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General => The Superdeep Borehole => Topic started by: Tieno on November 18, 2010, 02:19:58 PM

Title: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: Tieno on November 18, 2010, 02:19:58 PM: I'm on a nostalgia tour and watching some Aladin/Little Mermaid/Lion King music videos on youtube (they rock!!)

I'm not casting a judgement either way, but it seems that Pixar/CG movies go for celebrity tallent, while the animated Disney movies, while still having known people, went more for the actual voice since there was more singing.
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: Raban on November 18, 2010, 02:23:39 PM: You answered your own question. Disney films were more about singing, Pixar's stuff is straight voice acting.
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: Tieno on November 18, 2010, 02:27:05 PM: Quote from: startselect on November 18, 2010, 02:23:39 PM
You answered your own question. Disney films were more about singing, Pixar's stuff is straight voice acting.
Tieno :bow2
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: Raban on November 18, 2010, 02:28:25 PM: Your threads are so streamlined you have the topic, the conflict, resolution and all the discussion within the OP. Brilliant.
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: TakingBackSunday on November 18, 2010, 02:36:15 PM: Well for Disney history before Pixar, it mostly depended on the creative talents behind the scenes and what the creators were trying to establish with the films. In early Disney history, you had a lot of character actors and Vaudevillian people who came in to match the characters they were casted for. In the darker ages of Disney, much more emphasis was placed on the names attached to the films. Actors and voice talents like Phill Harris and Pat Buttram, just to name a few. This was mostly because the actual content of the films was...lacking.

When the Eisner/Katzenberg era started, a lot of the creative teams seemed to go towards fairy-tale epics that involved Broadway and stage talent, thus the presence of stage performers and stage composers as well, like Howard Ashman and Alan Menken.

The Pixar movies are a good marriage between content and pop culture, so the decision to cast big name to semi-big name actors isn't surprising.
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: HyperZoneWasAwesome on November 18, 2010, 03:32:08 PM: Back in the rough years of Disney animation they'd cast semi-namish people in big roles like Peter Ustinov (Robin Hood), Kurt Russell (The Fox and the Hound), Bob Neuhart and whichever Gabor was in it (The Rescuers).

So I dunno for exactly when, but its been going for a long, long time.
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: Fresh Prince on November 18, 2010, 04:03:17 PM: Dreamworks always had them. I think for Disney it really started when they had Robin Williams as Genie.
According to some documentary I think children's movie really started using celebrities after the success of Dr Dolittle. Apparently the first cut just had a bunch of no names and bombed at test screenings, so they recast the voice actors with celebrities and huge success.

this seems like a thread made for manabyte.
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: HyperZoneWasAwesome on November 18, 2010, 04:08:49 PM: the original Dr. Dolittle was a huge bomb though. It helped kill off the era of the studio mega-musical (see also Paint Your Wagon) that was the prevailing blockbuster genre of its time.
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: Great Rumbler on November 18, 2010, 04:38:35 PM: Quote from: Fresh Prince on November 18, 2010, 04:03:17 PM
this seems like a thread made for manabyte.

Yeah, surprised he hasn't made an appearance yet.
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: ManaByte on November 18, 2010, 04:39:01 PM: Quote from: Fresh Prince on November 18, 2010, 04:03:17 PM
Dreamworks always had them. I think for Disney it really started when they had Robin Williams as Genie.
According to some documentary I think children's movie really started using celebrities after the success of Dr Dolittle. Apparently the first cut just had a bunch of no names and bombed at test screenings, so they recast the voice actors with celebrities and huge success.

this seems like a thread made for manabyte.

It didn't start with Genie. The poster above you is correct. Disney was casting "big" actors as soon as they could get them.

You need to understand that even into the 60s, animation wasn't looked at as "serious" enough for a huge star to do the voice in it. It wasn't until the Renaissance that it really kicked off, but Disney was already starting to cast big name stars in the 80's prior to Little Mermaid. Hell for an 80's animated movie, they had Billy Joel as one of the lead characters with Bette Midler in Oliver & Company, and the same year they put Kathleen Turner in Who Framed Roger Rabbit...back when she still sounded female.

After Beauty & the Beast was nominated for BEST PICTURE people were knocking down Disney's door to do voices in their movies. The Genie was an exception because Good Morning Vietnam made Robin Williams a metric fuckton of money and he did it for $75,000. But that backfired after he sued Disney, and won, due to Katzenberg and Eisner completely tossing out their agreement with him. Basically Williams agreed to do it for scale pay in exchange for the character and his name not being used to market the movie. What did Eisner do? Slap a giant Genie on the poster. Fucking idiot.

But at the same time half the animators were doing Aladdin, the other half was doing Lion King and they had an all star cast there.

The difference is that Disney/Pixar doesn't sell their movies based on the voice actors. Dreamworks does. You'll never see a big name star's name over the title of a Disney/Pixar animated movie; but you see it on EVERY FUCKING Dreamworks piece of shit.
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: Himu on November 18, 2010, 04:40:14 PM: Johnathon Taylor Thomas and Robin Williams were a-listers in Disney movies ??? It's been a big thing for a long while going as far back as The Little Mermaid, right?

Yeah, Manabyte confirms it.
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: The Sceneman on November 18, 2010, 04:42:48 PM: ffs, the first feature length Pixar film starred king-of-oscar-bait shithead Tom Hanks
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: Raban on November 18, 2010, 04:43:38 PM: Quote from: The Sceneman on November 18, 2010, 04:42:48 PM
ffs, the first feature length Pixar film starred king-of-oscar-bait shithead Tom Hanks

what's your beef with Tom Hanks? :(
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: The Sceneman on November 18, 2010, 04:44:53 PM: Forrest Gump, Philadelphia, Sleepless in Seattle...
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: Himu on November 18, 2010, 04:46:36 PM: What about Big?
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: Raban on November 18, 2010, 04:47:43 PM: Quote from: The Sceneman on November 18, 2010, 04:44:53 PM
Forrest Gump, Philadelphia, Sleepless in Seattle...

A few bad movies and you discredit the actor as a whole? Absurd!

By this measure, George Clooney is probably your least favorite actor after starring in one of the worst films of all time.
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: Fresh Prince on November 18, 2010, 04:51:58 PM: Tom Hanks always seemed like a swarmy asshole.

manabyte answers all :bow2
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: Himu on November 18, 2010, 04:53:22 PM: Quote from: startselect on November 18, 2010, 04:47:43 PM
Quote from: The Sceneman on November 18, 2010, 04:44:53 PM
Forrest Gump, Philadelphia, Sleepless in Seattle...

A few bad movies and you discredit the actor as a whole? Absurd!

By this measure, George Clooney is probably your least favorite actor after starring in one of the worst films of all time.

Uh, none of those movies are bad.
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: TakingBackSunday on November 18, 2010, 05:18:08 PM: Tom Hanks is awesome, what the fuck
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: Diunx on November 18, 2010, 06:49:01 PM: Quote from: The Sceneman on November 18, 2010, 04:44:53 PM
Forrest Gump, Philadelphia, Sleepless in Seattle...

gtfo! Forest Gump is awesome.
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: Bocsius on November 18, 2010, 08:26:28 PM: Three words: The Money Pit.

:bow Tom Hanks :bow2
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: Great Rumbler on November 18, 2010, 09:18:40 PM: [youtube=560,345]1RtPNdBmVJk[/youtube]
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: The Sceneman on November 19, 2010, 12:03:03 AM: Quote from: Stringer Bell on November 18, 2010, 04:53:22 PM
Quote from: startselect on November 18, 2010, 04:47:43 PM
Quote from: The Sceneman on November 18, 2010, 04:44:53 PM
Forrest Gump, Philadelphia, Sleepless in Seattle...

A few bad movies and you discredit the actor as a whole? Absurd!

By this measure, George Clooney is probably your least favorite actor after starring in one of the worst films of all time.

Uh, none of those movies are bad.

1. George Clooney is shit

2.

Philadelphia - you only like it because it has a powerhouse leading black man in it

Forrest Gump - revolting, saccharine, manipulative garbage

Sleepless in Seattle - rom com chick flick, gay gay gay
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: The Sceneman on November 19, 2010, 12:03:45 AM: Quote from: Stringer Bell on November 18, 2010, 04:46:36 PM
What about Big?

Big is good I'll admit that. So is Saving Private Ryan.

Still, :piss Tom Hanks :piss2
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: Oblivion on November 19, 2010, 12:16:21 AM: Quote from: ManaByte on November 18, 2010, 04:39:01 PM
The difference is that Disney/Pixar doesn't sell their movies based on the voice actors. Dreamworks does. You'll never see a big name star's name over the title of a Disney/Pixar animated movie; but you see it on EVERY FUCKING Dreamworks piece of shit.

This, this and this. Dreamworks relies heavily on star power, whereas Pixar relies on, you know, its movies not sucking. (though there are definitely many instances where Pixar does this too. Like Toy Story 3).

Am I the only one that doesn't like movie/T.V. stars doing VA work? With very, very few exceptions, I've always preferred real voice actors.
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: CrystalGemini on November 19, 2010, 12:49:58 AM: :rock Cast Away :rock

:'( Wilson :'(
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: Raban on November 19, 2010, 01:51:47 AM: Quote from: The Sceneman on November 19, 2010, 12:03:03 AM
Quote from: Stringer Bell on November 18, 2010, 04:53:22 PM
Quote from: startselect on November 18, 2010, 04:47:43 PM
Quote from: The Sceneman on November 18, 2010, 04:44:53 PM
Forrest Gump, Philadelphia, Sleepless in Seattle...

A few bad movies and you discredit the actor as a whole? Absurd!

By this measure, George Clooney is probably your least favorite actor after starring in one of the worst films of all time.

Uh, none of those movies are bad.

1. George Clooney is shit

2.

Philadelphia - you only like it because it has a powerhouse leading black man in it

Forrest Gump - revolting, saccharine, manipulative garbage

Sleepless in Seattle - rom com chick flick, gay gay gay

Out of those movies, I've only seen Forrest Gump, so I can't really say what I think of those films. But I think Tom Hanks is a great actor nonetheless based on the other films I've seen him in, like Saving Private Ryan, The Ladykillers, Catch Me If You Can, etc. etc. Gump was good the first time around, but it is pretty manipulative and cliche and it only gets clearer with each viewing.

Also I like George Clooney. You have a strange opinion, Sceneman.
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: Groogrux on November 19, 2010, 04:48:18 AM: I don't think Tom Hanks is a bad actor at all. Look at these movies and tell me if he did a bad job in them. Some of them are bad movies, but that doesn't make it his fault.

Big
Turner & Hooch
A League of Their Own
Forrest Gump
Apollo 13
Toy Story
Toy Story 2
Toy Story 3
Saving Private Ryan
The Green Mile
Cast Away
Catch Me If You Can
The Polar Express (VA)
The DaVinci Code
Angels & Demons

He's not my favorite actor by any means, but he's a damn good one who gives it a lot. Look at the pieces from that list you don't like. No guy knows if he should watch A League of Their Own or not because they can't decide of if it's a chick flick. Forrest Gump is disliked now because it was overplayed back then and quoted all to hell. The DaVinci Code and Angels & Demons would have been better movies if not for all the moron churches who freaked out over it and the fact that everybody on the planet seemed to have read it before seeing it.

Edit: I'll punch the taint of anyone who tries to tell me that Apollo 13, Saving Private Ryan, Cast Away, or the Green Mile weren't good movies.
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: chronovore on November 20, 2010, 04:11:45 AM: Tom Hanks is A-OK.
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: Olivia Wilde Homo on November 20, 2010, 08:09:00 AM: Evilbore canon states that Tom Hanks is shit. Fortunately this thread title is about Disney (most will avoid) otherwise you'll have the snarky-cunty set piss and moan about Tom Hanks.
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: chronovore on November 20, 2010, 10:44:38 AM: I thought every thread was all about the snarky-cunty pissing and moaning. Hell, even the :nsfw thread is almost entirely whining about how bad the thread is.
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: lennedsay on November 20, 2010, 11:36:54 AM: Bububububut Aladdin was Scott Weinger, "Steve" from Full House!!!
:uguu

spoiler (click to show/hide)
The bird was Gilbert Gottfried.
[close]
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: etiolate on November 20, 2010, 04:38:17 PM: All this Tom Hanks talk and no Road to Perdition?
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: Groogrux on November 20, 2010, 05:21:34 PM: Quote from: etiolate on November 20, 2010, 04:38:17 PM
All this Tom Hanks talk and no Road to Perdition?

Never watched it, so I didn't want to include it in my list without knowing how it was.

Good movie? If so, I'll add it to Netflix.
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: etiolate on November 20, 2010, 05:36:25 PM: Watch it.
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: Oblivion on November 20, 2010, 05:48:01 PM: Quote from: lennedsay on November 20, 2010, 11:36:54 AM
Bububububut Aladdin was Scott Weinger, "Steve" from Full House!!!
:uguu

:o :o :o
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: Fresh Prince on November 20, 2010, 06:23:28 PM: Quote from: The Experiment on November 20, 2010, 08:09:00 AM
Evilbore canon states that Tom Hanks is shit. Fortunately this thread title is about Disney (most will avoid) otherwise you'll have the snarky-cunty set piss and moan about Tom Hanks.
You forgot:
The Beatles
Vagina from the front
Amir0x

Please add more.
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: EmCeeGrammar on November 20, 2010, 06:43:38 PM: Really? I thought I was the only one who thought vagina from the front was lesser appealing.
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: Oblivion on November 20, 2010, 07:46:45 PM: Quote from: Fresh Prince on November 20, 2010, 06:23:28 PM
Quote from: The Experiment on November 20, 2010, 08:09:00 AM
Evilbore canon states that Tom Hanks is shit. Fortunately this thread title is about Disney (most will avoid) otherwise you'll have the snarky-cunty set piss and moan about Tom Hanks.
You forgot:
The Beatles
Vagina from the front
Amir0x

Please add more.

One of those is not like the others.
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: Yeti on November 24, 2010, 02:32:42 PM: Is "vagina from the front" some strange word filter? ???
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: Barry Egan on November 25, 2010, 06:57:24 PM: Quote from: lennedsay on November 20, 2010, 11:36:54 AM
Bububububut Aladdin was Scott Weinger, "Steve" from Full House!!!
:uguu

Oh em gee :o
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: lennedsay on November 25, 2010, 07:38:51 PM: I think Scuttle from Little Mermaid was Buddy Hackett, and Mrs. Potts from Beauty and the Beast was Angela Lansbury. Don't quote me on that though. I'm in a turkey coma.
Title: Re: Since when did celebrity voices become important in Disney/Pixar movies??
Post by: Groogrux on November 25, 2010, 11:51:01 PM: Quote from: lennedsay on November 25, 2010, 07:38:51 PM
I think Scuttle from Little Mermaid was Buddy Hackett, and Mrs. Potts from Beauty and the Beast was Angela Lansbury. Don't quote me on that though. I'm in a turkey coma.

I don't know about Buddy Hackett, but Angela Lansbury is right.