Barbie in the Nutcracker (2001)

Barbie in The Nutcracker Poster — October 2, 2001

Barbie in the Nutcracker is a 2001 animated fantasy film co-produced by Mainframe Entertainment and Mattel Entertainment, and distributed by Artisan Home Entertainment.

Loosely adapted from E. T. A. Hoffmann's 1816 short story, "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King", and featuring music based from Tchaikovsky's 1892 ballet, The Nutcracker, it marked the character's first film since the 1987 television specials; Barbie and the Rockers: Out of This World and Barbie and the Sensations: Rockin' Back to Earth, with Kelly Sheridan providing the voice of Barbie. It was also the first Barbie movie to be computer-animated.

Barbie in the Nutcracker premiered on VHS on October 2, 2001, by Artisan, followed up with a DVD release a few weeks later on October 23. before being subsequently released overseas through Entertainment Rights and Universal Pictures Video. The film sold more than 3.4 million units on DVD by 2002, and grossed $150 million in total sales. It won the Video Premiere Award for Best Animated Video Premiere Movie.

Storyline[]

Barbie tells the following story to her little sister, Kelly, who is having trouble rehearsing a ballet solo.

Clara lives with Drosselmeyer, her stern grandfather, and Tommy, her little brother. On the night of Christmas Eve, they receive a surprise visit from their aunt Elizabeth. She brings toys for the siblings, including a nutcracker for Clara. Tommy attempts to wrestle it from Clara and damages the Nutcracker's arm. Clara mends the toy, and falls asleep by the Christmas tree.

At midnight, magical dust travels about the room, and Clara awakens to see her Nutcracker suddenly alive, and fighting an army of mice led by the wicked Mouse King. The Mouse King uses magic to shrink her down to his size, and Clara and the Nutcracker make a swift escape.

The Nutcracker explains that he was also transformed by the Mouse King, and he and Clara decide to find the Sugarplum Princess, the only person who can undo the spells on both of them. The owl on the grandfather clock gives them directions to the Sugarplum Princess and gives Clara a locket that will send her back home when she opens it.

The Nutcracker and Clara go through a mouse hole into a portal to an ice cave. They leave with the help of the snow fairies and enter the Nutcracker's home, Parthenia. The two journey to the gingerbread village. There, they meet two children, who tell them that the rightful heir to the throne, Prince Eric, has gone missing. The group narrowly escapes the Mouse King's army when they are saved by Major Mint and Captain Candy, who lead a small group of villagers in hiding. Mint reveals that Prince Eric's careless attitude led the former king to pronounce the Mouse as temporary ruler until Eric accepted his responsibilities. Clara realizes that the Nutcracker is the missing Prince Eric; when the Mouse decided he wanted to be king permanently, he turned Eric into a Nutcracker. Eric hopes to redeem himself and make things right again.

Clara and the Nutcracker, joined by Mint and Candy, set off on a journey to reach the Sugarplum Princess. While Mint and Candy prepare a boat, Clara and Nutcracker manage to free a group of flower fairies who had been trapped in a well by the Mouse King. The group is suddenly attacked by a rock giant, sent by the Mouse King to stop them from reaching the Princess. The snow fairies arrive and freeze the sea, followed by a horse pulling a sled, allowing the group to cross. The Nutcracker uses his sword to crack the ice, causing the rock giant to sink into the sea.

The group reaches the Princess's island, but it is revealed to be a trap and the Nutcracker, Mint, and Candy are caged and carried off by the Mouse King's bat henchman Pimm, leaving Clara behind. The flower fairies help carry Clara off the island and to the Mouse King's castle where she frees her friends. The Nutcracker battles with the Mouse King who has his own spell reflected back at him, shrinking him to the size of a real mouse and causing him to flee. The Nutcracker is severely injured and Clara kisses him whereupon he is restored to his true form as Eric. Clara, because she was able to break the spell and save her friends, is revealed herself to be the Sugarplum Princess. Eric is crowned king and the couple, who have fallen in love, dance as the citizens celebrate and the land is restored to its former natural beauty, ultimately sharing a kiss. The shrunken Mouse King returns riding on Pimm's back, and snatches Clara's locket, opening it before being knocked out of the sky with a snowball. At its open, the locket's magic activates, and Clara dematerializes before she can say goodbye, magically transported back home.

Clara wakes up where she fell asleep. The Nutcracker is missing, and she runs to her grandfather, who dismisses the story as her imagination. Just then, Aunt Elizabeth returns with a young man who is revealed to be Eric, whom she introduces to Clara. Eric asks her to dance. A snow globe shows Prince Eric and the Sugarplum Princess dancing happily in the palace courtyard.

As Barbie ends the story, Kelly realizes the importance of not giving up, and she and Barbie finally manage to dance the solo perfectly.

Barbie in the Nutcracker (2001)

Contents

Storyline[]

Movie Trailer[]

Sound Effects Used[]

Image Gallery[]

Audio Samples[]

External Links[]