and the Mouse King’ celebrates its 200th anniversary By Jacqueline Spendlove TV Media ore than 120 years ago, a ballet opened in St. Petersburg, just in time for MChristmas. It was not a success — it gleaned, in fact, much disparagement from critics — yet, with a production change here and a casting tweak there, “The Nutcracker” went on to become one of the most popular and well-known ballets in the world. One can’t begrudge composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky his part in the show’s eventual success, yet the bulk of it undoubtedly goes to the storyteller. The tale of a little girl whose favorite toy comes to life and whisks her away to a magical doll king- dom has become a Christmas staple. The ballet is just one of many productions spawned by the origi- nal novella written in 1816 by E. T. A. Hoffmann, and with 2016 marking the 200th anniversary of the story, it’s clear just how truly enduring it is. Hoffmann’s “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” has been adapted countless times for stage and screen. Details change here and there, but for the most part, they all follow the same basic structure, which sees little Marie (or Clara, as she’s called in the ballet) drawn into a dreamlike world where her toys come to life at Christmastime. Her © Mengtianhan | Dreamstime.com favorite, a nutcracker doll, leads his fellow toys into Ukraine’s Kiev Ballet dancers perform “The Nutcracker” battle against an army of mice led by the frighten- ing, seven-headed Mouse King. A story-within-the- to the doll kingdom with Marie, where the two rule score is recognizable even to those who have never story explains how nutcrackers came to be, and together as king and queen. In a nutshell. seen the production. It’s actually based on Alexan- ties together the real world and that of Marie’s Despite its rough start, the ballet is arguably dre Dumas’s 1844 adaptation of Hoffmann’s story, dreams. The Nutcracker defeats the evil Mouse the best-known incarnation of the story. Even if which is nearly identical in plot. King, and Marie’s love removes the curse that’s you can’t name any other ballet, you can probably Famed choreographer George Balanchine staged upon him. Returned to his human form, he returns name “The Nutcracker,” and Tchaikovsky’s iconic his version of the ballet in the 1950s with the HolidayTV | The Nutcracker New York City Ballet, and is widely credited with Birdcage,” 1996) and John Turturro (“O Brother, making “The Nutcracker” famous in the United Where Art Thou?,” 2000) — a worthy enough cast, States. It has been staged in New York every year but they couldn’t save it from flopping at the box since 1954, and is used as a model for many other office. productions throughout the U.S., drawing flocks of Fortunately, other filmed returns to the story’s theatergoers during the Christmas season. literary roots fared better; simpler, small-scale pro- The (eventual) success of the stage production led ductions have become well-loved and are regularly to a number of filmed versions of the ballet. “Nut- televised during the holidays. “The Nutcracker cracker: The Motion Picture” was released in 1986 Prince” (1990) is an animated Canadian offering of and performed by the Pacific Northwest Ballet. The the story, and features the voice talents of Kiefer film features sets and costume designs by Maurice Sutherland (“24”), Megan Follows (“Anne of Green Sendak, author and illustrator of “Where the Wild Gables”), Peter O’Toole (“Lawrence of Arabia,” 1962) Things Are.” The ending deviates from that of the and Phyllis Diller (“A Bug’s Life,” 1998). It pulls ele- original ballet, and there are some slightly creepy ments from both the original story and the ballet, undertones throughout, but it’s a generally well- and is a solid version for children and adults alike. received version of story. What does Barbie have to do with “The Nutcrack- “George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker” came er?” Who cares! “Barbie in the Nutcracker” (2001) along in 1993, and features that loveable Christmas marks the illustrious doll’s first feature-length scamp Macaulay Culkin in the role of The Nut- motion picture, as well as the first computer-ani- cracker. What was surely a strategic casting choice mated movie in the Barbie film series. It’s cute and — Culkin was still riding high on his Christmas- colorful, employing music based on Tchaikovsky’s themed “Home Alone” (1993) success at the time ballet score, which is its major selling point. The — really didn’t do the movie any favors. Overall, film is loosely based on Hoffmann’s story, drawing reviews were mixed, but Culkin drew pretty con- elements from the ballet as well (unsurprisingly, sistent critique across the board. It’s despite him, the illustrious Barbie is one heck of a dancer). rather than because of him, that the film garnered As for what the future holds for The Nutcrack- the praise it did, and the superb dancing is the real er, Marie/Clara and the rest, we already know star of this production, gleaning as much approval that we can look past the story’s 200th anniver- as Culkin did criticism, if not more. sary for yet another retelling. A new live-action Other movies and specials based on “The Nut- adaptation, titled “The Nutcracker and the Four cracker and the Mouse King” moved away from the Realms,” is in the works, and Disney plans to ballet that made it famous, and are straight retell- release it in 2018. You’re sure to recognize some ings of the original story. “The Nutcracker in 3D” of the cast — Mackenzie Foy (“Interstellar” , 2014), (2010) had high hopes — director Andrei Koncha- Morgan Freeman (“The Shawshank Redemption,” lovsky said it had been his dream project for more 1994), Helen Mirren (“The Queen,” 2006) and Kei- than 20 years, and that the fantastical elements ra Knightley (“Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse Alliance Films lent themselves to being presented in 3D. of the Black Pearl,” 2003) are all on board for the Elle Fanning in a scene from “The Nutcracker in 3D” Unfortunately, the final product of the big-budget project. “The Nutcracker and the Four Realms” is musical didn’t quite live up to Konchalovsky’s based on the original story (all hail the return of Two hundred years on, the world that was born vision, with critics panning it as “ill-conceived,” the Mouse King’s gruesome seven heads!), yet still with Hoffmann’s little Christmas novella continues “misguided” and “bewildering” (the Holocaust im- contains elements from the ballet, including one to grow. No matter the format, the story is one that agery really didn’t help matters). The film features major dance sequence, which will be handled by doesn’t get old, and remains a faithful companion Elle Fanning (“Maleficent” 2014), Nathan Lane (“The ballerina Misty Copeland. during the holidays. HolidayTV | Best Movie Santas Best Movie Santa Clauses by Shona Dustan Ed Asner Richard Attenborough (“Elf,” 2003) (“Miracle on 34th Street,” 1994) If there’s a real I know, it’s probably cheating to include both versions of this Santa, Santa, I hope it’s the but there’s just something about a whole city coming together to “be- sweet and salty Ed lieve” a sweet old guy out of a jail sentence. Plus, such an iconic role Asner version. Bud- must have been incredibly daunting to recreate, so Attenborough is dy the Elf’s favorite owed some major kudos. He pulls it off well — all those warm, fuzzy person is a-ok in my feelings from the original turn up again here. books, and it’s a side- splitting joy to watch this film year after Tim Allen s e r year. I like to imagine u t (“The Santa Clause,” 1994) ic P . that Asner’s Santa will s ro B someday be regarded as er I will admit to a little bias here — I n ar highly as the next entry on ; W was 10 years old in 1994, and a f” “El in my list ... en “Home Improvement” fan, so Tim as se Ed Asner Allen is the Santa of my child- hood. While his full beard and s e r u t Edmund Gwenn jolly countenance at the end of c i P the film are totally on point, it’s y e (“Miracle on 34th Street,” 1947) n s his transformation that’s trans- i D t l I tear up every time I watch this film. A man holding to his princi- fixing. From semi-competent a W ; ples despite seemingly insurmountable odds is compelling even when divorcé dad to Father Christmas, ” e s u the man in question isn’t Old Saint Nick, and the way others rally selflessly dedicated to his son la C ta n around him is just heartwarming. Gwenn was born to play this role, and all the children of the planet, a S he and his work has stood the test of time. this Santa’s dedication to his craft is “T in rs sta beyond question. Tim Allen Douglas Seale (“Ernest Saves Christmas,” 1988) David Huddleston (“Santa Claus: The Movie,” 1985) This film is one of the most overlooked Christmas movies, and what a shame that is.