I have always been fascinated with the occult, witches in particular. I would plan my Halloween costumes months in advance, changing them daily (for I have also always been extraordinarily fickle). And in 1993, Disney released a movie called Hocus Pocus.
I loved it. For four years, it was my favourite movie. I watched it religiously every Halloween until I was in eighth grade. And then someone told me that it was supremely dorky, so I sold it at a garage sale. And now I’m majorly regretting it.
Hold your horses, I’m nearing the point.
No, I fully recognize that it is not the best movie ever made, or even in the top quarter, most likely. But it was a childhood favourite. And, more importantly, I’ve recently discovered that the best character in the movie was voiced by the voice actor who currently has my full attention, Mr. Jason Marsden. Yes, that’s right, folks. Binx the Cat and teenaged Max Goof are both voiced by the same guy.
I am absolutely in love with this man’s voice at the moment. And I really can’t tell you why. I’ve been through his filmography several times now, looking for the one that really does it for me, and I’m just not finding it. The main reason he’s one of my favourite actors is the fantabulous performance he turned in as Tino Tonitini on Weekenders (who is, at the moment, my favourite character on one of my favourite shows). But that’s no reason to be enamoured of his voice – it’s the voice of a pre-pubescent boy (and was evidently modulated to be as high as it is). And I just really haven’t seen or heard him in anything else recently enough to have caused this.
All I can think is that there must have been some incidental character somewhere along the line or something that did this, because I’m experiencing almost Jeff Bennett levels of adoration, here.
And in case the voice wasn’t enough, he’s a short little pookie (to steal a description from Captain Chaotica!!’s book), and I just read an interview with him that was terribly endearing. He’s evidently a big Disney fan, prefers animation to live action (which is surprising only because he has been fairly involved in live action, particularly sit-coms), and has a Batman themed room that he painted himself. And he’s interested in other aspects of the industry. His cats are (were?) named Jasmine and Aladdin. And, hey. Dude’s been a Ferengi. You can’t mess with that. Especially when all he has to say about the make up is: “That wasn't hard at all, because I looooove getting into full make-up. I don't find it severely uncomfortable, its part of being an actor, playing dress-up ... I tell everybody, regarding that project, that was the best 14-hour days I ever worked.”
::sigh::
Anyway, his credits. In addition to those roles previously mentioned, Mr. Marsden has been Kovu in Simba’s Pride, Cavin on Gummi Bears, Schnookums from the Schnookums and Meat Funny Cartoon Show, Michael of Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue (another I used to watch a lot but have since taped over), Peter Pan in Fox’s Peter Pan and the Pirates, Garrett Miller of Extreme Ghostbusters, Shere Kahn and Louie in their Jungle Cubs incarnations, Richie Foley from Static Shock, Haku of Spirited Away, several video game characters, and he recently took over the role of Chester on Fairly Odd Parents. And I’m sick of listing stuff, so you can go to IMDb to look up his live action credits :^P
Thanks to Loving Jason for the pictures.
And take a gander at his site: http://itsjasonmarsden.com/ijm/index.htm It makes me chuckle.
Later days!
Created May 18, 2004.
