The Nutcracker and the Mouseking (2004 film)

The Nutcracker and the Mouseking is a 2004 German-Russian animated musical film which was based on the E.T.A. Hoffman's classic story of the same name which was later released by DreamWorks Pictures for North America and Warner Bros. Pictures for International in December 2, 2004. The film was written the screenplay by Linda Woolverton, Roger Allers, Francis Ford Coppola and Philip LaZenik with the story written by Roger Allers and Francis Ford Coppola, produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, Rob Minkoff and Sofia Coppola with the executive producers were also provided by Steven Spielberg, David Kirschner, Francis Ford Coppola, Fred Roos and Eleanor Coppola and later directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise.

Later the film was also dubbed into English language for the American showings of the film which was released in October 12, 2004. It uses only a small portion of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's music which was arranged by Hans Zimmer and Francis Ford Coppola and Roger Allers adapts the Hoffmann story very loosely. The film features the voice talents of Leslie Nielsen, Robert Hays, Fred Willard and David Ogden Stiers. The other voices were provided by Piper Perabo, Wesley Singerman, Jansen Panettiere, Glenn Close, Whoopi Goldberg, Janeane Garofalo, Taraji P. Henson, Dustin Hoffman, Michael Clarke Duncan, Renée Zellweger and Robert De Niro. The English version of the film was the last project of the veteran voice actor, Tony Pope, before his death in February 11, 2004.

Plot
The fairytale story revolves around a young prince who – along with his entourage – is turned into a nutcracker through his own ungrateful and selfish behaviour, and awaits a kindly soul who’ll release him from the spell. The mouse-king seeks the magic that made this happen so that he can become all-powerful. The prince (now a nutcracker) finds hope in the form of a girl who risks everything to help him become real again, while the mouse-king and his armies do everything they can to steal the magic for themselves.

Cast (English language version)

 * Leslie Nielsen - Mouseking
 * Robert Hays - Squeak
 * Fred Willard - Bubble
 * David Ogden Stiers - Drosselmeier
 * Piper Perabo - Clara
 * Wesley Singerman - Nutcracker / The Prince
 * Jansen Panettiere - Nicholas
 * Glenn Close - Nanny
 * Whoopi Goldberg - Aunt Milda
 * Janeane Garofalo - Tailor
 * Taraji P. Henson - Bits
 * Dustin Hoffman - Hairdresser
 * Michael Clarke Duncan - Cook / Sultan
 * Renée Zellweger - Mother
 * Robert De Niro - Father
 * Gregg Berger - Mustache Guy
 * Corey Burton - Old General
 * Frank Welker - Nutcracker/Prince's Horse (Vocal Effects)

Music
The film featured the original songs which were written by Carole Bayer Sager, Carole King, Hans Zimmer and Nick Glennie-Smith and the original score was composed by Hans Zimmer and Nick Glennie-Smith while the additional music was later composed by Henning Lohner. Zimmer previously composed the score for The Lion King, The Prince of Egypt, Crimson Tide (with Nick Glennie-Smith), Mission: Impossible 2, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (with Klaus Badelt) and Tears of the Sun.

The orchestral score was conducted by Nick Glennie-Smith when the score was recorded at The Newman Scoring Stage at 20th Century Fox Studios and the The Village Recorders and mixed at Remote Control Productions (Hans Zimmer's music company) ny Malcolm Luker with the additional recordings by Alan Meyerson, Dennis Sands and Robert Fernandez and additional mixings by Slamm Andrews.

Tracklist

 * 1) "The Beginning" - Nick Glennie-Smith (5:51)
 * 2) "The Toy Store" - Nick Glennie-Smith (6:45)
 * 3) "The Nutcracker (Overture)" - Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, arranged by Hans Zimmer & Nick Glennie-Smith (3:56)
 * 4) "The Dinner Party" - Hans Zimmer (4:55)
 * 5) "An Evening At the Palace" - Hans Zimmer, Nick Glennie-Smith & Henning Lohner (4:18)
 * 6) "The Mechanical Horse / Shadow & Rooster" - Hans Zimmer & Nick Glennie-Smith (5:04)
 * 7) "The Toys Come To Life at Clara's House" - Nick Glennie-Smith (3:33)
 * 8) "The Mouse Army" - Hans Zimmer, Nick Glennie-Smith, Henning Lohner & Lorne Balfe (1:50)
 * 9) "March & Dances" - Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, arranged by Hans Zimmer & Nick Glennie-Smith (4:18)
 * "Ja, Ich Schaff Das (German Version)" - duet performed by Florence Joy Büttner & Thomas Anders (music and lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager, Carole King Hans Zimmer & Nick Glennie-Smith, additional lyrics by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance, lyrics translation by Michael Kunze, arranged by Hans Zimmer, Nick Glennie-Smith & Henning Lohner) (3:28)
 * 1) "Clara and the Candle of Doom / Journey Through the Mirror"- Hans Zimmer, Nick Glennie-Smith, Henning Lohner & Lorne Balfe  (7:53)
 * 2) "Food Fight" - Hans Zimmer & Henning Lohner (4:12)
 * 3) "Peaches & Creamy World" - performed by Christina Aguilera (music and lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager, Carole King, Hans Zimmer & Nick Glennie-Smith, arranged by Hans Zimmer & Nick Glennie-Smith) (4:07)
 * 4) "The Final Fight" - Nick Glennie-Smith & Henning Lohner (3:54)
 * 5) "The Waltz" - Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, arranged by Hans Zimmer, Nick Glennie-Smith & Henning Lohner (3:16)
 * 6) "I Can Do It (Film version)" - duet performed by Raven-Symoné & Bryan Adams (music and lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager, Carole King Hans Zimmer & Nick Glennie-Smith, additional lyrics by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance, arranged by Hans Zimmer, Nick Glennie-Smith & Henning Lohner) (3:29)
 * 7) "One True Heart" - duey performed by Josh Groban & Jennifer Love Hewitt (music and lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager, Carole King, Hans Zimmer and Nick Glennie-Smith, additional lyrics by Meredith Brooks, Bernie Taupin & Jennifer Love Hewitt, arranged by Hans Zimmer & Nick Glennie-Smith) (3:44)

Release
The film was one of the most popular animated films in 2004, and it has become the most successful animated film in all German-Russian film history.