Mini Interview – TOMI: Lair Of The Leviathan (What Does Dominic Armato Think?)

By Marty Mulrooney

After every new episode of Tales Of Monkey Island is released, Alternative Magazine Online of course posts a review. However, what we shall also be exclusively doing is asking Guybrush Threepwood voice actor Dominic Armato a few episode-specific questions every month, so that our readers can get some further insight to accompany the reviews. This month, it is of course all about the third chapter in Tales Of Monkey Island, entitled Lair Of The Leviathan…

Hello again Dom! So what is your overall impression of the third episode compared to the last two?

I love it.  It’s tight, it’s atmospheric, and I feel like we’re really starting to get into some meaty stuff – stuff that might almost seem a little heavy for Monkey Island, but which I think works.  We have some serious dramatic tension building!

The Pyrite parrot has disappeared! Do you miss him?

Let’s just say even the most enthusiastic yes man can overstay his welcome…

Do you think it was a good choice to move the focus away from the typical Guybrush vs. LeChuck storyline towards something more nuanced in Tales of Monkey Island?

Absolutely I do.  I don’t mean to repeat myself, but I think the writers for Tales are taking it in some really interesting directions.  It’s true to the feel of the series, but they’re not afraid to give it a little gravitas.  Well… as much as the term “gravitas” can be applied to Monkey Island.

Murrays back! Are you as happy as I am sure many long-time fans of the series will be?

Totally.  And I finally got to meet and sit in on a session with Denny Delk, so it was a little bit of extra fun for me.  Plus, I love that he played an integral role in the episode’s puzzles and wasn’t treated simply as evil window dressing.  Not that I wouldn’t have been completely thrilled with a little evil window dressing, but it’s particularly nice that they took the time to make him relevant as well as funny.

What was you favorite new character introduced this episode?

I’m going with the manatee.  Big fella’s got personality.

Favourite Pirate Face-Off face combination?

Stinky Crosseyed Meanie.  If only because it looks like Guybrush is incredibly angry at a bug that’s landed on the bridge of his nose.

Funniest part of the episode for you?

It’s always little things.  I love the fact that Guybrush has to carry on a conversation using lines from a manatee tourist phrasebook!  Kills me.

You said in the last Q&A with us that you liked Morgan LeFlay, and were anxious to see how she progresses. What do you think of her now after this episode?

I think her character continues to pick up little layers of depth, which can only be better for the rest of the season.

I assume you play the episodes on a PC, but… do you have the power for the settings to be on full? (Imagine an evil Murray laugh Bwahahaha!) Just curious how you experience the game! 😛

Sadly, no! These days I’m working on a laptop that doesn’t even have a discrete 3D accelerator.  I think I have it on 2 or 3.  But as nice as the eye candy is on the high settings, that’s not what it’s about for me, anyway.  That’s a bonus.

Are you happy or sad knowing that we are now halfway through the series?

Sad and anxious.  Anxious because I can’t wait to see how everybody enjoys the last couple of episodes.  Sad because I’ve been having a blast and I’m not ready to let Guybrush go again.  As I type, I’m sitting in a cafe in Fairfax, CA, preparing to get a good night’s sleep before going in to record episode five tomorrow morning.  I wish this weren’t the last trip I’m making out here.

Will this episode make Manatees sexy again?

They weren’t always?!

Thanks for your time once again Dom! See you next month!

We hope you enjoyed this mini-interview! Don’t forgot to also read Alternative Magazine Online’s Lair Of The Leviathan review here.

You can also see a much longer and more comprehensive interview we did earlier on with Dom here.