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Tom and Jerry: A Nutcracker Tale
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox film
| image = Tom and Jerry A Nutcracker Tale cover.jpg
| caption = DVD cover
| director = Spike Brandt
Tony Cervone
| producer = Spike Brandt
Tony Cervone
| screenplay = Spike Brandt
| story = Joseph Barbera
| based_on =
| 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
| music = Dirk Bross
| editing = Robin DeSales
| studio = Turner Entertainment Co.
Warner Bros. Animation
| distributor = Warner Home Video
| released =
| country = United States
| runtime = 48 minutes
| 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.
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.
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'. The Amazon page for the DVD appeared sometime in August 2007.
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." 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."
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."
See also
* List of Christmas films
References
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