The Nutcracker-The Untold Story: Musical Hell Review #43

What's the Nutcracker with no ballet, very little music and Albert Einstein? Not much, in this case.
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[@HopelessRomantic999]

When the Barbie version of the Nutcracker, a film specifically designed to advertise the dolls dressed up as the characters, is a better movie than yours, you screwed up big time.

[@DeepEye1994]

This movie even kinda ripped off the way the Mouse King is defeated in Barbie's movie, he becomes rat-sized and escapes into a storm drain.

[@SariaSchala]

And you know what? That doesn't actually defeat him! He does come back and perform one more act of evil.

[@dragonstouch1042]

HopelessRomantic999 Hey, say what you want about the Barbie movie, you can at least tell they’re trying and in the case of adaptations, they try to stick to the source material

[@xgray2012]

I agree.

[@jeanbaptistelacassagne7397]

I feel bad for the person wanting to be successful with this movie, he put so much effort into it.😭😭😭😭😭😭

[@SariaSchala]

I personally love the Barbie version, but I get that it's not everyone's cup of tea. I WILL, however, say that the Barbie version contains: An active female protagonist A major character of color An appropriately despicable Mouse King reminiscent of a good Disney villain A romance built on mutual respect Ballet music used in the appropriate scenes And a good looking fantasy world

[@isobelduncan]

I like it too, although looking back at it I'm aware it's a bit silly in some parts. I was a young ballerina at the time I first saw it.

[@tereziamarkova2822]

Well, it is a Barbie movie, so it looks and feels like one. Unfortunatelly, I don't remember it that much (I've only seen it once or twice when I was a kid), which is a pity, because when I was 10 or so, I loved the Barbie movies to bits.

[@JesseHernandez]

fun fact that is one of the only accurate representations of the nutcracker ballet

[@ashtynbritt7889]

YESSSS

[@jennifergordon1362]

I love it too! I have so much nostalgia towards it!

[@KeybladeMasterAndy]

This movie actually takes place in the 20s, a bit before the Nazis came to full power. So that makes the Nazi Rats even more senseless.

[@GabyGeorge1996]

KeybladeMasterAndy maybe the Rats saw Mussolini and got inspired even earlier than the Nazis?

[@ladynatalie4081]

The children’s Christmas costumes are wrong for the era as well.

[@gamestation2690]

Apparently, the point of the Nazi imagery was to explore the idea of totalitarianism in a way children could understand.

[@petrino]

albert "the jewish scientist" einstein. celebrating christmas... oook

[@morley364]

Yeah I was like, of all the people for your CHRISTMAS movie...you picked EINSTEIN?! JEWISH, FLED THE NAZIS EINSTEIN? Your movie has Nazi rats, this is either pure idiocy or a PAINFULLY mishandled implication of the Holocaust in your CHRISTMAS film

[@1987MartinT]

I mean, I'm perfectly fine with Einstein being featured in movies(because he was awesome). But could the filmmakers try to have it make sense?

[@aussieman3021]

​@@1987MartinTYou know, Jesus Christ (of whom Christianity was based around) was known to have actually been Jewish himself.

[@MediaLover194]

"Oh Auntie Em, I dreamed I was in a terrible holiday movie" is probably my favorite line from this review.

[@StephanieDev]

*_Fun Fact:_* the _Emoji Movie_ has an 8% rating on rotten tomatoes.

[@NeroCM]

After seeing what is taking the 0% spot, I'll believe that.

[@jeremyusreevu237]

Well, Repossessed also got a zero percent, so not all zero percenters are bad.

[@michaelboydston313]

yeouch

[@TheAmazingFlake]

Did.... did they not realize Albert Einstein was Jewish? Why would you put him in a Christmas movie, especially if you make the fantasy villains Nazis and then do nothing with that in the real world. I can see a version of that actually being pretty good, but this fell down hard.

[@patriciomejia1114]

I just thought of something: why not have Albert be the main reason why Mary believes that the rats would be Nazi allegories? Because of her relationship with a Jewish person, she might experience some anxiety over whether the Nazis would be a threat to her dear uncle. Not only would it justify the Nazi rats, it could also be used to develop the relationship between Mary and Albert, even if only in her dream world. At least, that's what I think.

[@annieandelsieofarendelle3294]

@@patriciomejia1114 And honestly, they really should've done that.

[@seekerstheshy3842]

honestly if you stripped away most of the nutcracker specific stuff you could have a pretty good movie about a child and her grandpa coping through war time and even somewhat educational about the life of albert einstein, most people dont know about his life outside of what he contributed to science. of course to tackle that sort of stuff well you'd have to be respectful and mature and maybe these creators arent the right ones for the job-

[@aussieman3021]

That plus making the rats Nazis and recreating the Holocaust made me wonder if Andrei Konchalovsky is actually Jewish. If that's the case, then Konchalovsky should've made a movie inspired by The Nutcracker but change everything Christmas-themed to Hanukkah-themed.

[@KaeMcSpadden]

the nutcracker looks like an animatronic from a five nights at freddy's christmas version, especially when he talks.

[@joethehero2]

Kate McSpadden I don't care if he's the night guard or not. I just want those sweet, sweet, BATTERIES...

[@accidentalalicorn5323]

Well I know what's in my nightmares tonight

[@thejman5683]

He looks more like the Canadians in South Park

[@annieandelsieofarendelle3294]

I think a better story would be Mary's father had to leave for war and she's overall depressed for obvious reasons until one day her godfather gives her a strange Nutcracker as an early Christmas present. At night the Nutcracker comes to life and he whisks her off to the enchanted Land of Sweets where she is intoxicated by the beauty of the kingdom that she never wants to leave.

[@C.V317]

That IS a better story. Hell, if you want to set it in WWII, you could double bill the Nutcracker and her father to represent Mary’s desire to be with her father and cope with feeling useless to keep him safe from the war. She could help him fight the mouse king, and be rewarded with a trip to the land of sweets. It would make an interesting war film, weirdly enough. But how would it end?

[@rogue7723]

And maybe, to play Devil's Advocate a touch, elements of World War II seep into her dream, like the Rat King and his armies, indicating her depression and fear of the war threatening to overpower her and steal her childlike ideals and imagination.

[@annieandelsieofarendelle3294]

Rogue That works and the Rat army starts becoming more powerful, the longer Clara stays there showing her fear of the war destroying her childhood

[@rogue7723]

@@annieandelsieofarendelle3294 Thanks, though you started the rewrite. :)

[@annieandelsieofarendelle3294]

Rogue Well it was still a good idea and adds to Clara realizing that she can’t ignore the danger that’s coming but that doesn’t mean she’s powerless to fight against it

[@MollyAnnMissie]

In the original non-ballet story, Maria/Clara describes the Nutcracker as a noble prince who makes you feel brave just looking at him; Her brother Fritz, who just uses the toy until it breaks, is more in line with unimaginative kids who would miss that: The Nutcracker is meant to be seen as an off gift whose beauty only open-minded and hearted people like Clara can see.

[@PassTheMarmalade1957]

"The Nutcracker? Hey, that's a classic! Oh, and Elle Fanning's in it? She's not so bad. She doesn't seem to be particularly well directed in this, but she's alright for a child actress. And the Christmas setting looks pretty enough. Really, this just looks like it's going to be a cheap adaptation of the Nutcracker story. What's so God awful about...?" *Albert Einstein pops up singing Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies* "...Oh, shit."

[@sesfilmsllc]

OH GOD IN HEAVEN!!!!!

[@timothymclean]

This is another one of those stories with some great pieces that fail to come together as anything worthy of them.

[@christinanordlander1588]

I was actually cringing at that scene.

[@litlblkhouse]

On my end, I had no interest in the movie before I discovered these reviews of it. I could even tell by the 0% rating.

[@MalakiaLaGattaNera]

Unironically, The Barbie Movie did it better. If you're looking for a faithful adaptation of the original story, go and check the animated Nutcracker Prince. If you want to see a beautiful staging of the ballet, then Nutcracker the Motion Picture (1986) with costume and set design by Maurice Sendak is my recommendation.

[@dragonstouch1042]

BellringerMal why is it that is the only adaptation I can find that incorporates ballet (or at least well that is)

[@pennysanchez7656]

Oh, I remember The Nutcracker Prince, it was underrated!

[@litlblkhouse]

The Barbie one is a decent modern adaptation of the story. I'd even argue that her version of Thumbelina is better than Don Bluth's.

[@marymauney3235]

Depicting the rats as Nazi analogues is an especially weird/unfortunate choice given that the Nazis used the same tactics to demonize Jews by likening them to vermin. And while I am sure this was NOT intentional at all, the rat noses that they gave the rat-people unfortunately do kinda end up looking like the negative depictions of Jewish stereotypes used by Nazis and other anti-Semites. So it ends up looking like this weird combination of "ugly Jewish stereotype" and "obvious Nazis" at the same time, and it's just an unsettling combination. Also, seriously, don't go for a Nazi analogue unless you got a REALLY good reason why the Nazis are the specifically best choice for it thematically, as opposed to any other tyrannical regime.

[@devinsweeting4978]

@caitlyncarvalho7637 If he grew up in Stalinist Russia you'd think they'd have a Red Army Aesthetic.

[@YelenaSkunky]

​@@devinsweeting4978, not really. The director comes from a very prestigious family. His father was the one to write the lyrics to the Soviet anthem. They had no freaking reason to dislike the Red Army, despite them saying otherwise in recent years.

[@devinsweeting4978]

@@YelenaSkunky Huh. I was not aware of that.

[@srbarkerchan]

Wow. I thought Nostalgia Critic was only joking when he said that there's a version of The Nutcracker that included a holocaust.

[@LucyLioness100]

If only he was, but my God

[@yazmenakamura6750]

Or when he called the Rat King an Andy Warhol Impersonator.

[@joyunicycle]

Ikr? I thought so too and that the poster he displayed was photoshopped.

[@redactedduetosafetyreasons]

@jerzy franklin We Live In A World Where -Halo Is Dead -Blizzard And Activision Annouced That They Are Sexist -We Have This -We Have The Animatic Titanic Flims -And The Overrated Stuff Like Love Is War And Chick-Fil-A Are Getting The Good Stuff

[@Rainbow-Reilly]

I can't believe you left out the greatest sin of all: the villain song, featuring the Nazi rats tap-dancing while the king electrocutes a shark.

[@YelenaSkunky]

In Russian it's even worse. Way worse.

[@NaiTaiDai]

And just like that, I no longer consider "The Nuttiest Nutcracker" the dumbest version of the infamous ballet.

[@brianapereira2694]

At least that version didn't take itself seriously at all and you can still laugh at the screen.

[@alysonblackwood3099]

But...but...EINSTEIN WAS JEWISH!!! And since he had to flee the Nazis, that's kinda important. WTF MOVIE?!?!

[@carissacarlson1418]

Sad when the Barbie Movie is a better adaption of the Nutcracker then this movie... And also sad that Gravity Falls: Real Time Fandubs does a much better job playing a classical song on kazoo.

[@mrdoctorgilmore]

Carissa Carlson the care bears nutcracker is better than this

[@tereziamarkova2822]

What is wrong with Barbie Nutcracker?! :P

[@emilychristian7844]

At it's peak it was okay, but now it looks like it was animated on the Sims 2 and there are a ton of awkward moments & weird dialogue/plotlines. However it has a softspot in my heart because i loved it when I was little

[@opheliapurple]

That's what I was thinking the whole time! The barbie nutcracker had the budget of about ten dollars and was pretty average at best. But wow, was it more entertaining than this.

[@teddyfurstman1997]

What Gravity Falls Fan Dub uses Kazoos? Also, Love Gravity Falls. This Nutcracker movie is terrible.

[@camerongrow6426]

True Evil is born from pain and loss. For you see when I was a boy I had a beloved pebble. Then one day I lost it.

[@BlueDragonknight375]

How am I only one of five people who got that reference?

[@generalstorm8381]

Phineas and Ferb reference? Awesome!

[@rainpooper7088]

Choo-choo?

[@brianapereira2694]

"...That's...that's it?" "What do you mean?" XD

[@lydibug4849]

1:45 What kind of pyromaniac little anarchist does that little brat think he is!? "Please don't tell Mom and Dad that I was pretending our princeless antique, probably hand-made christmas ornaments were Minecraft torches!"

[@ryantherebel]

These kind of passion projects gone wrong never cease to fascinate and horrify me. Was this always Konchalovskiy's vision? What were the initial drafts like? Did anyone involved in this question any of the choices made by Konchalovskiy?

[@ihvojd]

I heard rumors that he based the Nazi rats on his childhood when living under a soviet rule. But I don’t understand why it’s Nazis day taking place in 1920’s Austria

[@YelenaSkunky]

Pretty funny, considering that Andrey Konchalovsky comes from a wealthy family. He was basically an elite.

[@YelenaSkunky]

@caitlyncarvalho7637, to think about it, you have a point...

[@YelenaSkunky]

​@caitlyncarvalho7637, I can mistake that Rat King for a Rhys Ifans character. There are similarities, and I'm happy that Ifans was not involved in that mess of a movie.

[@isobelduncan]

In the original book by E.T.A Hoffman, she's named Maria. The ballet names her that too sometimes, depending on the company- God Damn! I just defended this crap fest of a movie!

[@davidspring4003]

Isobel Duncan Correction: you clarified an aspect of it. Being accurate is NEVER a crime, even if it is in service to a terrible experience.

[@MrShoebox21]

This is one of those times where the poster outright LIED to the audience. The poster promises whimsy and wonder and smiles and Einstein with a slightly suspect smile and then it turns into...I have no fucking idea.

[@CyberController-]

"You know how we always joked about Schindler's List The Musical? Well, somebody made it" *Rob Walker after watching this movie*

[@DankeDummkopf]

If I wanted a rodent-themed Nazi story, I'd read Maus again. It's somehow easier to look at.

[@agentspaniel4428]

Actually it's not just burning books earlier in the movie they made it very clear that all toys are living These are lines from the movie "All dolls are alive."-The nutcracker, "You ever wonder what happens to a doll's soul when it burns?"-The rat king so let that tell you a few things

[@luthientinuviel3883]

The only real-life kid I know who enjoys getting nutcrackers as a present is my little brother. He's got a lot of them, and would probably jump at the chance to play Clara in order to have another.

[@johnvinals7423]

5:35 Nutcrackers were a good luck charm in Germany during the Nineteenth Century.

[@nyxshadowhawk]

In fairness, the uncanny look-alike who shows up in the real world is part of the original Hoffmann story and appears in some versions of the ballet. He's usually Drossylmeyer's nephew. So that was the least problematic part of this film.

[@dudeyoureavegetarian6280]

If Mary was going to break the curse near the end of the movie, why bother having the Nutcracker change into a human and then back again before? That makes no sense.

[@subzerobadass]

Okay, nobody else seems to have brought it up, so I guess it falls to me. Those aren't kazoos at 4:51, they're krumhorns. Similar sound, understandable mistake, but yeah. It's a real instrument- just not a good idea to use it how they did.

[@moonlightrobbery]

Come on, Diva. Don't you remember how Swan Lake had Thomas Edison, references to Stalinist Russia and creepy, dead-eyed puppets?

[@moonlightrobbery]

None, as it should remain.

[@TheBonkleFox]

.... that's gonna be the 2021 fate/grand order christmas event, isn't it? And yet Nasu and crew would still handle it with more tact and nuance than this garbage

[@patriciomejia1114]

I don't know if someone mentioned it already, but the burning of the toys is even worse, because the movie establishes that toys are alive. Therefore, the burning of the toys is basically the murder of living creatures.

[@seekerstheshy3842]

EVEN WORSE implications when paired with the nazi stuff!

[@TylerRakstis]

Though here's a fun fact: Tchaikovsky who wrote the music said that this was his least favorite music composition he made. Learned that from Fantasia.

[@beethovensfidelio]

Tyler Rakstis He said it was “ a piece of fluff” and that it was a “work for hire” project. I think his anger was due to the fact that Nutcracker was more successful with audiences than Swan Lake.

[@beethovensfidelio]

@Katie Lewis Yeah. But imagine how you would feel if the work you deemed to be your masterpiece was overshadowed by the work you deemed to be mediocre.

[@annaolson4828]

Ooh...that "dance" break (which rips off one of my favorite bits of the Nutcracker score) physically hurt me.

[@galaxysnowrose4681]

"nutcrackers are pretty low on a kids Christmas list" Me, an intellectual: totally loving my creepy and wonky looking nutcrackers since childhood 👁️👄👁️

[@spookyrosev6467]

...I got curious so I researched why **insert whatever girl protagonist is called at the moment** is so damn attached to the Nutcracker. It’s not much but basically in Germany and a lot of Europe in the 19th center Nutcrackers were good luck charms

[@isobelduncan]

Some of the costumes are also a bit out of place with the time setting. For example, The film is set in either in the 20's or the 30s-40s, however some of Mary and Max's costumes seem more Napoleonic.

[@cheezemonkeyeater]

"The Untold Story" is one of those subtitles that makes me automatically stop caring.

[@elizabethbeck4071]

Wow the Barbie version is better

[@kyliethelittlespider-mangirl94]

You know, even though the Barbie version was a piece of crap, at least it wasn't dreary and dark unlike this.

[@extraearth3392]

Kylie Rossetto the Care Bears version was better than this movie

[@kyliethelittlespider-mangirl94]

ExtraEarth 33 I don't know about that version but I give it a meh. It's not the worse but it looks kinda better.

[@superdisneyfan1556]

Speaking of "Care Bears", perhaps Mrs. Diva should review "The Care Bears Movie".

[@kyliethelittlespider-mangirl94]

SuperDisneyFan15 that sounds kinda good

[@KaeMcSpadden]

The nazi rats could've worked if this version did take place during WWII, but it just throws them in for no reason.

[@gamestation2690]

Apparently, the point of the Nazi imagery was to explore the idea of totalitarianism in a way children could understand.

[@Cheezbuckets]

For anyone who has not yet had the pleasure of learning why Marie/Mary/Clara/whoever is so quickly attached to a nutcracker: in the original story, the nutcracker is described through her perspective as if he’s a real man who is rather ugly, and yet “she had taken a liking at first sight” and she calls him a “charming little man.” So, uh.....there’s no good way to put this, but she likes the nutcracker so much because she’s attracted to him, mostly because he’s dressed nicely. “Wait, isn’t she, like, seven?” Yes, and I didn’t write it, so don’t blame me!

[@kyoyameganebereznoff]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen an adaptation of “The Nutcracker” where Clara’s little brother isn’t an insufferable little shit.

[@DeepEye1994]

Also the Rats look like the Whos from the live-action Grinch movie.

[@simsgirlgem]

So are the rats supposed to look like whos down in whoville?

[@aadamtx]

Poor Frances de la Tour, getting sucked into this bomb. I didn't realize Gielgud was played by Daniel Peacock, a wonderful British comedian with a long string of great credits.

[@charlesajones77]

Is it just me, or does Elle Fanning look like she's stoned throughout most of this movie (or the parts I watched anyway)? She isn't even a bad actress, but I get the impression that even she knew this was garbage.

[@nomduclavier]

If they'd had the idyllic real world be a childish idea of what it is, with hints that more is going on, then she'd have been symbolically facing the darkness by confronting the rat king, but that wouldn't have saved it. So much is too much or not enough.

[@Furore2323]

Ohhhhhhh, so THAT's where "Princess Tutu' gets Drosselmeyer from. -1 Ignorance Points!

[@MissCaraMint]

Furore2323 Oh wow. You missed a layer of that story.

[@dragonstouch1042]

Furore2323 that anime still hurts me (in a good way)

[@aidanchilders9043]

Just goes to show you, just because you love something deeply and spend decades bringing it to life doesn't mean your passion project is actually *any good at all.* Ambition and passion is not enough to make a masterpiece. Thank God Richard E. Grant got cast in Star Wars 9 so this movie didn't permanently Holocaust his career.

[@randombrokeperson]

This is depressing to think about.

[@Meggsie]

In the original tale, Marie was the girl and Clara, or Klärchen, was her doll. There was confusion in the translation and they switched the names. So technically calling Marie Clara is like calling Dr. Frankenstein's Monster Frankenstein but since Clara is so heavily accepted it gets more of a pass.

[@Meggsie]

Oh, and if you havent yet, check out "The Nutcracker Prince" it's not the best adaptation but I actually enjoy it for what it is.

[@Quackervoltz]

WAIT SO THE NUTCRACKER USED TO HAVE SAPPHICS AND THEY CUT IT

[@timothymclean]

The corny, pop-ish villain song with a dance break _could_ have worked. It worked in _The Producers,_ after all. But it needs to be in the right story, and it needs to be done properly. If it's lampooning the showy yet hollow promises of authoritarian regimes or something, great! If it's just a villain song which is set to the kind of music "the kids" like these days...

[@PatrickTheWriter]

"Oh, Auntie Em! I dreamed I was in a terrible holiday movie!" Sorry. Had to pause it there to take a laugh break. You mentioned MST3K earlier in this video. That riff was worthy of MST3K.

[@DreamDancer82]

I just have one question. If they used CGI effects to make the nutcracker actually look like a nutcracker (albeit, not a very good looking nutcracker), why couldn't they use it to make the rats look, oh I don't know, more like rats? Seriously, the rats in this look more like deformed Who's from the live action version of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas."

[@DreamDancer82]

@Katie Lewis Yes. But still deformed.

[@goldenrose4384]

CGI Nutcracker reminds me of Pinnochio, and that is NOT a good thing !

[@historymysteries4134]

My main surprise with this review is that Diva has heard of Stomp. They have always felt a specifically British thing we never exported like Girls Aloud or Grange Hill.

[@ghostestwiththemostest]

What are you talking about? The Orpheum Theater, NYC has also been home to Stomp and since 1994. Not the OG group, of course, but certainly the concept. I don't see why she wouldn't have heard of it.

[@historymysteries4134]

Hannah Koufos I always thought they were a group, not a show...

[@amiefortman7220]

I love that you brought up "Pan's Labyrinth"--it's one of my favorite movies of all time. :) Certainly better than this flaming wreck.

[@quantummelody2959]

My drama teacher had my class watch this a year or so ago as a christmas 'treat'.

[@Chromaggia]

It's a complete coincidence but realizing that the brother and sister were named Mary and Max just made me really depressed because it made me think of a way better movie

[@kimaniwilsonhunte]

Thank you thank you thank you for reviewing this HORRENDOUS turd of a movie!!! I still remember actually going to see this in the theater from hearing how bad it was, and I've regretted it ever since. Oh, and the "3D" was headache inducing btw.

[@MusicalHell]

+Kimani Wilson-Hunte This was one of those movies that wasn't specifically filmed in 3D but was retrofitted for it after the 3D craze kicked off. That never ends well.

[@kimaniwilsonhunte]

+Musical Hell No it doesn't. xD And I wonder if John Turturro still ponders over why he agreed to be in this.

[@harrietamidala1691]

+Kimani Wilson-Hunte This movie has a special Razzie nomination for Worst Eye Gouging Misuse of 3D (the winner was The Last Airbender).

[@peggyskyler3283]

Kimani Wilson-Hunte Well then I’m glad I can’t see 3d stuff

[@AceArtist256]

You know a movie is going to be good when one of the protagonists looks like a FNAF animatronic... What were they thinking with that nutcracker model?

[@joyunicycle]

You know, I thought that the Nostalgia Critic was kidding when he mentioned that there was a Nutcracker with a Holocaust. I can't believe this really exists, and as a lover of ballet, music, story, and the Nutcracker production it irritates me when they misplace the music, hire bland actors, and mess up the story to such a disappointing level. Thank you for ripping it to shreds :)

[@gracefutrell1912]

Actually Elle wasn't bad in super eight or maleficent that again she was just a kid here.

[@MusicalHell]

+Grace Futrell True enough--I think at least part of the blame in this case falls on the director as well.

[@eadlynjune]

Grace Futrell I know this is late but you’re acting a kid to act unnaturally. Children, and people in general don’t often do or say what these kids do. When you get to a certain age I think it’s easier to flow with oddness because you understand how to portray unnatural things, but when you’re a kid it often doesn’t make sense.

[@Kahran042]

To be fair, the Rat Queen could be a queen dowager.

[@MusicalHell]

+Kahran042 True, but then wouldn't she be the Queen Mother?

[@PJEffect]

+Musical Hell She married her son maybe? (I'm going straight to hell for saying that)

[@HopelessRomantic999]

+Buttons If they were naked mole rats, that would be likely (it was mentioned on an Animal Planet show once).

[@LaDracul]

+Buttons It looks WAAAAAYYYY too much like that could be possible here...

[@petehill7280]

In the 1600's "prince" was another word for king.

[@jenniferschillig3768]

In some ways I can understand why they tried to add some different wrinkles--the problem with any retelling of The Nutcracker is that all the plot is in the first act. The second act is, as my friend Rick puts it, the victory lap. A stop-motion animated version in the late seventies called The Nutcracker Fantasy did a better job in adding new story elements (though, for some reason, they set it in the spring. A story that was written as a Christmas tale!). But this was all so ill-conceived. Setting it in the twenties/thirties? And changing Drosselmeyer to Albert Einstein for no discernible reason? And those random, poorly-written songs? And the NAZI IMAGERY?! It's a shame because the Nutcracker is crying out for a definitive big-screen film version. The Maurice Sendak-designed film of the Pacific Northwest Ballet production came the closest, as did The Nutcracker Fantasy. The rest have been duds, like the animated Nutcracker Prince (a candidate for next year?). I still think Disney should tackle a Nutcracker retelling that fuses elements of the ballet and the Hoffmann original. It would be an ideal holiday film and have a bit in common with Frozen (they'd BETTER keep the Waltz of the Snowflakes in there, it's my favorite piece). And yay! You're tackling A Chorus Line at last!

[@carissacarlson1418]

I heard Disney is planning to make a Nutcracker movie. As for when it will come out, I have no idea.

[@jenniferschillig3768]

Carissa Carlson Yup, I heard. It's apparently going to be live-action.

[@carissacarlson1418]

Never heard that part. Either way, sounds interesting. Just hope it's better then this...

[@LaPimpernelle]

I liked Uncle Al better in The Birdcage.

[@amyclarke41]

Me too😊

[@alexmeyer5260]

He's also Timon in The Lion King.

[@josephrowe849]

@@alexmeyer5260 Here's Timon and Pumbaa's reaction to this movie. Hakuna Matata! This film sucks in many ways! Hakuna Matata! Ain't no Christmas craze!

[@aussieman3021]

​@@josephrowe849More like "Ain't no Hanukkah craze".

[@joshuaokoro-sokoh2993]

Here's an interesting trivia. Elle fanning's character name in this movie is her real first name. Mary.

[@perpecedecelequex]

The rats remind me of the mice from Rock & Rule, and a bit of a Tivolian from Doctor Who. I don't know if that means it is a good or a bad design....

[@mysterykiddo2167]

"Come back CGI Odette, all is forgiven" Best line

[@danthefan28]

3:52 that dancing... WHAT THE FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

[@sabrinamcclain162]

I believe the holiday special from Star Wars has a higher rating on rotten tomatoes than the nutcracker musical, but I'm too lazy to check

[@alyssap9233]

Yep, it has a 43%. I still have no idea how that's even remotely possible.

[@sackboy5055]

boba fett

[@bboythekidstudios]

I'm kind of surprised Nostalgia Critic hasn't reviewed this hidden gem yet.

[@KeybladeMasterAndy]

He has now.

[@thejman5683]

He even made fun of the nutcracker’s initials by saying “lame initials”

[@MsSilentShortie]

Fun fact: one of my theater clients actually wrote lyrics for the ballet and made their dancers sing live while dancing one year. Eventually they recorded the vocals and we still use them in a couple of the numbers to this day.

[@LaDracul]

Disney is going to make their own and it's THANKFULLY not going to be like this...although the major difference is that Clara is sent to the Land of Sweets in the midst of the war between the Candy Kingdom and the Mouse Kingdom. And one of Elle Fanning's next movies is an animated feature called "Ballerina", but I do not think it's a musical! She could redeem herself!

[@jcplays236]

LaDracul and while Disney's is definately better than this by a long shot, it's still not saying much...

[@KillerCaitie]

After seeing the Nostalgia Critic's video on this, I found your take on it. I agree, if they had gone with the real world being under attack, then the Nazi rats would have been perfect. It was handled in poor taste in this film, but I honestly think if someone fleshed out that concept more it could make for a great surreal horror story.

[@DemonicRemption]

@KillerCaitie Yeah after seeing Nostalgia Critic's review and learning that it was called "NutCracker:The Untold Story," I was going to see Bobsheaux's review to see what he had to say about it,before coming across this... And given my brief history with this review series I figured she hated it. And yes I agree the rats being a dream reflection of Mary's reality would've made more sense as it would've been her way of fighting back against her reality. Talk about missed opportunities. This film needed a few more rewrites.

[@cagefreeowl843]

15:53 You know what’s worse about this scene? Remember when NC said “All dolls are alive”. And how the NAZI rats loves to burn toys, this just makes this movie even worse when you consider that the rats are burning Living Individual!!!!

[@32bitosserc84]

Diva, this might sound weird, but you can you read an audiobook or something? You have the most calming voice

[@stefanfilipovits9221]

Love this series so much. Never stop.

[@jeremyusreevu237]

6:59 Ok, 2 things. 1. Toy Story also has that concept. 2. Chucky is not alive. The soul of killer Charles Lee Ray was transferred into the body of Chucky, using voodoo magic

[@hostofwords]

Can't believe it took me this long to leave a like for the Once More With Feeling reference

[@morgangobin6550]

Ah, you can always count on Diva to mock the Phantom of the Opera movie every chance she gets. I love that running gag!

[@TheHeroOfTomorrow]

NC--so he wants to be like the Nostalgia Critic?

[@supermariof0521]

+TheHeroOfTomorrow XD

[@KaeMcSpadden]

It would be interesting if the Nostalgia Critic did review this movie, what would he think of the Nutcracker going by NC?

[@supermariof0521]

Kate McSpadden Boy would that be a weird battle of the initials.

[@mrdoctorgilmore]

That's what I was thinking

[@robbiewalker2831]

Is that Nutcracker 17 Years Old? Because I would've called him NC-17. (Seriously People how could you miss the joke the first time?)

[@nightingale897]

I just realized something. The kids' uncle Albert is meant to be Albert Einstein and Einstein was Jewish. The movie also takes place around the time the Nazis are coming to power. 0_0 I've got a bad feeling about what's going to happen to that family...

[@MusicalHell]

I'm assuming "uncle" is being used here as a term of endearment for a close family friend rather than a blood relation. (In any event the movie doesn't seem to remember Einstein was Jewish, much less anyone associated with him, so.)

[@nightingale897]

I hope you are right. Because otherwise... yikes.

[@jacobbelow4136]

They should have just used this "Nostalgia Critic: Care Bears Christmas" reference: "We're gonna use this music in our show, 'cuz it's public domain owned by the studio. We'll steal all as we please, slashing composer fees.."

[@jacobbelow4136]

Actually, it's from the piece 'Triplets' (I think that's what it's called). Go watch his review and you'll see what I'm talking about.

[@jacobbelow4136]

Oh correct that statement, I think it is Dance of the Reed Flutes.

[@C.V317]

I don’t know what’s scarier to me, the nazi allusions or Max’s dance during Albert’s song. I mean, yea, nazi rats are terrifying, but at least they weren’t spanking themselves...

[@LostApotheosis]

Max's line delivery is so strikingly similar to the little girl in silent hill 2. It's completely bizarre.

[@Beacuzz]

This is my first video of yours and I love your tired why the hell sarcastic tone. Thanks I'll be watching more😁

[@ryanhavican8795]

Somebody call the guys at Rifftrax and/or Mystery Science Theater 3000! We've got another horrible holiday movie that they can riff on without mercy.

[@Theravingranter]

Sweet Jesus the Barbie version was more accurate and fun! Plus it had Tim Curry!

[@eatatjoes6751]

Hey, at least Starship Troopers had a point to the iconography being used. This just boiled down to Nazi and Rats, then expected it to work based on that.

[@Heavenlyhounds96]

In regards to your concern about Clara getting attached to the nutcracker, I do recall hearing Tchaikovsky found this as one of his least-favorite pieces, (The ballet, not this :P ), But at the same time, Clara is but a child and it seemed each kid got one gift.

[@gollum1ring]

Glad to see you're back up and running. Yikes, I knew this looked bad, but I didn't know just how bad. Nathan Lane's character as odd and as mugging-of-the-camera-tastic would have some charm to him if this film were presenting itself as a comedy, but it really isn't. God, I don't know what this movie trying to be, nor, I suspect, did the film makers.

[@cair124]

When I heard he was in this travesty, my first thought was "Just how badly does he need the $$?"

[@Serithe]

"...and John Wayne Gacy." I rarely laugh out loud at a KZbin video, but...

[@pennysanchez7656]

The Nutcracker Prince (1990), is actually the most faithful adaptation to the ballet more so than this disaster.

[@ughwhydoidothisendme8477]

15:35 : "Dont cry for me Ratintina~"

[@ryanhavican8795]

Yes! Thank you for reviewing this! I've never seen this movie, and I'm glad that I haven't, considering how terrible I've heard this movie is. Seeing this review has now given me a better understanding as to why this movie is nothing but a steaming hot mess and an atrocity, and for that, I thank you. You know, it's funny that you mentioned the MST3K episode where they did "Santa Claus", because that is one of my favorite shows (they recently did a revival season on Netflix)! Anyway, if you don't know, the original cast members of MST3K created a website called Rifftrax.com, where they provide riff commentary tracks for a wide range of movies. With this in mind, I'm hoping that we can get in touch with the people over at Rifftrax.com to convince them to riff on this particular film, and I'm hoping to find those who would support us in getting their attention with this movie. They've done tracks for a number of movies that are considered the worst, from "The Last Airbender" to "Troll 2", and in the case of "The Nutcracker: The Untold Story", I believe that this movie is just begging to be riffed on. Are you with me?! Oh, and to show you what these people are capable of, here is a video highlighting the best moments from their live riffing of "Santa Claus" (which was previously riffed on MST3K): kzbin.info/www/bejne/eqGymZaBetqBbck Along with the link to the website: www.rifftrax.com/

[@kittygrimm7301]

I feel like this movie was trying to be like Alfonso Cuoron’s adaptation of A Little Princess by turning its original Victorian time setting to wartime, but what made that work in A Little Princess was the story’s theme of loss. The wartime setting allows the film to further explore that theme. The Nutcracker, however, has no reason to be set during wartime. It isn’t about loss or violence, for that matter, it’s just a whimsical voyage and return story. This movie’s only reason to set the story in wartime was for the sake of edgy. Ugh!

[@rine6740]

I actually think I can explain the Mary thing. I read a book version of the Nutcracker where "Clara" was called "Marie". But everything else, nope.

A truly great review, like normally: just a one, little nitpicky thing: the ballet uses both versions of the ballet... clara or mary. Mary (masha) is used in the russian versions, most famouslythe Bolshoi version

[@SuperSongbird21]

13:50 To be fair, rats naturally dislike sunlight (due to being nocturnal) - they even get S.A.D. in the summer instead of in the winter.