Tim Allen, Toy Story II (1999)
John Lasseter could have cast a “real” action-movie star as Buzz Lightyear, action-figure toy; but he needed a sweet doltishness that was nicely vocalized by Allen, who starred as a not-as-smart-as-he-thinks-he-is Mr. Fix-it on TV’s Home Improvement. There’s a tinny tone to Allen’s heroic declarations, suggesting an emptiness inside, at least inside the skull. In the first Toy Story sequel (another is due out next year), Buzz leads a commando squad to find the kidnapped Woody — he’s finally on the kind of mission he was born, or rather built, to carry out. In true action-hero form, Buzz also has paternity issues. In a tense chat with the space villain Emperor Zurg, Buzz intones: “I’ll never give in. You killed my father!” Zurg replies, “No, Buzz. I amyour father!” To which Allen-Buzz screams an incredible, Oedipal, “Noooooooooo!”
Next: Mary Gibbs, Monsters, Inc. (2001)
Mastering the Art of Vocals
- Tom Hanks, Toy Story (1995)
- John Ratzenberger, A Bug's Life (1998)
- Tim Allen, Toy Story II (1999)
- Mary Gibbs, Monsters, Inc. (2001)
- Ellen DeGeneres, Finding Nemo (2003)
- Brad Bird, The Incredibles (2004)
- Paul Newman, Cars (2006)
- Patton Oswalt, Ratatouille (2007)
- Ben Burtt, WALL-E (2008)
- Bob Peterson, Up (2009)
- Timothy Dalton, Toy Story 3 (2010)
