The Dark Knight Rises Should Batman narrate in the movies?

[The Joker]

I got into a debate about this in another thread, and several people are of the opinion that Batman should narrate in the movies.

Personally, I'd rather not hear Batman narrating his thoughts, as it would be very different actually hearing Batman saying all this stuff, as opposed to just reading it in the little narration boxes in the comics. Two different mediums there. And I don't see Batman as a talker, as opposed to someone like Spider-Man, who's always narrating his thoughts in his movies and cartoons.

So I was just wondering what other people thought about this? Would you like to see Batman narrating in future movies, or do you think it's better that the only time we hear Batman speak, is when he has something to say?

 

[El Payaso]

Please, no.

Even the narration in Spiderman didn't work. I mean, yes, it was there at the beginning and at the end but just for the sake of it, to make it sound cool. But it actually didn't do anything.

 

[blah]

Maybe not so much narrating, as it is thinking for the audience. Like the floating thought boxes you might see in some of his comics. It makes me feel that he's a profesional, I'd like to know that he has a thought process...

 

[IBRAH08]

It could be like Sherlock Holmes in that new movie showing his thoughts or it could be deeper, there are lots of options. Plus, I think the narration would bring us (the audience) closer to Batman and solve the problem that many have expressed that Batman is really not the focus of his movies. Let's have Bruce show us HIS city. I wish all the points both sides made were in this thread...

 

[Two-Face]

No I don't think he should, we haven't seen it last two films so.

 

[Travesty]

No I don't think he should, we haven't seen it last two films so.

Yeah, this thread is kinda screwy. The original debate came up in the "should Nolan continue after B3" thread, and we were talking about narration in a whole different style of Batman-movie, with a different director. This thread, being strictly in the TDK-sequel area, isn't talking about any other movie, it's talking specifically about Nolan's third, which the original idea/debate, was not talking about that, at all.

If you're talking about Nolan's B3, then no. But, if you were talking about what we were ORIGINALLY debating about, with a new style/director, then yes. And if you're talking about the latter, then this debate would be best fit in Misc-Bat section.

 

[Boom]

With that voice?

No thank you.

 

[That-Guy]

I voted "yes" but not for the next movie, if that makes sense. Nolan clearly doesn't want Batman to narrate his trilogy, so for the third Nolan Bat film, I say no narration.

But for future films, I'd love to see it. I love Batman's internal monologue in the comic books and think that it could be great on film, but they have to be careful not to overdo it.

 

[The Joker]

And if you're talking about the latter, then this debate would be best fit in Misc-Bat section.

Just for you, Travesty, I'll do that now.

 

[ChickenScratch]

A thread spin-off? I wonder if this will be as sucessful as the previous, more critically acclaimed thread?

I voted yes. Narration is a tricky thing though, too much and it's silly. Batman's investigative style and the fact that he's not much of a talker to begin with does open it up to narration. Open up his thought process, why not. Worked in Watchmen.

 

[Crook]

With that voice?

No thank you.

Ha, I would hope his conscience voice is at least somewhat normal. I'd die of laughter if he started growling even in his head.

Anyway, as for the question: narrating the movie, no. narrating some of his thoughts, yes.

The difference between explaining his thoughts and motivations through narration, versus spoken word, is the latter comes off as excessively convenient dialog writing. Very rarely are emotions spoken out loud. The less exposition found within the dialog, the better.

 

[itsthebatman]

'It was another wet night in Gotham. Joker had escaped from Arkham leaving a trail of bodies in his wake. A cat burglar was giving Gordon headaches. The lozenge I'd taken earlier still hadn't helped my sore throat, and I still couldn't turn my neck fully in Lucius' latest suit.
Damn, it was going to be a long night.'

 

[Majik1387]

No. Narration is for the blind and unimaginative.

 

[The Joker]

'It was another wet night in Gotham. Joker had escaped from Arkham leaving a trail of bodies in his wake. A cat burglar was giving Gordon headaches. The lozenge I'd taken earlier still hadn't helped my sore throat, and I still couldn't turn my neck fully in Lucius' latest suit.
Damn, it was going to be a long night.'

No. Narration is for the blind and unimaginative.

I wouldn't go that far. But I do think it's taking the easy way out into exploring a character by just having them narrate their thoughts.

 

[Bruce Malone]

"My city screams. I cannot deny her. She is my mother. She is my lover..."

ahhh no I think we've seen it doesn't work well on film.

 

[itsthebatman]

Goodfellas is a good example of where narration works, and, in direct contrast, Casino an example of where it doesn't. Weren't a lot of old films noir narrated? When I read TLH or DV, the impression I got was that those old movies influenced Loeb's writing style (for good or bad; good, IMO).

Narration, as such, is not a bad idea, and would help to make any Bat-movie more Batman-centric. It's HOW it would be executed that determines whether it would work or not.

 

[jmc]

There's an old school of thought that narration in film is a lazy way of story telling, which I tend to agree with because it seems to be over used. Unless it's vital that we know what the character is thinking or that it's essential to the plot, the actions should speak louder than the words. I'm ok with Batman doing narration but only if it's a requirement. As long as it isn't Morgan Freeman doing it, that has become so cliched using him for narration work.

 

[IBRAH08]

No I don't think he should, we haven't seen it last two films so.

But this isn't necessarily for BB3 though, it could be any future movie. So you shouldn't let previous films influence you (at for continuity reasons)

 

[IBRAH08]

Ha, I would hope his conscience voice is at least somewhat normal. I'd die of laughter if he started growling even in his head.

Anyway, as for the question: narrating the movie, no. narrating some of his thoughts, yes.

The difference between explaining his thoughts and motivations through narration, versus spoken word, is the latter comes off as excessively convenient dialog writing. Very rarely are emotions spoken out loud. The less exposition found within the dialog, the better.

Yes! I think this is what most of us pro-narration people are thinking and it is important to clarify. Like narrating his thoughts of how he fights, finding people's weaknesses and some of his detective work too. Could be very cool.

 

[3atman]

the thing I hate about the Miller movies like Watchmen and Sin City is the narration. They try to sound intelligent, cool, and interspective, but instead, it's the punchline of jokes. It's laughable because they try so despirately to be cool, intelligent, and interspective. "The ****es and politicians will look up and shout save us, and I'll whisper....no" who says that?

 

[KalMart]

the thing I hate about the Miller movies like Watchmen and Sin City is the narration. They try to sound intelligent, cool, and interspective, but instead, it's the punchline of jokes. It's laughable because they try so despirately to be cool, intelligent, and interspective. "The ****es and politicians will look up and shout save us, and I'll whisper....no" who says that?

The character does. Or at least that's what they're thinking, apparently. Works sometimes, sometimes not.

And...was Miller involved with Watchmen?

 

[Rodrigo90]

the thing I hate about the Miller movies like Watchmen and Sin City is the narration. They try to sound intelligent, cool, and interspective, but instead, it's the punchline of jokes. It's laughable because they try so despirately to be cool, intelligent, and interspective. "The ****es and politicians will look up and shout save us, and I'll whisper....no" who says that?

This guy

and he's quite cool,IMO.

 

[KalMart]

Plus, in Watchmen, as I recall, it turned out that the narration was also his memoirs which he left for that magazine or what have you, so there's some added significance to it. If there is going to be narration, I'd like it to be like that, at least plot/narrative-wise. Or...for example...if a version of The Dark Knight Returns was done, and Superman were in it...it could be revealed as the parting letter/email to Kent at the end of the film after we think he's dead, or something.

 

[IBRAH08]

the thing I hate about the Miller movies like Watchmen and Sin City is the narration. They try to sound intelligent, cool, and interspective, but instead, it's the punchline of jokes. It's laughable because they try so despirately to be cool, intelligent, and interspective. "The ****es and politicians will look up and shout save us, and I'll whisper....no" who says that?

Dude, rorschach is someone who would say that, it's very in character for him. Did you read watchmen? it's all from his journal.
Everyone complains when random civilians say stupid things in movies (even though that's how most real people talk) and then when some guy who fights crime, in a mask, writes/speaks somewhat eccentrically, people complain again. It's like you can't win. I'm not blaming all this on you 3atman, of course

 

[raybia]

I got into a debate about this in another thread, and several people are of the opinion that Batman should narrate in the movies.

Personally, I'd rather not hear Batman narrating his thoughts, as it would be very different actually hearing Batman saying all this stuff, as opposed to just reading it in the little narration boxes in the comics. Two different mediums there. And I don't see Batman as a talker, as opposed to someone like Spider-Man, who's always narrating his thoughts in his movies and cartoons.

So I was just wondering what other people thought about this? Would you like to see Batman narrating in future movies, or do you think it's better that the only time we hear Batman speak, is when he has something to say?

No but Lucious Fox should