Interim Report Re: HP on Audio: Dale v. Fry Taste Test

[Haggridd]

No: HPFGUIDX 17801

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Haggridd" <jkusalavagemd at y...> wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at y..., Amanda Lewanski <editor at t...> wrote:
>  I lean toward Fry just from (a) the snippet I heard online 
someplace, (b) the fact  that Ihave not liked Jim Dale from way, way 
back in a Disney movie (Pete's Dragon?), and (c) I want a reading, 
not an interpretation. 
> > 
> > --Amanda
> 
> > 
> But Fry is equally engaging in interpretation as is Dale.  

As I listen further to Fry's interpretation of PS, I have made the 
following observations, in no particular order:

Fry becomes less enjoyable the more ambitious he is in making up 
voices. His Harry is excellent-- better than Dale's-- because it is 
essentially Fry's reading voice.  His Aunt Petunia is poor, as is his 
Minerva MacGonagall.  

Dale's Uncle Vernon is nastier and pettier than Fry's, and more real 
to me, but Fry's Vernon is nonetheless acceptable. 

I prefer Fry's voice for Hermione.  It captures her breathless 
bossiness quite well.  Dale makes her sound too nice too soon.

Irrespective of any authentic dialect issues, I love Dale's Hagrid. 
He is the essential gamekeeper to me and irascible in a nice way. 
Fry's Hagrid sounds too much like a lower class city dweller.

I don't like Fry's Ron at all.  Too high a timbre to his voice, and 
if also interferes with his vocal interpretaions on Ron's dialogue.  
It is his worst voice so far.

I also don't care for Fry's Fred & George.  Dale conveys their 
cheerful criminality and their highly developed and specialized 
senses of humor much better.

Fry recited the Sorting Hat Song very nicely, but he didn't SING it.  
I like that tuneless way Dale does it.

That's all for now.  Any comments?

Haggridd