User Reviews

Not just the story we are familiar with from books, movies and the ballet. We are getting the prequel and the sequel, along with the main story we are all familiar with. How can the story continue on to the present? You'll have to wait till the final chapter to find out. This production is done in 3 parts with intervals. The award winning music conductor, John Mauceri, hosts the separate sequences in fine fashion. Special note: you will see Edgar Bergen's famous dummy, Charlie McCarthy, in the background. Alan Cumming is the on screen narrator. The Nutcracker and the Mouse King is perhaps the oldest(1816) children's Christmas story. It predates, The Night before Christmas; The Little Match Girl; and the Cricket on the Hearth. It may be known to you by way of the Nutcracker Suite music(also featured in Disney's motion picture, Fantasia). Rest assured that all of the music heard in this Nutcracker expanded addition is Tchaikovsky. You may have seen one of the many previous TV productions, watched an animated or live action feature movie version or read the story itself. But here you get the deluxe version. Alan Cumming does a superb job with the narration, playing all the parts and injecting his own style of humor throughout. The camera work is excellent, focusing on the orchestra and performer, and leaving the audience till later on. The sound effects created by the orchestra is a real treat, as is of course the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. As the running time is long (2.5 hours) it might be a good idea to stream it and take snack breaks. Some PBS stations rebroadcast this in 2023 on the day after Christmas, which was a good idea as there wasn't any other festive competition!