Michael Gambon plays the narrator in the UK version; in the US, it's Chris Parnall from SNL. WHY? Gambon plays Dumbledore, it's not like Americans can't understand his accent or something. Why do we ALWAYS get things dumbed down in the States.
Late last night I got an S.O.S. The fairy tale girl's in deep distress
So Dumbledore from "Harry Potter" is replaced with a professional announcer and this is an indication of something being "dumbed down"? Please elaborate.
shareCan you think of another reason why they paid two guys to read the exact same lines? It's not like this is anime, and the original was in Japanese.
Late last night I got an S.O.S. The fairy tale girl's in deep distress
Here's two reasons that I spent a few seconds coming up with: Maybe the US Producers didn't like the voice over. Maybe the US Producers knew a voice over actor who needed work.
shareChris Parnell isn't the announcer for SNL, that would be Don Pardo. Chris is just a regular comedian.
shareI could not agree more. I am wondering if the narration was rewritten for the US version, as well. I hope to acquire the UK dvd releasing 11/2009 which will hopefully have Gambone as narrator, to see if narration is the same and to enjoy his velvety voice saying hilariously stupid things!
shareI watched this first time round on the Beeb so of course we had Gambon. They're repeating it on Dave at the moment, just caught an episode and they're showing it with the American Narrator. The reason for this, I assume, is because Dave is part owned by BBC Worldwide so will have been provided with the same version shipped abroad. It really sounds awful without Gambon. No discredit to the VO artist but it sounds hackneyed and cheap. I'm sue thats what he's going for on purpose but its just an easy gag that wears thin, whereas Gambon was so much funnier as he did his narration completely straight and made the thing feel rich and epic. Much better with Gambon
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