Tom and Jerry: A Nutcracker Tale
Tom and Jerry: A Nutcracker Tale | |
---|---|
Directed by | Spike Brandt Tony Cervone |
Screenplay by | Spike Brandt |
Story by | Joseph Barbera |
Based on | |
Produced by | Spike Brandt Tony Cervone |
Starring | Spike Brandt William Hanna Tony Cervone Joe Alaskey Chantal Strand Ian James Corlett Kathleen Barr Tara Strong Garry Chalk Trevor Devall Richard Newman Mark Oliver |
Edited by | Robin DeSales |
Music by | Dirk Brossé |
Production companies | |
Distributed by | Warner Home Video |
Release date |
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Running time | 48 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Tom and Jerry: A Nutcracker Tale is a 2007 American direct-to-video animated Christmas fantasy comedy film. The film was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and Turner Entertainment Co., and is the first Tom and Jerry film directed by Spike Brandt and Tony Cervone. It serves as the fifth direct-to-video Tom and Jerry film and is a semi-adaptation of 1816 short story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" by E. T. A. Hoffmann, with Jerry in the role of the Nutcracker and Tom in the role of one of the Mouse King's (who is reimagined as a cat) henchmen.
Aside from being the last Tom and Jerry film to be filmed in a 1:33:1 Full-Screen format, A Nutcracker Tale was the last animated production that Joseph Barbera worked on before his death on December 18, 2006, and as such, the film is dedicated to his memory. This was also the last animated direct-to-video film released under the Warner Bros. Family Entertainment label before Warner Bros. ceased using the brand's name altogether in 2009.[citation needed]
On August 13, 2020, it was announced that the film would be released on Blu-ray and special edition DVD, and paired with Tom and Jerry: Santa's Little Helpers. The bundle released on October 27, 2020.[2]
Plot
After watching The Nutcracker, Jerry and his ward Tuffy find themselves pulled into the story. The stage transforms into a wintry wonderland where the toys all enjoy a dinner feast. Tom and the other cats ruin the feast and trap the toys while Jerry, Paulie and Nelly try to stop them. Tom traps a Ballerina toy in a cage and brings her to the Cat King, who unsuccessfully asks her to dance for him. Tuffy, Jerry, and their new friends Paulie the pixie and Nelly the toy pony decide to follow a star to meet the Toy Maker. Tom chases them through several magical realms. Nelly is captured by the cats and she tells them where the others are headed. The remaining three make it to the Toy Maker and he fixes Paulie, who suffered damage during the journey. The Toy Maker gives them a key that allows them to awaken an army of toy soldiers. The three depart with their new army to take back the kingdom. When the cats attempt to escape the army of toy soldiers, the Ballerina appears with the other toys and leads them in an army against the Cat King.
Voice cast
- Spike Brandt (uncredited) and William Hanna (archive sound, uncredited) as Tom Cat and Jerry Mouse
- Tony Cervone as Butch Cat
- Chantal Strand as Tuffy
- Ian James Corlett as Paulie
- Kathleen Barr as Nelly
- Tara Strong as La Petite Ballerina
- Garry Chalk as King of the Cats
- Trevor Devall as Lackey
- Richard Newman as The Toymaker
- Mark Oliver as Dr. Malevolent
Production
According to Brandt, Joseph Barbera decided on a Nutcracker adaptation as he thought its music fit perfectly with Tom and Jerry.[3] The Amazon page for the DVD appeared sometime in August 2007.[4][when?]
Widescreen
Tom and Jerry: A Nutcracker Tale was the fourth Tom and Jerry film to be filmed in high-definition widescreen (the first three being Tom and Jerry: Blast Off to Mars, Tom and Jerry: The Fast and the Furry and Tom and Jerry: Shiver Me Whiskers), although the Region 1 DVD and the U.S. version of Boomerang were in full screen (cropping the left and right of the image). The film is broadcast in widescreen on Cartoon Network in the United States, as well as a Blu-ray version.
Reception
Paul Mavis of DVD Talk gave the film a very positive review saying "Tom and Jerry: A Nutcracker Tale earns marks for embracing an operatic storyline while keeping the essential punish-Tom-with-pain gags that made Tom and Jerry such a successful franchise for decades."[5] Meanwhile, Nick Lyons criticized it, stating "Tom And Jerry: A Nutcracker Tale is a rushed animated feature that was simply made to cash in on the Christmas holiday. Avoid this one and rent or buy a holiday classic like the animated Grinch."[1]
Renee Schonfeld of Common Sense Media rated the film 4 out of 5 stars (making it the highest rated Tom and Jerry film on the site) saying "especially at holiday time, for kids who understand cartoon action, it's a delightful entertainment. Teens and grown-ups might like it, too."[6]
See also
References
- ^ a b Lyons, Nick. "Tom and Jerry: A Nutcracker Tale". DVDTalk.com. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
- ^ "Special Blu-Ray Edition of 'Tom and Jerry: Nutcracker Tale' Set for October". 13 August 2020.
- ^ "Tom and Jerry: A Nutcracker Tale Dances Onto DVD Tuesday, October 2". Entertainment News International. October 2, 2007. Archived from the original on October 13, 2007. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
- ^ "Tom and Jerry: A Nutcracker Tale DVD News!". Anime Superhero. August 26, 2007. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
- ^ Mavis, Paul (October 15, 2007). "Tom and Jerry: A Nutcracker Tale (Paul Mavis)". DVDTalk.com. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
- ^ Schonfeld, Renee (17 January 2014). "Tom and Jerry: A Nutcracker Tale Review". Common Sense Media. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
External links
- 2007 films
- 2007 animated films
- 2007 direct-to-video films
- 2000s Christmas films
- 2000s adventure comedy films
- 2000s fantasy comedy films
- 2000s American animated films
- 2000s children's animated films
- American direct-to-video films
- American Christmas films
- American fantasy comedy films
- American adventure comedy films
- American children's animated adventure films
- American children's animated comedy films
- American children's animated fantasy films
- Animated Christmas films
- Animated adventure films
- Films directed by Spike Brandt
- Films directed by Tony Cervone
- Films based on The Nutcracker and the Mouse King
- Films set in 2007
- Films set in New York City
- Tom and Jerry films
- Warner Bros. Animation animated films
- Warner Bros. direct-to-video animated films
- 2007 comedy films
- 2000s English-language films