Nutcracker: The Motion Picture (DVD), Olive, Music & Performance

one of my favorite Nutcracker performances and worth owning. 👍

I have seen the Nutcracker Ballet several times (even live) and I own several different versions. Watching this is one of my favorite family Christmastime traditions. As a kindergarten teacher I have shared it with my students every year. We watch it with gingerbread cookies and egg not. The little ones LOVE IT and can't wait to see the next portion as I have to cut it into 30 minute segments. As I said, I own several versions and have seen the ballet live but out of all the movie versions this on is THE BEST! It captures the darkness, romance and color of the ballet. I believe Maurice Sendak's art is critical to achieving the fantasy of this memorable ballet. The director has been criticized by others for his camera shots, but in my opinion this is unfounded. I love how he shows all of the dancers bodies so you can see the beautiful movements and dance steps, but his close-up shots help to "tell" the story. The costumes are phenomenal. Both beautiful and whimsical. This is definitely a version that LITTLE CHILDREN WILL LOVE (I have tested it many times) and ADULTS WILL ENJOY. Add this to your collection. You won't be sorry!