Alexandra Posted May 23, 2003 Share Posted May 23, 2003 [i'm adding a Prologue. Several people have commented that they think this is one of Our Little Jokes. No, it is, as far as I know, gen-u-ine.] A press releasefrom Mattel. Comments welcome: BARBIE® DOLL LEAPS INTO THE ENTERTAINMENT SPOTLIGHT AGAIN WITH HER THIRD MOVIE, "BARBIE OF SWAN LAKE" World's No. 1 Girls Brand Continues its Commitment to Expose Children to the Arts With a Modern Adaptation of a Classic Fairytale Barbie® doll will enchant and delight audiences everywhere as she steps into the limelight with the fall premiere of Barbie of Swan Lake, a stunning computer-animated movie that combines storytelling with exceptionally beautiful ballet choreography performed by dancers from the world renowned New York City Ballet to Tchaikovsky's unforgettable music. Based on the classic 19th century German fairytale, but reinterpreted for today's girl, Mattel's screenplay stars Barbie* as Odette*, a brave young girl who is trapped in an enchanted forest and through an exciting adventure with her new friends, discovers that with confidence and determination each of us has the power to transform the world. The story of Barbie of Swan Lake will be brought to life with an array of beautiful merchandise. With more products and expanded categories than Barbie® doll's first two movies, the world of Barbie of Swan Lake will boast an array of fashion dolls, a plush line, accessories, software, and licensed products. "Barbie of Swan Lake weaves a magical tale with beautiful dance and music, engaging girls in the arts and encouraging self-expression," said Jamie Cygielman, Vice President, Mattel. "Girls love make-believe and transformation themes and the world of Barbie of Swan Lake provides them with a new and exciting way to participate in Barbie® doll's world as we expand our entertainment property with a larger selection of products girls can use to play out this unique story." Barbie* of Swan Lake Video and DVD Launch Building on the past two years' successful, top-selling movies "Barbie in the Nutcracker*" and "Barbie as Rapunzel," Barbie of Swan Lake brings the arts to girls again with classical dance and music. In 2001, Barbie® made headlines with the award-winning, top-selling debut video in Barbie in the Nutcracker* where she introduced girls to classical ballet. In 2002, Barbie® returned to the spotlight and exposed girls to the world of visual arts in Barbie as Rapunzel, the #1 children's movie for six consecutive weeks. Barbie of Swan Lake is set for release on September 30, 2003, and is sure to become the perfect addition to the growing library of the Barbie® entertainment collection. A modern interpretation of the classic fairytale, Barbie of Swan Lake will have Barbie® captivating audiences as the brave heroine Odette* - a young girl who finds herself trapped in an enchanted forest after an evil wizard casts a spell on her. Created by Mainframe Entertainment, Barbie® of Swan Lake features some of the most advanced CGI (computer graphic imaging) animation ever created. From reality to fantasy, the story is enhanced with magical ballet sequences choreographed by New York City Ballet's Ballet Master in Chief, Peter Martins, and is danced by several New York City Ballet dancers via a motion sensor technology that mirrors the real-life movements of the dancers. New York City Ballet Principal Dancer, Maria Kowroski, will once again help dance life into Barbie* as a prima ballerina as she did in Barbie in the Nutcracker*. Set to the original Tchaikovsky score and performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, this modern adaptation brings the Swan Lake characters to life in a manner and in settings that are visually spectacular. "I am delighted and, perhaps more important, my daughter is thrilled that we are putting Barbie* back in pointe shoes," said Martins. "We share with Mattel an appreciation for what ballet can mean in a young girl's life, providing a graceful, athletic experience that builds self-esteem. We hope Barbie of Swan Lake will introduce many more girls to the beauty of classical ballet, and entice them both to dance and to see dance in performance." With celebrity voices that help bring the characters to life, Barbie of Swan Lake features two incredibly talented comedic actors. Kelsey Grammer brings a deliciously evil performance to the role of Rothbart, the mad wizard who casts a spell on Odette turning her into a swan. It is only with the help of true love and friends, as well as Odette's own bravery, confidence and determination that she is able to master Rothbart's evil spell and break free from the forest. The role of Rothbart's spoiled daughter Odile is voiced by Maggie Wheeler, best known for her long-running guest stint on "Friends" as the lovingly annoying "Janice." Barbie of Swan Lake also features a friendly supporting cast with Ken® as Prince Daniel*, Teresa® as the Fairy Queen*, Lila* unicorn, and a variety of animals that live in the forest, including Ivan the porcupine*. Barbie of Swan Lake Dolls and AccessoriesThe magic of Barbie of Swan Lake is brought to life with a world of dolls and accessories that allow girls to play out the storyline and artistry from the movie. Barbie® as Odette Girls can continue the magic of Barbie of Swan Lake with their very own Swan Princess. Barbie® as Odette captures the beauty and enchantment of Odette in the movie, allowing girls to play out the inspirational tale over and over again. Barbie® as Odette is dressed in an elegant, Swan-inspired gown fit for the silver screen. Last year, girls were enchanted with the longest hair ever on Barbie® as Rapunzel. This year there are two transformation features they are sure to fall in love with; magical Swan wings that light up and a special crown that transforms into a mask. Ken® as Prince Daniel The romance between Odette and Prince Daniel can be brought to life by girls with the help of Ken® as Prince Daniel. Dressed in the same regal, elegant costume seen in the movie, Prince Daniel comes with a small swan so girls can recreate Odette's transformation into a swan and back. Teresa® as Fairy Queen Building on the successful sales of the world of Barbie as Rapunzel, the Brand has increased its line of fashion dolls for the first time to include a third fashion doll, Teresa® doll. Marking Teresa® doll's debut into the world of Barbie® Entertainment, she stars as the magical Fairy Queen who helps Odette. Teresa® wears a beautiful fairy-inspired gown and carries a magical wand. She even comes with a gift for girls - a special necklace that lights up, just like the Swan Princess's wings. Kelly® & Tommy® Dolls A $100 million mega-brand of its own, Kelly® doll and her friends' pixie-sized magic add sparkle and adventure to Barbie of Swan Lake's playtime fun. The dolls are available in an assortment of six fun friends. As the baby swan, Kelly® doll is beautifully dressed in a blue and pink swan-like party dress, complete with wings. Marisa doll is the playful fawn and wears a purple and white spotted dress with deer antlers. Dressed in an adorable pink and black dress with mouse ears and tail, Jenny doll makes the perfect little mouse. Liana doll plays the red fox and dons an orange dress with ears and tail. As Carlita the Skunk, Maria is appropriately outfitted in black and red hair to match her black and white-striped outfit and furry tail. Finally, Tommy® doll stars as "Ivan the Porcupine" and is dressed in a brown porcupine costume. Barbie of Swan Lake Plush Line Continuing to build on the Barbie® Brand's successful entry into the plush category and the popularity of "Penelope the Dragon" in Barbie as Rapunzel, the world of Barbie of Swan Lake features more soft, cuddly animals - most notably Odette's best friend the spirited unicorn, Lila. Because the Barbie® Brand knows girls love animals and plush toys, Mattel has increased the category this year by including three animal characters in three different scales of plush. My Size Barbie® of Swan Lake With the help of their My Size Barbie® doll, girls no longer have to just play princess...they can actually be a princess, too. The My Size Barbie® of Swan Lake comes dressed just like Odette in a beautiful princess gown, complete with a crown and magical wings. The dress and accessories are all "wear and share" and are made to fit almost any girl. Barbie of Swan Lake Musical Fantasy Castle Every princess deserves a fantasy castle - and this is the largest castle Barbie* doll has ever had. With the Swan Lake Musical Fantasy Castle, girls can pretend to play out the enchanting scenes within the magical castle in Barbie of Swan Lake. Featuring a dramatic center staircase with lights and music that Barbie* doll magically ascends to meet her guests, this castle is fit for any princess to enjoy. > Barbie of Swan Lake" Lila Unicorn and Carriage Capitalizing on one of the most-popular Barbie® features - hair play girls can play happily ever after with Lila, a unicorn that features beautiful, long hair that girls can brush and accessorize with fairy-themed barrettes. The carriage seats two dolls and has a delicate fairy on the back. With the unicorn and carriage, girls can continue to play out the fun of Barbie of Swan Lake as Odette and Prince Daniel travel through the countryside in the back of the carriage or take a solo on the unicorn. > Barbie of Swan Lake CD-ROM: A Creative Adventure As the number-one, girl-themed interactive property, Barbie® doll will take her magic as the Swan Princess from the television screen to the computer screen. Girls can join Barbie® of Swan Lake on a creative adventure as she tries to break a spell that has ruined the enchanted forest and turned her into a swan. Barbie of Swan Lake Licensed Products and Accessories Based on the $150 million success of Barbie as Rapunzel, which included dolls and accessories as well as licensed products, Barbie Consumer Products is infusing even more magic into the world of Barbie of Swan Lake by increasing the number of related licensed products. The expanded product line includes 12 categories of consumer products, such as apparel and accessories. > Barbie of Swan Lake on Barbie.com Girls won't need to travel far - except in Cyber Space - to find out moreinformation about Barbie of Swan Lake, they'll simply need to log onto the World Wide Web at Barbie.com. As the number one girls Web site with 22 million monthly users, Barbie.com will expose millions of girls around the world to the classical ballet and music. > Barbie Cares Supporting Children in the Arts The Barbie® Brand understands the important role that arts education plays in a child's development and last year debuted an extremely successful $2 million worldwide cause-related program called "Barbie Cares Supporting Children in the Arts" dedicated to supporting arts education for children. As part of its initiative, the Barbie® Brand has committed to creating innovative and relevant product that will continue to leverage the Brand to engage girls in the arts. Barbie® of Swan Lake supports the Brand's initiative to engage girls in the arts by introducing girls to classical music and dance. Worldwide, all Barbie® products will be marked with an official "Barbie Cares Supporting Children in the Arts" seal, clearly identifying the Barbie® Brand's ongoing support of arts education for children. > >About Mattel Girls Brands Since the Barbie® doll's launch in 1959 as a paper doll inspired friend, she has firmly established herself as the most popular fashion doll ever ntroduced. For more than four decades, Mattel has maintained Barbie® doll's popularity by adapting her look, lifestyle and fashions to meet changing times while evolving her world into an overall lifestyle brand for girls. While the Barbie* Brand represents Mattel's initial roots in girls' toys, Mattel Brands has several best-selling girls brands including My Scene, Polly Pocket!® and ello. A natural extension of the brands to the online world, Mattel Interactive Group provides girls of the 21st century a new way to interact with their favorite toys through web sites and licensed Mattel-branded interactive software and video game titles. Link to comment
Calliope Posted May 23, 2003 Share Posted May 23, 2003 Where did the unicorn and the porcipine come from?! Is "Swan Lake" really German? I had no idea. Link to comment
Hans Posted May 23, 2003 Share Posted May 23, 2003 I think it is fantastic that they want to expose more people to classical music and dance, and that they want to give young girls a positive self image. But must they mangle Swan Lake's story line and choreography to do it? There must be another way, preferably without involving Peter Martins' choreography:rolleyes: :eek:. Link to comment
nlkflint Posted May 23, 2003 Share Posted May 23, 2003 Did anyone watch the Barbie Nutcracker video? The story was NOT exactly Nutcracker. I suspect the Swan Lake story will be similarly "altered" (?butchered). I would be more enthusiatic if I were not so cynical. This is TO SELL MORE BARBIES. PERIOD. And I suspect lots of little girls will one day grow up and go to see a performance of Swan Lake and exclaim: "this is not the real Swan Lake. They have changes the story all around." Is any portion of the sales at least going to "the arts?" Link to comment
carbro Posted May 23, 2003 Share Posted May 23, 2003 Originally posted by nlkflint Is any portion of the sales at least going to "the arts?" I can't imagine that NYCB would go to all the effort of participating if it were not getting a piece of the pie. This puts the Calvin Klein issue ("The Selling of ABT" http://www.balletalert.com/forum/showthrea...&threadid=11152 )into a whole new perspective, doesn't it? I have not watched the Barbie Nutcracker, but have been in NYST Lobby while it was playing. Truly dreadful. Originally posted by Alexandra Mattel's screenplay stars Barbie* as Odette*, a brave young girl who is trapped in an enchanted forest and through an exciting adventure with her new friends, discovers that with confidence and determination each of us has the power to transform the world. Barbie/Odette as Joan of Arc?:confused: :eek: Alexandra, I can't find the screaming "smiley." I've needed one with increasing frequency this season.;) Link to comment
K8smom Posted May 23, 2003 Share Posted May 23, 2003 I teach preschool gymnastics, and one of my lessons involves playing CDs for the children while they dance with scarves. I use music from Nutcracker routinely. Several years ago, many of the children could identify the music as simply "Nutcracker", but nowadays, when I play it, I usually get, "Oh! I know this one! It's Barbie Nutcracker!" Eek is right. Link to comment
Alexandra Posted May 23, 2003 Author Share Posted May 23, 2003 I really, really like the Joan of Arc idea. Complete with matches and pyre, of course! If you read the press release carefully, you'll note one or two changes to the story, including the fun parts where strong woman Odette plays with her friends. But cheer up. Just think, Tchaikovsky is up there, armed, waiting for them.... Link to comment
Pamela Moberg Posted May 23, 2003 Share Posted May 23, 2003 Thank you, Alexandra, for printing out that blurb! Very illuminating indeed. Otherwise, what can one say? Well, it is really too sad. Shall one have to live with this kind of idiocy? Apparently yes. For once, I am at a loss for words. Link to comment
Calliope Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 Mattel was corporate sponsor for NYCB's Nutcracker, at the same time of the video/dvd release for Barbie. I love the description of the woman who does Odile's voice, someone best known for being "annoying" Link to comment
Ed Waffle Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 Why stop with Joan of Arc? Here are a few more that could work: Barbie as Mary Magdelene Barbie as Queen Victoria Barbie as Queen Christiana--in a remake of the Garbo classic Barbie as Amelia Erhart Barbie as Violetta Valery or as Camille--another Garbo role And in the next big tie-in, Mattel and the Beyreuther Festpiele announce: The Barbie Tristan und Isolde Isolde...........Barbie Tristan..........Ken King Marke...Tommy Brangane......Kelly Kurwenal..... Ivan the Porcupine Conducted by Carlita appropriately outfitted in black and red hair to match her black and white-striped outfit and furry tail. Link to comment
glebb Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 Help me. Was that Barbie as Evita? Link to comment
balletmama Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 In keeping with the ballet theme, how about Barbie as Lizzie Borden? ;) Link to comment
Amy Reusch Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 Do you think we could get GI Joe to take on Spartacus? Hmmm..., come to think of it, do they still have GI Joe? Link to comment
Leigh Witchel Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 Mattel and the estate of Kurt Jooss announce: BARBIE'S® PINK TABLE! Yes, Barbie® conquers German Expressionism next, with a few improvements to the story. "Little girls know that everything Barbie® owns is pink, so we changed the color of the table." a spokesman for Mattel announced. Another small improvement is that the character of the Profiteer has been eliminated. "Our focus groups objected." Link to comment
Nanatchka Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 Yes, Swan Lake was originally a German tale--thus Siegfried, now changed to Daniel, played by Ken. (This is so strange. Ken and Barbie are real, and play fictional characters.) I really had hoped you made this up, Alexandra, but I suppose you did not. I know this is a ballet board, but may I be forgiven, in the circumstances, for suggested that Barbie as Martha would be swell? You know, Barbie Herodiade, and stuff. That would keep Ken busy. Changing the ballets is clever from a commercial standpoint--if you aren't doing a particular version, you don't have to pay particular royalties. Link to comment
floss Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 They changed Siegfried to Daniel? But left "Odette" and "Odile? I think they should have changed the names to Kylie and Danni ! Link to comment
Hans Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 Heck, why not give Barbie her own ballet studio...or company. Anyone want to go see the "Barbie Ballet?" Or maybe they could make some of those do-it-yourself ballet technique videos featuring Barbie. When you think about it, it's really appropriate that Barbie would be danced by someone from NYCB--it's a miracle that either one has any achilles tendons left! Link to comment
Juliet Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 I need a restorative tonic...and my couch....after reading all this. At least the dancers got paid, and didn't have to travel. I marvel that no one mentioned the miniature swan....truly, this pageant seems more of the MacKenzie ilk.... Link to comment
Alexandra Posted May 24, 2003 Author Share Posted May 24, 2003 I have to say I thought that, too, Juliet -- the perfect place for Swamp Thing and his little toy swans. And there could be Swamp Barbie -- revealing the savage in her. I've enjoyed all of these comments -- I hope Mattel does, too. I'm especially fond of "The Pink Table" and Barbie in "Fall River Legend." (Complete with ax, of course -- the new Barbie tool kit. Or would it be the Ken tool kit?) I also have to say that if NYCB, or any company involved in a project like this, gets funding from it -- good for them. And then a question -- does Ballet Barbie have bunions? Link to comment
Hans Posted May 25, 2003 Share Posted May 25, 2003 To answer your question Alexandra, I think that because Ballerina Barbie has such short achilles tendons and because she turns out from her knees, she must be a Balanchine dancer. Therefore, I am pretty sure she does have bunions ;). The only incongruous feature is her glued-together fingers, which suggest RAD training.... Link to comment
grace Posted May 25, 2003 Share Posted May 25, 2003 her proportions must surely be NYCB... - except for THE BUST. now WHERE in ballet will THAT find a home...? Link to comment
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