This was a difficult theme this week. There are plenty of films out with narration but to add the fact the narrator doesn't appear was tricky. Last week's new release Hail Caesar! would have been a great pick but I thought I'd go with some others, two of which are from my top 10 favourite films. Don't forget to check out what
Wandering Through the Shelves picked, the blog that started Thursday Movie Picks.
The Royal Tenenbaums
From the moment you hear Alex Baldwin's silky husky voice, you are welcomed into the arms of the strange but almost functional Tenenbaum family. Three genius siblings, a talented mother and the terrible person as the head, plus s few odd balls, old friends and cuckholded spouses to round out the cast. The intro to the film with its prologue and enjoyable opening credits, Alec Baldwin narrates us through the story with ease.
The Virgin Suicides
I half thought about not including this pick, mostly because it is unclear if the narrator actually appears in the story but the actor, Giovanni Ribisi, does not physically appear. The strange and tragic story about 5 sisters in the 1970s who are kept away from society (practically) to the point they literally lock them away in their house, forcing them to commit suicide. On the surface, it may be obvious as to why they did it, but there is a constant mist of mystery surrounding the girls thats never really solved. The narrator acts as another spectator, rather than offering another point of view but its needed to voice the thoughts of those who don't speak. This is the film that I see as Sofia Coppola's winning film, not the over blown Lost in Translation.
Amelie
Another film with a most excellent opening prologue and introduction. The narrator, André Dussollier, gives us, the audience a few facts about key characters and even minor ones too, with light anecdotes accompanied by equally amusing visuals. The narrator is actually intergual to the story of Amelie as she tries to do kind acts for people, as well as fall in love and try to decide what she wants from life. The narrator expresses feelings for the characters in the most deadpan way which I loved.
