Cracked nuts

Robert_ZemeckisRobert Zemeckis is at it again. No sooner than he’s finished with Disney’s A Christmas Carol than he is back with an all new motion-captured Christmas movie based on a winter favourite. This time out it’s The Nutcracker.

The movie is set to be based on the E.T.A. Hoffmann novel, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, and set in 19th century Russia. The story sees the young Marie Stahlbaum’s favourite Christmas toy, the Nutcracker, come alive and carry her away to a magical kingdom populated by dolls, but not before defeating the evil Mouse King. It story is of course best known as the inspiration for Tchaikovsky’s legendary ballet The Nutcracker.

Zemeckis had a slew of excellent films in the 80s and 90s, including Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Forrest Gump and the Back To The Future trilogy, but now seems to be stuck in a motion-capture defined universe. I’m all for technological advancement, but not at the expense of story. Zemeckis is also developing a 3-D remake of The Beatles’ Yellow Submarine, and is producing a motion capture fantasy adventure called Airman, so apparently he won’t be giving up this new format anytime soon.

For the love of God will someone please make him stop!