BIG FUCKING EXPLOSIONS

I love movie trailers. More often than not, the trailer is better than the picture its self. In two to three minutes, Ryan Reynolds can impress me as an action hero and I do not have to spend the 14 bucks and actually watch the film. I see the explosions, the car chases, wacky shoot outs and maybe one or two of the cool one liners provided by the villains without having to sit through the boring tedious moments where action movie star Ryan Reynolds emotes and flirt with the female co star.  What the trailers of today are missing the most is the voice over. Sure, there are voiceovers in trailers and TV commercials of today, but their work just lacks a certain quality to them.

Here’s a list of some of the best voiceover artists and some of the better work.

Don LaFontaine is perhaps the best-known voiceover artist in the world of movie trailers simply because LaFontaine promoted the shit out of himself. LaFontaine appeared on any show that would have him as “The Voice.” There probably wasn’t a weekend where I did not hear LaFontaine’s voice at the movies.

LaFontaine’s work on the trailer for James Cameron’s Terminator 2: Judgement Day.

Hal Douglas is the other “Voice,” if you will. Same gravely delivery as LaFontaine, but there’s a certain level of detachment to his tone. It’s very easy to confuse the two performers since the voices sound similar and often said the same things, but Douglas’ voice is a bit rough. However, Douglas is perhaps best known for the trailer, Comedian:

Voiceover artists Adolph Caesar and Percy Rodriguez were cut from a same cloth; actors who did voiceover work to supplement their work.

Caesar was primarily known for his work on Blaxplotiation films like The Spook That Sat By The Door:

Caesar’s voiceovers turned the films into happenings and more often than not, a lot cooler than the actual film its self.

Caesar’s voiceover for Slaughter.

Percy Rodriguez, in my personal opinion, was the greatest trailer voice artist of all time. Just listen to the first thirty seconds or so of the trailer for Jaws:

Granted, Rodriguez had one of the greatest scores in the history of cinema to work with, but his reading is just so chilling….

Wes Craven’s Deadly Blessing

-Douglas Reinhardt/Skeet On Mischa