A MIRACLE ON THE STAGE

Read the text and say what happened to the famous actor.

David Garrick, the famous English actor of the 18th century, began his stage career very early. At the age of eighteen he was already a member of a company which toured the south of England every summer.

One evening in July the company arrived at the little town of B, and staged there a tragedy which was based on an episode of the Punic wars. It was performed in an open-air theatre. At the beginning of the second act there was a scene showing a battle-field. Bodies of three or four dead men lay here and there. Garrick played the part of one of those bodies. After the interval between the first and second acts the curtain went up. Garrick lay as still as possible, trying to look like a real dead body. An actor playing the part of a Roman general came forward and began to recite a monologue.

Suddenly Garrick heard a mosquito buzzing near his ear. Then came another. The next moment several mosquitoes began to sting him in the face and in the leg. Garrick wanted very much to scratch himself. But how can a dead body move?

"Look at that young man," the general went on with his monologue. "Only a few hours ago he was healthy and full of life ... and there he lies now—a dead body! Only a miracle can bring him back to life!"

Exactly at that moment Garrick began to scratch himeslf here and there. Trying to remain serious, the general was thinking hard what to say next. He certainly could not continue his monologue.

"The gods have heard me!" he cried out at last. "The miracle has happened!"

The audience burst into laughter, but Garrick had no wish to laugh. He was too worried about his future stage career. In any case, that evening he decided never again to play a dead body in summer when there are so many mosquitoes around.

Exercise

Answer the questions:

1.What is the main idea of the story?

2.What parts can you divide the story into?

3. Do you remember funny moments that took place during the performance?

19. “BEAUTY AND THE BEAST” (1946)

Read the text and say why the film was special.

The film 'Beauty and the Beast' was directed by Jean Cocteau. It is based on the fairy tale by Madame Le Prince de Beaumont and it stars Jean Marais as the Beast and Josette Day as Beauty.

Beauty is one of three daughters of a French merchant. Her sisters, Felicie and Adelaide, are mean and treat Beauty as a servant. One day Beauty's father gets lost in the forest, but finds a strange castle, where he enters, looking for help. The owner of the castle is a repulsive monster, half-man, half-beast. He threatens the merchant - either one of his daughters replaces him as a prisoner in the castle or he will die. Beauty offers to replace her father and goes to live in the castle.

There she discovers that the Beast is not as terrible and inhuman as he seems, then he turns into a handsome prince.

The film deals with the theme of appearances in very interesting and clever ways. In one memorable scene, Beauty looks in the mirror and her face is transformed into the Beast's. For its time (1946), the film uses some clever special effects.

One of them is when Beauty is walking, waiting for the Beast to visit her in her room - behind her a statue's head follows her movements! The other effect is the whispering furniture. It is as frightening as anything in modern films.

The film has some weak points, but I’m sure it must be one of the most beautiful films ever made. Though it is black and white, the striking use of light makes it seem at times like a moving painting. The music is also magnificent.

Beauty and the Beast is a fairy tale with an obvious message - you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. Of course, it has neither the cute characters nor the Hollywood songs of the Disney version; it speaks to people of all ages. I recommend it for all the family.

Exercise

Express your opinion on the review. Would you like to watch this film?

Do you think special effects are important in a film?

1. HOLLYWOOD

Read the text and learn some facts about the history of Hollywood. What two meanings does the word Hollywood have?

To many people, the word Hollywood has two meanings. Hollywood is an area in Los Angeles. Hollywood is also the American movie industry.

Hollywood was just farmland at the beginning of this century. Early American movies were made in other places; for example, in New York and Chicago.

In 1917 a director was making a movie in Chicago. Because the weather was cold he could not finish the movie. He took a trip to southern California, and there he found just the weather and scenery he needed to finish the movie The director realized that southern California was the perfect place for making movies. The next year his company built a studio in Hollywood. Other companies followed. Since that time nearly all important American movie studios had moved to Hollywood.

The next thirty years were Hollywood's greatest years. Thousand of movies were made, most by a few large and powerful studios. Directors, actors, and writers worked for these studios. They have made some movies that today are considered great art. Hollywood, the area in Los Angeles, has also reached its high point in these years. Many famous movie stars lived in Hollywood.

Today, Hollywood has changed. More movies are made outside of Hollywood. Many studios have moved. The movie stars have also moved to areas like Beverly Hills and Malibu.

But visitors to Hollywood today can go to the famous Chinese Theater and see the footprints and autographs of movie stars. They can go down the Walk of Fame, on Hollywood Boulevard, and see th golden stars in the sidewalk.

Exercise

Why did Hollywood become the center of movie industry? What has changed since that time?

Date: 2015-12-24; view: 1505