"'Narration,' Portions types." or "Inner Monologue"

[portions_for_foxes]

Originally Posted by iheartnihilism

"Fox"?

I know, I didn't want to say anything. Obviously, I go by Portions. I didn't want to go there, but, since you already did, can I just say, "What an asshole!"

[McNally]

American Beauty always weirded me out because I like it a lot, but the original screenplay had a different opening and closing that really turned it into a depressing mess. The director cut them off without telling the writer, and it really fixed it. So it's almost like the movie was good by accident, because Alan Ball's original intent is kinda inscrutable.

Fight Club is another movie with a pile of narration, and they apparently wrote a narration free version of the script, just to try it out. I wish I could track that down, because I have a very hard time imagining how it would work.

[Lambboy]

...

[portions_for_foxes]

I'll have to read American Beauty.

That surprises me about Fight Club. I saw the movie before I read the book, but the narration is such an integral part of both. After reading the book I noticed how Chuck Palahniuk-esque the narration made the movie. I guess it should since it was pretty much ripped from the book.

[portions_for_foxes]

Originally Posted by Lambboy

...

Reminds me of The Office.

[lattaland]

Originally Posted by McNally

Have you seen Adaptation? It was kind of a meta-movie about a guy working on a screenplay, and it has tons of narration, and at one point he goes to a script-writing class where the teacher tells him to never ever use narration. So the narrator's like, fuck. I wasn't crazy about the film, but it had some moments.

Man, I was crazy about that film.
It was the only other good movie Nic Cage has been in.
(of course the other is Wild At Heart) the only great David Lynch film!

[starscream]

Originally Posted by portions_for_foxes

That surprises me about Fight Club. I saw the movie before I read the book, but the narration is such an integral part of both. After reading the book I noticed how Chuck Palahniuk-esque the narration made the movie. I guess it should since it was pretty much ripped from the book.

But Fight Club is direct address, not standard narration. But both are generally awful things in movies. The examples you're getting here are the exceptions, not the rule. And I don't know if this is what you meant in your original post, I hope not, but taken literally it sounds like you want to introduce narration a the three quarter point, which would be absolutely terrible. That's Funny Games territory.

[MonsteroftheId]

Unless the narration is comic you're just debasing your story. If you want to see a perfect example of how narration and inner monologues will ruin a movie just watch 'Dune.'

[unrealrob]

Personally, I'm all for direct narration of inner thoughts, or plot points for that matter. But, it all depends on how it's done.

Although not direct narration, American History X uses a similar narrative device to move the story forward. But, it is integral, and absolutely central within the overall story. Maybe we as the KATG audience would be better judges on your question if you were to provide us with a rough copy of your work, or more likely a little more detail on your project?

How many charaters are you considering using narration for? I would steer clear of having more than 2 or 3 characters narrate a section, depending on how structured your screenplay is.

Lord of the Cock Rings said it best, your screenplay will likely be rewritten close to a dozen times. You know as well as I do that a shitty narrative could really screw up your story; or if it's well written and poorly implemented it would be the same shit, you know? Good luck man.

[Raggety]

It would be interesting to have an aside of interior monologue written in stream of consciousness. A good example of this would be Joyce's Ulysses.