Worldwide sales of the direct-to-video BARBIE OF SWAN LAKE have topped more than two million units through Entertainment Rights (excluding North America), via its home entertainment division, Rights Ent. This includes more than 400,000 units in the U.K., where the title has remained at number five on the children's chart after debuting at number one.
These figures follow the trend that began with Barbie's first direct-to-video feature, BARBIE IN THE NUTCRACKER and continued with BARBIE AS RAPUNZEL, which were also distributed through Entertainment Rights.
In addition Entertainment Rights has sold television rights to more than 90 countries and worldwide home entertainment sales (excluding North America) for BARBIE IN THE NUTCRACKER and BARBIE AS RAPUNZEL have exceeded five million units.
Domestically, Artisan Family Home Ent. and Mattel Ent. present the CG-animated BARBIE OF SWAN LAKE, which has recently been released on DVD (Artisan Home Entertainment, $19.98). Produced by Mainframe Ent., BARBIE OF SWAN LAKE features ballet sequences enhanced via a motion sensor technology that mirrors the real life movements of the dancers.
The contemporary twist on the classic 19th century features Barbie as Odette, who is trapped in an enchanted forest and discovers the power to transform the world. The film combines fantasy, ballet and Tchaikovsky's unforgettable music. Peter Martins, ballet master in chief of the New York City Ballet, served as choreographer.
FRASIER's Kelsey Grammer (as the devilish Rothbart) and Maggie Wheeler (FRIENDS) as his daughter Odile provide celebrity voice work.
Bonus features include:
"The Ballet Dances of Swan Lake" -- Hosted by Barbie, this feature enables viewers of all ages to learn more about the beautiful dance movements performed by several of their favorite characters.
"Explore the Stars" - An interactive learning game about the constellations.
"The Music In You" - A doc devoted to the power of music. The film focuses on four girls presently studying at the renowned Julliard School of Music in New York City, as well as a gifted 15-year-old violist from Scotland who lives in London, performs throughout Europe and is a featured violinist on the BARBIE OF SWAN LAKE score.
BARBIE OF SWAN LAKE DVD-ROM -- The demo allows girls to step inside the Enchanted Forest into a magical world to play games, save each forest friend and attend the Moonlight Picnic.
Entertainment Rights (www.entertainmentrights.com) is one of the U.K.'s leading media groups specializing in the ownership of children's and family programming, characters and brands. The company owns the rights to several popular children's characters, including Basil Brush, Postman Pat and Little Red Tractor. Since 1999, the company's library has grown to more than 1,200 hours of children's and family programming. This includes the rights to global brands such as Mattel's Barbie, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Hasbro's Transformers, Casper the Friendly Ghost and Felix the Cat.
Artisan's Family Home Entertainment unit, FHE, distributes video and DVD products for such brands as Mattel's Barbie, Discovery Networks, Hallmark Home Entertainment, The Hallmark Hall of Fame and Scholastic's CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG, and Big Idea's JONAH: A VEGGIE TALES MOVIE.
Artisan Entertainment Inc. (www.artisanent.com) is a leading independent producer and distributor of theatrical, television and home entertainment product.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
