Big Screen, Small Screen

VOCABULARY FOCUS

. What kind of movies do you enjoy and what do you find appealing about them?

A) In pairs, Look at the box of informal words used to describe movies. chick flick tearjerker blockbuster
Which ones do you know? Try to guess what kinds of movies the B-movie mainstream indie
unfamiliar words refer to.

B) Some people have joined an online movie club. Read their postings.

I’m a sucker for any kind of action move. I love

be a sucker for (sth) the big blockbusters with lots of explosions and
other things going on. Unfortunately, my girlfriend
= (informal) have
prefers a good tearjerker – she says it’s healthy
trouble to cry sometimes. We usually strike a
resisting something compromise: one week she picks a movie, the
next week I get to choose.

Basically I don’t like big budget mainstream

movies. They’re so predictable! I prefer the
Indie
smaller, indie films. Foreign films are great,
too, especially when they’re shot on some (independent film)
exotic location. There’s only one drawback:
I don’t like to read those subtitles on the
screen! Too distracting!

I enjoy horror or suspense films. One the one hand, I can’t

Chick flick = (slang) stand the tension – it’s too nerve weacking. On the other
movie target at a hand, they’re very exciting. Don’t tell anyone, but I’d have
to say romantic comedies are at the top of my list. I know
female audience that they’re chick flicks, but they’re a kind of guilty
pleasure for me.

I have small grandchildren, so I usually see those wholesome films that are “suitable for
the entire family”. I love my family, but my real interest lies with B-movies. My favorite is
Fantastic Creature from Beyond. Most people haven’t heard of it, but it’s terrific! (I’d tell
about it, but I don’t want to spoil the ending!)
C) Match the expressions on the left with their definitions on the right

1. blockbuster __D__ a. disadvantage

2. tearjerker ____
3. strike a compromise ____
4. wholesome ____
5. B-movies ____
6. spoil ____
7. mainstream ____
8. shot on location ____
9. drawback ____
10. distracting ____
11. nerve-wracking ____
12. guilty pleasure ____
b. reach an agreement
c. making you feel tense
d. a very successful book or movie
e. not filmed in a studio
f. reveal
g. making it difficult to focus on something
h. popular, appealing to most people
i. a sentimental movie or story that can make people cry
j. considered to have no bad influence
k. something you feel embarrassed about enjoying
l. low-budget films with poor scripts and little-known actors.

VOCABULARY BUILDER
a. stunts c. illness e. romance
b. chases d. effects f. forces

Match the words to form compound 1

nouns that are used when talking 1. car __b__ 3. daring ____ 5. life-threating ____
about movies. In what kind of 2. failed ____ 4. superhuman ____ 6. special ______
movie would you expect to fing
each of these things?

D) Work with a partner. Choose one of these two situations and create a role play with your partner.

Situation 1
You rented a movie from your local video
store. The sound quality of the video was
terrible. It was muffed in places and there
was a lot of static. Also, you couldn’t read
some of the subtitles. Return the video and
ask for your money back. Explain your
reasons.
Situation 2
You paid for an expensive $25 ticket to see a
major blockbuster on an IMAX screen. Inside
the theater, there were crowds of noisy kids
sitting all around you and there were too
many advertisements before the movie
even started. Speak to the theater manager
and ask for a refund. Explain your reasons.