There have been more adaptations of E. T. A. Hoffmann’s “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” over the years than one could reasonably count. Some have been quite excellent, such as the interpretation from Where The Wild Things Are creator Maurice Sendak, while some have been a bit dull, like a recent Disney adaptation that took us to four realms. There was even one unmitigated disaster that turned the story into a metaphor for the holocaust (in 3D!). Such is to say, the story is one that lends itself to new interpretations with its place as a classic holiday tale. Seeing as the story is about a Mouse King, it is not that much of a stretch to bring our favorite cat and mouse duo into the picture. Tom and Jerry first appeared eighty years ago, albeit by different names, and have maintained their place as one the most iconic duos in animated history. In the early 2000s, Warner started producing a series of inventive direct-to-video adventures featuring the pair. The last production that original co-creator Joseph Barbera worked on was the 2007’s Tom and Jerry: A Nutcracker Tale. The film not only works as an enjoyable Christmas adventure, but it serves as a respectable final project of one of the all-time greats.
In this quasi-adaptation of the classic story, Jerry and his nephew Tuffy are out taking in the Christmas ballet in New York when things start to get a bit magical. After the show is over and the stage is clear, Jerry goes on stage where the set starts coming to life and he is suddenly welcomed by newly-animated friends, Nellie the Horse and Paulie the Elf. There is also a music box ballerina that comes off her pin and dances with Jerry, but this sweet moment is short lived as Tom and his cat friends soon take over. You see, in this version instead of a dastardly Mouse King, you have a Cat King with these cats as his henchmen. It is this villain who traps the dear ballerina and shoots Jerry and his new pals out of a cannon far away. It is up to Jerry to make it to “The Toy Maker” (aka Santa) to receive the help he needs to get back to the ballerina and defeat the cats. If he does not succeed in his quest, the fantasy world could be forever altered by the cruel cats. This story is not trying to reinvent the wheel when it comes to plot, but it provides the perfect setup to deliver what the audience wants from a Tom and Jerry adventure.
At a hair under fifty minutes, this particular feature thankfully does not overstay its welcome. The story is briskly paced so it can stick to the old mantra of “all killer, no filler.” Fans of the original shorts will appreciate that, although it is not as brutal as the wild west of the early shorts, Tom is on the receiving end of some healthy violence. There are even a couple of moments that will make you raise your eyebrow, such as when a particularly enthusiastic cat officer threatens Nellie with some pliers. You have to keep it interesting for adults sometimes. You understand while watching this that it is a family film, but there are some harrowing moments peppered throughout that will genuinely have you concerned for the outcome. In addition to the cartoonish violence, the feature ultimately offers up all of the emotion you want in a Christmas tale. The use of the original Tchaikovsky music throughout provides a baseline from which the story can grow. This is an area where the film easily could have went for something more watered down or updated, but the use of the classical music makes it feel more special. Tom and Jerry: A Nutcracker Tale keeps the important elements of the source material while filtering it through a Tom and Jerry lens. The result is an entertaining special that is a worthy addition to any holiday viewing lineup.
Video Quality
Tom and Jerry: A Nutcracker Tale comes to Blu-Ray with a stunning and vibrant 1080p transfer. This whimsical tale has colors present in this transfer that are practically leaping off the screen with the wide range of hues permeating the frame. One of the areas where the film really shines is the fluidity of the character designs. The subtle touches that are added to each individual is quite striking. The level of detail these animators put into each environment shines through here. The textures, from the character designs to the environments, are extremely impressive and give the film a real sense of depth. There is some slight banding when faced with harsher gradients, but nothing too noticeable. Black levels are incredibly strong with no hint of compression artifacts or digital anomalies of the sort. This is simply a beautiful looking Blu-Ray presentation.
Audio Quality
This release boasts a Dolby Digital 5.1 track for the main feature and the Night Before Christmas short, and a Dolby Digital 2.0 track for the Santa’s Little Helper special. All of these tracks do a wonderful job of bringing these worlds to life. There is not an overwhelming amount of activity in the low-end, but it occasionally provides a bit of texture to the soundscape. Dialogue is consistently crystal clear with no issues of clipping during more active moments. This usually stays in the center channel, but there are some fun moments where characters are calling from off screen that are rendered well. The track engages all of the channels with panning effects and sounds of slapstick violence that really make you feel like you are in the thick of the action. Warner Bros. has done a pretty excellent job with this audio track. There are optional subtitles in English SDH and French, as well as alternate audio tracks in French and Spanish for those who desire them.
Special Features
- Tom and Jerry – The Night Before Christmas: A nine-minute classic short from 1941 that uses the classic poem as a jumping off point. On this particular Christmas Eve, there IS a mouse stirring around the house (Jerry), which does not set will with Tom. This is a fun short that briefly encapsulates the classic dynamic between the two while offering up a bit of Christmas cheer when Tom shows some compassion for Jerry. This short is presented in high definition, and it was previously included in the Tom and Jerry Golden Collection: Volume 1.
- Tom and Jerry – Santa’s Little Helpers: A 22-minute special from the more recent The Tom and Jerry Show which finds Tom unexpectedly being taken in at the North Pole in the course of trying to deliver his letter to Santa. This does not set will with Jerry and Tuffy, who are living a charmed life there. Antics ensue, but ultimately they must come together to make sure Christmas is not ruined. This is a fun short, but it does not quite hit the spot like the older material. This is presented in high definition, and it appears to be the Blu-Ray debut of this special.
Final Thoughts
Tom and Jerry: A Nutcracker Tale is a fun take on a story that often struggles with feeling fresh after so many different versions. The classic Tom and Jerry dynamic is expertly blended into the Christmas tale to create something extremely watchable. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has provided a new Blu-Ray with an impressive A/V presentation and some worthwhile extra features. If you are a fan of the duo, this should serve as a pleasant addition to your holiday viewing. Recommended
Tom and Jerry: A Nutcracker Tale Special Edition is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
