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There's the prologue for "Ben-Hur" which was narrated by Finlay Currie and scored by Miklos Rozsa, and the opening credits to the miniseries "QB VII" which was narrated by Mark Lenard and scored by Jerry Goldsmith ("QB VII" has no less than three people connected to "Star Trek" - actor Mark Lenard, composer Jerry Goldsmith and producer Douglas S. Cramer).
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The Ten Commandments has lots of voice-over narration (provided by Director Cecil B. DeMille) with Elmer Bernstein providing memorable accompaniment.
Quite a few Disney movies have voice-over narration, a particular favorite of mine being Sleeping Beauty (narration provided by Marvin Miller for the first half of the film) with George Bruns memorably adapting the music of Tchaikovsky.
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There are so many movies with voice over narration, be it a 3rd person narrator or a character telling the story in flashbacks or thoughts.
Personally, I very much enjoy it's done well, as the narration can create another level to the story. I love the "unreliable" narrator, such as Tom Hanks' Colonel Parker in ELVIS or Leonardo DiCaprio's narration in THE WOLF OF WALL STREET, but I also greatly enjoy a "real" narrator, such as Sir Cedric Hardwicke in WAR OF THE WORLDS or Sam Elliot in THE BIG LEBOWSKI (one of my favorites). I especially love that the omniscient narrator in THE BIG LEBOWSKI turns up in between and has a drink with Jeff Bridges.
For me, narration is like any other thing (music, acting, costumes, effects, etc.), it depends on how its done. But then, I don't mind anything that breaks the fourth wall either (if its appropriate).
I love how Kenneth Branagh opened HENRY V, with the Derek Jacobi transferring the story from the stage to the screen. Perhaps because whenever I see a movie or read a story or novel, I approach it with the idea that the author/director etc. is saying "let me tell you a story", so I don't mind it if there is a literal narrator "telling" the story. That's how I see movies anyway: someone is telling me a story.
But of course, narration can also be ill advised.
I did not care for the narration in BLADE RUNNER though (and the movie works better without it), or THE TWO JAKES (just one of the things in the movie that didn't really work).
So if it's done well, I love it, if it's done poorly, you're better of without it. (Same as with film music really. :-) )
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There's the prologue for "Ben-Hur" which was narrated by Finlay Currie and scored by Miklos Rozsa, and the opening credits to the miniseries "QB VII" which was narrated by Mark Lenard and scored by Jerry Goldsmith ("QB VII" has no less than three people connected to "Star Trek" - actor Mark Lenard, composer Jerry Goldsmith and producer Douglas S. Cramer).
Indeed, another epic with a 3rd person narrator is Stanley Kubrick's SPARTACUS.
And speaking of Star Trek, interestingly, the log entries in the original STAR TREK series function basically as character narration.
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LITTLE BIG MAN is generally considered one of the very best examples of voiceover narration, with Dustin Hoffman’s raspy and almost unrecognisable voice (as a 121 year old survivor of the Little Big Horn) adding wry humour or heartbreaking commentary. John Hammond’s score is low key and quite perfect for the film’s sensibilities - this isn’t your typical western with big orchestral score.
Another great example of narration is 11 HARROWHOUSE. From what I understand, Charles Grodin’s very dry and often funny voiceovers were added after the film was finished (and written by him too) when it was felt that the movie just lacked something. It certainly adds to the entertainment value, as does Michael J. Lewis’s excellent score, one of his very best.
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Apocalypse Now
Taxi Driver
Fight Club
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