It's the same bear--Iorek. I actually thought his previous voice was perfect--bears are described as very non-human in the books. I mean, obviously, yes, but in a way that the daemons aren't--the daemos are very much animals that talk like people, and are actually part of people, whereas the bears have a very cold, emotionless quality to them, which is what makes his relationship with Lyra so touching. I mean, he still shows very little emotion, but the fact that he even cares about her at all is amazing for a bear. McKellen's fantastic, but there's just too much nuance and emotion to his voice. Normally you'd think that's a good thing, but... not for one of Pullman's bears.
The thing about the books, also, is that they take place in an alternate-universe Oxford. I don't know if that helps any, but that may have been what you found disorienting.
The Kidman issue is kind of tricky--I know exactly what you're talking about, and I think she'd be a much better actress if she could shed that plastic sort of veneer, but at the same time, she's absolutely perfect for Mrs. Coulter. I think Pullman even said he had her in mind. She could stand to be a little less aware of her own acting, but Mrs. Coulter is very much a glamorous, fakey-fake, two-faced kind of woman.
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branchandroot
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Date: 2007-10-10 01:22 am (UTC)The thing about the books, also, is that they take place in an alternate-universe Oxford. I don't know if that helps any, but that may have been what you found disorienting.
The Kidman issue is kind of tricky--I know exactly what you're talking about, and I think she'd be a much better actress if she could shed that plastic sort of veneer, but at the same time, she's absolutely perfect for Mrs. Coulter. I think Pullman even said he had her in mind. She could stand to be a little less aware of her own acting, but Mrs. Coulter is very much a glamorous, fakey-fake, two-faced kind of woman.