Billy Elliot

A British film: Billy Elliot 0

“I will
dance” I. Pretask:
search the web

Search the web for

some information
about the British
film “Billy Elliot”.
You can use the sites on
this page, but also any
other useful sites you
discover.
(make sure to write them
down!)

A. Facts & figures

 http://www.billyelliot.com/pages/home.html
 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1153490.stm
 http://movies2.nytimes.com/gst/movies/movie.html?
v_id=201730

1. Complete the list with actors and their character.

CHARACTER ACTOR

A British film: Billy Elliot 1

 Billy ………………………………………..
……………………………………….. Gary Lewis
Tony (Billy’s brother) ………………………………………...
……………………………………….. Julie Walters
Grandma ………………………………………...
…………………… (Billy’s friend) Stuart Wells
Debbie (Billy’s friend) ………………………………………...

2. Who is the director of “Billy Elliot” ?

3. In what year was the film “Billy Elliot” released?

4. What awards did the film/actors win? (give 2 examples)

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B. Setting
“Billy lives together with his family in the city of Durham.”

 http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/Britain.html
 http://www.touristnetuk.com/ne/durham/towns/index.htm
 http://www.durham.gov.uk/durhamcc/usp.nsf/pws/tourism+-
+tourism+Travel+and+Maps

1. In what county can we find Durham City?

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2. Indicate on the map:
- the capital of England
- the capital of Wales
- the capital of Scotland
- Durham City and its county
3. Name 3 things that are worth visiting
in Durham.

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“Billy is growing up during the miners’ strike of 1984.”

 http://www.answers.com/topic/uk-miners-strike

1. Who was the leader of the National Union of Mineworkers?

2. How long did the miners’ strike last?
3. What were the miners striking against?
4. Was the strike a success? Why?

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 II. Extract 1: 1’30 – 6’

We’re going to watch the first extract, this will give

you an impression of the
way Billy lives in Durham. While watching, try to
indicate the right
answer to the multiple-choice questions. Fill in the letter in the grid
below.

1. What is the background scene during the credits1 ?

O. Billy is drinking milk
A. Billy is jumping on his bed
F. Billy is dancing

2. What does the next scene show?

L. Billy preparing breakfast
M. Billy preparing tea
E. Billy preparing dinner

3. Billy’s brother is called

G. Johnny
B. Tim
L. Tony

4. Billy and his brother

U. get on well
T. are always joking around
E. argue a lot

5. When do we see Billy’s mum for the first time?

T. in a picture on the piano
N. in Billy’s bedroom

1
credits: de begin-/eindtiteling met o.a. de titel van de film, hoofdrolspelers,
regisseur,…

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 R. in a photo album
B
The word is:

The title of the song you heard during the credits said:
“I was dancing when I
was eight” . What were you doing when you were 8
years old? What were your dreams? Have you already
accomplished some of them?
1. First prepare individual.
2. Then tell it to your neighbour.
3. Finally, tell the class about your neighbour’s
dreams.

Write down in keywords, the information your partner

gives you.
Use the space underneath.

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 III. Extract 2: 22’ – 28’

Have a look at the next extract and try to answer the

following questions.

1. How does Mr Elliot get to know that his son has stopped boxing?
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2. Why doesn’t Billy’s dad want his son to do ballet?

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3. How does Billy face his father’s anger?

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4. What about Billy’s grandmother?

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 When was the last time you felt angry, sad, happy, jealous,
embarrassed, scared?
Make groups of max. 5 pupils. Throw the die and tell each
other when you felt that
emotion for the last time and why? It’s ok if you don’t want to
answer the question, but
try to interact.

IV. Extract 3: 55’ – 1h

Now you know that Billy’s dad isn’t

really happy about his son doing
ballet. But he doesn’t know that Billy
is that talented! What would you do if
you were Mrs Wilkinson?
While watching the extract, pay attention to some
new words.
Connect the word with the correct explanation.

1. sanctimonious A. a baby, a child

2. a twat B. a small thin racing dog
3. a wage C. a crazy person
4. to smack D. a stupid or unpleasant person
behaving as if you are morally better than
5. a nutter E.
other people
6. a bairn F. money you earn by working
to hit a person with your hand in order to
7. a whippet G.
hurt or punish them

Solution:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

1. Do you understand Tony’s reaction to what Mrs Wilkinson says?

Why (not)?

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2. Does this kind of situation belong to the past? Or is it still a current

theme? When? Where?
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V. Extract 4 : 1h 19’ 30” – 1h 23’

Watch the extract and try to predict what’s going to
happen next. Discuss
with your classmates and make up a scene that
follows the one you have just
seen.

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Read the dialogue that your teacher gave you to find out what
happened to Billy after he hit the other boy in the locker room.
Did you guess right?

1. How does the jury react to Billy’s behaviour in the locker room?

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2. What’s the irony in this short conversation with the jury?
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3. Did Billy get accepted at the Royal Ballet School?
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Jury Mr Elliot, I’m afraid that mutual2 respect and self-discipline are absolute
prerequisites3 for any pupil in this school. Such displays of violence
can’t be tolerated. Understand?
I realize we shall have to consider this very seriously and it will be
bound to effect4 our final decision.
Billy, can you tell us why you first became interested in the ballet?
Billy
Don’t know… It just was.
Jury
Well was there any aspect of ballet which caught your imagination?
Billy
The dancing.
Dad
He dances all the time. Every night, after school.
Jury
Yes, we have a very enthusiastic letter from Mrs Wilkinson and she has
told us of your personal circumstances.
Mr Elliot, are you a fan of the ballet?
Dad
I wouldn’t exactly say I was an expert.
Jury
You realize that no child can succeed without the 100 percent support
of the family.
Dad Are you completely behind Billy?

Jury Yes, yes of course.

Dad Do you want to ask us any questions?

Jury No, not really. No.

Well, in that case we shall let you know in due course.

Just one last question. Can I ask you Billy:
What does it feel like when you’re dancing?
Billy

Don’t know… Sort of feels good.

It’s sort of stiff, but once I get going… then I forget everything.
I sort of disappear. Like I feel a change in my whole body. Like there’s a
fire in my body.
Jury I’m just there…flying…like a bird. Like electricity…

Have a safe journey home.

Billy Elliot: extract 4: dialogue

VI. After watching the film

2
mutual: wederzijds
3
a prerequisite: een allereerste vereiste
4
will be bound to effect: zal zijn effect hebben op

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Class discussion:

 Was there something you didn’t understand about this

film/these extracts?

 Which stereotypes are mentioned in the film? Match them:

o BOYS o DIRTY
o GIRLS o BOXING/FOOTBALL
o A “POOF” o BALLET/DANCING
o POOR o GIRLISH
o … o …

 What would have happened to Billy and what kind of life would
he have led, if it had not been for his teacher, Mrs Wilkinson?

 Did you learn anything from this movie? What was it?

 Would you like to see other British films? Have you already
seen British films like Billy Elliot?

Write a short report (10-20 lines) about (you can choose):

- your (least) favourite character in the movie.
Tell why you (dis)like him/her the most.
Do you relate to him/her? Do you understand his/her
actions?
- one of the topics mentioned in the film e.g. boys doing
“girls’ sports”,
discrimination, …

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 VII. Vocabulary

Extract 1
a twat a stupid or unpleasant person

naught old word for ‘nothing’

to go mental to get really angry, to go mad

a group of people who stand in front of a shop, factory,
picket line government building etc to protest about something or
to stop people from going in during a strike
strike When people refuse to go working

Extract 2
hide nor hair
an insulting word for someone who works while the
a scab
other people in the same factory, office etc are on strike
a union an organization formed by workers to protect their rights
used to emphasize something you are saying when you
frigging
are angry, annoyed etc
a hiding used to say that you will physically punish someone
a poof an offensive word for a homosexual man
to bust his ass To work very hard

Extract 3
a gratification to satisfy a desire (een voldoening)

a bairn a baby, a child

a nutter a crazy person

to hit a person with your hand in order to hurt or punish
to smack
them
sanctimonious behaving as if you are morally better than other people
a wage money you earn by working
a whippet a small thin racing dog

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