Why Arent' Actors Dubbed In Movie Musicals Anymore?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 12/3/09 at 12:18pm

I just listened to some of the music from NINE and while yes it's nice, it sure doesn't sound as great as it could. Even after hearing Nicole Kidman talk on Oprah about how she wishes she could have sang the songs in the keys they were written, but how she just doesn't have the voice for it, I started wondering why the practice of dubbing wasn't used anymore. It could have done wonders for many of the musicals on screen the past few years, at least for a few actors.

[BrianS]

Posted: 12/3/09 at 12:33pm

There are probably a lot of smaller reasons that are complicated (such as the modern complexity of royalty issues), but I would think three of the major reasons are:

1) Modern audiences are more sophisticated in terms of presentation (though not necessarily content) and would have a harder time with in than in times past.

2) Actors are less likely to allow it after that first actor in a movie musical sang their own part. Now, not to do so looks like a deficiency.

3) The advent of technologies like Auto-Tune have helped make actor's singing voices "passable." I say passable, because I agree that it's still not good enough. Mediocre singing worked for Renee Zellweger in 'Chicago' because it fit the character, but I really don't like their vocal limitations in 'Nine.'

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 12/3/09 at 12:41pm

There are also always rumors that certain people are dubbed and we just don't know about it. I'd heard that a lot of Renee was dubbed in Chicago, but I don't necessarily believe it.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 12/3/09 at 12:53pm

Let's think back to Flashdance for a moment. Jennifer Beals had her dancing "dubbed" and the actual dancer got no credit. She created a real stink about it and everyone ended up looking pretty bad. I have to think that the producers would like to avoid something like that. Yes, it could be argued that they singers could be credited but I think the producers also want to avoid people seeing "Vocals performed by".

[Gobstopper]

Posted: 12/3/09 at 12:56pm

If they got somebody to dub Renee Zellwegger for "Chicago," they must have gotten the exact same singer they had for her song in "Empire Records." I'm pretty sure it's her voice in both. You can't keep a secret like THAT these days (and by these days, I mean "post-Milli Vanilli").

[Eris0303]

Posted: 12/3/09 at 12:58pm

If they got somebody to dub Renee Zellwegger for "Chicago," they must have gotten the exact same singer they had for her song in "Empire Records." I'm pretty sure it's her voice in both.

And in "Down With Love"

[Pgenre]

Posted: 12/3/09 at 1:01pm

Jessica Molaskey did the high note in "All That Jazz" that Renee "sings" onstage for a split-second. I think that's it.

P

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 12/3/09 at 1:05pm

I think besides the fact of ego (its definitely considered something of a dig for an actor to be dubbed) popular music today is a lot different than it was in the 40s-60s. Audiences today aren't exactly reared on Judy Garland, and Jeanette McDonald -- the expectation for what is considered acceptible to today's ear has been influenced by today's popular music, in which having a great musical instrument hardly seems relevent.

Actually, genre, as I understand it that myth is false. Supposedly Molasky has said that she was brought in to sweeten the combined vocal sound of Zeta Jones and Zelwegger on Nowadays and I Move On, but she has said she didn't do any solo dubbing for Zelwegger.

And truth be told that does sound like Zelwegger singing that brief clip, not Molasky.
Updated On: 12/3/09 at 01:05 PM

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 12/3/09 at 1:06pm

Oh, okay. I'd heard different rumblings, but I never really knew (nor really cared one way or the other) that she'd had some help.

I don't care if someone is dubbed or not, as long as the voice coming out of the actor is believable.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 12/3/09 at 1:09pm

Carlotta was dubbed in PotO, and that was the only vocal performance that really satisfied me in the movie.

Honestly, I wish they'd either dub or cast people who can actually sing.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 12/3/09 at 1:10pm

I just remembered a little dubbing "mistake". Minnie Driver was dubbed by a real opera singer in "Phantom of the Opera" and the singer actually appeared in the film as a member of the opera company. This would have been fine had she not sung a solo right before Carlotta came out and sang in the "Poor Fool" scene. She's onstage before the curtain goes up and you notice that it's the exact same voice.

[Gobstopper]

Posted: 12/3/09 at 1:11pm

Furthermore, Renee would have never been dubbed for Empire Records, because she wasn't famous at all then. They could have just found some other cute blonde girl if Renee couldn't sing her little verse. She wasn't RENEE ZELLWEGER then. She was just some young, attractive girl. Hollywood's full of those.

I could see that thing about the one "jazz" being possible though. If I remember right, that note is pretty high, and I don't know that she actually sings that high at any other point in the movie.

[Pgenre]

Posted: 12/3/09 at 1:12pm

Margaret Preece (EDIT: thanks) did the dubbing of Minnie Driver in POTO but Driver sings "Learn To Be Lonely" over the closing credits for real.

Oh, and Scott Wise apparently did some "doubling" of the footwork for Gere in CHICAGO's Tap Dance sequence. No biggie.

P
Updated On: 12/3/09 at 01:12 PM

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 12/3/09 at 1:15pm

I thought Margaret Preece dubbed for Minnie Driver?

Edit: Apparently I've been spelling it wrong all these years. Embarassing.

Updated On: 12/3/09 at 01:15 PM

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 12/3/09 at 1:17pm

Okay, Gobstopper, calm down.

Zac Efron was dubbed in the first high school musical and he wasn't famous then.

[winston89]

Posted: 12/3/09 at 1:32pm

I believe that there was some fuss over Zac needing to be dubbed in High School Musical over him doing his own singing in Hairspray. Citing that the reason why he was doing his own singing in Hairspray and not in High School Musical was because the score of High School Musical was too high for him. When, in actuality that was a bogus claim considering the fact due to the fact that some of the songs that Link sings are higher then some of the ones that he sings in High School Musical.

[morosco]

Posted: 12/3/09 at 1:35pm

Just about any voice can sing with perfect pitch (with a little help from technology).
Watch this amazing example of Auto-Tune

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 12/3/09 at 2:20pm

I'm pretty sure that Zac Efron's vocals were actually mixed with another singer's in the first HSM because supposedly the part was written for a tenor before he was brought on. He does his own singing in the other two HSM films though.

[Timmer]

Posted: 12/3/09 at 2:21pm

I would guess that cost is one factor. These movies are expensive enough to make.

But some musicals could really have ued it. Pierce Brosnan cannot sing. He would have benefitted from dubbing.

[theatredorkny]

Posted: 12/3/09 at 2:47pm

How about casting actors who can actually sing/dance the role? In theatre you don't have the option of being dubbed. You go out and you do your thing. I know film is an entirely different medium but still. Personally even if the singing isn't that great I like knowing that at least the actor gave it a shot. Sometimes it works, others it doesn't (I agree that Pierce Brosnan should never be allowed to sing again). As a director I believe if the actor can't handle the role they should not have been cast in the first place. Just my 2-cents.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 12/3/09 at 3:11pm

I would guess that cost is one factor. These movies are expensive enough to make

The cost of bringing in an a decent ghost singer is probably less the daily craft service bill of most movies.

[Hest882]

Posted: 12/3/09 at 3:18pm

I really don't want to see actors dubbed. I know it was common in years past, but personally when I see an actor I want to experience his performance fully--and that includes his singing, good, mediocre, or bad. I would rather hear a bad singer than feel like I'm watching Milli Vanilli. Ideally, of course, actors would be hired as much for their singing as their looks, acting, or level of fame.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 12/3/09 at 3:23pm

I'm pretty sure that Zac Efron's vocals were actually mixed with another singer's in the first HSM because supposedly the part was written for a tenor before he was brought on.

While doing press for the 2007 film-version of HAIRSPRAY, he admitted that the vocals in HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL (Part 1) were NOT his vocals at all. He does use his own vocals in HAIRSPRAY and the HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL sequels.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 12/3/09 at 3:23pm

Theatredorkny, that would of course necessistate the casting of movie stars who can sing and dance and who are right for the roles. (Sorry, Broadway actors don't sell tickets to 100 million dollar movies).

That has always been a challange except for a few years when MGM actually was grooming musical movie stars.

[JP2]

Posted: 12/3/09 at 3:25pm

So far the only time I've felt that dubbing should have, without a doubt, been done is Brosnan in Mamma Mia. Just god awful.

I have no problems with the voices in Nine, Dreamgirls, Hairspray, Sweeney, CHicago, or any other recent movie musical.