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Министерство образования и науки Российской Федерации ФГБОУ ВПО «Нижегородский государственный педагогический университет имени Козьмы Минина» (Мининский университет) Ю.А. Гаврикова THEATRE. CINEMA Учебно-методическое пособие Нижний Новгород 2014 1 УДК 48 (07) ББК 81.432.1 р Г 123 Рецензенты: кандидат филологических наук, доцент О.А. Орлова кандидат филологических наук, доцент. Ю.Н. Зинцова Ю.А.Гаврикова Theatre. Cinema: Учебно-методическое пособие / Ю.А.Гаврикова. – Н.Новгород: Мининский университет, 2014. – 93с. Учебно-методическое пособие содержит аутентичные тексты на английском языке, разнообразные упражнения для систематизации, обобщения активного словаря по темам и обеспечения должного уровня формирования речевых навыков. Данное учебно-методическое пособие предназначено для организации аудиторной и самостоятельной работы студентов III курса, обучающихся по направлению подготовки 050100.62 «Педагогическое образование», профиль подготовки «Иностранный язык и дошкольное образование». Пособие имеет цель формировать все компоненты иноязычной коммуникативной компетенции (языковой, речевой, социокультурной) на материале тем предусмотренных программой 3 года обучения: “Theatre”, “Cinema”. УДК 48 (07) ББК 81.432.1р ©Ю.А. Гаврикова, 2014 © Мининский университет, 2014 2 Содержание Theme 1. Theatrical life ……………………………………………………… 4 Theatrical life in Britain ……………………………………………..... 9 Theatrical life of Moscow ……………………………………………. 25 An actor’s skill ……………………………………………………….. 29 Impressions of the performance ……………………………………… 45 Control questions to theme 1 …………………………………………. 51 Theme 2. Cinema ……………………………………………………………. 61 Encountering directors ………………………………………………… 61 A powerful force of the movies ………………………………………. 64 A talk about the cinema ……………………………………………….. 68 Remakes ………………………………………………………………. 76 The genres the movies ………………………………………………… 77 The history of cinema ………………………………………………….. 79 Supplement …………………………………………………………… 82 Control questions to theme 2 ………………………………………… 87 Reference books ……………………………………………………………. 93 3 Theme 1 THEATRICAL LIFE This vocabulary is a sort of introduction into the topic. It is sure to be incomplete. All the texts and exercises after it enrich the given vocabulary. principal theatres in professional use to produce management on a commercial basis to be on the touring scene full house to strike up = to begin playing to rehearse rehearsal to produce / put on / stage a play to be the first production in the country the treatment of the play to be based on smth (novel, story, play) to be built around smth (realistic / unrealistic happenings) to tackle (touch upon, take up) a problem to be highly problematic a scene is set in France to be up-to-date / acute to be evergreen to be dated / out-of-date the climax of the play to be out of place (about the light, the sound effects) to be of great educational value to broaden one’s scope / spiritual outlook to widen one’s vision to add to the understanding of the world to give food for thought 4 to be made to think to find smth hard / easy to follow to be up to the mark to arouse one’s curiosity / admiration to make an unforgettable impression on smb to worry about the artistic value of smth to go well from beginning to end to contain a passionate vein of romantic lyricism to win unanimously enthusiastic reviews to be truly authentic to be the longest-running comedy to have a long and successful run to contribute much to the success of the play to be dull in places to lack feeling = to be off-colour to lack fantasy to be a bore to grow awkward to fall flat on smb = to leave smb indifferent to be a master of psychological analysis to be a master of intrigue vivid & real characters to act one’s part to perfection to leave a nasty taste in one’s mouth to beat one’s worst to be possessed with stage-fright to be a complete / wretched failure to be in the prime of one’s talent to be in full blaze / talent to burn into one’s memory 5 to stand still fresh in one’s memory as if it were yesterday to appear in the role to play the male/female lead to create a galaxy of characters to act with brilliance, variety and resource to enjoy an outstanding success to draw characters by some means to have genuine wit and vitality to appreciate smb an appreciative audience thunderous / loud / heavy / prolonged /weak / light applause to applaud most wholeheartedly to get little applause to have great applause after each act a dozen curtain calls to take (≠give) curtain calls applause for some actor to greet smb with a storm of applause to burst into ovation to take the house by storm of cries of encore the warmth of reception / attention to step onto the stage to the thunderous applause of her admirers to move (touch) smb to tears to be touched by the actor’s skill and artistry to be full of humour to take smb’s fancy to watch smth with keen interest to watch the performance hardly breathing to be charmed with smth to feel at ease / ill at ease 6 to have / give a good write-up to raise oneself from the position of a beginner to the position of a star to give smb a new star to consult a theatre column in the newspaper to try the box-office at the very last moment to stage classical and modern plays to present a mixed repertoire to be appreciative, responsive, enthusiastic to have a hearty laugh to be greatly impressed by smth to completely forget oneself at times to be dying to see the new staging of… to find the whole performance commonplace to find the whole thing dragged out never to expect the play to be so silly to be a sheer/mere waste of time to feel like walking out audience was (about the whole hall) audience were (people) to be with the audience to be (un)conscious of the audience to arouse great interest and unanimous praise of the public and critics to captivate the audience to hold the attention of the public to grip the audience and to keep it gripped to keep the audience awake / surprised / on their toes / in suspense to identify with a role / to transform into the role / to penetrate deeply into the inner world of…/ to live the life of the personage / to take on the core (essence) of the role 7 a keen ballet- (music, opera) lover (goer, fan) prima-ballerina to lend itself well to dancing (the music) to dance with supreme grace and perfect ease to rise to the summits of choreography to achieve complete mastery of dancing (acting, etc.) technique to have a good ear for music to be able to detect a slightest discord to grate on one’ ears to be in splendid voice to be out of tune to strike up the overture to throw kisses Now have a look how these words and word-combinations can be used. Besides, there are a great number of other vocabulary items which may help you speak on the topics that centre around Theatre and Cinema. Welcome to their magic world. 8 Theatrical life in Britain DRAMA, MUSIC AND BALLET IN BRITAIN The centre of theatrical activity in Britain is London. There are about 50 principal theatres in professional use in or near the West End and some 20 in the suburbs. Most of these are let to producing managements on a commercial basis but some of them are permanently occupied by subsidized companies, such as the National Theatre which stages classical and modern plays in its complex of three theatres on the South Bank of the River Thames. The former Old Vic Company, which was Britain's major theatrical touring company, has now taken up residence in the National Theatre, changing its name to the National Theatre Company. In addition the Royal Shakespeare Company presents Shakespearean plays in Stratford-upon-Avon and a mixed repertoire in London. Outside London there are many non-repertory theatres which present all kinds of drama and also put on variety shows and other entertainments. Recently there has been a growth in the activity of repertory companies which receive financial support from the Arts Council and the local authorities. These companies employ leading producers, designers and actors, and the standard of productions is generally high. Some companies have their own theatres, while others rent from the local authorities. Music of all kinds — pop music, folk music, jazz, light music and brass bands — is an important part of British cultural life. The large audiences at orchestral concerts and at performances of opera, ballet and chamber music reflect the widespread interest in classical music. The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, which receives financial assistance from the Arts Council, gives regular seasons of opera and ballet. It has its own orchestra which plays for the Royal Opera and the Royal Ballet. Both companies have a high international reputation. The English National Opera which performs in the London Coliseum gives seasons of opera and operetta in English. It also tours the provinces. 9 There are several thousand amateur dramatic societies in Britain. Most universities have thriving amateur drama clubs and societies. Every year an International festival of University Theatre is held. (from Britain 1983. Lnd., 1984) Notes: principal theatres in professional use – buildings meant for the performance of plays by professional companies to produce management on a commercial basis – in England (including London) only a few theatres have their own permanent company (they are called repertory theatres) repertory theatres – theatrical companies are usually formed for a season, sometimes staging only one play for either a long or a short run, their managements having previously rented a theatre for them to perform in the so-called non-repertory theatres I. Answer the following questions: A. 1. What is the centre of theatrical activity in Great Britain? 2. Which theatrical companies receive financial support from the Arts Council? 3. What is meant by a repertory theatre? 4. What do you know about the Royal Shakespeare Company? 5. What kind of performances are staged in the Royal Opera House? 6. Arc there many theatres in or near the West (East) End of London? 7. What kind of music is popular in England? 8. Are there any amateur theatres in Great Britain? 9. What leading actors of the British theatre do you know? B. 1. How is the Russian theatre organized? 2. What Russian theatres are best known in Russia and abroad? 3. Is attendance at our theatres high? 4. How many times a month (a year) do you go to the theatre? 5. Are there any amateur theatres in Russia? 10 II. 1. Match adjectives with appropriate nouns Adjectives Nouns theatrical music mixed seasons subsidized authorities professional theatres financial drama chamber societies regular company amateur audiences orchestral support principal concerts local repertoire international run thriving activity short company permanent clubs large use reputation 2. Fill in the gaps with prepositions and adverbs where necessary: a theatre __ professional use to produce management __ a commercial basis to be occupied __ companies to stage __ modern plays to take __ residence __ the theatre to present the play __ a famous theatre 11 to present play __ a famous playhouse to put __ marvelous entertainment a growth __ the activity __ various companies to reflect __ the widespread interest __ classic music to rent accommodation __ authorities to employ __ leading actors to tour __ the provinces to form __ a season to rent __ a theatre 3. You are a beginning actor. Your problem is to decide whether to make your career in a repertory or non-repertory theater. Formulate all possible pros and cons to both variants of solution, using the Oblique Mood Structures Model: If the producer of the repertory theater employed me, I would be in cast of a permanent company. 4. Make up a discussion between two English actors, working at London theatres of different kinds. Discuss advantages and disadvantages of working conditions. Read the following dialogues and make a list of all the words you would associate with visiting the theatre, booking the seats and a slight description of one of the theatrical performances. AT THE BOX-OFFICE - I want four seats for Sunday, please. ~ Matinee or evening performance? - Evening, please. ~ Well, you can’t have very good seats in the stalls. Row F. - Oh, no! It’s near the orchestra-pit. My wife can’t stand loud music. ~ Then I could find you some seat in the pit. 12 - I’m afraid that won’t do either. My father-in-law is terribly shortsighted. He wouldn’t see much from the pit, would he? ~ Hm... Perhaps, you’d care to take a box? - Certainly not! It’s too expensive. I can’t afford it. ~ Dress-circle then? - I don’t like to sit in the dress-circle. ~ I’m afraid the only thing that remains is the gallery. - How can you suggest such a thing! My mother-in-law is a stout woman with a weak heart. We couldn’t dream of letting her walk up four flights of stairs, could we? ~ I find, sir, that there isn’t a single seat in the house that would suit you. - There isn’t, is there? Well, I think we’d much better go to the movies. As for me, I don’t care much for this theatre-going business. Good day! BEFORE GOING TO THE THEATRE Alice: What about going to the theatre on Sunday? The Royal Theatre is doing a new play. Jane: Great! Do you think we’ll manage to get tickets? I know that plays staged by this theatre arouse great interest of the public. Alice: You are quite right, but I've already booked seats by phone. Jane: Oh, it's wonderful! Is it a matinee or an evening performance? Alice. It's an evening performance. I don't like matinees. There are many children attending these performances and they are very noisy. Jane: Where shall we sit? Alice. In the pit stalls. You’d better take opera glasses. Jane: Yes, of course. Shall we meet outside the theatre at 7:15? Alice: It suits me perfectly. Jane: Then it's settled. Good-bye. Words: gallery, interval, lighting, matinee, orchestra-pit, pit, producer, 13 production, the setting of a scene, light and sound effects, a play, properties (props), repertoire, a row, stage-manager, stalls, (theatre-) house, treatment PANTOMIMES Sally: Tony, there’s an advertisement in the local paper saying that the theatre in the High Street is putting on “Cinderella”. I haven't seen a pantomime for years and years. Do you fancy going? Tony: Yes, that sounds good. I don't think I've seen one since I was about fourteen — except for one on ice when I was crazy about skating, and that's not quite the same thing, is it? Sally: No. Ice shows don’t have all the wonderful traditional scenery and that gorgeous theatre atmosphere. Tony: Pantomimes are awfully old, if you think about it, aren't they? I mean with a girl playing the part of the principal boy, all dressed up in tights and tunic. Sally: Mm, and the dame parts taken by men. I've never seen “Cinderella”. I suppose the stepmother and the ugly sisters are the men's parts in that. Tony: Aladdin used to be my favourite, when a comedian played the Widow Twankey. And when Aladdin rubbed the magic lamp an enormous genie appeared. Sally: And the audience booing the wicked uncle, and joining in the singing of the popular songs they always manage to get into the play somehow. Tony: Yes! I wonder how on earth they manage to fit today’s pop songs into pantomime stories. Sally: Well, why don't we get tickets and find out? Tony: Yes, OK. Come on, then. THE PROCESS OF STAGING A PLAY It takes quite a number of people to put on a play. The treatment of a play, the style of the production, the training of the performers depend on the director (also called by some people producer in Great Britain). The stage-manager is the person in charge of the technical part of the production of a play. There are also make-up 14 artists, people who make the costumes, those who design the props and scenery, and, finally, stage hands. The actors taking part in the play are called the cast (cf. the Russian «состав исполнителей»). THE HOUSE The house – the part of the theatre which has a stage and seats for the audience is called auditorium or house (also: theatre-house). The long rows of chairs situated on the ground floor of the auditorium in front of the stage are called the stalls (front rows) and the pit (back rows). The stalls and the pit are surrounded by boxes. There are also some balconies encircling the auditorium on three sides. The lowest of them coming immediately above the boxes is called the dress-circle and the highest (somewhere near the ceiling of the house) is known as the gallery. In most theatres the seats for the audience are separated from the stage by the orchestra- pit. In some theatres, however, there is no orchestra-pit, and the musicians are placed behind the scenes (back-stage). The sides of the stage and the scenery placed there are called wings. I. Find out the meaning of the following words using the picture below: 1. stage; 2. footlights; 3. orchestra; 4. orchestra stalls; 5. pit stalls; 6. box; 7. dress circle; 8. upper, circle / balcony; 9. gallery; 10. curtain II. Read the following and either agree or disagree with the statements. (See the Reminder below): 1. The house is the part of the theatre where the members of the orchestra usually sit. 2. An auditorium is a building or a part of a building in which the audience sit. 3. The audience includes both spectators and actors. 4. When the audience is pleased it keeps silent. 5. We say "the house is full" when not all the seats in the auditorium are occupied. 6. The pit is nearer to the stage than the stalls.7. You 15 prefer seats in the gallery, don't you? 8. Wings are the sides of a stage with the scenery. 9. You wouldn't like to go behind the stage, I believe. 10. The cheapest seats are in the boxes. 11. The most expensive seats are in the orchestra stalls. 12. Students always buy seats in the orchestra stalls. 13. By the cast of the play we mean all the actors belonging to the theatrical company. 14. The role of the producer is not very important. 15. You don't know who Stanislavski was, I believe. 16. It doesn't take many people to produce a play. 13. I believe you clap to show your appreciation of the acting or the play as a whole. Reminder: Beyond all doubt: I should think so: I won't deny it: Most likely: I disagree with you: On the contrary; You are wrong; Just the other way round: Not me! By no means. 16 VOCABULARY WORK I. Translate from Russian into English: 1. Будучи страстным любителем оперы, я бы хотел купить 5 билетов на субботу. 2. Боюсь, места в партере также не подойдут, поскольку моя жена не переносит громкую музыку. 3. Не стоит даже и говорить о местах в ложе, мы не можем себе этого позволить. 4. Я не могу не восхищаться великолепной хореографией танцоров. Они были так убедительны, что мы не могли удержаться от освистывания противных отрицательных героев. 5. Роль режиссера в постановке очень велика, поскольку интерпретация пьесы, стиль постановки, подготовка актеров зависит от него. Именно он в ответе за все детали. 6. Почему бы не заказать билеты по телефону. 7. Я бы предпочел сходить на вечернее представление, поскольку много детей посещают утренники и поэтому в зале слишком шумно. 8. Если бы я не был таким близоруким, мне не пришлось бы брать бинокль во время антракта. II. Fill in the gaps with prepositions where necessary, translate the wordcombinations into Russian and make up sentences with the active grammar: 1. principal theatres … professional use 2. to be let … producing managements … a commercial basis 3. to put … variety shows 4. a growth … the activity … production 5. to rent … a theatre … the local authorities 6. to reflect … the widespread interest … classical music 7. to tour … the provinces 8. to be formed … a season 17 9. to stage … a play … a short run 10. to book a seat … the pit 11. to sit … the dress-circle 12. to care … this theatre-going business III. Insert necessary adjectives from the list below: 1. Ice shows can’t have such … … scenery and that ... theatre atmosphere. 2. It must have been a girl, playing the part of the ... boy, as the ... parts were taken by men. 3. The performance wouldn’t win the universal acclaim but for the pop songs fitted into ... stories. 4. Thanks to ... support from the Arts Council...theatres can afford hiring ... producers, designers and actors. 5. Why not attend a ... performance done by a ... company, arousing usually … interest of the public. Adjectives: traditional, celebrated, pantomime, dame, wonderful, first-night, financial, gorgeous, principal IV. Extend the following, using suggested phrases in brackets: 1. But for the financial support from the Arts Council the standard of productions of repertory theatres wouldn’t be so high ... (leading producers, modern designers and talented actors, to rent playhouses). 2. Music of all kinds – pop music, folk music, brass bands – is an important of British cultural life ... (widespread interest, classical music). 3. There are several thousand amateur dramatic societies in Britain ... (amateur drama clubs and societies). 4. The non-repertory theatres must be quite a different organization from our traditional Russian theatre (to form for a season, temporary). 18 5. It’s no easy matter to decide on a best seat in a house, taking into consideration all the pros and cons. If I were you (boxes). 6. The director is in charge of so many things about a production (treatment, style, training). THEATRES, MUSIC-HALLS AND CINEMAS IN BRITAIN Theatres are very much the same in London as anywhere else; the chief theatres, music-halls and cinemas are in the West End. If you are staying in London for a few days, you have no difficulty whatever in finding somewhere to spend an enjoyable evening. You find opera, ballet, comedy, drama, revue, musical comedy and variety. Films are shown in the cinema during the greater part of the day. The best seats at theatres are those in the stalls, the circle and the upper circle. Then comes the pit, and last of all the gallery where the seats are the cheapest. Boxes, of course, are the most expensive. Most theatres and music-halls have good orchestras with popular conductors. You ought to make a point of going to the opera at least once during the season if you can. There you can get the best of everything – an excellent orchestra, famous conductors, celebrated singers and a well-dressed audience. But, of course, if you are not fond of music and singing, opera won’t interest you. At the West End theatres you can see many of the most famous English actors and actresses. As a rule, the plays are magnificently staged – costumes, scenery, everything being done on the most lavish scale. Choose a good play, and you enjoy yourself thoroughly from the moment the curtain goes up to the end of the last act. Get your seat beforehand either at the box-office of the theatre itself or at one of the agencies. When you go to a theatre, you probably want to sit as near to the stage as possible. But if you are at a cinema, you may prefer to sit some distance from the screen. In fact, I would say the further away the better. 19 VOCABULARY WORK I. Translate from English into Russian: the chief theaters, revue, musical, comedy, variety, stalls, (upper) circle, gallery, conductor, to enjoy oneself thoroughly, to get a seat beforehand, to make a point of going to the opera II. Match the adjectives and nouns; translate the word- combinations into Russian: Adjectives Nouns enjoyable conductors musical singers excellent plays famous evening celebrated orchestra well-dressed comedy III. Imagine as if you were not sure concerning the peculiarity of London theatrical life, thus make up suppositions about the cultural life in London and continue your idea using the str. But for Example: The musical comedy must be one of the most favourite performances in London. But for it full houses wouldn’t reflect the wide popularity of such shows. IV. Substitute the underlined phrases by their synonyms: 1. When in Moscow one finds it difficult to decide which theatre to choose. Newspapers and colour posters tell you what goes at different theaters. Moscow theaters are highly appreciated all over the world. 2. There are special theaters, presenting marvelous performances for children, often visited by adults as well as their offspring. 3. It’s next to impossible to get tickets for a premiere, so you’d better try to book them beforehand. 20 4. But it’s a brilliant idea to enjoy yourself thoroughly watching the acting of a company that interests and is praised by public and critics. 5. No wonder that public is so mesmerized, watching the legendary actors entering the stage and making the public plunge into the enchanting world of imagination. V. Complete the sentences using the suggested phrases in brackets: 1. The West End is known to be the centre of London cultural life, that's why having come on a visit ... (an enjoyable evening). 2. Wishing to enjoy the artistry of the London actors you can choose the seats at a theatre (the stalls, the circle, boxes). 3. If you were a devoted music-lover (to make a point of going...) 4. I can't but jump at the chance visiting opera (an excellent orchestra, famous conductors, and celebrated singers, to get the best of everything). 5. The play left a lasting impression on me ... (to be done on the most lavish scale). 6. Getting the seats at a theatre, choose a seat as near to the stage as possible. If you were at a cinema ... (to sit some distance from the screen). VI. Give definitions to the following words: opera, ballet, comedy, drama, revue, musical comedy, variety, a conductor, scenery, a box-office. VII. Make up a situation using the key-words: to spend an enjoyable evening to make a point of going to... to get the beat of everything celebrated singers and well-dressed audience to be magnificently staged to be done on the most lavish scale to enjoy oneself thoroughly from the moment the curtain goes up... to get the tickets beforehand 21 LONDON THEATRES Now skim through a series of short texts which will guide you through the richly varied world of London’s theatreland and answer these questions: - What stage did Dyaghilev’s ballet company perform on? - What is the second name of the Royal Opera House (ROH)? - Who do these lines belong to: “I want the State theatre to be what St. Paul's and Westminster Abbey are to religion...”? - Who was the first artistic director of the National Theatre (NT)? Where’s the Royal Shakespeare Company's spiritual home? - At what theatre did the drama revolution of 1956 take place? What was the name of the production? 1. London Theatres are steeped in history. The majority of them were built in the second half of the 19-th century, but the history of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, stretches back over three hundred years. Today’s Theatre Royal, with seating for well over 2.000, was opened in 1812. This is the theatre of great actors of the past like David Garrick and Edmund Kean. Dyaghilev's Russian ballet came to Drury Lane in 1913. Since the war, Drury Lane has been the glamorous setting for all the great musicals such as "Oklahoma", "My Fair Lady" and "Hello, Dolly". 2. Two other Theatre Royals, the Opera House in Covent Garden and the Haymarket, have their own special brand of historic magic. At the Haymarket, tea is still served in the stalls on mid-week matinee days. Throughout the twentieth century the Haymarket has had a reputation for outstanding productions of works by contemporary playwrights as well as from the classical repertoire. The Royal Opera House stands almost inside Covent Garden and because of its location as it is usually referred to simply as “Covent Garden”. The first Covent Garden Theatre was built in 1732. It was more a theatre of drama than opera. Yet many of Handel's operas were performed here for the first time. The famous singers Caruso and Chaliapin sang here many times. Now the theatre is busier than ever: it is one of the few well-known opera houses open for eleven months in the year and it employs over 600 people both 22 of the Opera company and the Royal Ballet. 3. In 1938 Bernard Shaw wrote: "I want the State theatre to be what St. Pauls's and Westminster Abbey are to religion – something to show what the thing can be at its best, is what the National Theatre is. The new National Theatre opened its doors in 1976. Since then it has been an undoubted success with the public. The NT is three theatres in one complex: the Olivier, the Littleton and the Cottesloe. The Olivier is similar to the great amphitheatres of Ancient Greece. It is named after National’s first artistic director, Sir Laurence Olivier. Here you can see the best of the classical repertory. In the Littleton there are new plays by leading English playwrights and the best of continental theatre. It bears the name of the first chairman Olivier Littleton. The Cottesloe houses more avant-garde plays. It was named after Lord Cottesloe, first chairman of the South Bank Board. 4. The Royal Shakespeare Company perform modem classics at the Barbican Centre, as well as importing man of the successful Shakespeare productions from their theatre at Stratford-upon-Avon, the RSC’s spiritual home, where Shakespeare is played virtually all the year round. 5. No theatre can survive without new playwrights to feed it. The most important venue for all that is new and experimental in British playwriting over the past thirty years has been the Royal Court. It was here that John Osborne’s “Look Back in Anger” transformed the British theatre in 1956: here also Britain's bestknown modern playwrights such as Arnold Wesker, David Storey, Christopher Hampton and Howard Brenton first came to prominence. The Royal Court is the spiritual home of all aspiring playwrights. Notes Drury Lane ['dru:ri 'lein] – a street in London. Handel, George Frederick (1685 - 1759) – a German-born British composer. the Barbican Centre – a unique development which under one roof provides a combination of facilities for arts and conferences spiritual – of the spirit or soul aspiring (from “to aspire”) – to be filled with high ambition 23 Related Activities Write out from the texts above the names of London's theatres. Imagine you were going to stay in London for a week or so and had to decide on a theatre to visit. Account for your choice. Find a fuller description of one of the theatres in Great Britain and tell your fellow-students about it. Follow Up Activities 1. Buy a postcard view of one of your local theatres. Write a short text about the theatre for your pen-friend. 2. Make up a list, information and guide of your local theatres. I. Translate from Russian into English: уходить в историю (о корнях), тянуться (о времени), мест более чем 2000, особый шарм истории, современный драматург, репертуар (2), изменять, духовный, заимствовать постановки, становиться знаменитым, размещаться. II. Insert the necessary adjectives from the list below: 1. Drury Lane has been the … setting for celebrated musicals. 2. The Opera House in … Garden has its own … brand of … magic. 3. At the Haymarket tea is still served in the stalls on … days. 4. The National Theatre has been on … success with the public. 5. The Olivier offers the best of the … repertory. 6. In the Littleton new plays by … English playwrights are staged. 7. The Cottesloe houses … plays are on, they are new, fresh, unpredictable and … . 8. The Royal Court is … home for all … playwrights. Prompts: leading, aspiring, glamorous, matinee, classical, special, avantgarde, historic, undoubted, experimental, spiritual. 24 Theatrical life in Moscow Read the following text and pick up the vocabulary you will use to speak about theatrical life of your native city (the city you live in). MOSCOW THEATRES When in Moscow, one finds himself in a difficult situation as it is no easy matter to decide which theatre to choose. Newspapers and posters tell you what is on at different playhouses. The repertoires of the theatres usually offer us a wide choice of plays – modern and classical, by Russian as well as by foreign playwrights. There would be no mistake to say that our theatres rank with the best theatres of the world and arouse great interest and unanimous praise of the public and critics. Grown-up people prefer to attend evening performances, while children are admitted only to matinees. There are special theatres for young people, too. Some of them though are frequented by grown-ups as well. This can be said about the famous Obraztsov Puppet Theatre. If you go to the Moscow Art Theatre, the “Sovremennik”, the Vakhtangov Theatre you will have a real treat enjoying the artistry of superb actors and actresses doing the leads. To amuse yourself and have a good laugh you'd better go to the Moscow Satire Theatre. For passionate music-lovers there is the legendary Bolshoi Theatre with its marvellous ballets and magnificent operas. It is always difficult to get tickets for the above mentioned theatres even if you try to book them in advance. But it is especially hard to get tickets for a first-night performance or a production of a celebrated foreign company which has come on tour to our country. In this case tickets are likely to be sold out long before, and you are sure to see a sold-out sign posted up over the box-office. If you have a stroke of luck and manage to get a ticket, in the evening you enter the theatre which is alive and warm with preparation. Soon the last bell rings, the lights go down, the hall plunges into a soft darkness. The conductor raises his baton, the overture sets in, the curtain goes up and the actors step onto the stage, they step 25 into a magic world of art. Answer the questions: 1. What Moscow theatres are mentioned in the text? 2. What theatre would you go to when in Moscow? a. if you wanted to amuse yourself; b. if you wanted to enjoy an intriguing drama; c. if you were a passionate music-lover? Notes on the Text playwright – a person who writes plays to arouse – to awaken from sleep; to excite: to arouse smb's anger/indignation, suspicion, curiosity, criticism E.g. The noise aroused her from her sleep. His manner of speech aroused her indignation. Compare: to rise (rose, risen) (of the sun, moon, stars) – to appear above the horizon; to get up from a lying, sitting or kneeling position; to go, come up or higher, to reach a high(er) level or position. E.g. The sun rises in the East. The wounded man was too weak to rise. The curtain rose. to raise v – to lift up; to move from a low(er) to high(er) level; to cause to rise or appear, to bring up for discussion or attention. She raised her glass to her lips. He raised his voice. He raised a new point / a protest / an objection. to attend vt – to be present at some meeting, performance, lecture, etc. Synonyms: to call (on) – to pay a short visit to someone. to visi – to pay an official visit (of inspection) or to interest to frequent – to go often to some place a matinee n – a performance held in the morning 26 see some place of music-lover n – a person who loves music VOCABULARY WORK I. Choose the right word from the list: attend, call on, visit, frequent 1. Have you ever... New York? 2. Please don't... between 10 and 13 a.m. 3. Which course do you think I should ...? 4. She ... the fashionable shopping centers. 5. If you've half an hour to spare, I'd like ... an old friend. 6. He has been ... her house a lot recently. Are you engaged? 7. The class... a local factory. 8. His lectures were always well.... 9. Music-lovers ... orchestral concerts. 10. I haven't... since we quarrelled. II. Give the translation and the explanation to the words: a repertoire, a playhouse, a playwright, a matinee, artistry, a first-night performance, a baton, an overture, a critic, a box-office, a lead, celebrated III. Translate the word-combinations. Reproduce the sentences from the text where they were used: to be no easy matter to decide, to rank with the best theatres of the world, to arouse great interest, unanimous praise, to attend matinees, to be frequented by grown-ups, to have a real treat, to do the leads, to amuse yourself and have a good laugh, to book them in advance, to get tickets for a first-night performance, to have a stroke of luck, to manage to get a ticket, to step onto the stage, to be on at a playhouse IV. Match the adjectives and the nouns and use the word-combinations in sentences with active grammar: 27 Adjectives Nouns modern praise unanimous actor evening theatre superb plays legendary ballets marvellous operas celebrated performances passionate company magnificent music-lover foreign playwrights V. Fill in the gaps with prepositions: 1. The repertoires ... the theatres offer us a wide choice ... plays – modern and classical, ... Russian and foreign playwrights. 2. Our Russian theatres rank ... the best theatres ... the world. 3. Grown-up people prefer to attend ... performances, while children are 4. admitted only ... matinees. 5. It’s next to impossible to get tickets ... a first-night performance, so 6. try to book them ... advance. 7. The marvelous theatre is famous ... all over the world ... outstanding artistry ... the company. 8. Hardly had the overture set... when the actors step ... the stage. 9. I’ve never seen any production ... the celebrated foreign company, having come ... tour... our city. VI. Answer the questions, using the key-words given in the brackets: 1. What difficult situation would you face if you were a passionate theatre-lover in Moscow? (no easy matter, to be on at different playhouses) 2. What kind of repertoires do Moscow theatres offer? (a wide choice, as well as by 28 foreign playwrights) 3. What is the reputation of Russian theatres in the world? (to rank with, 4. to arouse interest and praise) 5. Would you visit a matinee if you were suggested? (evening performance, to frequent) 6. Are there different types of theatres for different generations? (special theatres, to be frequented by grown-ups, the famous Obraztsov Puppet Theatre) 7. What Moscow theatres would you choose if you wanted to have a real treat? (to enjoy the artistry of superb actors, to amuse yourself, to have a good laugh) 8. What performances would you hardly buy tickets for just before the beginning of the show? (to book them in advance, for a first-night performance, a celebrated company) 9. Why would it be so difficult to get tickets for a show of a famous foreign company, if it came on tour to our country? (to be sold out long before, to book... in advance) 10. What is the atmosphere in a playhouse like? (alive and warm with preparations, to plunge into darkness) 11. How does the performance begin? (to raise one’s baton, to set in, to go up, to step onto the stage, to step into a magic world of art) An actor’s skill. SIR LAURENCE OLIVIER'S INTERVIEW - How has television affected the theatre? ~ Well, its popularity means that millions of people take drama for granted. With hours every week, the viewer can have a bellyful of drama. If you’re going to attract a man and his wife away from their TV set on a winter's night, and hold them to a play in a theatre, you've got to grip them and to keep them gripped. Now you do have certain advantages in the theatre. The telly is perfect for the things that have been specially built for it. But the TV screen cannot give the peculiar condition of the theatre, where we are allowed to get back to life-size people in relation. 29 - Is there a particular hobby-horse that you ride in your work as actor and director? ~ I rely greatly on rhythm. I think that is one thing I understand – the exploitation of rhythm, change of speed of speech, change of time, change of expression, change of pace in crossing the stage. Keep the audience surprised, shout when they are not expecting it, keep them on their toes – change from minute to minute. What is the main problem of an actor? It is to keep the audience awake. - How true is it that an actor should identify with a role? ~ I don't know. I can only speak for myself. And in my case it is not “should”, it's “must”. I just do. I can't help it. In my case I feel I am who I am playing. And I think, though I speak only from my own experience, that the actor must identify to some extent with his part. In “Othello” the passage from the handkerchief scene through to flinging the money in Emylia's face is, pound by pound, the heaviest burden I know that has been laid upon me yet by a dramatist. And Macbeth. Do you know what is the first thing to learn about playing Macbeth? To get through the performance without losing your voice. I. Read the text, think of the interesting questions on Sir Oliver's interview. II. Translate the word-combinations from English into Russian and explain their meaning: to take drama for granted, to have a bellyful of drama, to hold to a play in a theatre, to grip the audience, to keep the audience gripped, to give a peculiar condition of the theatre, to ride a particular hobby-horse in one’s work, to keep the audience surprised, to identify with a role, to speak for himself, the exploitation of rhythm III. Fill in the gaps with prepositions and make up sentences with active grammar: to keep the public ... their toes, to attract audience ... ... their IV, to rely ... 30 rhythm, to take drama ... granted, to hold public ... a play ... a theatre, to change ... minute ... minute, to identify ... a role, to speak ... one’s own experience IV. Complete the sentences, using the given word-combinations: 1. If you are going to attract a man and his wife from their TV set, you’d better … 2. Why not perfect your artistic skills and raise yourself from the position of a beginner to the position of a star, in this case you ... 3. No doubt, the TV screen cannot give the peculiar condition of the theatre, that... 4. The exploitation of rhythm is a particular hobby-horse of Olivier, his idea is ... 5. The main problem of an actor is ... 6. To keep the audience gripped an actor must... _____________________________________________________ to identify to some extent with his part; to keep the audience surprised and to keep them on their toes; to keep them and to keep them gripped; to get back to lifesize people in relation; to hold the audience to your play in a theatre; to keep the audience awake. V. Find the synonyms to the following words: to keep the audience awake to identify with a role true-to-life image splendid (about the performance) VI. Make up a list of advice by Olivier, how to perfect your role SIR LAURENCE OLIVIER Sir Laurence Olivier is world-famous for his outstanding artistic achievement in the theatre and cinema. He directed stage and film productions that are considered the most difficult ones in the world's repertoire. If you saw him on the stage you would understand why he is constantly attracting the best critics’ attention. If you saw him on the screen you would not forget the images he created. In his work as actor and director there is some particular method, or rather his 31 own approach to acting. He relies greatly on rhythm – that is change of speed of speech, change of expression, change of place in crossing the stage, being not so particular about the costume or make-up. He is constantly changing because he wants to keep the audience awake. He wouldn't change every minute if he didn't want the public to respond. In this he follows the advice given many years ago by Feodor Chaliapin to an actor: “Never do what the audience expects you to do.” Olivier is sure that no tricks will make an actor great. He is regarded as a distinguished actor because he has qualities that widen your vision and add to your understanding of the world. These qualities are: thorough knowledge of the play in which he is performing, artistic imagination, physical, intellectual and spiritual strength, a sense of display and an ability to identify with a role, or, in other words, to take on the core of the character. For Olivier identification with a role, a complete transformation into a character is not a “should”, it is a “must”. He can't understand other famous actors who in the middle of their monologues about passion, power, and death are wondering what they would like to have for supper. He wouldn't be able to play if he began to think about such things. Olivier is always interested in what agitates the soul. It may seem curious what he himself says about it: “Even if I were not an actor I would be interested in what agitates the soul. If you want to excite people you should know what makes them respond, what makes them agitated. So when I'm going to play a part first of all I ask myself what kind of man my character is, and what there is about him that might excite people. And if I couldn’t imagine the entire man, the whole mind of title character, if I didn't feel I am that man whom I am going to play, I wouldn’t be able to play”. With such a particular approach to acting it is no wonder that Olivier has created many unforgettable characters, among them – Hamlet, Macbeth, Richard III, Doctor Astrov, Julius Caesar, Titus Andronicus, to mention just a few. As Titus Olivier's terrifying quietness is quiet at the core of a hurricane. His fury is the fury of the storm in his mind. Just as his Lear is associated with the storm wind so his Titus is associated with the sea. When we hear Olivier 32 deliver a speech the impression is that you not only grasp the image in the character's mind, but the pronounced words reveal the reality hidden under the surface of things. To display the character vividly, to make us feel what is happening under the surface, using different, unexpected modulations of the voice, using particular but natural gestures, changing paces and expression, conveying any tiny emotion is a very difficult task for an actor. Olivier copes with it splendidly. His ability to take on the essence of the character is the key to his magic. This ability creates miracles on the stage and on the screen. VOCABULARY WORK I. Translate the word-combinations and reproduce the sentences from the text: an approach to acting, to be particular about one’s costume, to make an actor great, to be regarded as a distinguished actor, to widen one’s vision, to take on the core of the character, to agitate the soul, to make smb. respond, to deliver a speech, to display a character vividly, to take on the essence of the character, to hide under the surface of things II. Match the attributes with appropriate nouns and translate them into Russian and make up the sentences with the Oblique Moods: Adjectives Nouns outstanding achievement artistic characters stage actor distinguished transformation spiritual modulations complete strength entire imagination particular productions unexpected knowledge unforgettable gestures 33 natural emotion tiny approach thorough man III. Complete the sentences: 1. Sir Laurence Olivier is world-famous for... 2. He directed stage and film productions that... 3. He relies greatly on rhythm - that is ... 4. He is constantly changing, because ... 5. Olivier is sure that... 6. He is regarded as a distinguished actor, as he has qualities that... 7. There is a “must” Olivier sticks to, it’s... 8. He supposes that if an actor wants to excite people, he ... 9. Due to his own particular approach Olivier has created ... 10. The most difficult task for an actor is ... 11. The key to Olivier’s magic is ... IV. Fill in the gaps with prepositions and adverbs, where necessary and make up sentences with active grammar. to be world-famous ... achievement, to see him ... the stage or... the screen, to rely ... rhythm and change ... pace ... crossing the stage, to be particular... the makeup, a sense ... display, to identify ... a role, to take ... the core ... the character, a complete transformation ... a character, to agitate ... the soul, to excite ... people, to happen ... the surface, to take ... the essence ... the character, a key ... one’s magic V. Complete the sentences using the prompts in the brackets: 1. Sir Laurence Olivier wouldn’t have become world famous and wouldn’t attract the best critics’ attention, if ... (artistic achievement, 2. difficult film productions) 3. He wouldn’t manage to keep the public gripped, if ... (to rely on rhythm, that is...) 4. If he didn’t want public to respond (to change from minute to minute) 34 5. He wouldn’t be regarded as a distinguished actor, if he hadn’t some special qualities (vision, understanding) 6. If identification with a role, a complete transportation into a character were not a “must” for Olivier, he ... (to agitate one’s soul, to respond) 7. If he couldn’t imagine the entire man, the whole mind of the character, he ... (to create unforgettable images) 8. If the actor didn’t use unexpected modulation of the voice, using particular but natural gestures, he ... (to display the personage vividly) 9. The actor wouldn’t make us feel what is happening under the surface, if … (to take on the essence of the character) 10. But for his ability to identify with a role, the actor ... (to take on the core of the character). VI. Answer the questions: 1. Why does the work of Olivier attract the best critics’ attention? 2. What does the word “rhythm” mean for the actor? 3. What is the main idea of Olivier’s constant changing? 4. What are the qualities that widen our vision and add to our understanding of the world? 5. Why is identification with a role so important for Olivier? 6. Would Olivier be interested in psychology if he were not an actor? 7. What is important for him to create a plausible image? 8. What is the most difficult task for an actor? 9. What is the key to Olivier’s magic? 10. What unforgettable characters did the actor create on the stage? VII. Write out the phrases to describe the most precious qualities of an actor. Describe a successful performance by an actor, who must have all the above mentioned qualities. Being an amateur critic, use modal phrases in order 35 to underline your diffidence. Example: His outstanding feeling of the role must have widened his vision and added to his understanding of the world. VIII. Write out the words, explaining the idea of the phrase “identification with a role”, given in the text. Explain the success of Sir Laurence Olivier, using the Oblique Moods, understanding that but for his particular approach he wouldn’t have become so popular. THEATRE after W.S. Maugham Julia Lambert, a middle-aged woman, is a famous actress. She falls in love with Thomas Fenriell who soon leaves her for A vice Crichton, a young girl wishing to become an actress. Tom asks Julia for a helping hand. Deeply hurt, Julia hides her feelings and decides to revenge on Tom and Avice. For that she talks her husmbcmd Michael, manager of the theatre, into giving Avice a part in a new play so that they could play together. Four hours later it was all over. The play went well from the beginning; the audience, notwithstanding the season, a fashionable one, were pleased after the holidays to find themselves once more in a playhouse, and were ready to be amused. It was an auspicious beginning for the theatrical season. There had been great applause after each act and at the end a dozen curtain calls; Julia took two by herself, and even she was startled by the warmth of her reception. She had made the little halting speech, prepared beforehand, which the occasion demanded. There had been the final call of the entire company and then the orchestra had struck up the National Anthem. Julia, pleased, excited and happy went to her dressing-room. She had never felt more sure of herself. She had never acted with greater brilliance, variety and resource. The play ended with a long tirade in which Julia castigated the uselessness, the immorality of the idle set into which her marriage had brought her. It was two pages long, and there was not another actress in England who could have held the 36 attention of the audience while she delivered it. With the modulation of her beautiful voice, with her command of emotions, she succeeded (by miracle of technique) in making it a thrilling, almost spectacular climax to the play. The whole cast had been excellent with the exception of Avice Crichton. Julia hummed in an undertone as she went into her dressing-room. Michael followed her in almost at once. “It looks like a winner all right.” He threw his arms round her and kissed her. “By God, what a performance you gave.” “You weren't so bad yourself, dear.” “You are the greatest actress in the world, darling, but by God. You’re a bitch.” Julia opened her eyes very wide in an expression of the most naive surprise. “Michael, what do you mean?” “Don't look so innocent. You know perfectly well.” “I'm as innocent as a babe unborn” “Come off it. If anyone ever deliberately killed a performance you killed Avice's. I couldn’t be angry with you, it was so beautifully done.” Now Julia simply could not conceal the little smile that curled her lips. Praise is always grateful to the artist. Avice's big scene was in the second act. It was with Julia, and Michael had rehearsed it so as to give it all to the girl. This was indeed what the play demanded and Julia, as always, had in rehearsals accepted his direction. To bring out the colour of her blue eyes and to emphasize her fair hair they had dressed Avice in pale blue. To contrast with this Julia had chosen a dress of an agreeable yellow. This she had worn at the dress rehearsal. But she had ordered another dress at the same time, of sparkling silver, and to everybody's surprise it was in this she made her entrance in the second act. Its brilliance, the way it took the light, attracted the attention of the audience. Avice's blue looked drab by comparison. When they reached the scene they were to have together Julia produced, as a conjurer produces a rabbit from his hat, a large handkerchief of scarlet chiffon and with this she played. She waved it, she spread it out as though to look at it, she screwed it up, she wiped her brow with it, she delicately blew her nose. The audience fascinated 37 could not take their eyes away from the red rag. And she moved up the stage so that Avice to speak to her had to turn her back on the audience. The author had given Avice lines to say that had so much amused the cast at the first rehearsal that they had all burst out laughing. Before the audience had quite realized how funny they were Julia cut in with her reply, and the audience anxious to hear it suppressed their laughter. The scene which was devised to be extremely amusing took on a sardonic colour. Avice in her inexperience, not getting the laughs she had expected, was rattled; her voice grew hard and her gestures awkward. Julia took the scene away from her and played it with miraculous virtuosity. But her final stroke was accidental. Avice had a long speech to deliver, and Julia nervously screwed her red handkerchief into a ball; the action almost automatically suggested an expression; she looked at Avice with troubled eyes and two heavy tears rolled down her cheeks. The episode lasted no more than a minute, but in that minute, by those tears and by the anguish of her look, Julia laid bare the sordid misery of the woman’s life. That was the end of Avice. “And I was such a damned fool, 1 thought, of giving her a contract,” said Michael. “Why don't you?” “When you've got your knife into her? Not on your life.” I. Having read the text, make a list of facts to prove that a) the play was a success; b) Julia Lambert was one of the greatest actresses of England and a resourceful woman; c) Avice Crichton was a third-rate actress. II. Answer the questions, working with a group mate. Try to describe the action in detail, explain its reasons and consequences. Use active grammar structures: 38 1. Why did Julia feel happy after the performance? 2. What did Michael think of Julia’s acting? 3. Why did Julia pretend to be naive? 4. In what way had Michael rehearsed Avice’s big scene? What was she dressed in? 5. Why did Julia accept this in rehearsals? 6. How did she manage to attract the attention of the audience? 7. Why did Julia move up the stage? 8. Why didn’t the audience laugh when they were supposed to? 9. How did Avice play? 10. What was Julia’s last stroke? 11 Why did Michael give up the idea of signing a contract with Avice? III. What Do You Think? Work in pairs and compare the lists you’ve made. 1. Do you agree that the play was a success? What makes you think so? 2. Do you think Julia to be one of the greatest actresses in England? 3. Do you find her clever and resourceful? 4. Was Avice Crichton a promising actress? IV. Do you agree or disagree with these statements? 1. The play was a failure. 2. Julia didn't get curtain calls. 3. Julia was in low spirits. 4. Julia succeeded in making her monologue a thrilling climax to the play. 5. The whole cast had been excellent. 6. Michael was not pleased with Julia’s acting. 7. Julia hadn’t accepted the producer’s directions at the rehearsals. 8. Avice was dressed in pale blue. 9. Julia wore a yellow dress at the dress rehearsal and the premiere. 10. The audience fascinated could not take their eyes away from Julia's dress and the red handkerchief. 11. Avice's lines were amusing and the audience burst out laughing. 12. Avice was an experienced and talented actress. 13. Michael was determined to give Avice a contract. APPRAISING AN ACTRESS by W. S. Maugham The setting: Jimmie Langton, a theatre director is talking to Julia, a young actress. Jimmie: I’ve been at this game for twenty-two years. I've been a call-boy, a stagehand, a stage-manager, an actor, a publicity man, damn it, I've even been a critic. I've lived in the theatre since I was a kid just out of school, and what I don’t 39 know about the acting isn’t worth knowing. I think you are a genius. Julia: It’s sweet of you to say so. Jimmie: Shut up. Leave me to do the talking. You’ve got everything. You’re the right height, you’ve got a good figure, you’ve got an india-rubber face. Julia: Flattering, aren’t you? Jimmie: That's what I am. That's the face an actress wants. The face that can look everything, even beautiful, the face that can show every thought that passes through the mind. Last night even though you weren’t really thinking about what you were doing every now and then the words you were saying wrote themselves on your face... Julia: It’s such a rotten part. How could I give it any attention? Did you hear the things I had to say? Jimmie: Your timing is almost perfect. That couldn’t have been taught, you must have that by nature. That’s the far, far better way. Now let’s come down to brass tacks. I’ve been making inquiries about you. It appears you speak French like a Frenchwoman and so they give you broken English parts. That’s not going to lead you anywhere, you know. Julia: I’ve always thought that some day or other I should get a chance of a starring part. Jimmie: When? You may have to wait ten years. How old are you now? Julia: Twenty. Jimmie: What are you getting? Julia: Fifteen pounds a week. Jimmie: You’re getting twelve, and it’s a damned sight more than you’re worth. You’ve got everything to learn, your gestures are commonplace. You don’t know how to get an audience to look at you before you speak. You make up too much. With your sort of face the less make-up the better. Wouldn’t you like to be a star? Julia: Who wouldn’t? Jimmie: Come to me and I’ll make you the greatest actress in England. Are you 40 a quick study? Julia: I think I can be word-perfect in any part in forty-eight hours. Jimmie: It’s experience you want and me to produce you. Come to me and I'll let you play twenty parts a year. I tell you, you’ve got the makings of a great actress. I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life. Julia: I know I want experience. I’d have to think it over, of course. I wouldn’t mind coming to you for a season. Jimmie: Go to hell. Do you think I can make an actress of you in a season? Do you think I’m going to work my guts out to make you give a few decent performances and then have you go away to play some twopenny-halfpenny part in a commercial play in London? What sort of fool do you take me for? I give you a three years’ contract, I’ll give you eight pounds a week and you’ll have to work like a horse. Notes india-rubber face – a face that can easily assume any expression timin – speed of dialogue or cues come down to brass tack – come to business; talk about serious things broken English par – parts where the actress has to speak broken English representing a foreigner straight part – (here) big, central part a damned sight more – (coll.) very much more you’ve got the makings of... – you've got all qualities needed to become... twopenny-halfpenny – (coll.) worthless, petty commercial play – a play that remains on because of the profit it makes rather than due to its artistic merits I. Answer the following questions: 1. Which of the two people did all the talking? 2. Did Jimmie Langton sound encouraging or discouraging in his conversation with Julia? 41 3. How did Julia take his words? 4. What was Jimmie's proposition? 5. What were his terms? Read out the lines from which you got to know about Jimmie's theatrical background. II. Find and read out the sentences which prove that Julia: a) had all the makings of a great actress; b) needed a good deal of perfection yet. III. Read out from the conversation the sentences with the following wordcombinations: to have the makings of, to make up; to have something by nature; to take somebody/ something for somebody / something else; to do the talking; to be (not) worth knowing; every now and then. IV. Write out the favourable and critical commentaries Jimmie passed on Julia as an actress. Arrange them in two columns: What makings of an actress Julia had What Julia lacked and needed to perfect A COMIC ACTOR Of all the farmers in our district William Twelvetree was the poorest and the most unlucky. He was a good fellow, and very diligent, but he worked without method and, most serious of all, he lived in dreams. His modest farm was set in a lonely spot two miles from the town. As he had a wife and four children to keep, life was not easy for him. His children were all girls, and his wife did her best for them. But William and his family were devoted. They were like a little community, naive, honest, strangely refined and bound up in themselves. One thing only was 42 startling about them and that was William's ambition. The four children and the mother alone were aware of its existence. To the children it was magic and wonder. For William, who was a bright, fat little man, it was something to be pursued tirelessly and infinitely. It was William's ambition to act in a play. Every Christmas, for many years, the family played “A Midsummer Night Dream” in the big kitchen, and the children were the fairies. The little girls played well and sweetly. Isabel, his wife, who was very tall, was a splendid Titania. But only William could play his part; he alone remembered how to employ his hands, to nourish his dirty overcoat as though it were a cloak and to make his voice sound poetic and touching. And at the end the family applauded each other; again William was the important figure. He bowed low as if he were very successful, at the height of his triumph. Once before he had grown so fat, he had imagined himself as Hamlet or some young king, but now he would have been glad of a minor role, something as small as the part of the porter in Macbeth or the peasant taking the basket of figs to Cleopatra. But not even these opportunities ever arose, and he arrived at the age of forty-five without having once appeared upon a stage. Then, one autumn, the local journal printed an announcement. All those interested in drama and the birth of a dramatic society for the town of Wander were requested to attend a meeting there. William drove to the meeting in a milk-float. It was raining and William walked into the hall looking like a tramp. But as he took off his overcoat he felt happy. And nervously, he offered himself for a part. William read the play. Each act, each scene, each line filled him with the conviction that he had to apply for the part of a certain Duke. That, he felt, was his destiny. He began to rehearse the part, then to take it into the field with him, then to dream of it at night. But at the first rehearsal it appeared that seven men besides William had pictured themselves as Dukes. This amused the company. He had been chosen for a monk. And arriving home, he smiled, puffed out his cheeks and looked doleful in that 43 comic way which so delighted his children. Many weeks passed. There was in the play a young girl of extraordinary talent who played the part of the imprisoned maiden. Her beauty was light and delicate. Her voice, very low and soft, made the other actors give up whispering and listen. But her singing voice was of even rarer, lovelier quality. From the first rehearsal her acting was remarkable. By intuition she knew how to look, move, speak and carry herself. Half the actors fell in love with her at once, William himself felt that in the scenes with her he acted more certainly inspired by her extraordinary cleverness and beauty. On the day of the first performance of the play he arrived early at the theatre. Painted up and wearing a wig he made a more excellent monk than he himself had ever dreamed. Although he had stood in readiness for half an hour, he was taken by surprise when his cue came. He tumbled on the stage more like a clown than a monk, and was greeted by a burst of laughter. The girl began to sing. His self-control vanished. He began to stammer. He had a frog in his throat. His tongue was like glass-paper. And then, worst of all, he forgot the lines he could once repeat so well. Whispers came from the prompter. Then, when everything seemed quite lost and hopeless, the unfortunate man invented some lines. They, too, were hopeless. He fled to the dressing-room. Hiding his fat face in his greasy hands, he called himself a fool, a hopeless, idiotic failure. He wanted to apologize to the girl when the play was over. As he saw her his heart shrank. The girl was surrounded with many triumphant baskets of cream, red and yellow blossoms and boxes knotted with ribbons. She was screaming with happiness. And he drove home. There were lights at the farm. Isabel had waited up for him. The four girls unable to sleep for excitement, embraced him joyfully. They all cried out: “How was it? Did they applaud you? Was it good? Were you a success?” “Yes", he murmured. “Good old daddy! Bravo!” they shouted and began to applaud him excitedly. He did not know what to do. He felt tears on his face and he could not look at the children. Then, suddenly, not knowing how else to cover his confusion, he began to bow, smiling as if indeed he had been very successful, at the height of his triumph. 44 Impressions of the performance EXPRESSING YOUR IMPRESSIONS In life we can't do without expressing our attitude to what we see, hear or speak about. The object may be interesting and exciting, or, vice versa, it may be boring and then we feel disappointment. AFTER THE PERFORMANCE Ann: Well, how did you find the performance? Jane: Fantastic! The cast was excellent! Ann: No wonder, with so many stars in it. You can call it an all-star cast. Jane: I’m fascinated by N.’s acting. He is always very good, to my mind, but today he was at his best. Don’t you think so? Ann: I am with you here. I greatly enjoyed the last scene of the second act when he finds out the truth about his brother. From my point of view his acting was very convincing. Jane: It seems to me that the actress who played his wife was not bad either, was she? Ann: I believe, she might have been a bit more natural. There was something stilted about her acting. Jane. Was there? I’m afraid, I can't agree with you. And did you like the scenery? Ann: It was splendid. It contributed much to the success of the play. Jane: I'm very thankful to you for this lovely evening. After all, it was your idea to see this play. Ann: Nothing to speak of. To express your attitude use the following: Showing you are pleased Neutral - I’m (very), pleased with… (It)’s very exciting. - I find ...very exciting / marvellous / wonderful etc. 45 Informal Great! Terrific! Fantastic! Super! Smashing! Formal - I can't say how pleased / delighted I’m. - I’m very' excited /fascinated ... etc. by - …most exciting / fascinating etc. Showing you are disappointed Neutral - (Oh,) I’m disappointed - I'm rather / very disappointed - How boring / unexciting - It looks/ sounds/ seems etc. rather boring (I think). - (I'm afraid) I’m rather bored by ... - I’m sorry but... rather bores me. - I don’t think ... is very exciting / interesting (actually). - It wasn’t as good / nice as I’d expected. Informal - (Actually,)... bores me stiff. - … is a bore / drag. - ... is deadly / awfully / incredibly etc. boring. - I'm not all that keen on ... - I’m fed up with ... Formal - I have to say I’m very disappointed - ... comes as a great disappointment I. Make conversations from the prompts below. Use formulas of eliciting / introducing opinions. a) to enjoy the artistry of the cast, to be at one's best, the scenery, to be 46 unanimously praised, to play the male / female lead, to amuse oneself thoroughly, first-rate; b) to be in splendid voice, a gifted singer, to enjoy every bit of…, to burst ovation, to get a deep insight into the character, to play with miraculous virtuosity, to leave the house deeply moved and fully satisfied; c) to carry away / to be carried away, to have the opportunity, a famous conductor, a vocal concert, orchestral passages, to be superb, to applaud; d) to give an original interpretation of the role, to attract the attention of the audience, the subject-matter of the play, to treat the character convincingly, to leave a lasting impression on smb., to be touched, could not help laughing / crying II. Work with your classmate. Try to change his / her opinion. The expressions given below may be of help to you. 1. In my opinion the play was a complete failure. 2. I should say that the singers were at their best today. 3. Well, I must say that the problems touched upon in the play are not worth discussing. 4. I believe, the performance was first-rate from beginning to end. 5. To my mind, the dancing left much to be desired. 6. If you ask me, I consider the play to be a bore. 7. The way I see it, the play is full of humour. 8. From my point of view the orchestral passages were superb. 9. In my view, this horror film is a sheer waste of time. 10. I think the actor playing the title role was stilted. III. Trying to change someone's opinion use the following: Neutral But don’t you think...? (Yes, but) do you really think...? (Yes, but) surely you don’t think / believe... (Yes, but) another way of looking at it would be (to say) that... On the other hand.,, 47 Informal No, but look,... Well, think of it this way... Are you kidding? You can’t mean that, surely! Formal But if we look at it in another light, ... But there are other considerations. For example, ... I wonder if you have taken everything into account / consideration. For instance, I respect your opinion / view, of course. However, ... III. Work in pairs. Exchange your impressions on the play / ballet / opera / concert you liked / disliked. Discuss a) the plot: b) the acting; c) the production; d) the scenery, light and sound effects; e) how the audience received the performance. The list given below suggests the expressions that might be useful. - How did you find the performance? Merits Demerits - It was first-rate from beginning to end. - Awfully dull. - Extremely interesting. - Just terrible. - Wonderful. - A sheer waste of time. - It left a lasting impression on me. - I was bored to death. - I enjoyed it greatly. - Difficult to understand - I felt like walking out -Did you like the actor playing? Merits Demerits - Oh, yes. He penetrated deeply - His playing didn’t convince me. into the inner world of his - He didn’t show talent for… character. - He looked awkward sometimes. - He gave an original interpretation - His voice sounds lifeless 48 of the role. - He played with miraculous virtuosity. - His acting was coloured with mild humour. - He is a master of psychological analysis - Did you like N’s acting? Merits Demerits - Immensely. She was superb. - No, I didn’t. She was dull. - I certainly did. - She was stilted. - She made me believe everything she did and said. -What do you think of the playwright? Merits Demerits - His plays are full of humour. -He has no talent for writing - Very witty. dialogues. - Good language. -Very ordinary. - His characters are vivid and real. - He touches upon important problems. - Situations are very funny. - A great master of intrigue. - What can you say about the production? Merits Demerits - Interesting. - It lacks fantasy. - Original. - The rendering of the play is - One brief scene forms the climax primitive. of the play. - Old and out of date. - It is the finest production of the play I’ve ever seen. - It makes us think it was splendid direction. - What do you think of the scenery? 49 Merits Demerits - Perfect. It contributed much to - Dull. It didn’t play any role. the success of the play. - It fell short of our expectations -The light and sound effects - The light and sound effects were impressive. were out of place. - How did the audience receive the performance? Merits - It burst into applause. - The actors got many curtain calls. - The audience was pleased (amused). - There was applause after each act. - It was a warm reception. IV. Describe your impressions of a play (opera, ballet) you have seen. Follow the plan below: 1. Going to the theatre: How did you get the tickets? Where were your seats? Was the house full? 2. The play: Was it interesting? What was interesting? What didn't you like about it? 3. The acting: Was the cast good? Whose acting impressed the audience? In what scenes? 4. The production: Did the production help the audience to catch the main idea of the play? In what points of the production did you feel the work of the producer? Did the general spirit of the production satisfy the demand of the play? 5. Designing: Did you like the scenery? How were the light and sound effects used? 6. The audience: What kind of people did it consist of? How did they receive the performance? Reminder: it is surprising to meet a play about ordinary people caught up in ordinary events; the author shows a remarkable talent for writing dialogue which is entertaining and witty; the characters are pleasant (humorous, ordinary); one brief 50 scene forms the climax of the play; the characters act out a fantasy; the audience is made to think; until almost the final curtain; splendid direction; it was one of the finest renderings of this part I've ever heard; 1 hear the scenery was planned and designed by ...; his musical talent is quite exceptional; his playing sometimes reminds me of...; the highlight of the evening was .... the circumstances ... were complicated and painful; his deep depression; he might have not survived another failure; implored us to cancel the performance; we badly needed it. to raise the box office returns; the inner voice; murdered by your own hands; the first act concluded amid death-like silence; to faint; I was on my last legs; there was an uproar, a crash, a storm of applause; the curtain went up ... then down again; we were standing stunned, we were supposed to take the curtain-calls; melted the ice, to cheer, each act heightened the success. Control questions to theme 1 VOCABULARY PRACTICE I. Match adjectives with appropriate nouns: a) Adjectives Nouns original movements thunderous scenery miraculous parts orchestral virtuosity exuberant scene faded passages duel applause performing costumes refined performers unrivalled interpretation prominent technique 51 b) Adjectives Nouns stereotyped casting dress truth dramatic expression artificial calls expressive curtain means character rehearsal sorrowful scenery facial sight unsympathetic characters sumptuous roles II. Give the synonyms to the given words: theatre, to visit smth often, to excite admiration, to lift up curtain, to fall flat on smb, to be a complete flop, to be boring, to be in the prime of one’s talent, to cry encore, to hold the attention of the audience, to give food for thought, to charm the spectators, to touch smb to tears, to tackle a problem, to get into the skin of one’s character III. Give the antonyms to the given words: to be at one’s best (1), to disappoint the audience (3), to be worth watching (2), to be out of date (3), to be a failure (3), a professional theatre (1), light applause (2), to find a play easy to follow (1), to impress the spectators (3), to be on for a very short time, to be a success (3), a repertory theatre (1), to leave the play indifferent IV. Fill in the gaps with prepositions and adverbs, where necessary: a) to offer a bellyful … drama to grip … the audience to keep the public … their toes 52 to identify … a role to greet smb … a storm … applause to be … the prime … one’s talent to burn … one’s memory to join … a theatrical company to find the whole thing dragged … b) to be represented … a lavishly designed stage to work … its detriment to provide a clue … the character to dominate … the play to have classical plays … one’s repertory to present oneself … an exotic character to distribute … the roles to be responsible … the stage to have a reputation … the original plays c) Having graduated from a choreography school, Stella managed to join … touring company. Her dream was to raise herself … the position … a beginner … the position … a star and to become a prima-ballerina. At first being possessed … stagefright, she lacked … feeling, performing … the stage. But soon she learnt to keep audience … suspense and to leave an unforgettable impression … the public. She, being … full blaze, always identified … her role, that makes the audience forget themselves … times and her acting took their breath …. Her personages make an unforgettable impression … her fans and the star was always greeted … a dozen curtain calls. d) Read the story above and write 7 sentences, containing the reasons for the dancer’s becoming so popular all over the world in no time. Model: If she didn’t act on the stage with variety and resource, she would fail to impress the public. 53 V. Correct the mistakes in prepositions if there are any: Bernard Shaw is one from the most celebrated playwrights in Great Britain. He is famous all over the world with his unsurpassed talent to create life images of common people. He has been acknowledged as a master in intrigue and psychological analysis, since the moment his first play was put at the stage. He always manages to penetrate deeply into the inner world of the characters of so-called “small people”, overwhelmed with their own personal interests only. Show specialized at depicting problems, catching the significance of the time, moreover, the playwright loved to tackle upon immortal acute problems of self-realization of a human being. Despite of the fact bitter sarcasm dominate in the plays of the author, we cannot call his works cruel, they are preaching. VI. Fill in prepositions where necessary: 1. The audience burst out applauding … the all-star cast. 2. The performer of the title role stepped … the stage, wishing to take the curtain call … himself. 3. Laurence Olivier’s key … the artistry, known all over the world due to his miraculous virtuosity, was the fact that he tried to act his part … perfection. 4. I would have never thought that the performance of the amateur theatrical company could leave such an unforgettable impression … me. The acting surpassed … our expectations. 5. The play is still very acute, as it touches … the problem, which is burning even now. 6. Though the actor was … the prime … his talent he refused … the role. 7. I’m sure, the performer … the main part was … his worst … the first-night performance. His singing grated … our ears. VII. Insert the necessary adjectives from the list below: 1. The performer must be a master of … analysis to create such an … interpretation 54 of the role. 2. The show was so … , that the public thought it to be a … waste of time. 3. The … acting contributed much to the … success of the play. 4. But for Helen’s ability to dance with … grace and … ease, she wouldn’t impress the public. 5. The … audience couldn’t but burst into applause to greet the … talent of the … cast. 6. An extremely … interpretation of a … play is able to win … praise and … interest. _______________________________________________________________ psychological, sheer, appreciative, true, incomparable, convincing, perfect, genuine, unanimous, classic , commonplace, supreme, original, undoubted VIII. Complete the sentences using appropriate word-combinations from the list below. Mind the tense and the mood used here: 1. The actor wouldn’t have captivated the public… 2. But for the supreme feeling of the dramatic truth the designer... 3. The director’s idea was... 4. Why not intensify the total effect of the show... 5. If not for artificial rhetorical style... 6. If the playwright had followed the advice of the narrow-minded 7. critics, sticking to the classical tendency in art... 8. The performer of the male lead wouldn’t make hit with the public... 9. If the problems touched on in the play weren’t so evergreen... ________________________________________________________ to provide an essential clue to the character; to evoke the atmosphere of the dramatic event; to strengthen a production; to transform the American stage; to win unanimous praise and world-wide glory; to introduce settings, creating gloomy and oppressive atmosphere; to use one’s gift to create unforgettable images; to be of great educational value. 55 IX. Complete the sentences, using the active grammar vocabulary: 1. The acting of the mature performer would arouse admiration, if… The new original interpretation of the classical play would…, if… 2. The critics would have called the playwright a master of psychological analysis, if… 3. If the problems, tackled in the play, were up-to-date, … 4. If not for the sound effects… 5. The old ballet dancer wished … . 6. The spectators wouldn’t have considered the whole thing dragged out, if… 7. The marvelous performance by a celebrated foreign company would … if… 8. The performance would raise the young actor from the position of a beginner to the position of a star, if … 9. If the director didn’t refuse to stage the play, thinking it to be a bore, … 10. If not for the brilliantly elaborated intrigue ... 11. The head master of an old fashioned, repertory theatre wished… X. Paraphrase the following sentences, using the active vocabulary: 1. The old retired actor is in the habit of sitting at the fireplace and remembering the time of his being in the prime of his talent. 2. I saw the show by the company long time ago but it is still burning in my memory. 3. Laurence Olivier said, that the most important actor’s skill is to keep the audience awake. 4. Helen refused to join the company, as she hated the idea to be on tour very often. 5. Hank was greatly disappointed, understanding that the play appeared to be a bore. 6. His problem was to learn to identify with a role. 7. She looked off-colour, performing her small part, as she didn’t know how to behave on the stage. 8. The elaborate scenery strengthened the play. 9. It is of vital importance not only to play your part brilliantly and resourcefully, but 56 to live the life of your character. XI. Paraphrase the sentences, using the synonyms of the underlined words: 1. The actor played so vividly, that the audience was touched by his artistry. 2. The singer was at his best, his singing impressed the audience greatly. After each act the auditorium burst into ovation. 3. The acting of the performers was too commonplace, that’s why it left the spectators indifferent. 4. I was charmed by the actor, I believed everything he did on the stage, as his playing was very convincing. 5. The play was very dull, though the actors tried to keep the audience awake. 6. To my mind, if not for Olivier’s penetrating deeply into the inner world of his personages, they would not be so real, vivid and didn’t excite such stormy feelings in spectators’ souls. 7. The playing of the actors was so stilted, that all the spectators felt that they would rather leave the hall. 8. The actors played with brilliance, that’s why the performance was so extraordinary, that the spectators couldn’t but think of it long after the night. In the morning all the newspapers said that the play had made the young performer of the leading part very famous. 9. I was disappointed by the play. It was very ordinary, more over it was understood that the actors hadn’t rehearsed enough before the premier. 10. The playwright is known to be a real psychologist, good at creating intrigues. That’s why each of his creations is a success. 11. The play appeared to be too complicated. The playwright had tried to produce a thing which could make people think, but he overdid. In the end the play when it was shown for the first time, was a real flop. 12. The performance was great from beginning to end. The actors excited the 57 spectators’ admiration, that’s why their acting is still burning in my memory. XII. Insert missing words: 1. Today millions of people take drama for granted. With hours and hours every week, the viewer can have … of drama on TV. 2. His key to success was his ability to change …, and ... . He kept the audience … … …, shouting when they were not expecting it. 3. The public was pleased by the performance. The performer of the leading part ... deeply into the inner world of … 4. Julia Lambert was at her best that night. She had never acted with greater…, … and .... 5. The playing of the actor astonished me, as I saw the personage from an extremely unexpected angle. So the performer gave an ... of ... the role. 6. It is very important for a young actor to keep the audience ... if you want to ... yourself from ... to ... . 7. Sir Laurence Olivier paid much attention to rhythm. It was his ... . 8. The first-night performance was first-rate. Public was.... No doubt it was an ... beginning for the theatrical season. 9. The audience couldn’t but laugh every time when the actor stepped onto the stage. As playing was … … humour. 9. I think that the work of the scenery designer was ... and evidently his creation ... much to the success of the play. XIII. Translate the word-combinations from Russian into English and make up sentences with the Oblique Moods, using the structures: вызывать кого-то на бис; затянутое представление; оглушительные аплодисменты; антракт; комедия, которая не сходит со сцены; написать сценарий; декорации; расширить мировоззрение; провалиться; забываться иногда; произносить речь 58 XIV. Translate from Russian into English: 1. Если бы Алиса не закончила школу хореографии, она бы не обладала такими богатыми знаниями танцевальной техники. 2. Актеру удалось сыграть роль в оригинальной интерпретации. 3. Если бы не его талант, то премьера не вызвала бы такое огромное количество статей с единодушными похвалами. 4. Пьеса, будучи слишком неоригинальной, провалилась. Драматургу очень хотелось стать мастером психологического анализа и знать, как создавать неповторимые характеры. 5. Если бы начинающий актер знал, как можно вжиться в образ, он бы так живо и естественно сыграл роль, что каждый зритель смотрел бы пьесу, затаив дыхание. 6. Драматургу хотелось, чтобы его пьеса тронула зрителей до слез. 7. Я бы хотела, чтобы пьеса, которую мы собираемся смотреть, была полна юмора, и произвела на меня незабываемое впечатление. 8. Хотя театралы Нижнего Новгорода известны как благодарные зрители, пьеса никак не затронула их. 9. Исполнительница главной роли не справилась с ролью. Если бы не её отвратительная игра, пьеса бы произвела незабываемое впечатление на аудиторию. 10. Новая постановка классической пьесы потрясла зрителей. Каждый театрал страстно желал, чтобы актеры выходили на сцену под бурю аплодисментов своих поклонников. 11. Если бы актер знал, что эта роль сделает его знаменитостью, он бы постарался сделать все возможное, чтобы вжиться в образ. 12. Если бы игра актеров не была такой невыразительной, то зрители бы оценили мастерство драматурга и встретили бы исполнителей бурей аплодисментов по окончании представления. 13. Если бы я знал, что наш поход в театр окажется времяпрепровождением, я бы не стал заказывать билеты в театр заранее. 59 пустым XV. Develop the sentences into situations: 1. In my opinion if the interpretation of the role were not so dull... 2. I wouldn’t say that the performers were at their best today. 3. The critics noticed that the problems, touched upon in the play are not 4. worth discussing. 5. I believe, the performance was first rate from the beginning to end. 6. The work of designers contributed much to the success of the play 7. If the actor, playing the title role, were not so stilted... 8. If the orchestral passages were not superb performed, the impression wouldn’t be so overwhelming. 60 Theme 2 Cinema Encountering directors1 INTERVIEWING INGMAR BERGMAN VOCABULARY WORK I. Translate the word-combinations from English into Russian, reproduce the situations. Pre-eminence among film directors, a creation of a special world, contacts with reality, to lack the words, enormous need for contact, to pass through conscious mind to reach emotions, to raise a problem, a form of self-expression, to embody ideas and beliefs, to be comprehensible for people, to suffer from an almost complete lack of words, to mix up fiction and reality, to have an emotional impact, intellectually difficult. II. Match the adjectives and the nouns, translate the phrases, make up sentences with active grammar. Adjectives Nouns baffled world rigid impact private film emotional actress contemporary communication talented education comprehensible pictures human equipment sound effort Практический курс английского языка: 3 курс: Учеб. для педвузов по спец. «Иностр. язык»/ Под ред. В. Д. Аракина. – 4-е изд., перераб. и доп. – М.: Гуманит изд. центр ВЛАДОС, 2006 c. 39 1 61 III. Complete the sentences, using the text: 1. If his education hadn’t been rigid … 2. If the young man hadn’t gone through the difficulties … 3. If the director hadn’t found his own form of self-expression … 4. But for his mixing up fiction and reality … 5. The genesis of the artist wouldn’t have been so painful if … 6. Writing, not being Bergman’s cup of tea, ... 7. If Bergman hadn’t been sure that the idea of a book passes directly to the emotions ... 8. To express his resentment against the critics, Bergman … 9. If not for Bergman’s wish to embody ideas and beliefs … 10. To make a film more comprehensible, the director … IV. Fill in the gaps with prepositions where necessary: 1. If any critic were asked to site a single reason … Bergman’s pre-eminence … the directors, he would point … his creation … a special world. 2. The director’s imagination wouldn’t be so thriving if he hadn’t lived … private world … his own dreams. 3. The boy’s problem was having few contacts … reality or channels … it. 4. When a child Bergman had great difficulty … fiction and reality as he was … the habit … mixing them … 5. Though the life … the director looks as a genesis … a writer, but … fact he always lacked … words. 6. Words have to pass … your conscious mind to reach … your emotions and … your soul. 7. Bergman’s films convey … a contradiction … the two effects as they have an emotional impact, … the other hand they are intellectually difficult. 8. While spectators are watching his films, their feelings are interfered … their effort … comprehension. 9. His pictures are made to put me … contact … other human beings. 62 10. Bergman’s idea is to shoot … black and white and to force people to imagine the colours. V. Fill in the gaps with prepositions where necessary and make up sentences with active grammar: 1. to suffer … a complete lack … words; 2. a form … self-expression; 3. to translate words … flesh and blood; 4. to go directly … the emotions; 5. to come … contact … other people; 6. to run … the theatre; 7. communication occurs … words; 8. to eliminate … language; 9. to mix … fiction and reality; 10. to succeed … understanding his profession; 11. to work directly … the emotions. VI. Answer the questions using the prompts. 1. What is one of the reasons for Bergman’s pre-eminence among directors? (a creation of a special world) 2. What prevented Bergman from becoming a writer? (rigid, a form of selfexpression, to lack words) 3. Why wasn’t reading so satisfying for Bergman as movies? (to pass through conscious mind, to reach one’s soul, to go directly to the emotions, to come in contact with) 4. What is the greatest contradiction in perception of Bergman’s films? (emotional impact, intellectually difficult, baffled effort) 5. What is the message of Bergman’s films? (to embody ideas and beliefs, to work directly on the emotions, to put in contact with, to influence) 6. What was Bergman’s attitude to critics, analyzing his works? (to interpret through, 63 to influence) 7. What or who might have changed Bergman’s style of work in the film “The Touch”? (a reflection, oriented to reality, comprehensible) 8. Why did Bergman make a film in black and white? (to imagine the colours) 9. Did Bergman like to make silent films? (to occur through words, to eliminate, excessive) 10. What were the difficulties the director faced while going from the directing in a theatre to directing films? (technically crippled, insecure) 11. What is Bergman’s opinion concerning the young directors? (to succeed in understanding, to be impressed, to have nothing to say) VII. Translate from Russian into English. 1. Если бы не стремление автора тронуть душу зрителя до слез, он бы не фокусировал внимание на судьбе отдельно взятых личностей. 2. Бергман зачастую создавал сценарии, отражавшие личности, страдавшие от жестокости окружающего мира. 3. Для Бергмана, испытывавшего недостаток слов, кинопроизводство было формой самовыражения. 4. С помощью кино Бергман реализовывал свое стремление к общению с аудиторией. 5. Для людей, направленных на реальность, сложно понять интеллектуально сложные фильмы, т.к. чувства прерываются попытками постичь главную мысль фильма. A powerful force of the movies. VOCABULARY WORK on the material of Ex. 1, p. 581 I. Give the translation of the word-combinations and recall the situations. 1 Практический курс английского языка: 3 курс: Учеб. для педвузов по спец. «Иностр. язык»/ Под ред. В. Д. Аракина. – 4-е изд., перераб. и доп. – М.: Гуманит изд. центр ВЛАДОС, 2006 c. 58. 64 to demand the serious consideration; to be mesmerized for hours before a TV set; a narrative told in visual images; the supremacy of the visual image in the realm of story; to receive nourishment primarily from visual sources; potential for propaganda purposes; to tap the deepest reaches of man’s spiritual life; to articulate something of consequence; to undergo aesthetic purification; to exercise humanity in and through the movies. II. Match the adjectives with the nouns and translate the wordcombinations into Russian. Adjectives Nouns visual art propaganda images gratuitous attention spiritual evidence rudimentary force aesthetic picture motion media captivated purposes educational purification life narrative III. Find synonyms to the following words and word-combinations: to influence our life, movies, plausibly, today’s life, ability of the motion pictures, to benefit, to become popular, famous, to learn from, to elevate. 65 IV. Fill in the gaps with prepositions where necessary and make up sentences with active grammar: to have the impact … our lives; to demand … the consideration given … other arts; supremacy … the image … the realm … story; to receive the nourishment … visual sources; potential … propaganda purposes; capacity … doing good; to be vulnerable … charge; to tap … the deepest reaches … man’s spiritual life; to be embarrassed … them; to exercise our humanity … and … the movies; to persist … demanding; to make a room … man … its boundaries; to be associated … education; to grow … some films. V. Complete the sentences from the list below: 1. It’s a well-known fact that nowadays motion-pictures have …, that’s why they demand … 2. Today the love of story is proved by the children … 3. The fact that images have many uses testifies to the fact that the life of the mind today … 4. The visual narrative media, having become unchallenged as the art of our time, is known to be now … 5. The movies are a powerful force in contemporary life as their potential for propaganda purposes was recognized and explained but … 6. Movies, being a young form of art, are thought to be unable … 7. But nowadays the movies have lost popularity due to the fact that television … 8. Wishing to exercise our humanity in and through the movies we … a) persist in demanding that the movies make more room for a man within their 66 aesthetic boundaries; b) the serious consideration given to the other arts; c) have the impact on our lives; d) receives its nourishment primarily from visual rather than verbal sources; e) mesmerized for hours before a TV set watching cartoons; f) the greatest aesthetic and educational force in the world; g) to awaken mind and to tap the deepest reaches of man’s spiritual life h) has stolen 5the limelight; i) the capacity of the movies for doing good has been questioned. VI. Answer the questions to the text: 1. Why are movies called truly an art of our time? 2. What fact proves the idea that everybody loves a story? 3. What is the main source of nourishment, received by the mind nowadays? 4. What potential of movies has been questioned? 5. Are movies still the most popular type of entertainment? 6. What do people expect from watching a motion picture? 7. Are there any films for people to grow by? VII. Make up a situation, using the given words: to be mesmerized for hours; to demand serious consideration; to receive nourishment primarily from visual rather than verbal sources; to tap the deepest reaches of man’s spiritual life; to undergo aesthetic purification; to exercise humanity in and through the movies; to captivate attention; to arouse the mind and soul. 67 VOCABULARY WORK ON THE MATERIAL OF THE TEXT “THE REIGN OF DISNEY” 1 I. Translate the word-combinations from English into Russian: a string of violent gags; resemblance between the animal and the human world; to behave like recognizable individuals; to triumph over the wicked world; the world of the average American; to preach a moral, giving a message of optimism, of success. II. Insert the necessary adjectives from the list below: 1. Contemporary cartoons tend to resemble a string of … gags. 2. Disney’s animal characters are actually … beings in disguise and they behave like … individuals. 3. Disney in fact has presented the world of the … American. 4. His stories end happily, the characters are essentially … fellows, the violence is not too …, any satire is more than … gentle, violent, average, recognizable, extreme, good 2.3 A talk about the cinema A TALK ABOUT THE CINEMA Setting: Alex Smirnov, a young film producer, who is fresh from the State Cinema Institute, has recently made his first successful film. He is invited to the club of keen cinema-goers where he is warmly received by a group of young people. The producer gets into a conversation with Bob, a pupil of the senior classes, who is interested in the process of film making because after finishing school the young man is also planning to become a producer. Read the conversation. Try to remember the key problems, facts and most important details. Bob: Excuse me, but I’d like to know if the making of a film is really a long process. 1 Практический курс английского языка: 3 курс: Учеб. для педвузов по спец. «Иностр. язык»/ Под ред. В. Д. Аракина. – 4-е изд., перераб. и доп. – М.: Гуманит изд. центр ВЛАДОС, 2004. 68 Alex: Yes, it really is. It is sometimes not only a long but a drawn out and extremely boring process. The director, writer and producer will work on preproduction problems for months and even for some years before shooting can be started. Long hours can be spent by actors, the crew, make-up men women while the director may be shooting a small part of the scene with one or two actors over and over again. To set up another scene the lights and furniture must be rearranged and it also takes much time. Bob: And what are the functions of the producer? Alex: You see, the producer is a businessman, first of all. He provides financial backing and at the same time he may assume creative responsibility. It happens very often that the director and the producer is in reality the same person. Bob: Do you find the work very difficult? Alex: Sometimes it is really difficult. Especially when more than a hundred of people may be living on location. A lot of different problems may come up. And the producer takes care of them. Bob: Do you mean to say you don’t have any helpers? Alex: No, I don’t mean this. The producer manager is responsible to me. He works out a budget from the script and controls the cost. He is also responsible for the organization of the personnel. Bob: I am so interested to learn who is in charge of photography. Alex: It’s the director of photography who is an expert in it. He is in charge of the composition of scenes and of the art of lighting. He is helped by cameramen and electricians. But it is the cameraman who handles the camera. Besides there is a crew of sound-recording men on the set. Bob: I suppose that today music has become a part of the contemporary film. Is it always composed for films? Alex: For some films the music director, together with the producer, will commission an original score to be written. For other films the music director will make selections from existing music and probably make his own arrangements. Bob: I can see that a film combines so many of the arts (music, graphics, 69 language) and a good producer should be a versatile person and should have good knowledge of all these arts. Alex: Quite so. The people who make films should have knowledge of many things. Besides a film maker should be in touch with his time. The success of any film depends on the ability of the producer to catch and to reflect the significance of the time in which it is made. Bob: Do you think documentary films have become more popular of late? Alex: I think documentary films have always played an important role in our lives. They are the result of recording life as it exists at a particular moment before the camera. The producer organizes his material and together with the help of narration explains it. Of late people have got more interested in current events and documentary films have really become windows to the world. Bob: And I personally appreciate most of all the art of cartoonists. Cartoons entertain the young and the old. Don’t you think animated cartoons today deal not only with fairy tale subjects? Alex: Sure. Animated cartoons today are connected with modern life and problems of interest to our contemporaries. agree with you that the art of a cartoonist resembles the work of a jeweler. A lot of talent and skill goes into producing a cartoon film. Now cartoons have justly become an independent branch of film industry. They are popular both with children and grown-ups. And to cap it, all I must admit I also appreciate the ability of cartoonists to bring inanimate objects to life, to humanize animal and plant kingdoms – all this provides the charm of animated cartoons. Bob: Don’t you think that the invention of TV undermined the position of cinema? Alex: Some people really thought that TV would spell the end of cinema. And in reality for some time TV reduced cinema attendance. But then Central Television in its programmes started to pay a great deal of attention to films popularizing them. Today the position of cinema has been stabilized. Bob: And what do you think of the cinema of the future? 70 Alex: It’s clear to all cinematographists that the function of the cinema can’t be limited to showing films only. Cinema houses should become real cultural centres which could offer lectures on history of national and foreign cinema, discussions of new films, meetings with the people who make them. Cinema art must unite and elevate people’s feelings, thoughts and will. It must stir to activity and develop the art instincts within people. Art must be a source of joy and inspiration to people. I. Read out and then write out: 1. professions of people who work in the cinema; 2. the duties of the producer, the producer manager II. Comment on the following sentences: 1. It happens very often when the director and the producer is in reality the same person. 2. More than a hundred people may be living on location. 3. He works out budget from the script and controls the cost. 4. Functions of the cinema can’t be limited to showing films only. III. Discuss the following question: Why do many people dream of becoming students of the State Cinema Institute? VOCABULARY WORK I. Give the definitions of the word combinations and translate them into Russian: a film producer, a director, pre-production problems, shooting, a crew, a location, a director of photography, a cameraman, an electrician, a music director, a versatile person. II. Translate the word-combinations and reproduce the sentences from the text: to get into conversation, to set up a scene, to provide financial backing, to assume creative responsibility, to live on location, the composition of scenes, to compose music for films, to make selections from existing music, to combine many 71 of the arts, to catch and reflect the significance of our time, to become windows to the world, interest to our contemporaries, to develop the art instincts. III. Match the adjectives and the nouns. Make up sentences with active grammar: Adjectives Nouns keen film drawn-out backing financial person creative cinema-goer original life versatile industry recording responsibility animated events current process IV. Fill in the gaps with prepositions: 1. The producer gets … conversation … Bob, a pupil … senior classes. 2. The crew will work … pre-production problems … months and even … years … shooting can be started. 3. The light must be rearranged to set … another scene. 4. The producer manager is responsible … working … a budget … the script. 5. The director … photography is … charge … photography, he is helped … cameramen and electricians. 6. A film-maker must be … touch …his time, as the success … any film depends … the ability … the producer to catch and to reflect the significance … the time. 7. The documentary films are the result … recording life as it exists … a particular moment … the camera. 8. Animated cartoons are popular both … children and grown-ups. 9. I can’t but appreciate the ability … cartoonists to bring inanimate objects … life, as it provides the charm … animated cartoons. 72 10. Cinema art must stir … activity and develop the art instincts … people. V. Insert the necessary adjectives from the list below: 1. The process of film-making is known to be … and extremely …, as the crew has to work on … problems for months and years. 2. The producer id in charge of providing … backing and assuming … responsibility. 3. Sometimes the music for … films is commissioned or selected from existing music. 4. …films have always played an … role in our lives reflecting the … events and having become windows to the world. 5. … cartoons are connected with … life and problems of interest to our contemporaries thus the genre has become an … brunch of … industry. 6. Cinema houses should become real … centres which could offer lectures on the history of … art and … cinema. 7. Cinema must stir to activity and develop the … instincts within people. drawn-out, boring, pre-production, financial, creative, contemporary, existing, documentary, important, current, animated, modern, independent, film, cultural, national foreign, art. VI. Finish the sentences using the phrases given below: 1. Making a film is not only a long but … 2. Long hours can be spent by actors, the crew while the director … 3. The producer is a businessman; he is in charge of … 4. The producer-manager must assist the producer, … 5. The director of photography … 6. It is the function of the music director … is in charge of the composition of the scenes and of the art of lighting; may be shooting a small part of a scene with one or two actors; to commission an original score to be written; 73 a drawn out and extremely boring process; providing financial backing and at the same time he may assume creative responsibility; working out the budget from the script and controlling the cost VII. Expand the sentences using the key-words given in brackets: 1. Documentary films always played an important role in our life … (life as it exists, narration, current events, windows to the world) 2. Animated cartoons are connected with modern life and problems of our contemporaries … (talent, skill, independent branch, popular with…, to provide the charm) 3. Some people thought that TV would spell the end of cinema … (to reduce cinema attendance, to popularize, to stabilize) 4. It’s clear to all cinematographists that the function of the cinema can’t be limited to showing films only … (cultural centres, unite people, elevate feelings, stir to activity, to develop the art instincts, inspiration) VIII. Complete the sentences using the active grammar and wordcombinations from the text: 1. If Bob hadn’t been interested in the process of filmmaking he, … (to get into conversation) with the director. 2. The shooting wouldn’t be known as a drawn-out and extremely boring process, if the crew … (to work on pre-production problems) for months and even years. 3. The producer wouldn’t be called a versatile person if he … (to provide financial backing and at the same time assume creative responsibility). 4. If sometimes more than a hundred of people were not living on location, so many problems … (to come up for a producer to take care of). 5. The director of photography wouldn’t be able to cope with all his duties if he … (not to be helped by a crew of cameramen and electricians). 6. If the music director didn’t commission an original score to be written, the music 74 director … (to make selections from existing music and make his own arrangements). 7. If a filmmaker were not in touch with his time, he … (to reflect the significance of the time). 8. If documentary films didn’t play an important role in our life, they … (to become more popular of late). 9. The cartoons wouldn’t be so popular both with children and grown-ups if they … (to be connected with modern life and problems of interest to our contemporaries). 10. If TV didn’t reduce cinema attendance the art critics … (to think TV to spell the end of cinema). 11. If cinema were not aesthetic and educational force nowadays we … (to hope cinema must unite and elevate people’s feelings). IX. Answer the following questions: 1. Why is filmmaking called an extremely boring and drawn-out process? 2. What are the functions of a producer? What makes his work so difficult? 3. What is the producer manager in charge of? 4. What professionals are responsible for photography? 5. Is music always composed for films? 6. Why should a good director be a versatile person? 7. Why have documentary films become so popular lately? 8. What is the secret of popularity of cartoons? 9. Has TV really undermined the position of cinema? 10. What is the future of cinema? 11. What profession would you choose if you were in film-making busuness? 12. What function should cinema fulfill? XI. Make up a situation using the given word combinations and active grammar structures. To be a drawn out process, to live on location, to commission an original score, to combine so many of the arts, to catch and to reflect the significance of the time, to 75 become a window to the world, to resemble a work of a jeweler, to stir to activity and develop the art instincts within …, to be a source of inspiration to people. Remakes MAKE IT AGAIN VOCABULARY WORK I. What three words are used to explain one of the reasons for remaking films? Give their explanations. II. Divide the text into 3 logical parts. Match the words from different columns with each other to make word-combinations: a) scarce audience ample screen-play talented pictures capable judgment remade cast intelligent director good budget brand new movie entertaining story material ~ Make up sentences with each of the matches using the str. But for… ~ Under what circumstances can remakes surpass the quality of the original? b) favourable cast timely story to correct story material same economic situation available theme new stars fresh mistakes legendary screen techniques 76 ~ Make up sentences with each of the matches using the str. If… to prepare arguments for remaking films. ~ Agree with your partner who is for remaking films. ~ Disagree with your partner who is for remaking films. c) subsequent plot to improve production to require moral values original renderings antiquated original story not workable updating successful script ~ Make up sentences with each of the matches using the str. I wish… to prepare arguments against remaking films. ~ Agree with your partner who is against remaking films. ~ Disagree with your partner who is against remaking films. III. Make up a dialogue, in which the partners stand for different ideas in reference to remakes. The genres the movies THE FAMILY OF GENRES The most profitable movies of the present fit the pattern of genres established in the thirties of the previous century rather well: a musical, a scientific movie, a gangster film, a horror film and a thriller. The generic pattern of the Golden Age of Hollywood is still very much with us nearly a hundred years later. But they have undergone some changes. Within five years after the advent of sound (1926) they have become wellestablished and have remained the dominant models with varieties until today. The musical and the western are perhaps most clearly defined. The lines which separate gangster from detective and from mystery films are less sharp. Horror films and science fiction sometimes seem to merge, but the war film is always clearly 77 identified, as is the usually romantic, historical adventure. The “woman’s” film or “tearjerker” of the forties always clearly identified itself. Meanwhile, the comedy, the broadest of genres continually throws off new variations – which on closer examination often reveal their roots in earlier comedies. During the fifties, as Hollywood came to uneasy terms with the new medium of television, most of the classic genres began to feed on themselves. Westerns flourished as never before thanks to the wide screen and widespread use of colour. Historical films throve too for the same reason. Other genres, however, deteriorated. The musical came to depend more and more on Broadway for stage adaptations, losing the cinematic originality which had made it one of the superior genres of the thirties. Comedy and the tearjerker met in the person of Doris Day. Throughout the sixties, as the film industry began to recover its health, the pattern of genres expanded. New variations were developing as filmmaking moved on location. Detective films turned into secret agent (spy) films which usually depended on the conventions of the chase. The Black Power Movement of the sixties may not have accomplished much politically – still less economically – but culturally it had a truly profound effect. For the first time in the nation’s history, Black people – one fifth of the nation have been liberated from the cultural ghetto. They are no longer nonpersons in the media world, but seen and heard daily on television and cinema screens. Tasks to the text: 1. Write out and study the names of the genres of films. 2. Translate and practice the reading of the following words: genre, generic, ghetto, gangster, romantic, romance, medium, media, flourish, deteriorate, advent, horror. 3. Match the names of film genres with their definitions: 1. comedy a. a full-length film in a cinema programme 2. musical b. a film that makes one experience a sudden sharp feeling of excitement c. a film that inspires horror and fear 3. tearjerker 78 4. thriller d. a drama of light and amusing character typically with a happy end e. a film dealing with real events in history 5. gangster film 6. horror film f. a film depicting historic events of the past on a grand scale g. a women’s film that moves one to tears 7. secret agent film 8. tragedy 9. historical film h. a film made by photographing a series of drawings i. a cinema film of recent events 10. epic film j. a film of popular science events 11. war film 13. newsreel k. a film showing some aspect of human and social activity l. a film consisting of musical numbers and dialogues that develop the plot m. a film about criminals 14. popular-science film n. a film about spies, detectives 15. animated cartoon o. a film of serious or solemn kind with a sad end p. a film about war 12. documentary 16. feature film The history of cinema THE HISTORY OF CINEMA The basic principles underlying the cinema had been known for centuries before the moment of invention in the mid-1890-ies. In 1888 the great American inventor Thomas Edison decided to become involved with moving pictures. There was a considerable amount of research and by 1891 W. Dickson, Edison’s assistant had come up with a workable solution. There were a number of other inventors working quite independently in Europe including B. Acres, R. W. Paul in England and E. Reynard in France. In Los Angeles T. Tally separated the darkened projection room from the rest of the auditorium and life-sized pictures were shown there. Tally’s success attracted a lot of followers. Those movie houses were dark 79 noisome places repulsive to the rich. But there were plenty of common people and they kept coming. More famous than any other American picture of that time was “The Great Train Robbery”. It was produced by Edwin S. Porter, one of the pioneers of the movies in 1903 and became a classic overnight. It had the running time of 10 minutes and told a story of crime in the Far West. Gilbert M. Anderson got his start in that film and then became the movie cowboy and the daddy of horseopera heroes. More than any other director D. W. Griffith was responsible for developing the art of filmmaking. Between 1908 and 1916 Griffith directed hundreds of movies. In these movies he invented many filmmaking skills that are still used today. At that time directors always kept the camera in the same place when they were making movies. Griffith thought if he moved the camera, his movies would be more exciting. Griffith’s most famous movie was “The Birth of a Nation”. It was about the American Civil War and the years that followed. The movie was very popular and it made Griffith famous. The 1920s were the years of silent film with stars like Charles Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, Greta Garbo, Rudolf Valentino, the Marx Brothers. The most famous movies of the 20s were “The Gold Rush”, “City Lights”, “Modern Times”. In the early years of the 20th century a number of technicians were busy inventing a talking film. An American inventor I. D. Forest succeeded in making a short talkie. In 1928 the first American talkie was shown in England. It gave rise to the production of British talking films. “The Good Companions”, “I was a Spy”, “Rome Express” were the most popular British films produced in the early1930s. In the 1920 – 1930s Alexander Korda, a cultural Hungarian, began to work on his British films. His film “The Private Life of Henry VIII” with Charles Laughton, an outstanding actor from the London stage playing the title role, established Korda as the leading director and producer in Great Britain. In the following years Korda produced a number of other films including 80 “Catherine the Great”, “Rembrandt”, “Knight without Armour” , “The Four Feathers”, “The Thief of Baghdad” , “The Ghost Goes West” and others in which players like Laurence Olivier, Charles Laughton, Vivien Leigh, Gertrude Lawrence, Maw Moms and Rex Harrison were a great success. In 1935 Korda opened his Denham Studios; another large studio, Pinewood, was opened in Buckinghamshire. The studio was supplied with the best equipment. Other studios at Elstree, Boreham Wood, Twickenham, Beaconsfield, Sound City and Isleworth continued to produce films too. In America during 1920 – 1930s filmmakers in Hollywood founded large companies such as Paramount, Twenties-Century Fox, etc. Well-known American writers like F/S/ Fitzgerald, W Faulkner did screen plays. The period from the beginning of the 1930s to the beginning of World War II has been called the “Golden Era” of American cinema. It was the era of the John Ford western Stagecoach”, Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable in “Gone with the Wind”, of gangster movies, etc. Since the end of World War II there were interesting movements developing in European film: Italian Neorealism, the French New Wave, English “Free Cinema”, Das Neue Kino in Germany. Filmmakers did their work well, got some return sufficient to cover expenses and provide money to continue their work. The 1960s were the years of the Hollywood Renaissance. Cassavetes and Coppola, Scorsese, Mazursky and Ritchie belonged to the generation of the sixties. They started with small cheap films. It was only after they had broken into the industry establishment that the tide turned to “blockbusters”. For example, “The Godfather” was the first real blockbuster. The film was sure to be profitable because of the huge success of the novel by Mario Puso in paperback. Directed by the famous filmmaker Francis Coppola “The Godfather” was far ahead of the second-place film on the list in 1972. The most significant fact about American cinema in the 1970s was that “movies” had changed quietly but surely into “films”. As little as ten years ago movies were regarded as mass entertainment, of some sociological or political 81 significance perhaps, but certainly beneath serious consideration by nearly all academic scholars. In the 1970s the situation was different. Film study in colleges and universities experienced an explosive growth. The film production between 1979 – 1984 was not significantly different in style or approach from the films of the1970s. The industry was still focused on youth market. Remakes still dominated. Horror films, kid’s capers, and other genres that appealed to young people came down the assembly line at an increasingly fast pace. All this was punctuated, as it was five years ago, by occasional films for adults and once or twice a year, a film blockbuster or melodrama – that caught the imagination of the country. Tasks to the text: I. Translate the word-combinations into Russian and read out the sentences from the text: life-sized pictures, the pioneers of the cinema, a movie cowboy, a horseopera, a talkie, a screen play, a blockbuster, a remake, a kid’s caper. II. Answer the following questions: 1. When and where was the cinema invented? 2. Who was the godfather of the cinema? 3. What does the name of D. W. Griffith say to you? 4. What names of celebrated British actors have you learnt from the text? 5. What British film studios do you know? 6. What American film companies are world famous? 7. When were they founded? III. Make a list of film genres mentioned in the text. IV. Write out filmmaking professions mentioned in the text. Supplement Translate the texts from Russian into English Великий оптимист В январе 1926 года в Калифорнии братья Уолтер и Рой Диснеи открыли 82 свою студию. Первым популярным персонажем Диснея мог стать … кролик. Но братьев обманули, отсудив у них право на экранизацию «Освальда – удачливого кролика». Это подтолкнуло Уолтера начать работу над новым персонажем – веселой, энергичной мышью по имени Мортимер. Вскоре имя мышонка сменилось на более звучное – Микки-Маус. В 1927 году вышли два первых мультфильма о его приключениях. Они были черно-белыми и немыми, а Микки-Маус – поджарым, хвостатым и злым. Но уже в третьем мультфильме под названием «Пароход Вилли» появилась озвучка голосами, шумами и музыкой. Вскоре вышел и первый цветной фильм с Микки-Маусом – «Концерт». В последующие восемь лет мультфильмы Диснея ежегодно получали премию «Оскар, а всего за свои работы компания взяла 29 статуэток. Парад Оскаров Успех Микки-Мауса дал Диснею возможность воплощать в мультфильмах и множество других идей. Дисней быстро догадался, что доход можно получать еще и с «побочной», сувенирной продукции. Микки-Маус и компания появились на одежде, эмблемах, о них начали выпускать комиксы, а еще они стали игрушками. Все это позволило заработать деньги на первый в истории полнометражный мультфильм «Белоснежка и семь гномов». До этого считалось, что анимационный фильм не способен долго удерживать внимание зрителя; «мультики» демонстрировались лишь перед показами фильмов в кинотеатрах. Над картиной три года трудилось около 300 художников. Бюджет составил неслыханную тогда в кино сумму – полтора миллиона долларов. Но и успех мультфильма оказался невероятным: перекрыть сборы от «Белоснежки» смог только фильм «Унесенные ветром». На церемонии вручения «Оскара» триумфатору Диснею кроме главной статуэтки вручили еще семь маленьких дубликатов – по числу гномов из фильма. 83 В стране чудес Триумф следующих полнометражных мультфильмов – «Пиноккио», «Дамбо», «Бэмби» - сделал маленькую студию Диснея крупной голливудской кинокомпанией, с большим штатом персонала и самым современным техническим оборудованием. Вскоре Уолт Дисней начал осуществление еще одной своей давней идеи: постройку «Диснейлэнда». Он должен был стать парком-мечтой, местом, где даже взрослый человек почувствует себя снова ребенком, очутившись в волшебном мире, населенном выдуманными персонажами. Диснейлэнд открылся 17 июля 1955 года – это событие транслировал телеканал Эй-би-си в прямом эфире. И уже в первую неделю работы парк посетило 170 тысяч человек – настоящее паломничество! Tasks to the text: 1. Put 15 questions to the texts. 2. Cover the content of each of the texts in sentences with active grammar. THE PUBLIC IMAGE (extract) Muriel Spark Off the screen Annabel Christopher looked a puny little thing, as in fact she had looked on the screen until fairly recently. To those who had not seen her in the new films, or in publicity pictures, she still looked puny, an English girl from Wakefield, with a peaky face and mousey hair. Billy O’Brien had known her since she was twenty, that is to say, for twelve years. She had then just married his friend Frederick Christopher, with whom he had been to a school of drama. Frederick was then a young actor who had finished his first season with a repertory theatre. Annabel had played small parts in British films, always being cast as a little chit of a thing as she was. Presently they were all out of work again and filling in time with temporary jobs. Annabel was a waitress in a coffee-bar. Frederick taught elocution and voice production to a sixth form group in a grammar school. Billy O’Brien went on the 84 dole, started writing dramatic criticism for little reviews in order to get the theatre tickets. Then he went back to Belfast to work in his uncle’s grocer’s shop for a while, to tide him over the winter. Billy turned up three years later having done many jobs and played many parts in many theatres. He had turned a theatre critic for a new magazine and was now hoping to get a column in a national paper. Annabel was now in demand for small parts in films, always of the same type: she was called for whatever a little slip of a thing was needed – the typist who just happened to return to the office for the parcel she had forgotten when the fatal argument was in progress in the boss’s room next door, the little housemaid whose unforeseen amorous exchanges with the delivery boy waylaid the flight plans of the kidnappers, the waif on the underground railway who was one of those who never got home to her lodgings at Poplar; and then she played a more prominent part as the nurse wrongfully accused of stealing drugs, and who woke up by and by in a private room of a hospital in Bangkok under the watchful eyes of a “nurse” whom she recognized as a former patient of hers; and she played many other parts. But in those earlier times when she began to be in demand in English films, she had no means of knowing that she was, in fact, stupid, for, after all, it is the deep core of stupidity that it thrives on the absence of a looking-glass. Her husband, when she was in his company with his friends, and especially with Billy O’Brien, tolerantly and quite affectionately insinuated the fact of her stupidity, and she accepted this without resentment for as long as it didn’t convey of her any sense of contempt. The fact that she was earning more and more money than her husmband seemed to her at that time a simple proof that he did not want to work. The thought of his laziness ragged her against all contrary evidence and emerged in unpleasant forms, unforeseen moments, embarrassing, sometimes in public, from her sharp little teeth: “Sorry, I’ve got to go home to bed. I’m the worker of the family.” And more and more, Frederick stayed at home all day in their Kensington flat, living on her money, reading book after book – all the books he had never leisure to read before. He had craved for this contribution to his life. By the time he was twenty-nine years of age his undoubted talent had been 85 tested only a few times in small productions and then no more. In reality Frederick was an untrained intellectual. Perhaps he was never happier in his life than in those long mornings at home while reading various literature on the theme of “The Dance on Death”, and annotating Strindberg, while Annabel was at the studios, or was working out of the country for a few weeks, with her meagre skill and many opportunities to exercise it. He thought of her as doing something far different from anything he wanted to do. She always agreed with him in this, being uncertain, anyway what he meant. When he talked of “creating” a role, she agreed with whatever he said about it, because it was something she had heard continually since she attended the school of drama; everyone spoke of creating a role, and of great acting. She had very little tail, apprehension of what they meant. In practice her own instinctive method of acting consisted in playing herself in a series of poses for the camera, just as if she were getting her photograph taken for private purposes. She became skilled at this; she became extremely expert. Ten years later, with the assistance of Luigi Leopardi, she was recognized as a very good actress on the strength of this skill. Notes: a grammar school (GB) – a type of secondary school providing academic courses. the dole (coll.) – weekly payment made to an unemployed worker; to be/ to go on the dole - receive/begin to receive such payments. Tasks: 1. In no more than 3 sentences say what the above text is about. 2. Transcribe and practise reading of these words: drama, dramatic, grammar; nation, national, fatal, elocution, column, undoubted. 3. Suggest the Russian equivalents for the following: small parts, a more prominent part, publicity pictures, small production, voice 86 production, elocution, undoubted talent, meager skill, in public, to create a role, to be in demand. 4. Find synonyms for: unemployed, to have a strong desire for smth., to flourish, to become professional, to sponge on smb., minor roles, with the help of smb., insufficient skill. 5. Find the opposite for: leading parts, to be employed, a permanent job, clever, to decay, to reject, pleasant, sharp, trained, unqualified, certain. 6. Write the three forms of the verbs: to cast, to wake up. to fill, to teach, to need, to steal, to accept, to crave. Control questions to theme 2 VOCABULARY WORK I. Match the words from the two columns: Adjectives Nouns colour idea star-studded acclaim screen epic wartime film joint impression art version obscure poster lasting director captivating portrayal universal production II. Fill in the gaps with prepositions and adverbs where necessary: a) to have an influence ... smb to come ... contact... smb 87 to adapt a novel... the screen to be dubbed ... Russian to come alive ... the screen to make a hit … the public to cast smb ... advantage to leave a deep and lasting impression ... smb to arouse ... unanimous praise to dominate ... the screen b) Kid’s capers are the films ... different age groups. Such films arc unchallenged, as they are the best films to influence ... the development... spiritual outlook of the next generation. The most popular movies nowadays are various screen adaptations. It must be mentioned that there isn’t a greater responsibility than to adapt a literary work ... the screen. Sometimes it is rather challenging to bring ... life ... the screen the personages of world-known books. If a director exercises too original interpretation ... the characters ... his production, he can not appeal ... the audience, though a celebrity may star... a title role. III. Insert the necessary attributes from the list below: 1. 1. They say that today it is difficult to define a more influentialart than so-called ... art of ... picture. 2. 2. It goes without saying that movies are undergoing ... purification to 3. become a real part of ... culture. 4. The film appeared to be a ... flop because of... visual images and ... montage. 5. The jury decided that “The Lord of the Rings” deserved the title of the most.... screen adaptation. 6. 5. The production is considered a ... waste of time, as the plot is... and … 6. marvelous movie is not only entertaining, but it is a... narrative, 7. having a great ... and ... impact on people’s ... development. 88 The 8. But for the ... message of the film, it wouldn’t have moved peoples of different countries to tears and gained ... acclaim. 9. 8. If the ... actor didn’t feel the character of the personage, he would surely fail to create a ... portrayal of the personage. ___________________________________________________________ rudimentary, complete, mass, incoherent, slow-moving, memorable, humanistic, impressive, aesthetic(2), motion, incomprehensible, banal, educational, beginning, universal, visual, sheer, spiritual IV. Suggest synonyms to the following words and word-combinations: a. cinema-house, film, wide screen, cinema-goers, showing, star-studded film, the screen-version, a slow-moving film, an actor of great promise. b. to shoot a film, to make a screen version of a film, to be released, coproduction, to be mis-cast, main part, small part. V. Suggest antonyms to the following words: a colour film, a sound film, a title part, convincing acting, to be mis-cast, a gripping plot, to succeed in, to bring to life on the screen. VI. Paraphrase the following sentences, using the active vocabulary: 1. But for the actor’s convincing acting he wouldn’t have gained the best actor award. 2. The film deals with the most acute problems of modern society, but still arouses a great interest as if people want to perceive the important ideas of the gripping film. 3. If the acting of the actors were not so sincere, the movie wouldn’t have won universal acclaim. 4. Andy wouldn’t invite you to a funny comedy as he is fond of sad films of a serious kind with a sad end. 5. I wouldn’t feel so depressed now, if the film were not so slow-moving. 6. The critics wouldn’t announce the new film by a famous director to.be empty of serious content, if the subject-matter were not so difficult to understand 89 7. The director’s aim was to teach actors to transform themselves to the characters of their personages. 8. Soon a new film, directed by an unrivalled director will be released and all the movie-fans will have an opportunity to enjoy it. VII. Complete the sentences using the phrases given below: 1. The production was worth seeing … 2. If the beginning actor …, he … 3. The director’s purpose was … 4. To strengthen the production … 5. If I were in the actress’s shoes, I … 6. The producer, I suppose, shouldn’t have interfered in the process of audition … 7. The critics got offended by the director’s … 8. The craving to tease the society may … 9. Ascold’s dream was … __________________________________________________ to be accepted at the festival and awarded the first prize; to work at his own approach to the character, to captivate the audience by the original interpretation; to fail to cast to advantage; to bring out the subject’s essential nature; to introduce the work of trick-photographers; to refuse the role, being afraid to appear unattractive; to neglect one’s straight remarks concerning inconsistent montage; to be nominated for best costume designing; to lead to complete misunderstanding VIII. Develop the sentences into situations: 1. Artistry is a result of hard work, talent is not so important. 2. Cinema is not only a rudimentary art today, it is a part of contemporary mass culture. 3. If not for lavishly decorated settings, the film wouldn’t be so fascinating. 4. Bred Pit is famous for his outstanding wish to escape stereotyped casting. 90 5. Financial backing is one of the most important aspects of film-making. 6. Today actors are partially substituted by personages, created with the help of computer. 7. A successful film is a result of collective work of a great amount of people. IX. Explain the meaning of the following words and word-combinations: a newsreel, a co-production, an adaptation, an open-air theatre, a crowd scene, a climax, a dubbed film, a message of a film, the second edition. X. Fill in the gaps with prepositions and adverbs, where it is necessary: 1. No other art form has the same emotional impact ... formulating of 2. the children’s character and their personality. 3. A human being was always craving for listening ... a story, the love ...story is realized through our admiration ... visual images. 4. Nowadays the life ... the mind today receives its nourishment ... visual sources. 5. The movies’ potential ... propaganda purposes was immediately recognized. 6. Some critics doubt the capacity ... the movies ... doing good. 7. The movies now are not so disturbing ... intellectuals, as television 8. has stolen ... the limelight. 9. Since we have to live ... the movies, we would prefer not to be embarrassed ... them, we want the chance to exercise our humanity ... and ... the movies. 10. The spectators persist in demanding that the movies make more room ... a man ... their aesthetic boundaries. 11. ... the other hand it is out of the question to take the fun ... movies in order to fit them ... the traditional earnestness associated with education... XI. Make up situations on the basis of the given words and wordcombinations: 1. to interpret great work of literature on the screen to demand serious consideration 91 to broaden one's outlook to create memorable portrayal to exercise one’s humanity in and through ... to be overwhelmed by admiration to bring to life on the screen to preach a message of optimism to come in contact with. . . 2. to have an impact on our lives to demand serious consideration a narrative told in visual images to testify to one’s aesthetic taste educational force to exercise our humanity thought-provoking plots full of serious content to come alive on the screen ample budget 92 REFERENCE BOOKS 1. Аракин В.Д. Практический курс английского языка. III курс. -М., 2006 2. Ступников И.В. The World of Cinema. -М., 1988 3. A Graded English Course. II course. Английский язык для студентов факультетов иностранных языков педагогических вузов: Кошурникова Л.Д., Бойцова Т.А., Жигалев Б.А. -Нижний Новгород: НГЛУ им. Н.А. Добролюбова, 1995. 4. A Graded English Course. III course. Английский язык для студентов факультетов иностранных языков педагогических вузов: Сальникова Н.Н., Ильина С.Ю. -Нижний Новгород: НГЛУ им. Н.А. Добролюбова, 1997. 5. Foley М., Hall D. Advanced Learners’ Grammar. England. 2003 6. Golovichinskaya L.S. Reading and Talking English. -М., 1971 7. James M. American Film Now. New York. 8. Johnson K., Morrow K. Approaches. A Language Activation Course for Intermediate Students. Cambridge, 1979. 9. Tretyakova T.P. Situational Dialogues. -М., 1989 93