The Nuttiest Nutcracker (1999 Video) User Reviews (23)

Not sure what to make of it....

[TheLittleSongbird · 5/10 · 22 December 2011]

I am a huge fan of animation, and I was fairly interested in seeing The Nuttiest Nutcracker. And I have to say it certainly lives up to the tag-line, it is indeed a nutty twist on the classic tale.

That said, I am not entirely sure whether that is a good thing or not. The Nuttiest Nutcracker is not a terrible film, I have seen far worse, but I don't think it is a particularly good one either.

Starting with the good aspects, I do think the voice cast are great, especially James Belushi who seems to be having a ball as Reginald. The writing is very funny, with again the best coming from Reginald. On the most part the music is serviceable, with some snippets of the timeless Tchaikovsky ballet, some decent additional music and tolerable enough songs with the best being Reginald's, though the funky vocals in the gospel-like song were cool.

Conversely, I would be lying if I said the animation was great. It isn't, in fact to me it was quite bad, with some robotic character animation in the confrontation between the mice and the soldiers/nuts/veggies at the start, flat colouring and some backgrounds that aren't bad as such but nothing special either. Another big problem is the story, which has a wonderful idea but constantly jumps around and is not very succinct at all. I also felt that Marie was a rather dull character, not much is done to make her interesting or to make us connect with her.

All in all, not bad, not good. After watching, I immediately sat down to watch The Nutcracker Prince, which is another (more faithful) take on the story and is infinitely better in telling its story. 5/10 Bethany Cox

What was once a childhood memory now a film that doesn't hold up as an adult

[gavin-thelordofthefu-48-460297 · 5/10 · 19 October 2019]

I was just a little kid when my family and I bought this. I still remember the songs and the unforgettable voice work from Debi Derryberry, Cam Clarke, Jim Cummings, Cheech Marin, the late Phyllis Diller, and Jim Belushi, but as an adult, the film doesn't hold up as I thought.

The story had a nice premise but it pretty much skipped along and only ran for nearly 50 minutes. Not to mention the character animation movements are too robotic you can easily laugh at them throughout the whole film (particularly the motion capture movements on the later half of the film). Also, Marie as a character is pretty bland and dull which is a shame because Debi Derryberry is a very talented voice actress.

I'll admit, though, the side characters, particularly the nuts, had some entertaining moments despite being somewhat annoying at times. The Nutcracker Prince was alright though not given much to do other than fighting the mouse king and his mice soldiers. The best character, however, is Reginald who had the right balance of evil and comedy and thanks to Jim Belushi's superb voice work.

Also, the music is serviceable enough with snippets from the Tchaikovsky Nutcracker music used effectively and the songs, while not in the same league as Disney, are still a lot of fun.

Overall, The Nuttiest Nutcracker had some merits, but now that I'm an adult, it's a watchable yet very forgettable movie.

Horrible. But I doubt the kids will notice.

[PatrynXX · 4/10 · 24 October 2001]

Fun premise, horrible execution. It's as if Columbia/Tri Star handed the weak script to a bunch of student programmers. It's unfinished in places. Their teacher woulda failed em. The graphics are so lame I could play Quake II and enjoy the graphics better.

The plot skips around like a record.

(SPOILERS??)

Heck where'd grandpa come from in the end. Thought he was still captured.

Tactics also suck. The physics also suck. Pretty much an idiot film.

But I think the kids will love it. Although I'm surprised Veggie Tales haven't sued them yet. This movie stole their idea outright, and copies Candy Land in the process.

4/10

Quality: 1/10 Entertainment: 4/10 Replayable: 6/10

Kid friendly?: 7/10

I obsessed over this for its sheer enigma.

[ButterJuggets666 · 1/10 · 3 August 2017]

Did you ever have a thing that made no sense but you start noticing things and you look at it on repeat to the point where it gives the room you are in some sort of background "white noise" comfort?

Well probably not in your case, but hear me out. I loved watching this film, not because I'm some weirdo, no, that's unrelated ;). No this fu*%er is so weird that I marveled at its very existence.

Now I see that Phyllis Diller, Cheech Marin, and Jim Belushi probably needed some work at the time, but still how they stooped so low as this animated version of "Night of the Living Dead" I will never know.

My main draw though? My obsession? How about looking for the mistakes made in the film. There are so many glitches and errors in this "film" that looking for them is like a sport. When you look closely and see how early CG animated films would goof up, causing a peanut to look like it was having an epileptic seizure, you start laughing with the hindsight of how this thing could have even ended up on a DVD much less possibly once aired on T.V. during a Christmas way back.

The characters I can only describe as the spawn of Satan manifest in the Matrix. The Nutcracker Prince looks like the freshly revived corpse of Michael Jackson set loose on the world once again.

The food products are... odd, to say the least, especially that one female nut. I can't tell what kind of nut she is supposed to be? As for Jim Belushi's rat King? Oh dear Gawd, there are so many mistakes done with the character at some points it looks like some sort of Eldritch horror. Phyllis Diller's Sugar Plum Fairy has to be the most pointless character in the film, showing up at times to "narrate" or something. I figure she needed a pay check and they added her in, though I'm probably wrong.

This film when subjected to the gaze of an adult is perplexing to say the least, and could possibly be used as an interrogation technique by the CIA.

Anyways, it's a horribly done CGI animated crap fest from 1999 starring A list voice actors, C list Actors, and Phyllis Diller. And for me it was a guilty pleasure to nitpick the mistakes and glitches while pondering the mystery of its very existence and how they managed to even pay Jim Cummings to do the voice acting.

Well nice talking to you, now off to the institution...

Not for die hard "Nutcracker" fans...

[sweetadditions-hot · 2/10 · 13 December 2003]

a movie made primarily for kids who have not seen or heard the original story, or have just enough familiarity with it that they will sit through the entire video to the end. It tries way too hard to appeal to the " 7-10 year old, bathroom talk is funny" set. Marie's character is hard to sympathize with since you don't know how old she is supposed to be...is she a child who is sad because her toy is broken or is she a teenager who resents her parents for not being home for Christmas ? Too much jumping between original premise and the modern spin to be believable. Visually the computer graphics could have been better but would have been forgivable with a better attempt at a story. Individual performances by Jim Belushi and others were done well. Again this will appeal to some kids, but not a movie the whole family will sit down and watch together once the kids are past 10 years old.

A hazy nightmare from my youth

[marydonnalovescats · 2/10 · 4 December 2019]

I was in elementary school when i first witnessed the dumpster fire that is this film. For years it has haunted me, a vague memory that I wasn't even sure was real. Then I found it again and it all made sense. I cannot believe that this was shown to me in a school. I'm giving this a low rating due to the years of trauma and questioning my very sanity, but I must say, I had a good laugh at how garbage this is.

This was aired on CBS for no reason.

[DannyD1997 · 2/10 · 2 December 2017]

From what I've heard, this looks even WORSE than the Emoji Movie. That may not be saying much, but it still feels like something Sony Pictures made that's WORSE than the Emoji Movie. WHY WERE JIM CUMMINGS AND JEFF BENNETT IN THIS MOVIE??!!

The animation is HORRIBLE!!! It makes the Emoji Movie look like a Universal-DreamWorks Movie!!! It's the 1999 equivalent of Rapsittie Street Kids. Still doesn't change the fact that that movie is worse. Why tell the story of the Nutcracker through the perspective of the food?? THIS MAKES NO SENSE!!!! THIS FEELS LIKE SOMETHING THE NOSTALGIA CRITIC SHOULD DO!!!!!

It was a straight to video movie that was made by Sony Pictures. Yes, even before the days of Sony Pictures Animation. You though the Star was bad? You thought Eight Crazy Nights (a Hanukkah movie) was bad? The Nuttiest Nutcracker was even worse. I don't know if the Nuttiest Nutcracker is worse than the Emoji Movie or not, but it kind of looks worse. Jerry Smith doesn't know any better.

You wanna know what's worse? The Nuttiest Nutcracker even had a TV appearance on CBS!!! I'm not joking. This was aired on CBS of all channels!!!! CBS literally AIRED this Atrocity. Just like how the WB aired the Rapsittie Street Kids.

Worst Nutcracker Movie Adaptation ever

[meisterburger23 · 1/10 · 18 June 2020]

I unfortunately saw this travesty of a film a few years ago on cable! The movie itself isn't just bad it is the worst adaptation of The Nutcracker story! I get this was made for kids, but it's pretty bad

The animation looks like something straight out of the kid's show Veggietales and it's pretty bad, it doesn't help that many of the characters on here are unlikable, also what do talking nuts have to do with the Nutcracker story?

So in conclusion skip the Nuttiest Nutcracker, it's not worth anyone's time, the storyline is all over the place, the characters are forgettable, the animation is terrible big disappointment

Cheap toy story rip off

[princesswu-79837 · 1/10 · 31 August 2022]

The cgi is worse than jay jay the jet plane. The film is such a nightmare. The cgi looks like a ps1 game. The voice acting is incredibly annoying. The poster is a lie because it's not 2D animated. Very bad cgi that looks like popee the performer. The beginning music also stolen from the Care Bears opening. The nut is a girl talking in a man like voice, which is just plane ridiculous. Not so good. I like computer animation but not this. The cgi is too low budget even for a 1999 film bad bad BAD!!!!! Just don't watch it, it's very bad. What makes the film terrible is because of toy story plagiarism. The plot is generally okay.

Nice movie.

[chimexayo · 10/10 · 22 June 2022]

Nuttiest Nutcracker tho this movie has the old animation but I can see that this is the beginning of animation and this is even the great try and the best good job.

My First VHS

[icet2004 · 9/10 · 5 May 2005]

The Nuttiest Nutcracker is very kid friendly movie.i like it now even though i'm 17 now.it's was my first VHS.this movie isn't so bad like IMDb say 3.4/10.it's not horrible at all and it's not an idiot film and love this movie of course.people don't like this,because like to watch action movies and black comedy's,but this movie isn't bad at all.it's actually family movie too and it's one of my all time favorite animation films.i recommend it. it's was without a doubt one of best animation movies in 1999. movies speaks about evil mouse king who wants to be master. movie title song is original Nuttiest Nutcracker song what sing Grammy winner Peabo Bryson.

So glad.

[johnhardy-18180 · 10/10 · 22 June 2022]

The nuttiest Nutcracker a perfect and watchable movie with good graded series in it I love these kinds of movie because they make me more happy and so glad we all already know that these types of animation are the starting of animation and for those to use this type of animation to make out a movie I think they deserve the best and best ratings because this animation video version is enjoyable and unpredictable thanks once again golden films.

Expert movie by golden film

[scottmiller-13862 · 10/10 · 22 June 2022]

I love the song "Just believe" song by Peaba Bryson. It is so spiritual and otherworldly. This film has a lot of very spiritual undertones which the original nutcracker story did not have.

Thank you Golden Films.

I really like this movie.

No problem it's good.

[taiwobella · 10/10 · 22 June 2022]

I don't have any problem with this movie because I already know that golden film always create the best video and never fumble so now after watching it I can see that it's even a new era of the best starting of animations.

The best characters and music I love this movie Amazing!!!.

I loved it!

[ApollosTwin19 · 8/10 · 15 December 2007]

I first saw this movie when I was eleven, and now I'm 19 and I still watch it and bring it out to my college dorm to watch it. maybe some parts jump around a little, but it was a great movie and worth watching. Has really good messages/morals for kids, even if it doesn't stick the the original Nutcracker. Good for children of any age and will probably follow them as they grow up. The writing is a little weird sometimes, but I doubt any children will notice. I've watched the movie every Christmas since I first saw it and all the little weird-nesses never bothered me at all. Also, someone mentioned the grandfather came out of no where at the end, but obviously, they didn't pay enough attention during the middle.

I enjoy my time watching this movie

[jamesmike-29032 · 10/10 · 22 June 2022]

Amazing movie this move is nice and cool I watched this movie and I'm so happy with me and my younger brother every time every time I'm watching this because the movie is so nice.

The nuttiest Nutcracker is a movie with good inspiration about even our lives I'm so happy watching these types of movie.

Nicest movie ever golden films well job done.

Am glad watching this.

[chtistanaisrael · 10/10 · 22 June 2022]

The nuttiest Nutcracker this movie is really amazing recommended for kids indeed I love every part of this movie I'm happy to even be a watchlist adder for this movie and I'm happy giving it 10/10 ratings right now this is really good and nice I'm happy watching this type of movie.

The most amazing part is that this movie is the beginning of animation characters I love those characters in 1999 this movie is really really a movie made by a legend well done guy's.

Good types of movie.

[goldman-41038 · 10/10 · 23 June 2022]

If they're talking about Good movie they already supposed to be talking about the Nuttiest nutcracker because indeed it is amazing and lovely everything in the movie is amazing golden films did a good job because the movie is ok nice I can't say that say it again this movie is the beginning of hopes for animation versions one of my cousins used to sing particular music in this movie every day when is inside the bathroom he will sing out very very funny this move is nice and a long ray success.

Best golden Films

[kunlejohnson · 10/10 · 21 June 2022]

Golden films are always the best they use to come up with the best lucrative and mannerful movie's I can't lie this movie is amazing indeed a fantastic job done I love the movie wow you really tried.

Golden movie thanks for this type of movie because it's just nice without any problem wrong.

This Nuttiest Nutcracker movie is amazing.

Why is this movie so amazing?

[bellotbrawon · 10/10 · 22 June 2022]

Really cares Alot about this movie it's amazing I enjoyed watching this type of movie Nuttiest Nutcracker is indeed just amazing like other top golden films movie this movie is a wide range of good knowledge the animation there's are the foundation of where animation started and indeed am impressed watching this type of movie

And I will keep watching this movie in the nerest future because it's amazing.

Wow wow wow amazing.

[ptom-97971 · 10/10 · 21 June 2022]

Don't think many people realize that this was the second 3-D animated film ever made. The performances by Cheech Marin and Phyllis Diller and Jim Belushi are amazing.

It's true that the animation is a little stiff but this was just when computer animation was being born so they did a terrific job

I love this movie it's really nice and amazing I enjoyed it Alot.

Great holiday movie

[tkballos · 10/10 · 3 December 2006]

This animated cartoon has incredible graphics, comparable to Toy Story or Veggie Tales. The content is funny with quirky twists and turns. It is animated enough to entertain a two year old, and cute enough to also entertain parents. While loosely following the Nutcracker story, the movie contains great Christmas messages about believing in yourself, believing in those around you, and keeping the spirit of Christmas. Very entertaining with great, upbeat, inspiring music. The actors did a great job on the voices. Phyllis Diller's and Cheech Marin's characters were hysterical. This movie has become a holiday classic for our family.

Who cares?!

[athaggard · 8/10 · 10 December 2019]

I always wanted to check out this movie as a kid.

You see? I like the animation as it is well-rendered to me, the characters are likable, the humor is funny, the voice acting is great, and the songs are so good. Frankly, though, the animation can be laughably weird at times. Still, I gotta check this movie out, and I love it so far!