The 10 Best Talking Animals in Movies

Top 10 Talking Animals in Movies
Rocket Raccoon from Marvel’s ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy’ (Photo ©Marvel 2014)

It’s no big deal to have talking animals in cartoons. Most of us have grown up with that be it Mickey Mouse or Scooby-Doo. But to make an animal talk in a live action film and have the audience buy it, that’s a whole lot tougher. So let’s look at some animals that have been most convincingly anthropomorphized on film. I’m not including animal puppets that talk such as Kermit or costumed humans as in The Wizard of Oz, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, or Meet the Feebles. Here’s a list of the best talking animals that had to work with live actors.

Top 10 Talking Animals in Movies

1. Francis in Francis the Talking Mule (1950)

I think I have to give credit where credit is due and start with the creature most responsible for the Hollywood’s love affair with talking animals. Francis was not the first animal to ever talk in the movies but he was the first to launch a franchise and make Hollywood think that there was something lucrative in anthropomorphizing animals. He made his debut in 1950 with human co-star Donald O’Connor and went on to make seven films. The character originated in the novel Francis by former Army Captain David Stern III and was voiced in the movies by character actor Chill Wills (who was never listed in the credits, which just said “Francis the Talking Mule… Himself”).

2. Draco in Dragonheart (1996)

I didn’t say the animals had to be real and there is no animal I would rather listen to than Draco in Dragonheart voiced by Sean Connery. Plus he’s a damn dragon, a majestic beast with a noble spirit and a sense of humor. Sample quote: “I merely chewed in self-defense, but I never swallowed.” What’s not to like?

3. Rocket Raccoon in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

When Guardians of the Galaxy was first announced as a live action film, comic book fans cringed. How could they possibly make a wise-ass, genetically engineered raccoon work on screen? The success or failure of Guardians of the Galaxy hinges on whether we buy Rocket Raccoon. The good news is that director James Gunn — along with a team of visual effects artists and voice acting by Bradley Cooper — not only makes Rocket believable, he makes him the heart and soul of the film and audiences are falling in love with him. Here’s how to use CGI the right way.

4. Baxter in Baxter (1989)

Okay this is a little bit of a cheat but this film was so disturbingly good and darkly funny that I had to include it. Technically Baxter (a white Bull Terrier) does not speak in the sense he moves his mouth and words come out, but this homicidal pooch narrates his own story and develops a very distinct personality. The tagline warns: “Beware of the dog who thinks,” and beware indeed. Baxter plots a murderous course through a series of owners until he finally finds a family he likes. This French film was directed by Jérôme Boivin and Baxter was voiced by Maxime Leroux, whose flat, casual delivery made Baxter all the more ominous.

Top 10 Talking Animals in Movies

5. Blood in A Boy and His Dog (1975)

And while we’re on the topic of talking or at least thinking canines, let’s mention one who displays the more traditional trait of loyalty that we associate with man’s best friend. Blood communicates telepathically with his best bud Vic (a very young Don Johnson) in this post-apocalyptic tale based on a Harlan Ellison story. Blood helps Vic sniff out food and female companionship. Character actor L.Q. Jones directed the film and Tim McIntire provided the wise voice for Blood.

6. Babe in Babe (1995)

Talking animals are a frequent gimmick in kids’ movies and for the most part they are usually too cute or calculated for my taste – witness Stuart Little, the live action Charlotte’s Web, Air Bud, and Doctor Doolittle. But Babe is one that I can enjoy and perhaps that’s because it’s an Australian-American co-production and not something cranked out by Disney. Babe is a pig raised by sheepdogs and learns to herd sheep. Hugo Weaving lends his voice talents to the role of the lead sheepdog and all in all the film delivers family fun.

7. Falcor in The Neverending Story (1984)

Sticking with family friendly films is German director Wolfgang Petersen’s first English language film, The Neverending Story. It was loosely based on the fantasy novel by Michael Ende and spawned two sequels. Once again it’s a dragon – this time a luck dragon named Falcor voiced by Alan Oppenheimer — that captured the imagination of a generation of filmgoers.

Top 10 Talking Animals in Movies

8. Iorek Byrnison in The Golden Compass (2007)

The Golden Compass was a weak adaptation of Phillip Pullman’s complex children’s book. It was meant to launch a series of films but was so expensive and so poorly received that it never went beyond the first film. But Iorek Byrnison, a massive polar bear voiced with dignity by Sir Ian McKellan, is one impressive beast. There are quite a few talking creatures in this fantasy film but Iorek Byrnison is the standout.

9. Aslan in The Chronicles of Narnia (2005)

It’s hard to resist a god-like lion voiced by Liam Neeson, even if the film fails to live up to its potential. Neeson gets some able support from Ray Winstone (as a Beaver) and Rupert Everett (as a Fox) in this adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ classic children’s stories.

10. Turkie in Thankskilling (2009)

And let’s end with perhaps the weirdest, most politically incorrect talking animal to ever hit the screen — Turkie from the ultra low budget horror flick, Thankskilling. Director-writer Jordan Downey provides the voice for the lecherous and lethal Turkie that goes on a killing spree. The foul-mouthed fowl has such memorable lines as “Gobble, gobble mother-cker” and “Nice tits bitch.” It’s safe to say Disney will never attempt to remake this.