After the three-dimensional modeling and shading of " Toy Story," the even more evolved " Toy Story 2," " A Bug's Life" and " Antz," and the amazing effects in " Dinosaur," "Shrek" unveils creatures who have been designed from the inside out, so that their skin, muscles and fat move upon their bones instead of seeming like a single unit. Much will be written about the movie's technical expertise, and indeed every summer seems to bring another breakthrough on the animation front. Murphy in particular has emerged as a star of the voice-over genre. Their vocal performances are nicely suited to the characters, although Myers' infatuation with his Scottish brogue reportedly had to be toned down.
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Now they are starring roles with fat paychecks, and the ads for "Shrek" use big letters to trumpet the names of Myers, Murphy, Cameron Diaz (Fiona) and John Lithgow (Farquaad).
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Voice-overs for animated movies were once, except for the annual Disney classic, quickie jobs that actors took if they were out of work. And all along the way, asides and puns, in-jokes and contemporary references, and countless references to other movies. When Shrek and the Donkey get inside, there are exuberant action scenes that whirl madly through interior spaces, and revelations about the dragon no one could have guessed. (The trick isn't that he talks, Shrek observes "the trick is to get him to shut up.") The expedition to the castle of the Princess involves a suspension bridge above a flaming abyss, and the castle's interior is piled high with the bones of the dragon's previous challengers. On his mission, Shrek is joined by a donkey named the Donkey, whose running commentary, voiced by Eddie Murphy, provides some of the movie's best laughs. He hires Shrek to attempt the mission, which Shrek is happy to do, providing the loathsome fairy-tale creatures are banished and his swamp returned to its dismal solitude. (Farquaad is said to be inspired by Disney chief Michael Eisner, but I don't see a resemblance, and his short stature corresponds not to the tall Eisner but, well, to the diminutive Katzenberg.) The plot involves Lord Farquaad's desire to wed the Princess Fiona, and his reluctance to slay the dragon that stands between her and would-be suitors. No doubt all of this, and a little dig at DisneyWorld, were inspired by feelings DreamWorks partner Jeffrey Katzenberg has nourished since his painful departure from Disney-but the elbow in the ribs is more playful than serious. He chooses the beauty who has not had the title role in a Disney animated feature. Later, when Farquaad seeks a bride, the Magic Mirror gives him three choices: Cinderella, Snow White ("She lives with seven men, but she's not easy") and Princess Fiona. Many of these creatures bear a curious correspondence to Disney characters who are in the public domain: The Three Little Pigs turn up, along with the Three Bears, the Three Blind Mice, Tinkerbell, the Big Bad Wolf and Pinocchio. He is horrified when the solitude of his swamp is disturbed by a sudden invasion of cartoon creatures, who have been banished from Lord Farquaad's kingdom. He wants only to be left alone, perhaps because he is not such an ogre after all but merely a lonely creature with an inferiority complex because of his ugliness.
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Shrek is an ogre who lives in a swamp surrounded by "Keep Out" and "Beware the Ogre!" signs. Shrek's voice is now performed by Mike Myers, with a voice that's an echo of his Fat Bastard (the Scotsman with a molasses brogue in " Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me").