Why give big stars animated characters to voice? I feel like I’m much more likely to enjoy and get wrapped up in a story if I’m not clearly hearing someone I know’s voice. I just hear that actor in the booth at that point. All the great animated movies didn’t lean on big names, but let the character have their own voice that we don’t have to disassociate from someone else for the first 20 min of the film.
It’s good when the actors know how to voice act. Acting compliments but doesn’t completely transfer over to voice acting. There are actors who can’t voice act if their life depended on it. Christian Bale is fortunately not one of those. He seems to love voice work and you can tell as much with his Batman. Luckily, most of the Ghibli dubs seem to defer the main roles to professional voice actors and it’s the rest of the cast where they use Hollywood movie stars.
While that’s true, I think sometimes the direction is to blame for not getting the performance out of them. A lot of times Ghibli dubs the actors just kinda mumble their lines or say them emotionlessly.
I don’t know much about going to see a film, but I hope one can opt to see the original subbed? Which would solve your problem of being familiar with the English voice actors.
I’m sure that depends on the market, but at least where I’m from they usually also run original audio screenings for adults in addition to the dubbed version for kids.
I realize that in many markets adults also watch dubbed movies.
Conversely, does anyone recognize Florence Pugh by her voice alone? Same with Anya Taylor Joy. It seems as if it’s the names themselves that are being used to draw people in, rather than raw voice acting talent.
Why give big stars animated characters to voice? I feel like I’m much more likely to enjoy and get wrapped up in a story if I’m not clearly hearing someone I know’s voice. I just hear that actor in the booth at that point. All the great animated movies didn’t lean on big names, but let the character have their own voice that we don’t have to disassociate from someone else for the first 20 min of the film.
I see where you’re coming from, but find it hard to agree when I remember how well Howl’s Moving Castle was voiced.
It’s good when the actors know how to voice act. Acting compliments but doesn’t completely transfer over to voice acting. There are actors who can’t voice act if their life depended on it. Christian Bale is fortunately not one of those. He seems to love voice work and you can tell as much with his Batman. Luckily, most of the Ghibli dubs seem to defer the main roles to professional voice actors and it’s the rest of the cast where they use Hollywood movie stars.
While that’s true, I think sometimes the direction is to blame for not getting the performance out of them. A lot of times Ghibli dubs the actors just kinda mumble their lines or say them emotionlessly.
I would agree with you, but Christian Bale is specifically really good at controlling his voice.
He even pretends to be American in interviews and people don’t even notice.
Also Mark Hamill is probably a bigger star as a voice actor these days.
I can’t help but hear Batman when Howl’s voice gets gravelly though
I don’t know much about going to see a film, but I hope one can opt to see the original subbed? Which would solve your problem of being familiar with the English voice actors.
I’m sure that depends on the market, but at least where I’m from they usually also run original audio screenings for adults in addition to the dubbed version for kids.
I realize that in many markets adults also watch dubbed movies.
Watch Howl’s Moving Castle (in english)
Mark Hamill was amazing in Castle in the Sky.
Conversely, does anyone recognize Florence Pugh by her voice alone? Same with Anya Taylor Joy. It seems as if it’s the names themselves that are being used to draw people in, rather than raw voice acting talent.