A lion's voice...

[eldritchhobbit]

The latest news from NarniaWeb is quite interesting:

The big news of the Biola Media Conference is that Brian Cox is no longer doing the voice of Aslan! Apparently he has lost some weight and his voice has changed.

Reportedly, Jason Isaacs, Timothy Dalton, Sean Bean, Gerard Butler, Ian McKellen, and Ralph Fiennes have all auditioned for the part. No choice has yet been made. Stay tuned as we’re covering this breaking story!

Having to make that choice would be... a pretty remarkable challenge, I would imagine.


And now, a quote for the day:

"I like them to talk nonsense. That's man's one privilege over all creation. Through error you come to the truth! I am a man because I err! You never reach any truth without making fourteen mistakes and very likely a hundred and fourteen."

from Crime and Punishment, Fyodor Dostoevsky

Comments

[euclase.livejournal.com]

Yes! I saw this last night, and I posted it over at the Jason Isaacs forum for good measure... because you know who I'm rooting for. ;-)

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

JI would be fantastic, wouldn't he? I don't blame you at all. He could carry a film with just his voice! Of all of these, Ralph Fiennes sticks out to me as the "which of these doesn't fit" option; no disrespect to him intended, for he is a very talented actor, but his voice doesn't strike me as his most powerful feature, or as being in the same league as these others'. But I may be wrong, who knows?

I really thought Brian Cox would do a terrific job, but this list softens the blow... LOL!

[randomalia.livejournal.com]

I think Ian McKellan would do a wonderful Aslan voice, but they've got some great names there. I'm so looking forward to this movie!

And I really like that quote. A hundred and fourteen, certainly :D

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

I couldn't agree with you more!

A hundred and fourteen, certainly :D

Yep - and that's just my Monday morning! ;)

[greenhoodloxley.livejournal.com]

Oo, I wish Timothy Dalton would get it! He would be a marvelous Aslan. Sean Bean would be pretty good too. I like Jason Isaacs, I just don't know if I'd trust him as Aslan. I'd keep expecting him to like do something bad. (I've seen The Patriot one too many times) And much as I love Gerard Butler, he might be a little young for it. Who knows, only time will tell...

[theladyrose.livejournal.com]

I completely agree with you there! They've got some really great people tested, for sure.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Yes! How to choose?

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Oo, I wish Timothy Dalton would get it! He would be a marvelous Aslan. Sean Bean would be pretty good too.

Yes! I agree totally. Sir Ian would be brilliant as always, but I'm not sure if I'm quite ready for Aslan to look like a lion but sound like Gandalf! LOL. I think Jason Isaacs actually has a lot of range, if he could step out of the villain roles for a bit, but I understand that his typecasting hurts him a bit. (I think the same about Jeremy Irons, who has a splendid voice, but then again, he was Scar in The Lion King -- probably not a connection the movie should be making!) And Butler may be too young, you're right. It will be interesting to see what happens!

[penfold-x.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure I'm for any of those choices. Particularly not Jason Issacs, who has a lovely voice, but would be constantly reminding me of Lucius Malfoy.

Timothy Dalton? That one really is random.

I think Aslan needs a deep, authoritative voice. James Earl Jones would be good, except that I'd be stuck thinking of Darth Vader (again, too much with the Evil) or the father lion in the Lion King (that one really is too close).

I think Brian Blessed ought to be given an audition, as well as John Rys-Davies. I think Blessed resonates better than any of those on the list, very warm and full, friendly while authoritative. And he hasn't had that much exposure as of late, so I won't likely be thinking of wizards or dwarves or whatnot.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

I can see (or should I say hear?) Dalton. His voice has "aged" and deepened quite nicely, and I like the irony of taking him from his stage work with His Dark Materials (seeing that Pullman styles himself as the "anti-C.S. Lewis") to do the voice of Aslan. Brian Blessed would definitely be a worthy choice and, as you so rightly put it, he hasn't been highly visible in the same way some of the others have lately. An interesting issue, particularly since things are speeding along with the film in every other way -- this must be an eleventh hour dilemma for them! It will be fascinating to learn who ultimately is cast.

[terrylj.livejournal.com]

Where is James Earl Jones on this list?

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

I suspect his lack of a natural British accent keeps him off the list, along with the Darth Vader connection, though I can't think of a more brilliant voice anywhere.

[terrylj.livejournal.com]

My husband has a multimedia version of the Bible, with JEJ reading parts of it. It is a bit funny to hear Darth Vader reading Genesis, but if you can get past that, it's awesome.

[fungus-files.livejournal.com]

Aslan has to have a gritty voice, one with resonance. Definitely more Ian McKellen or Brian Blessed than pretty Timothy D or Ralph (have never been enamoured of RF's voice, truth be told).

I loved the listing of forthcoming flicks you're hanging out to see. Mine's almost exactly the same except, er, just bump everything along a few weeks. Australia. SIGH.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Your Humperdink icon rules. :) I agree with your point on Ralph Fiennes (I never have been too taken with his voice either), but after seeing a recent Dalton performance, I was struck by how deep and resonant and commanding his voice is now -- a far cry from his early days. So I think he deserves a shot at this. It definitely will be interesting to see who they end up with. At least we know they aren't going with the first A-list star who agrees...

Glad to hear our film lists look similar. We'll have to compare notes once we've seen them! :) Ah, the snark! I still have to respond to your great BSG post, by the way. It thrills me to know you are pointing and laughing at those who take it much too seriously. Pointing and laughing is good! LOL.

[fungus-files.livejournal.com]

*g* I love Prince Humperdink. not so much that I'd toss over Wesley for him...but close. ;)

hmmmm. now you have me intrigued about timmy dalton. what was the recent dalton performance you saw?

ah, yes, the pointing and laughing. it's a hard habit to break. sometimes makes it hard to be serious about anything (esp in pop.cult stuff) because one fears one is straying towards an entry for fandom_wank (or similar).

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

now you have me intrigued about timmy dalton. what was the recent dalton performance you saw?

Oh, it wasn't live or anything. It was some clips from his recent theater work with His Dark Materials. But even as early as The King's Whore (which was, what, 1990?), I think his voice had really come into its own in terms of
gravity and authority.

because one fears one is straying towards an entry for fandom_wank (or similar).

*points* Ha-ha!

Hello

[faramirgirl.livejournal.com]

"Through error you come to the truth!" and You never reach any truth without making fourteen mistakes and very likely a hundred and fourteen." and though this is how a person grows to be a better person. You can not grow without making some mistakes in life. For it is your mistakes that make you see what it is that is really important to you and your life. Wonderful quote.

Re: Hello

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad you like it! :)

Re: Hello

[faramirgirl.livejournal.com]

You do come up with the best quotes. Thanks I just love reading your quote of the day.

Re: Hello

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Awww! Thank you so much!

Re: Hello

[fungus-files.livejournal.com]

given your marvellous quotage (!), you should really RSS your LJ. ;)

I, for one, would sign for "officialsturgis"!

Re: Hello

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

ROFLOL! You know, I wouldn't know how to RSS it even if I wanted to do so! ;) But thanks for the kind words.