Kurumiwari ningyô

I haven't seen this movie in maybe 18 years, but I've been searching for it all over the internet for a while now, and finally came across it tonight! I watched this movie over and over! I'm going to purchase it soon and I cannot wait. I loved the voices, the animation, the color. It was all so magical to me. I cannot wait to see it again! It's a wonderful take on "The Nutcracker Suite," a story everyone should be familiar with. I use to think it was a Rankin/Bass movie, just because it is similar to Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer and all other movies like that. I only just found out it's a Japanese film. I can't say whether other people would appreciate this movie, kids would. I think you have to be young to watch it, it would be so mysterious!

This is one of the all-time coolest movies I've ever seen. It may be quite bizzare, but the prominent themes of true love and sacrifice totally outweigh the weirdness, which actually just adds to the uniqueness of this film. For a fairly old movie, it's very well done. I definitely recommend this to anyone who has an extra moment to watch an excellent film.

"The Nutcracker Fantasy" is unlike any animated film I have ever seen. The puppet-animation, which looks remarkably similar to the later puppet-animation of Rankin/Bass, is exquisitely detailed and beautiful. The story is told in such a fantastic and mystical way that it leaves the viewer feeling a bit dreamy, confused and even disoriented. To tell you the truth, I have seen this film several times and still cannot describe it completely. But it's basically about a girl named Clara who receives a nutcracker doll from her Uncle Drosselmeyer and falls in and out of a fever-induced hallucinogenic state. Here she dreams of the nutcracker being attacked by an army of wild rats who are led by an evil 2-headed rat. The rest of the story goes beyond explanation but glimpses include the nutcracker doll coming to life and a kingdom where a princess, who exactly resembles Clara, has been kidnapped. It is a wonderful special that I enjoy watching every year on the week between Christmas and New Year's Day. "The Nutcracker Fantasy" features an all-star cast including Christopher Lee, Melissa Gilbert, Eva Gabor, Michele Lee, Roddy McDowall, Dick Van Patten and others providing voices for the puppets. If you can find a copy of this film, I highly recommend watching it.

Once upon a time I saw this movie, dark and much more real than one would imagine any movie with puppets could be. It was like a dream or a vision; very well-conceived and well-executed. I love the twists and turns this movie took. I was enthralled by the characters, music, and beautiful production design.

This movie haunts me still, but I no longer have it on tape and I cannot find it anywhere. If anyone has a copy, please email me!

This is one of the most unique films I have ever seen, and unlike any other holiday fare out there. The puppets are magical and lifelike, the music is borderline psychadelic and the film as a whole is completely original (and comes complete with a cameo by Hello Kitty). It is at once both a lovely holiday film and an "Alice In Wonderland"-style fantasy, complete with moments that may be too terrifying for little children. This film needs to be remastered and released to DVD, it deserves to be discovered by today's generations.