The Soviet Union made a Nutcracker where toys party harder than you do.
A young chambermaid finds a neglected nutcracker under a Christmas tree. It comes to life, but the Nutcracker is really an enchanted prince.
Score
Tchaikovsky performed with surprisingly lush orchestral arrangement.
Production
Achieves epic scope in 25 minutes—Hollywood can't relate.
Director
Boris Stepantsev
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Released during detente, this was one of few Soviet animations widely distributed in America—Hans Conried's narration was added to mask its origins for Cold War audiences.
Director Boris Stepantsev was a pioneer of Soviet animation who later created the iconic 'Cheburashka' character; his Nutcracker's fluid transformation sequences influenced a generation of Eastern European animators.
SU
