Thoughts on Narrators

Doog Lord · 08-08-2021, 06:39 AM

Decided to make a thread since I haven't made one in a while, but what do you think of narrators? You know, the ones in films and maybe TV shows. Personally, I believe they are sometimes an unnecessary film element, depending on how they are used. Like in the ending of AI: Artificial Intelligence, The Narrator is announcing almost everything going on near the end, and I feel like some scenes like the one where he is seeing his mother wake up from getting cloned, could have done without a narrator going "He always wanted his mom to say that she loved him blah blah blah." and rather just show us that. I feel it sometimes ruins precious moments like the one I just mentioned, and come off as cliché and lazy. It's in the same vein as a laugh track, the film trying to get you to feel a certain way instead of just trusting you to feel and understand the film. At least in Up, there wasn't a narrator going OH MY GOD HIS WIFE LITTERELY DIED!!!!

during the sad parts. IMO Sometimes a narrator can be used and it works well with the film, but other times... not so much. Anyways, that's my thoughts, let me know yours.

Shaun · 08-08-2021, 11:22 AM

It bugs me Quentin Tarantino randomly starts narrating in the middle of Hateful Eight... throws off the tone of the whole movie

PaytonJerryM · 08-08-2021, 03:21 PM

Imagine narrators exists in real life

Plopilpy · 08-08-2021, 05:12 PM

David Attenborough or David Suzuki = thumbs up!!!

Hans Grosse · 08-12-2021, 09:46 PM

They don't bother me.

PizzaLuigi · 10:25 PM

Most of the time it’s a lazy way to explain things instead of just showing you them in a film

Nixon · 08-12-2021, 10:02 PM

john waters narration in pink flamingos is great

08-08-2021, 06:39 AM	#1
Doog Lord Member Join Date: Oct 2020 Posts: 629	Thoughts on Narrators Decided to make a thread since I haven't made one in a while, but what do you think of narrators? You know, the ones in films and maybe TV shows. Personally, I believe they are sometimes an unnecessary film element, depending on how they are used. Like in the ending of AI: Artificial Intelligence, The Narrator is announcing almost everything going on near the end, and I feel like some scenes like the one where he is seeing his mother wake up from getting cloned, could have done without a narrator going "He always wanted his mom to say that she loved him blah blah blah." and rather just show us that. I feel it sometimes ruins precious moments like the one I just mentioned, and come off as cliché and lazy. It's in the same vein as a laugh track, the film trying to get you to feel a certain way instead of just trusting you to feel and understand the film. At least in Up, there wasn't a narrator going OH MY GOD HIS WIFE LITTERELY DIED!!!! during the sad parts. IMO Sometimes a narrator can be used and it works well with the film, but other times... not so much. Anyways, that's my thoughts, let me know yours.
Doog Lord Member Join Date: Oct 2020 Posts: 629

08-08-2021, 11:22 AM	#2
Shaun Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 17,881	It bugs me Quentin Tarantino randomly starts narrating in the middle of Hateful Eight... throws off the tone of the whole movie
Shaun Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 17,881

08-08-2021, 05:12 PM	#4
Plopilpy Senior Member Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 3,105	David Attenborough or David Suzuki = thumbs up!!!
Plopilpy Senior Member Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 3,105

08-12-2021, 09:46 PM	#5
Hans Grosse Member Join Date: Apr 2021 Posts: 723	They don't bother me.
Hans Grosse Member Join Date: Apr 2021 Posts: 723

08-12-2021, 10:01 PM	#6
PizzaLuigi Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2019 Posts: 1,144	Most of the time it’s a lazy way to explain things instead of just showing you them in a film
	Last edited by PizzaLuigi : 08-12-2021 at 10:25 PM.

08-08-2021, 03:21 PM	#3
PaytonJerryM Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2021 Posts: 311	Imagine narrators exists in real life

08-12-2021, 10:02 PM	#7
Nixon Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 4,293	john waters narration in pink flamingos is great
Nixon Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 4,293