So many of you made guesses as to who you expect to see in the countdown to my favourite voice performances when I listed the first batch of ten. I will say, a number of you were on point, but I'm not giving away any. Here are the next ten voice performers that stick in my memory. Even though I love making lists I do find it difficult ranking them though, really sometimes I think voice acting is more difficult. You really have to sell it, or else you're forgettable.
#40: Barbara Luddy in Sleeping Beauty
as Merryweather
“I'd like to turn her into a fat ol' hop toad.”
She will always be the best of the godmothers, and though they do come in three she stands out from the rest. Her voice is the only one I remember without rewatching, and she’s just so fun and funny with those line readings. It's nice performances like these that make me a little sad, voice actors don't have faces so unless they're NAMES we forget them.
#39: Phil Harris in The Jungle Book
as Baloo
“You better believe it.”
The Jungle Book doesn’t exactly thrill me (I have a soft spot for the live action version, oddly) but who can resist the jovial singing bear? Mowgli is an unassuming (dare I say, boring) hero but his sidekicks are amusing.
#38: Catherine O’Hara in Where the Wild Things Are
as Judith
“Happiness isn't always the best way to be happy.”
She singlehandedly makes the movie hers and she becomes the wild thing that’s not only wildest but most interesting. I did not love the film, but it was beautifully rendered and the wild things were a deligh - Catherine more than any.
#37: Jodi Benson in The Little Mermaid
as Ariel
“I love you, Daddy.”
She’s easy to forget…the supporting players are quite fun, but Benson is doing a good job here. The naïveté, the subtle bits of innocence and bravery; she’s doing her very best to make this animated caricature into a full blooded character and she succeeds…on so many counts.
#36: Janet Gabor in The Aristocrats
as Duchess
“Oh, c'est très jolie, monsieur. Very poetic. But it is not quite Shakespeare.”
This is a forgotten Disney gem which I grew up with, so I have soft spot for it. Harris puts up a good showing as the tomcat in the show, but it’s Gabor’s sultry Queenie who leaves the mark. It’s a slight film, and the anamorphic characters don’t have anything new to tell us but Gabor is like Grace Kelly, as a cat.
#35: Helena Bonham Carter in Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were Rabbit
as Lady Campanula Tottington
“Please, Wallace, call me 'Totty'.”
The more I think of it, the more I wonder why I don’t like this film. Perhaps, claymation just doesn’t do it for me. Still, the voicework is on par and among her many assets I’ve always love HBC’s voice the most, so expressive.
#34: Glenn Close in Hoodwinked
as Granny
“Bring it honey!”
You probably didn’t see this one coming. I can’t blame you. I liked Hoodwinked; a well intentioned and oddly smart animated flick that was poorly received. Glenn doesn’t get enough credit for her voice, but when you can’t see her you realise just how much she uses. This take on the “new” grandmother is inspired and hilarious and extraordinarily nuanced.
#33: Angela Lansbury in Beauty & the Beast
as Mrs. Potts
“Well, that didn't go very well at all, did it?”
Few voices are as diffidently calming and yet surprisingly funny as Lansbury here. :umiere and Cogsworth are the utensils most remembered (no, they are not on the list) but it’s Angela’s voice that shines through – heartfelt, sincere and yet irresolute when necessary.
#32: Linda Larkin in Aladdin
as Jasmine
“I am not a prize to be won!”
My, oh my. Can anyone resist Jasmine? I have a thing for Disney’s sultry voiced characters (you shall see later) and Jasmine is an excellent characterisation by [ ]. Sure, the film is not centred on her – but she’ll make you forget with every voice inflection and every subtle line reading (remember Evil Jasmine?)
#31: James Earle Jones in The Lion King
as Mufasa
“Simba, I'm very disappointed in you!”
Oh man, this man has a VOICE!!! Who doesn’t shudder when they hear him? Jones is an icon – plain and simple, and his work as Mufasa is just superb. With just a voice he embodies all we could hope for in the steadfast and devoted father.
Aha, and there goes round two. How are you liking the choices so far?
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