4 Cinema

Тематический словарь

Понятие	Определение
feature film	художественный фильм
newsreel	кинохроника
animated cartoon film	мультипликационный фильм
documentary	документальный фильм
popular science film	научно-популярный фильм
travelogue	кинофильм о путешествиях
science fiction firm	научно-фантастический фильм
films in technicolour	цветные фильмы
film-star	кинозвезда
to go to the pictures (movies, cinema)	пойти (ходить) в кино
to direct a film	ставить фильм
shootings	съёмки
producer	продюсер
horror films	фильмы ужасов
black and white film	черно-белый фильм
historical /advertisement film	исторический/рекламный фильм
to star	играть главную роль
to be in the cast	быть в составе исполнителей
to be on the programme	быть в программе
to shoot a film	снимать фильм
director	режиссер-постановщик
to be on	идти (о фильме, спектакле)
cast	состав исполнителей
camera-man	кинооператор
production	постановка (пьесы, кинокартины)
musical	мюзикл
screen version	экранизация
subtitles	титры
editor	редактор
camera operator	кинооператор
sound mixer	звукооператор
sound track	музыка к фильму
show/performance	сеанс
to dub	дублировать фильм
trailer	отрывок из фильма (использующийся как анонс)
the film version of a novel	экранизация романа
wide-screen film	широкоэкранный (фильм)
billboard	доска для объявлений, афиш; рекламный щит
playwright	драматург
mute (silent) film	немой фильм
movie industry	киноиндустрия
performance	сеанс
epic	эпический фильм
script	сценарий
to shoot (shot, shot) a film	снять фильм
non-stop performance	непрерывный сеанс
scriptwriter	сценарист
audience	публика, зрители
mass audience/sophisticated audience	массовый зритель/искушенный зритель

Exercise 1. Answer the following questions.

1. Do you often go to the cinema? Do you prefer the cinema to the theatre? Are tickets to the cinema cheaper than to the theatre?

2. What does a cinema programme consist of? What events do they show in a newsreel? How long does it usually run? What is it followed by? How long does a feature film run?

3. What are travelogues about? Are you fond of them?

4. Are popular science films to your taste? Do you find them interesting or dull?

5. Animated cartoons are very amusing, aren't they? Who was the father of the animated cartoon films? Have you seen any of them? What were they?

6. What was the last film you saw? Is it still on? Where is it on? Is it very popular with the public? Did you enjoy it? Who was in the cast?

7. Who is you favourite actor (actress, film director, camera-man)?

8. Do you know any Russian films which won International Prizes? Where and when? Whose productions were they?

Exercise 2. Read the text paying attention to the key words. Find answers to the following questions.

1. Who were the inventors of cinema?

3. Why did people run out of cinema during the first Lumiere brothers film?

4. Why did the Americans do so well in film production?

5. When did the first sound film appear?

6. What town of the USA is considered the centre of the national film industry? Where is it?

7. What are the contemporary trends in motion pictures in the United States?

8. What is a favourite pastime in England? What kind of films do British cinema-goers see?

9. Who are the members of the film-making team? What are they responsible for?

10. What are the typical features of modern movie-making?

The inventors of cinema were French. The Lumiere brothers gave the first public film show in France in 1895. In that first film a train came towards the camera. People ran out of the cinema thinking it was a real train.

But the United States film industry developed more quickly. The sunlight in Hollywood, California, was good for making films (electric lights were not strong enough.) And from 1914 to 1918 there was a war in Europe. In the 1920s Hollywood made 80% of the world’s films. Of course language didn’t matter, because the films were mute. This was the ‘silent era’ – the era of Charlie Chaplin, Rudolph Valentino, Clara Bow, and Douglas Fairbanks.

Recorded sound ended the silent era in 1927. That’s when Al Johnson spoke and sang in “The Jazz Singer”. The impact on cinema-goers was enormous. They loved “The Jazz Singer” and demanded more and more talking pictures. The studios quickly obliged and by 1930, audiences were up from 57 million a week to 110 million a week. Only 31 years after the Lumiers’ first film-show, modern movies had arrived. Millions of comedies, tragedies, screen adaptations of famous novels, thrillers, epics, historical and horror films, animated cartoons, documentary and advertisement films has been shot in the ‘dream factory’ since then.

Contemporary trends in motion pictures in the United States include movies bent on capturing mass audiences and emphasizing imaginative production techniques rather than content; and an opposing trend toward the use of film as a medium of social criticism or artistic expression for more sophisticated audiences. Recent film stars, such as Jack Nicholson, Dustin Hoffman, Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, Denzel Washington, and Jodie Foster, have tended to be less glamorous (or less glamorously presented) and to portray characters more humanly flawed than their classic Hollywood predecessors, such as Cary Grant, Gary Cooper, and Marilyn Monroe. Other recent trends are the upsurge in the production of American documentaries; films written, produced, and directed by women and people of color; and independent films.

In America the cinema is usually called “ the movies ”. In England the word “ the pictures ” is often used. Cinema-going is a favourite pastime in Britain. People go to the cinema once or twice a month. Cinema-going is more popular in industrial towns in the North of England and Scotland than in the South. However, especially if it is cold and wet outside, many people like to stay at home to watch TV.

Cinemas in England are usually large and more comfortable than the theatres. Often there is a restaurant, so that it is possible to spend some time after or during the performance there. Non-stop performance is widespread in England. It is the system whereby one film is shown continuously throughout a day, with only a very short interval between each showing, and people can come and go whenever they like. Behind the cinema screen there is a stage, so that the building can be used for concerts and other performances.

British cinema-goers see mainly English and American feature films, though many of the foreign films are often shown in London and in the South of the country.

Making a film requires the skills of producers, directors, scriptwriters, camera operators, sound mixers, actors and actresses, set designers, editors, composers and many more. Sometimes a scriptwriter goes to a producer with a complete script. Or sometimes a producer has an idea, and gets a scriptwriter to work on it. Then producers have a very difficult job. They have to persuade everybody else to do a film. They have to pretend that the film is already a success. The role of directors is very important too. The director guides the performance of actors and decides how each scene should be photographed. He retains a responsibility for the quality of the whole picture. The director usually makes about twenty times too much film. So a two-hour film would be forty hours long! The editor chooses the best bits, cuts the film and puts the bits together. One of the last things to go onto the film is the music. The music director watches the film and plays or conducts the music at the same time. The recording of all the sounds in a film is called the sound track.

It is a well-known fact that some films are built around a star. Sometimes the critical of financial success often depends on the actors. If the cast isn’t good the movie may be ruined even if the script is good. That is why all producers of the world try to hire a good cast to be a success then. Filming begins after the script has been approved, the casting completed, the costumes are designed and the location selected. And if all the factors are well-made the film would be a success and all the members of its staff will earn a lot of money.

These days, cinema and television live side-by-side. The movie industry didn’t collapse (as some people predicted). Hollywood has more competition from international film-makers now than ever before. Enormous ‘picture places’ with one screen are being replaced by ‘multi-screen’ cinemas. There are still large studios, but the old ‘studio system’ (with groups of stars working for one company) has disappeared. Modern films have three lives instead of one. First, they appear in the cinema, then on video or DVD, and finally they are shown on TV.

Exercise 3. Ask questions so that sentences given below could serve as answers.

1. The film is on at our local cinema.

2. Many famous film stars were in the cast.

3. The feature film ran for an hour and a half.

4. I like musicals best of all.

5. The public took this film to heart because the problems it touches upon are interesting to everybody.

6. Our seats are in the tenth row.

7. Animated cartoons are very popular because they are funny and amusing.

Exercise 4. Are these statements true or false?

1. The editor is one of the first to work on the film.

2. The producer is responsible for the finance of the film.

3. A ‘talkie’ is a film without sound.

4. The music director watches the film and plays the music at the same time.

5. The director looks through the camera, and operates the equipment.

Exercise 5. Write questions to which these sentences are the answers.

1. I am very fond of thrillers and documentaries.

_________________________________________________________________________________

2. The script was written by H. Cooper.

_________________________________________________________________________________

3. They were showing a new two part film “Without Precedent”.

_________________________________________________________________________________

4. They went inside cinema hall to take their seats.

_________________________________________________________________________________5. No, British cinema-goers see mainly English and American films.

_________________________________________________________________________________

6. No, I never book tickets in advance.

_________________________________________________________________________________

7. She will star in his new film.

_________________________________________________________________________________

8. Contemporary trends in motion pictures in the United States include a trend toward escapism.

_________________________________________________________________________________

9. Yes, cinemas in England are usually large and more comfortable than the theatres.

_________________________________________________________________________________

10. Cinema-going is more popular in industrial towns in the North of England and Scotland than in the South.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Exercise 6. Choose the correct answer to finish the sentences.

1. The person or group or company who finances a film and therefore exercises control over it is the film _______________.

a. director

b. composer

c. manager

d. producer

2. The person responsible for the artistic side of a film is the film __________.

a. director

b. producer

c. artist

d. production manager

3. To be employed in the film industry means ___________________.

a. to be on the stage

b. to be in films

c. to be filmed

d. to screen

4. ‘Movie’ is the synonym of the word “_______________”.

a. film

b. show

c. film music

d. sound track

5. Where was this film _______________?

a. shoot

b. shut

c. shot

d. short

6. The recording of all the sounds in a film is called the _______________.

a. subtitles

b. sound mixer

c. sound track

d. slow motion

7. Tragedy, comedy, historical films, thrillers are types of ________________.

a. horror films

b. feature films

c. silent films

d. documentaries

8. In a cinema you see the film on a big white _________________.

a. blanket

b. sheet

c. script

d. screen

9. The dialogues and the story of the film make its ________________.

a. script

b. sound track

c. screen

d. script writer

10. A film especially intended to arouse fear is a _______________.

a. war film

b. historical film

c. horror film

d. tragedy

Exercise 8. Give English equivalents of the Russian words in brackets.

1. (Экранизация) of the novel "War and Peace" was a great success with (зрителей).

2. It takes a lot of time (дублировать фильм).

3. The work of the (оператора) was excellent.

4. Many (звезды) were in the cast.

5. The film (идет) at the Aurora.

6. Very much depends on the (постановщика) of the film.

7. It's a very old film, it's not dubbed, it's (с титрами).

8. Where can I check up the time of the (сеанса)?

9. (Научно-популярные) films can be very interesting.

Exercise 9. Read the text and translate it.

I'm a great cinema-goer. I see all the best films that are on in Moscow. I prefer feature films though I enjoy documentaries almost as much, to say nothing of animated cartoon films. I usually go to the cinema for the matinee performances. If I want to go to the cinema in the evening I book tickets beforehand.

I always come to the cinema in time. If there is a long time to wait I usually look at the portraits of Russian and foreign film stars hanging on the walls of the foyer, or listen to a little performance that is usually given for the cinema audience in some cinemas of our city.

Next week they are announcing a new film produced by Focus Features. They say it is done very well. I'll be glad to go there. I hope I'll have a good time. This film has been dubbed in Russian and it is done so well that when you watch the close-ups you get the impression that they are talking Russian as the lip movements coincide so well with the Russian script.

I don't like films based on any book. I think it is better if we don't know the plot of a film. I'm fond of serious films but a friend of mine prefers thrillers and musicals. The other day he saw a film. He liked it immensely and said it was one of the best he had ever seen. This very film had a successful run as the cast was good and the plot was thrilling. I made up my mind to see this film and as it is very difficult to get tickets I’ll get them in advance by telephone.

Answer the questions.

Are you a cinema-goer? What is the name of your local cinema? How often do you visit it? With whom do you usually go to the cinema? You prefer the evening performance to the matinee one, don't you? What kind of films do you like best?

Exercise 10. Speak about your favourite actor (actress), using the following words and expressions:

I should like to start by saying that...; to be born in the town (village) of...; his (her) parents were...; to study hard; to be talented; at the age of...; to appear in the film ... for the first time; to star in the film...; to attract smb's attention; there is no doubt about it; to be a success with the audience (film audience); to make a new film (сниматься в новом фильме).

Exercise 11.

Say it in English:

состав действующих лиц в пьесе или в фильме, звуковой фильм, контролер, экранизация романа (рассказа), зрители кино (театра), кадр, художник, декорация в театре (в кино), широко-экранный фильм, поставить пьесу (фильм), кинохроника.

Explain in English:

a sound track, in good time, a close-up, cast, to dub, billboard, to release a film, a cloak-room, a designer, the screen version of a story, to admit, a trailer, "all sold out".

Exercise 12. Act out the following dialogues.

A: Shall we see a film this evening?

B: That would be delightful. I haven’t seen any films for many weeks.

A: There are several movies in my neighborhood which show the latest pictures.

B: Let’s consult the newspaper to see what movies are being shown in town.

A: A splendid idea.

B: At the nearest cinema house they show a film which is considered the best film of the year.

A: My wife and I have already seen it. We enjoyed it immensely.

B: Here is a good programme. They show two main pictures: a French film and an American. I don’t think you have seen them.

A: I have seen neither of them. Shall we be able to obtain seats? That movie house is always full.

B: Seats are not reserved at that movie house, but I am sure we’ll be able to get in. Most likely we’ll have to wait for stall seats. Shall we buy balcony seats, if stall seats are not available?

A: Please don’t. I have seen a film from the balcony. It is too far from the screen. You know my eyesight is rather poor. I wear glasses.

B: The movie starts in ten minutes. There are many comfortable seats in the foyer. We can wait there. After the picture ends there will be many vacant seats.

A: Well, what do you think of the films?

B: I enjoyed both of them. In the French film the actors spoke English with a slight French accent. The acting was faultless. The plot of the English film was extremely interesting.

A: You have said it - I was carried away by the plot, so I didn’t see any faults.

B: I liked the newsreel. Actually I had a lovely evening.

A: Thank you for a pleasant evening. I am planning to go to the opera house with you in the near future.

B: I am all for it.

Exercise 13. Correct the given false statements and give your reasons. Use conversational phrases. Work in pairs. Enlarge the dialogues.

Model:

– Jean didn’t like going to the cinema but she didn’t refuse Robert’s invitation not to hurt him.

– I’m afraid you’ve got it all wrong. She hadn’t been to the cinema for a long time, etc.

1. Jean wasn’t going to accept Robert’s invitation to the cinema.

2. She looked quite calm when Robert met her at the entrance of the cinema.

3. The tickets were rather expensive.

4. The film was a merry comedy.

5. The actors produced little impression on Jean.

6. Neither Jean nor Robert liked the film.

7. While watching the last scene Jean couldn’t help laughing.

Exercise 14. Fill in the missing parts of the dialogue. Use the words from the list below.

No, fear; Oh, bother; or; wrong; just (two times); to quarrel; (to be) cross (two times); Cheer up; to see to something; Come along; because of; Really.

– Be quick __________ we’ll be late for the film, and I hate being late.

– _________ The cinema is ____________ round the corner.

– You’ve got the tickets, haven’t you?

– They must be here. ____________! Where did I put them?

– You and your habits. There’s always something ____________ with you.

– I put them into my bag last night. Don’t be ___________. Let’s not _________ over such a small thing.

– I’m not ____________, but we are always late everywhere __________ you.

– ______________, old man. I’ve found them. Here they are.

– _____________? I _______________ can’t believe my own eyes. Next time I’ll ____________ it that you put the tickets in a place where you can easily find them when they are wanted.

– ________________. There’s only ten minutes left by my watch.

Exercise 15. Put the following phrases in the correct order. Act the dialogue out.

– Would you like to go to the cinema?

– Do you fancy doing something this weekend, Betty?

– What’s on?

– Yes, let’s go to the western. Who is in it?

– There’s a horror film at the Odeon and there’s a western at the Classic.

– Well … something very different. I’m tired of watching TV every weekend.

– I’m not sure, really. Let’s look at the tonight’s paper. There’s usually a weekend Guide.

– John Wayne, I think.

– This sounds interesting.

– Oh, wait a minute. It’s Monday today, isn’t it? I can’t go to the cinema tonight.

– Would you like to go tomorrow?

– Wednesday is fine, I think.

– Yes, fine. But it’s Tuesday, isn’t it? I go to karate classes on Tuesdays.

– Well, what about Wednesday?

• That’s fine by me.

Television

Television is one of the greatest achievements of the 20-th century. It is the most popular part of mass media. Today every family has a TV-set. TV has changed much since the time of itsinvention and so has its role. There have been numerous debates concerning advantages and disadvantages of television. When TV first appeared its main purpose was to give official information to people. It was supported by the government. Now television plays a big role in every civilised society. Today television gives people a possibility to be well informed and enjoy "civilised pleasures." The programmes are various and people have a chance to select what they want to see. Television provides great opportunities for education. There are programmes devoted to specialised subjects. With the help of TV it is possible to learn foreign languages, to know a lot of wonderful things concerning the world flora and fauna. TV teaches the ideals of democracy and political argument. Watching television can be compared with reading books. It provides an outlet for creative talents. By the beginning of the 21-st century TV became a coloured world network. Numerous programmes people can receive by satellite or cable. The choice of the channels ranges from six to twenty. These channels show programmes of various kinds from documentaries, current events and sports to programmes American films and science fiction cartoons. Now this medium of communication allows people to see and speak with each other if they are separated by thousands of kilometres. TV bridges between Russia and the USA once were very popular. They showed that TV was a unifying force and that our planet in reality is a small world. Previously innovations were promoted on TV. TV shocked, surprised and stimulated. It brought ballet, opera, and theatre to big masses of people. It was even in the vanguard of new drama. Moreover, TV can keep children quiet. If they are noisy their mothers turn on the set. If people do not like TV they do not buy it or switch it off.

At the same time there are a lot of arguments against TV. It is said that only three generations have grown up with television, but they managed to forget how to spend their free time without television. Its role is increasing not because it is an entertainer or informant, but because of the grip it has on many people. It is called a "living room monster" or "one-eyed monster." It is established that the biggest viewers are pensioners and housewives. The latter watch TV while their husbands are at work. In total they spend five hours daily sitting before the "boxes." Children watch commercials, horror films or films of violence. TV prevents children from creating their abilities. They get accustomed to TV to such an extent that they watch it all the time. To force their children away from their favourite evening programmes to their homework has eventually become the main problem of the parents of different countries.

Moreover, TV is damaging for health. It has bad effect on the eyes, particularly of children. The physicians proved that if children do not watch TV their eyesight improves. But if children do not watch TV they find themselves without anything to talk about at school, where comedians and singing stars are major topics during breaks between classes. The same is true about some adults. Sometimes TV programmes become the topics of common interest of the people and without, them they have nothing to talk about.

Nowadays some people in our country watch television programmes from about six in the morning to the early hours of the next day. It means that contemporary people for various reasons depend upon television. They watch everything from news and sports reports to dramas, educational and entertainment programmes. Today some people become TV addicts and feel - unhappy if they fail to find another way of passing leisure time. Free time is regulated by television. TV occupies our free time. Instead of going to the theatre or reading books people watch TV. People rush home, gulp food to be in time to watch their favourite programmes. Very often programmes are bad, as TV cannot keep pace with demand. People have stopped reading books and depend on TV pictures. Spoken words become more important that the written ones. TV cuts people from the real world. The virtual world becomes more important. TV is absolutely irrelevant to real living. No surprise that television is often called "chewing gum for men's brains." People become lazy, instead of doing sports they watch TV. Television takes free time of the people. Instead of joining a choir or playing football or reading books people watch various programmes. Dinnertime is often pressed by television if it is not in the kitchen. If people are deprived for various reasons of watching their favourite programmes they feel inconvenience. The best thing is to watch only selective TV programmes and not to be governed by them. Only few people today can live without television. It should be said that television continues to play an important part in the human life despite increasing influence of the Internet, video games and other high-technology sources of information.

- Do you like to watch TV?

- Sometimes I like to watch TV. But I do not spend much time in front of this "one-eyed monster" I watch only my favourite programmes. I like sports programmes and science fiction serials. Football is my favourite sport, so I try not to miss important games that are shown on TV. I am especially interested in the European Football Cup. I also like science fiction. Although I prefer reading science fiction to watching it, I should admit that there is a number of good science fiction movies and serials. Among them are "Star Wars"Star Trek", and "Babylon-5." A couple of years ago "Babylon-5" was shown on TV-6 and I did not miss a single film. Now there are many science fiction and fantasy serials shown on TV, but generally they are not of high quality, so I prefer to spend my free time doing other things.

- What programmes do members of your family like to watch?

- My grandmother likes Latin American "soap operas." These are usually love stories with a happy end. My parents like to watch "Civilisation". This programme is devoted to outstanding personalities and events. It is very informative. They also like documentaries devoted to something unusual.

- What kind of TV is most popular today?

- I think that "reality TV" is very popular today. Millions of people watch "reality TV" series "Behind the Glass" and "The Last Hero." The major advantage of such programmes is that they are not movies based on a strict scenario. Ordinary people find themselves in extraordinary circumstances. "Reality TV" shows the directed real life in which people are competing for a tangible reward. But unlike in real life everything happens quicker. Of course they have to follow certain rules, but generally they are free to behave, as they like. This, I think is most attractive. Nobody knows beforehand the result of the game. It interests people because the game is as unpredictable as the real life. People who watch such programmes try hard to figure out what would they have done in such circumstances. The "reality TV" is substituting all previous programmes such as the "Travellers' Club", "In the World of Animals" because they are static. They set forth the results of the adventures of the cameramen. In "reality TV" everything is dynamic.

- Can you agree with the statement, that if millions of people watch the same programmes, the whole world becomes a "global village"?

- In a way, we can say that the whole world has become a big village. In every country of the world people watch the same programmes. Such programmes as "Who wants to be a Millionaire?". "The Weakest Link" have been invented in Britain but they are popular in the USA and in our country too. People all over the globe have common hopes, fears, and beliefs. Thus it is not surprising that people in Russia like Latin American "soap operas" or British TV games.

TV and Radio.

• BBC¹, ITC², and IBA³

• University of the Air

• “Top of the Pops”⁴

Broadcasting in the United Kingdom is controlled by the British Broadcasting Corporation (ВВС) and the Independent Television Commission (ITС). The ВВС receives its income from the government, but the private companies are controlled by the ITС which replaced in 1991 the IBA.

National radio is controlled by the ВВС, and listeners can choose between four stations. Radio 1 is a pop-music station with news and magazine-style programmes. Radio 2 plays light music and reports on sport. Radio 3 plays classical music, and Radio 4 has news programmes, drama and general interest programmes. There are many local stations, some private and some run by the ВВС. Their programmes consist mainly of music and local news.

The ВВС has two TV channels. ВВС 2 has more serious programmes and news features. There is a break for advertisements about every 15–20 minutes. The IBA is responsible for looking after the regional independent TV companies who broadcast their own programmes and those they have bought from other regions. The most recent independent channel is Channel 4, and it has more specialized programmes than the main channels. In general, people think the programmes offered on British television are of a very high standard. Some people, however, are becoming worried about the amount of violence on TV, and the effect this may have on young people.

TV and radio are also two of the main teaching channels used by the Open University. This “university of the air” allows many thousands of students to study at home for degrees they never would have obtained in the main educational system. They also have to do without sleep as most of their programmes are broadcast early in the morning or late at night.

‘Top of the Pops’ is a programme that has been shown every week on ВВС TV for many years. Each week computers in a number of record-shops throughout the United Kingdom show how many copies of a record have been sold that week. The new chart, issued each Tuesday evening, shows which singles have sold the most copies during the previous week. With this information, the show’s producers decide which songs will be played. Usually it will be those moving up the charts, or the new releases which the disc Jockeys (usually called DJs) think will be ‘hits’. Of course, each week the show finishes with the number one single. Bands either appear live in the studio, or in a video recording made especially to sell the record. These videos have become so important in the last few years that they can help to make a record a hit.

References

1. ВВС = British Broadcasting Corporation _/— Би-би-си, Британская радиовещательная корпорация (радио- и телевещательная компания в Лондоне, находится под контролем правительства: ведет передачи на всю страну и большинство стран мира)

2. ITC _сокр. от the Independent Television Commission — “Ай-Ти-Си” Комиссия независимого телевещания (осуществляет контроль за независимыми телевизионными каналами, которые финансируются за счет рекламы, а также подписки; имеет кодекс стандартов и практики показа рекламы. Создана в 1991 г.)

3. IBA _сокр. от the Independent Broadcasting Authority — “Ай-Би-Эй” Управление независимым радио- и телевещанием (координировало деятельность коммерческих телекомпаний и радиостанций. Было заменено на “Ай-Ти-Си”)

4. ‘Top of the Pops’ — “Самые популярные” (еже-недельная музыкальная телепрограмма с участием солистов и ансамблей поп-музыкантов)