A Defense and History of Voice-Over Narration
March 13th, 2005
Voice-over narration has existed since the beginnings of cinema and has been an integral part of some of the great masterworks of narrative film, from The Magnificent Ambersons to Double Indemnity to Jules and Jim to Taxi Driver. It spans all genres and national cinemas, utilized in a myriad of distinct styles to complement, clarify, or complicate the filmed story. Yet, despite its ubiquity, voice-over remains a neglected and often reviled technique, considered by many to be antithetical to the true cinematic experience. In this installment of Focus, five noted film writers turn their attention to voice-over narration and its attendant controversies, examining the joys and pitfalls of this contested technique: Sarah Kozloff (author of Invisible Storytellers: Voice-over Narration in American Fiction Film) kicks things off with a condensed history of the topic Criterion is pleased to offer Focus: A Look at Voice-over Narration. > To Read Story
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