The Voice-Over Bracket, Round 3 -- Day 4
Today, we wrap up the third round of the Disney/Pixar voice performance bracket with two more matchups. Then, it’s onto the Elite Eight.
Let’s go.
(9) John Goodman, Monsters, Inc. vs. (4) Jodi Benson, The Little Mermaid
At this point in the overall bracket, I will freely acknowledge that I was expecting the Pixar performances to do a lot better with voters. I made room in the bracket for Pixar performances because a) I wanted to ensure I had 64 seeds without going too deep into supporting performances from less memorable Disney films, and b) I think a number of them are a good deal better. I’ll wait until the reveal of the actual Top Two to say as much, but my personal Top Two of this bracket? Actors from Pixar films. Not just actors from Pixar films, but but actors whose performances have since been voted out.
I say all of that because on the whole, I may have a bit more affinity for the Pixar voice work than for Disney voice work. And yet…I will be voting against the Pixar performance here. (John Goodman, to note, is the last Pixar actor in the overall bracket, and if he’s voted out — which I figure he will, but I’ve been wrong before — then it’s down to just Disney favorites, most of whom are from the Renaissance era.) Yes, Jodi Benson is deliberately not giving a full performance, in that Ariel isn’t talking throughout The Little Mermaid. But her speaking and singing voice are so striking, with a mix of headstrong rebellion and tender naivete. While John Goodman is very funny in Monsters, Inc., it’s in part because he had Billy Crystal to work with in the recording booth. In some ways, it’s a half-performance all on its own. And I just like “Part of Your World” more.
So I vote for Benson.
(6) James Earl Jones, The Lion King vs. (10) Clarence Nash, The Three Caballeros
Our final vote of the third round. I have my bet as to who’s going to win this one, but I have been surprised by a fair number of matchups lately. I wouldn’t have figured, for example, that Sterling Holloway would make it to the Elite Eight for his work as Winnie the Pooh. Not that he’s not deserving — I did give him the top seed in his section of the bracket. But I figured that an older performance had less staying power than something new.
I mention that because if the photo isn’t enough of a hint, I will tell you that I’m voting for Clarence Nash. James Earl Jones’ voice is instantly iconic, and Mufasa is a wonderful if unattainable father figure. But Mufasa, in his own way, is a one-note character the same way Donald Duck is in The Three Caballeros. I said this in the last round, and I will say it again: the degree of physical difficulty is enough to push Nash over the edge for me. I know how James Earl Jones performs as Mufasa — he just opens up his mouth and lets loose that booming baritone. I don’t know how Clarence Nash ever voiced Donald Duck. It was a magic trick, and one that kept paying off.
Sorry, Mufasa. I vote for Clarence Nash.