Reepicheep's Characterization
Posted: Dec 01, 2018 5:43 pm
This isn't a thread to talk about the casting of Reepicheep. It's for talking about his overall portrayal. I feel like Reepicheep is one of the hardest characters to get right. Both the BBC series and the Walden movies did some aspects of the character well but others not so...much. I think this can be affirmed by looking at the threads when Eddie Izzard was recast. Some Narniawebbers were really disappointed that he wouldn't be returning. Others were neutral or even glad.
My problems with BBC Reepicheep mainly had to do with the casting. While his dialogue was drawn from the book, I feel like the actor lacked the dignity and courtliness to evoke the character. He mostly came across as really angry. Of course, Reepicheep should be fierce. He's probably the most bloodthirsty good character in the books. But he's also supposed to be really polite and aloof. Like I said, it's hard to hit that sweet spot for this character.
Both the voice actors for Reepicheep in the Walden movies were fine IMO. But the scripts portrayed him as too cynical and self aware for my taste. I mean Reepicheep should be self aware about his status as a mouse; it's a sore point for him. But I feel he shouldn't mention this himself except very delicately. For example, when a shocked Caspian says, "you are a mouse," I don't think Reepicheep should have sighed and said, "I was hoping for something a little more original than that." Instead he should have just give Caspian a death glare. Sort of like that but icier.
To pick one controversial line, a commentator on one of the podcasts objected to Reepicheep telling Pattertwig to "shut up" because he felt it went against Reepicheep's kindness. https://www.narniaweb.com/2018/04/lasar ... /#comments I also object to the line but for totally different reasons. I don't feel like Reepicheep was a particularly kind character in the books. I see him as being very aloof and, like I said, bloodthirsty. The nice things he does are done out of a sense of duty rather than charity. The "shut up" line bothers me because I feel like Reepicheep should use more elaborate and dignified language even when under stress. That's part of what makes him entertaining, the contrast between his small stature and his big vocabulary.
Looking back on what I've written, I'd say that main thing that's been missing from portrayals of Reepicheep has been courtliness. What do you guys think?
My problems with BBC Reepicheep mainly had to do with the casting. While his dialogue was drawn from the book, I feel like the actor lacked the dignity and courtliness to evoke the character. He mostly came across as really angry. Of course, Reepicheep should be fierce. He's probably the most bloodthirsty good character in the books. But he's also supposed to be really polite and aloof. Like I said, it's hard to hit that sweet spot for this character.
Both the voice actors for Reepicheep in the Walden movies were fine IMO. But the scripts portrayed him as too cynical and self aware for my taste. I mean Reepicheep should be self aware about his status as a mouse; it's a sore point for him. But I feel he shouldn't mention this himself except very delicately. For example, when a shocked Caspian says, "you are a mouse," I don't think Reepicheep should have sighed and said, "I was hoping for something a little more original than that." Instead he should have just give Caspian a death glare. Sort of like that but icier.
To pick one controversial line, a commentator on one of the podcasts objected to Reepicheep telling Pattertwig to "shut up" because he felt it went against Reepicheep's kindness. https://www.narniaweb.com/2018/04/lasar ... /#comments I also object to the line but for totally different reasons. I don't feel like Reepicheep was a particularly kind character in the books. I see him as being very aloof and, like I said, bloodthirsty. The nice things he does are done out of a sense of duty rather than charity. The "shut up" line bothers me because I feel like Reepicheep should use more elaborate and dignified language even when under stress. That's part of what makes him entertaining, the contrast between his small stature and his big vocabulary.
Looking back on what I've written, I'd say that main thing that's been missing from portrayals of Reepicheep has been courtliness. What do you guys think?