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The Nutcracker (Jetlag Productions) | 
 enlarge | Director: Toshiyuki Hiruma Takashi
Studio: GoodTimes Home Entertainment
Category: DVD
List Price: $5.98
Buy New: $0.01
You Save: $5.97 (100%)
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Rating:  13 reviews
Sales Rank: 39779
Format: Animated, Color, Dvd-video, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Original Language), Spanish (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 47 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.1 x 0.5
MPN: GTED81552D
UPC: 018713815521
EAN: 0018713815521
ASIN: B0000AZT41
Theatrical Release Date: 1994
Release Date: September 23, 2003
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: The disc is loose in the sealed package
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Product Description
Studio: Gaiam Americas Release Date: 10/12/2004 Starring: Animated
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| Customer Reviews: Read 8 more reviews...
 A simple holiday story that can easily win its place as a cherished Christmas classic for children! November 15, 2008
Taran Wanderer (Chicago, IL)
In the span of three years in which Jetlag Productions was GoodTimes Entertainment's primary and only low-budget animation division, the company managed to produce a total of three Christmas-themed animated adventures: "A Christmas Carol" in 1994, "Magic Gift of the Snowman" in 1995 and finally, "The Nutcracker" in the same year. If I were to categorize or list them from best to worst, I'd give the honor of best to "Magic Gift of the Snowman," with its touching (and original) themes and sweet songs, and worst, "A Christmas Carol" as a rather disappointing adaptation of Charles Dickens' Christmas story, with overall mediocre songs and not much ingenuity. That said, "The Nutcracker" comes as the middle child, being a rather sweet and well done holiday story. It doesn't have any particular strengths, but each element is strong enough to make together a very decent animated holiday treat, especially for children. br / br /The tale of "The Nutcracker" is not easy to summarize in a short number of lines, with its jumping from reality to fantasy, and from the present to the past; it is based on E. T. Hoffmann's classic story of the nutcracker that came to life. One Christmas eve, little Marie and her brother Fritz receive a visit from their godfather Drosselmeyer. As a present, he awards them with a somewhat ugly nutcracked shaped as a royal soldier. Though Fritz is quickly bored with the gift, particularly after breaking its jaw, Marie is enchanted by it and saves it from Fritz's careless hands. Her godfather's gift does not end there, because he also shares with Marie the sad story of how the nutcracker came to be. The tragic story only strengthens the bond between the wooden nutcracker and the girl as she is slowly brought into a magical holiday adventure. The wicked seven-headed Mouse King makes an appearance and attempts to steal all of Marie's Christmas candy, but nutcracker, with the help of a weapon from one of Fritz' toy soldiers, is able to fight against the king and his many warriors. Nutcracker then takes Marie into his kingdom through a magic wardrobe. She is made the princess of the enchanted winter-land, only to return home unsure of whether her adventure had been a dream or a reality. Though her family is sure to doubt the existance of the Mouse King and the Marzipan castle, Marie is equally sure that her adventures are not the product of her dreams or imagination, and godfather Drosselmeyer does not doubt her word in the least bit. br / br /Overall, Jetlag Productions scores with their adaptation of "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King," managing to deliver a cherish-able holiday classic that is, up to their standards, nicely crafted. Surely the quality of animation would disappoint anyone expecting a Christmas spectacle similar to "The Nutcracker Suite" segment in Walt Disney's "Fantasia" (1940), but for what it is Jetlag has done much worse. The characters are well-designed, using a rather soft palette of warm, smooth colors, avoiding over-saturation and an overall unappealing outlook. The voice acting is as bad and corny as can be expected from this particular producer. The same voices can be linked to a number of Jetlag Productions' titles, none of which have grand voice acting as one of their strengths. The songs are overall very nice; beginning with "Season Of Love," this song is surely to be cherished as a more than enjoyable retelling of the story to a very pleasant tune; "Dance Through The Night" could have been more magical, but is also a very nice song accompanying Marie's first visit to Candy Town. Finally, "A Dream Come True" concludes Marie's adventures as her dream of happiness next to her new friend, the nutcracker, comes true. "The Nutcracker" is a very enjoyable low-budget animated adventure, and consumer's expectations should not exceed what one would usually expect for this price. Highly recommended!
 Lovely but Somewhat Lethargic December 26, 2007
C. Lopez (Arizona)
The sets are gorgeous, music and sound is fantastic, the costumes are very well done overall, although I agree with the other criticism of the Nutcracker looking ugly and not like a nutcracker at all. True, the children were all played by adults, and the boys were played by girls, it was a little distracting, but not a huge problem for me. You can see the orchestra director's hands waving around sometimes, but it made me smile and reminded me that - after all - it was performed live. br /My problem was that so much of the dancing seemed to drag, as though they struggled or had no power behind the movements. The main performances were fine enough, but not very moving. There was little emotion from the dancers' faces to pull me in or make me feel, and they generally seemed lethargic, although it was probably due more to the choreography, than the dancers' abilities. br /I would not recommend this version, and if I had watched it first, I would not have bought it. I prefer the dancing from the super-70's version with Baryshikov to this. br / br /Overall, gorgeous sets, lovely costumes generally, wonderful orchestra and sound with live audience. br /But strange lighting issues that were dim and pinkish was distracting, the dancing lacked power and emotion for me.
Loved it! January 17, 2007
L. Grigaitis (Northbrook, IL United States)
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
My 2 year old daughter loves this DVD!! She puts on the Nutcracker anytime that she thinks of it and dances, marches, and twirls! Great entertainment for both parents and kids! I watch her instead of the DVD. Even better when she wants to put on her leotard, tights, and ballet skirt!
No one mentioned these things.... December 27, 2006
Terry L. Bolo
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
I read all the reviews for this DVD, and chose it based on that; I had decided not to go for the "star" power of some of the others, and this one sounded good. I was disappointed however, that the nutcracker doll did not look like a soldier, it was very ugly, and looked like some kind of chinaman laborer, with a que! What!? Also, the boys were all played by girls in the party scene, somewhat distracting, and why is the main character called Masha, instead of Clara? Also, the Christmas tree was white, and then in the dream it was green, and you didn't see it grow. All these things bothered me, but the dancing and sets, and most of the costumes were good. A couple of things other people mentioned that bothered them, I either didn't notice, or did'nt detract from my enjoyment as much as the other things. I didn't notice if someone's feet were cut out of the frame, and the conductor's hands in the bottom of the frame, only reminded me that there was a live orchestra there, which is, after all, part of the performance. I kind of liked it.
best by far December 24, 2006
Diatonic (AZ USA)
4 out of 6 found this review helpful
I regard this version the best by far of all Nutcrackers. It makes clear that the ballet is about a young girl's awakening to sex. The phallic Christmas tree that enlarges and rises, the battle with the "dirty" mice who represent her fears of sexuality, and the overcoming of them via the love of a faithful prince who helps her to conquer them and send them fleeing, are all spot on. Most versions don't get or convey the sexual meaning of the ballet, but rather turn it into a anodine children's story with toys. Lezhina is marvelous, so sure in every movement, and with such energy. The way she bounds across the stage in the love duet and jumps into Baranov's arms is bravura ballet at its best. The whole thing is near perfect. Just---one is sure---as Tchaikovsy intended it.
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