Voice-Over and Narration
A lot of people have problems with voice-over and narration in films. Countless screenwriting teachers and gurus council their students to avoid voice-over. That it is a crutch. That it is lazy. That it is bad.
I disagree.
I think voice-over is an incredibly powerful tool in the filmmaker’s toolbox. It can be used in a wide variety of ways and it can have a huge positive impact on the experience of watching a film. I’m sure some people reading this are already cringing, holding firm to their belief that voice-over is bad. Hopefully I can end that now, by listing some wonderful films that contain and rely on various voice-over techniques:
- Citizen Kane
- Casablanca
- Sunset Blvd
- About a Boy
- Manhattan
- Election
- Taxi Driver
- American Beauty
- Adaptation
- Fight Club
- Forrest Gump
- Goodfellas
- A Clockwork Orange
- The Shawshank Redemption
- Big Fish
- There’s Something About Mary
- The Big Lebowski
- To Kill a Mockingbird
- Memento
- The Royal Tenenbaums
- Inglourious Basterds
- Badlands
- Trainspotting
- Dark City
- City of God
- Apocalypse Now
- Babe
- Stand By Me
- Fellowship of the Ring
- The Prestige
- Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
- A Christmas Story
- The Jerk
- Sophie’s Choice
- Moulin Rouge
- Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
- Brief Encounter
How can you look at that list and then say voice-over is inherently bad? What are your favorite films with voice-over?
