movie

part 2 & 3

by Dave
Are films a waste of money?

Are movie stars important to a

movie?

Are foreign movies popular in

China?

Is it important that a country has

its own movies?
Are films a waste of money?
No, I wouldn’t say so – just the opposite in fact! There
aren’t many better uses of money – in terms of the
people who pay to watch them (it’s not that much
money for a movie ticket anyway) and for the studios
that go to great lengths to produce them. In the past,
the dominant art forms were novels, paintings, poetry,
and now it is film and television. There’s no better in-
vestment than art because it elevates life in a way that
nothing else does.

Are movie stars important to a movie?

Yes, naturally, though their importance might be dimin-
ishing to some extent. The days of big stars like Arnold
Schwarzenegger are more or less over but great ac-
tors are important. There are actors who I’ll watch just
about anything they are in so that makes a difference
in getting a movie made and publicizing it.
Are foreign movies popular in your country?
Yes, of course, especially Hollywood movies. Though
this trend is on the decline to some extent because
our film industry is developing a lot – the government
has invested a lot and someday our market will be big-
ger than the American one. For the moment, everyone
still loves the newest Marvel action movie or whatev-
er…

Is it important that a country has its own movies?

Yes, absolutely, it’s essential because a well-devel-
oped film industry is key to a well-diversified local cul-
ture and economy. It not only has economic and cultur-
al benefits for the country in question but it also means
that people all around the world can enjoy a greater
variety of different styles and learn about the world
through film. Some of my favorite films are from other
countries and every country seems to have a golden
age of filmmaking – like China had in the 80s and 90s.
What do the words underlined below mean?
Are films a waste of money?
No, I wouldn’t say so – just the opposite in fact! There ar-
en’t many better uses of money – in terms of the people
who pay to watch them (it’s not that much money for a
movie ticket anyway) and for the studios that go to great
lengths to produce them. In the past, the dominant art
forms were novels, paintings, poetry, and now it is film
and television. There’s no better investment than art be-
cause it elevates life in a way that nothing else does.

Are movie stars important to a movie?

Yes, naturally, though their importance might be dimin-
ishing to some extent. The days of big stars like Arnold
Schwarzenegger are more or less over but great actors
are important. There are actors who I’ll watch just about
anything they are in so that makes a difference in getting
a movie made and publicizing it.
What do the words underlined below mean?
Are foreign movies popular in your country?
Yes, of course, especially Hollywood movies. Though this
trend is on the decline to some extent because our film in-
dustry is developing a lot – the government has invested a
lot and someday our market will be bigger than the Amer-
ican one. For the moment, everyone still loves the newest
Marvel action movie or whatever…

Is it important that a country has its own movies?

Yes, absolutely, it’s essential because a well-developed film
industry is key to a well-diversified local culture and econ-
omy. It not only has economic and cultural benefits for the
country in question but it also means that people all around
the world can enjoy a greater variety of different styles and
learn about the world through film. Some of my favorite films
are from other countries and every country seems to have
a golden age of filmmaking – like China had in the 80s and
90s.
aɪ ˈwʊdnt seɪ səʊ I wouldn’t say so I don’t think so
ʤʌst ði ˈɒpəzɪt ɪn fækt! just the opposite in fact! not true at all
ˈbɛtə ˈjuːzɪz ɒv better uses of superior ways to
ɪn tɜːmz ɒv in terms of concerning
ɡəʊ tuː ɡreɪt lɛŋθs tuː go to great lengths to try reallly hard to
ˈprɒdjuːs produce create
ˈdɒmɪnənt ɑːt fɔːmz dominant art forms most popular kinds of art
nəʊ ˈbɛtər ɪnˈvɛstmənt ðæn no better investment than best way to make money
ˈɛlɪveɪts laɪf ɪn ə weɪ ðæt elevates life in a way that nothing the best form of art
ˈnʌθɪŋ ɛls dʌz else does
dɪˈmɪnɪʃɪŋ diminishing weakening
tuː sʌm ɪksˈtɛnt to some extent to some degree
mɔːr ɔː lɛs ˈəʊvə more or less over just about done
ʤʌst əˈbaʊt ˈɛnɪθɪŋ ðeɪ ɑːr ɪn just about anything they are in almost any movie they star in
meɪks ə ˈdɪfrəns ɪn ˈɡɛtɪŋ ə makes a difference in getting a helps to get production on a movie
ˈmuːvi meɪd movie made started
ˈpʌblɪsaɪzɪŋ publicizing marketing
ɒn ðə dɪˈklaɪn tuː sʌm on the decline to some extent not as popular
ɪksˈtɛnt
fɪlm ˈɪndəstri film industry movies being made in a country
ɪnˈvɛstɪd ə lɒt invested a lot put lots of money into
ˈsʌmˌdeɪ someday in the future
ˈnjuːɪst ˈmɑːvəl ˈækʃᵊn ˈmuːvi newest Marvel action movie or new big blockbuster
ɔː wɒtˈɛvə whatever
wɛl-dɪˈvɛləpt well-developed good quality
ɪn ˈkwɛsʧən in question being talked about now
ɔːl əˈraʊnd ðə wɜːld all around the world everywhere
ɪnˈʤɔɪ ə ˈɡreɪtə vəˈraɪəti ɒv enjoy a greater variety of different different genres
ˈdɪfrənt staɪlz styles
ˈeɪtiz ænd ˈnaɪntɪz 80ɛs ænd 90ɛs 1980s and 1990s
θruː fɪlm through film in movies

ˈɡəʊldən eɪʤ ɒv fɪlm ˈmeɪkɪŋ golden age of filmmaking best period for making movies
Remember and fill in the blanks:

Are films a waste of money?

No, I____________________o – j______________________t! There
aren’t many b________________f money – i_________f the
people who pay to watch them (it’s not that much
money for a movie ticket anyway) and for the stu-
dios that g___________________________e them. In the
past, the d_____________________s were novels, paint-
ings, poetry, and now it is film and television. There’s
n_________________________n art because it e__________________
___________________s.

Are movie stars important to a movie?

Yes, naturally, though their importance might be
d_______________g t____________t. The days of big stars like
Arnold Schwarzenegger are m_______________r but great
actors are important. There are actors who I’ll watch
j__________________________n so that m_________________________
________e and p___________g it.
Are foreign movies popular in your country?
Yes, of course, especially Hollywood movies. Though this
trend is o_____________________t because our f______________y
is developing a lot – the government has i_____________t
and s_________y our market will be bigger than the Amer-
ican one. For the moment, everyone still loves the
n____________________________r…

Is it important that a country has its own movies?

Yes, a_____________y, it’s essential because a w____________d
film industry is key to a w_______________________e and econ-
omy. It not only has e_____________________________s for the
country i______________n but it also means that people
a_____________________d can e______________________________s and
learn about the world t____________m. Some of my favorite
films are from other countries and every country seems
to have a g_____________________g – like China had in the
8____________________s.
Describe a movie that you
like

You should say:

When you watched it
Where you watched it
What it was about
And explain why you like it
The movie I’d like to talk about came out the other year and took
the world by storm basically – it’s called Parasite – I’m sure you’ve
heard of it because it won the Best Picture Oscar and was the
first foreign film to do that, I believe. It’s a Korean film, the name
of the director escapes me but I’m a big fan of all his work. I
watched it when it first came out – it wasn’t in theaters because
of the pandemic but I streamed it online from the comfort of my
home. I watched it with a friend of mine, probably over a couple
of sittings. The story is about a girl who gets a job tutoring a rich
kid and then slowly gets her whole family involved in working at
the house – as a driver, a cleaner and cook, etc. – but it has a
comedic tone. The family in question are kind of fun-loving, low-
life, scammers who don’t take themselves too seriously but have
a really close familial bond. They resent – the father especially –
the class distinctions between them and the family they work for.
But it’s not a simple black and white poor equals good and rich
equals bad story – the kind of crowd-pleasing cliché you find in
Hollywood movies. It’s got nuanced, funny, terrific performanc-
es and like all Korean films the cinematography and editing are
top-notch, best in the world probably. It’s actually not my favorite
film of his because it goes on a little bit long but I’d consider it a
flawed masterpiece – still a masterpiece!
What do the words underlined below mean?
The movie I’d like to talk about came out the other year and took the
world by storm basically – it’s called Parasite – I’m sure you’ve heard
of it because it won the Best Picture Oscar and was the first foreign
film to do that, I believe. It’s a Korean film, the name of the direc-
tor escapes me but I’m a big fan of all his work. I watched it when it
first came out – it wasn’t in theaters because of the pandemic but I
streamed it online from the comfort of my home. I watched it with a
friend of mine, probably over a couple of sittings. The story is about a
girl who gets a job tutoring a rich kid and then slowly gets her whole
family involved in working at the house – as a driver, a cleaner and
cook, etc. – but it has a comedic tone. The family in question are kind
of fun-loving, low-life, scammers who don’t take themselves too se-
riously but have a really close familial bond. They resent – the father
especially – the class distinctions between them and the family they
work for. But it’s not a simple black and white poor equals good and
rich equals bad story – the kind of crowd-pleasing cliché you find in
Hollywood movies. It’s got nuanced, funny, terrific performances and
like all Korean films the cinematography and editing are top-notch,
best in the world probably. It’s actually not my favorite film of his be-
cause it goes on a little bit long but I’d consider it a flawed master-
piece – still a masterpiece!
keɪm aʊt ði ˈʌðə jɪə came out the other year as released a year ago
tʊk ðə wɜːld baɪ stɔːm took the world by storm basically was really popular
ˈbeɪsɪkəli
hɜːd ɒv ɪt heard of it know about it
bɛst ˈpɪkʧər ˈɒskə Best Picture Oscar Academy Award
fɜːst ˈfɒrɪn fɪlm tuː duː ðæt first foreign film to do that first movie from another country to
win it
ðə neɪm ɒv ðə dɪˈrɛktər the name of the director escapes can’t remember the director’s
ɪsˈkeɪps miː me name
bɪg fæn ɒv ɔːl hɪz wɜːk big fan of all his work like all his movies
ɪn ˈθɪətəz in theaters in the cinema
pænˈdɛmɪk pandemic Covid-19 stuff
striːmd ɪt ˈɒnˌlaɪn frɒm ðə streamed it online from the com- watched it on a site like Netflix from
ˈkʌmfət ɒv maɪ həʊm fort of my home my apartment
ˈprɒbəbli ˈəʊvər ə ˈkʌpl ɒv probably over a couple of sittings not all at once
ˈsɪtɪŋz
ˈtjuːtərɪŋ tutoring teaching
gɛts hɜː həʊl ˈfæmɪli ɪnˈvɒlvd gets her whole family involved in brings in everyone in her family
ɪn
kəʊmedic təʊn comedic tone funny
ɪn ˈkwɛsʧən in question being discussed here
fʌn-ˈlʌvɪŋ fun-loving like having fun
ləʊ-laɪf low-life not high class
ˈskæməz scammers tricksters, conmen
dəʊnt teɪk ðəmˈsɛlvz tuː don’t take themselves too seri- not self-serious
ˈsɪərɪəsli ously
ˈrɪəli kləʊs fəmiliəl bɒnd really close familial bond tight with each other
rɪˈzɛnt resent angry at
klɑːs dɪsˈtɪŋkʃənz class distinctions differences in wealth
nɒt ə ˈsɪmpl blæk ænd waɪt not a simple black and white poor not just good vs evil story
pʊər ˈiːkwəlz gʊd ænd rɪʧ equals good and rich equals bad
ˈiːkwəlz bæd ˈstɔːri story
kraʊd-ˈpliːzɪŋ kliʃé crowd-pleasing cliché ypical Hollywood story
ˈhɒlɪwʊd ˈmuːviz Hollywood movies American movies
nju(ː)ˈɑːnst Nuanced complex
təˈrɪfɪk pəˈfɔːmənsɪz terrific performances good acting
ˌsɪnəməˈtɒgrəfi cinematography how it is framed, looks
ˈɛdɪtɪŋ editing how it is cut up
ˈtɒpˈnɒʧ top-notch excellent
gəʊz ɒn ə ˈlɪtl bɪt lɒŋ goes on a little bit long continues for too long
flɔːd ˈmɑːstəpiːs flawed masterpiece great movie but has problems
 Remember and fill in the blanks:
The movie I’d like to talk about c______________________r and
took t___________________y – it’s called Parasite – I’m sure you’ve
h____________t because it won the B__________________r and was
the f__________________________t, I believe. It’s a Korean film,
t_________________________e but I’m a b________________k. I watched it when
it first came out – it wasn’t i_____________s because of the p____________c
but I s____________________________________e. I watched it with a friend of
mine, p___________________________s. The story is about a girl who gets
a job t___________g a rich kid and then slowly g________________________n
working at the house – as a driver, a cleaner and cook, etc. – but it
has a c___________e. The family i___________n are kind of f___________g,
l___________e, s___________s who d______________________________y but
have a r____________________d. They r_________t – the father especial-
ly – the c______________s between them and the family they work for.
But it’s n_______________________________________________________________
_y – the kind of c___________________é you find in H_______________s. It’s
got n________d, funny, t________________________s and like all Korean
films the c_______________y and e______g are t___________h, best in the
world probably. It’s actually not my favorite film of his because it
g__________________g but I’d consider it a f____________________________e –
still a masterpiece!
Listening review and practice:

reading review and practice: