'Barbie in the Nutcracker' to hit TV screens Sunday

Primastuti Handayani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Girls, be prepared to see Barbie on TV! Yes, Indosiar will satisfy fans of the perfectly proportioned, blonde haired doll by broadcasting her first movie Barbie in the Nutcracker.

Adapted from the well-known ballet piece, the movie tells the adventures of Clara (played by Barbie herself). On Christmas eve, Clara receives a gift of a wooden soldier called the Nutcracker. At midnight, when Clara falls asleep, the Nutcracker suddenly comes to life and begins fighting mice. When she tries to intervene, the wicked Mouse King uses his magic scepter to shrink her.

Clara and the Nutcracker -- who eventually becomes Prince Eric (played by Barbie's soulmate Ken) and is cursed by the Mouse King -- set off on their journey to Parthenia to find the Sugarplum Princess. Hand in hand they dethrone the Mouse King and break the spell that has been cast on both of them. Just like in other fairy tales, both Clara and Prince Eric live happily ever after.

The computer-animation movie -- whose dance sequences are performed by five leading dancers from the New York City Ballet, including noted performer Maria Kowroski, and choreographed by the ballet company's Master in Chief Peter Martins -- will be divided into two parts and screened on Nov. 25 and Dec. 2 at 10 a.m.

Indosiar program division manager, Triandi Suyatman, told a press conference on Friday at Hotel Mulia Senayan, Central Jakarta, that the movie would be dubbed into Indonesian "to help our children understand the story better."

"The majority of children in Indonesia still don't understand English, which is the reason why we are dubbing the movie. As for parents who want their kids to see the English version, they can buy the VCD."

Movie lovers will be disappointed that they won't be able to see Tim Curry (Home Alone 2: Lost in New York) bring the wicked Mouse King to life to destroy the Nutcracker.

However, the dance sequences are very impressive thanks to the dazzling computer animation from Mainframe Entertainment's production team, although the dolls' movements seem stiff. Not only featuring ballet, Barbie in the Nutcracker also includes a collaboration with the London Symphony Orchestra, which performs the original score of Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker. Don't be surprised if the movie, produced by Artisan Home Entertainment, gets the nod for Best Animated Video Premiere Movie at the 2001 Video Premiere Awards in Hollywood.

Those who can't see Barbie's adventures on TV can watch her on the VCD being sold exclusively at Metro Department Store, before becoming available at other stores after its broadcast on Indosiar.

Barbie in the Nutcracker special edition dolls are also available for Rp 5 million (US$476).

Friday's premiere at the Hotel Mulia, which was also hosting a Festive Ideas Exhibition on its ground floor in cooperation with Metro, attracted a big crowd of mothers and daughters, dressed for success in the pink Barbie style. They were there not just to see the movie but also to buy the dolls. It just goes to show how much influence the queen of the toy market has on her fans.