I really do like Tchaikovsky's music. Swan Lake, Symphony 1 in b flat etc. In disclosure, however, I've never been close to THINKING I would enjoy live ballet even when offered free tickets.
I have seen other ballet movies in the theater - The Turning Point (ugh), 1985's White Nights (OK), Black Swan (great).... I'm not a total stranger to ballet or ballet in film.
What I'm about to say isn't going to be very popular with the people who have come here to leave their praise and glowing reviews as they reminisce of their seasonal family pilgrimages to the big city theater... but I've come here in the Christmas spirit to share an alternative but genuine experience that my family had and to spread the word about what may become a tradition in your house, such as watching Die Hard for Christmas.
Because this movie really does bring a different *kind* of entertainment to a lowbrow smart ass "Rifftrax" family such as ours. With 2 teenage wisecracking sons who are always looking for sacred cows of my generation to mock, this movie doesn't stop delivering interactive fun.
Because it's bad.
Cult film bad. Laugh out loud bad. Yell at the screen bad. What the hell were they thinking bad. And for those people, my people, this is a must see.
Yes, as others have stated, this movie is poorly shot (unless you think distracting film grain is a "daring, creative" decision), poorly edited (noticeably so), bad special effects (think Doctor Who), "odd" costumes (do you like my hat? No? Goodbye!), bad makeup decisions, and many strange set designs which leaves you asking "just what IS that supposed to be?" too many times.
For full disclosure to reveal what insolent, irreverent, simplistic lowbrows we are, we also enjoy engaging in the same mockery with the "classic" Bing Crosby / Danny Kaye musical White Christmas (which was built around the song *after* it became popular). That "homage" flick is also silly and bad... but in completely different ways.
To its credit, for all its dated content and elements, White Christmas is technically accomplished, where in comparison, this Nutcracker fails so badly on both content *and* execution.
With so much to make fun of, non-stop evil laughter and jokes were shared and enjoyed by young and old alike, completely at the expense of the creative and hardworking people in this film.... and isn't that what Christmas is all about?
I know what I'm saying will come off as heresy to many of the "ballet" people praising the movie here. I ALSO understand how it makes my whole family appear to be ignorant, illiterate, uncultured fools... fair enough.
But with all of that stipulated, I'm not suggesting that people avoid the Nutcracker, rather, they *should* see the film but with an unconventional set of expectations that may let them really enjoy it.
BTW: another "unintended" film is 1957's "Zero Hour" which was what "Airplane" was based upon almost shot for shot.
I have seen other ballet movies in the theater - The Turning Point (ugh), 1985's White Nights (OK), Black Swan (great).... I'm not a total stranger to ballet or ballet in film.
What I'm about to say isn't going to be very popular with the people who have come here to leave their praise and glowing reviews as they reminisce of their seasonal family pilgrimages to the big city theater... but I've come here in the Christmas spirit to share an alternative but genuine experience that my family had and to spread the word about what may become a tradition in your house, such as watching Die Hard for Christmas.
Because this movie really does bring a different *kind* of entertainment to a lowbrow smart ass "Rifftrax" family such as ours. With 2 teenage wisecracking sons who are always looking for sacred cows of my generation to mock, this movie doesn't stop delivering interactive fun.
Because it's bad.
Cult film bad. Laugh out loud bad. Yell at the screen bad. What the hell were they thinking bad. And for those people, my people, this is a must see.
Yes, as others have stated, this movie is poorly shot (unless you think distracting film grain is a "daring, creative" decision), poorly edited (noticeably so), bad special effects (think Doctor Who), "odd" costumes (do you like my hat? No? Goodbye!), bad makeup decisions, and many strange set designs which leaves you asking "just what IS that supposed to be?" too many times.
For full disclosure to reveal what insolent, irreverent, simplistic lowbrows we are, we also enjoy engaging in the same mockery with the "classic" Bing Crosby / Danny Kaye musical White Christmas (which was built around the song *after* it became popular). That "homage" flick is also silly and bad... but in completely different ways.
To its credit, for all its dated content and elements, White Christmas is technically accomplished, where in comparison, this Nutcracker fails so badly on both content *and* execution.
With so much to make fun of, non-stop evil laughter and jokes were shared and enjoyed by young and old alike, completely at the expense of the creative and hardworking people in this film.... and isn't that what Christmas is all about?
I know what I'm saying will come off as heresy to many of the "ballet" people praising the movie here. I ALSO understand how it makes my whole family appear to be ignorant, illiterate, uncultured fools... fair enough.
But with all of that stipulated, I'm not suggesting that people avoid the Nutcracker, rather, they *should* see the film but with an unconventional set of expectations that may let them really enjoy it.
BTW: another "unintended" film is 1957's "Zero Hour" which was what "Airplane" was based upon almost shot for shot.