English, baby!

Beowulf

Date: Dec 19 2007

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

Beowulf is one of the oldest stories in the English language. The epic poem about the battle between a great warrior and a monster called Grendel dates to at least the 11th Century.

Recently, the poem was made into a state-of-the-art animated film that uses computers to make very realistic-looking characters based on real actors. Listen to Marni and Beren talk about the movie.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Marni

Beren

Marni: So have you seen Beowulf?

Beren: No, I haven’t. I saw the trailer...

Marni: Not into it?

Beren: Naw! I don’t like animation, like CG…yeah CGI…there’s something about it that’s really disturbing to me.

Marni: Huh. That’s interesting. I read the original story in college, so I was like, “Okay, I’ll go see what this is all about.” And it’s really interesting. I don’t necessarily seek out CGI movies either, but I did get to see the 3D so I was kind of into that.

Beren: Whoa! See, I think that would make me motion sick.

Marni: Really? The whole 3D thing reminded me of being little and putting on glasses and it was kind of nostalgic. But it was fun. It was interesting, I mean I didn’t love it, I didn’t hate it, I just walked away thinking, “That was really interesting.” Angelina Jolie has kind of gotten some flak for being this beautiful…you know she’s supposed to be a monster. But the cast is just amazing. I kept thinking, “Oh my God, I can’t believe this person is in it.” Like Crispin Glover and John Malkovich.

Beren: See, I love both of them. It’s just I can’t get over the animated aspect of any movie, really. If it’s really cartoony I don’t mind, but when they to make it look like future, animated people/things it’s creepy. They have like skin texture...

Marni: And the 3D really brings that out. It’s an experience. It’s something to go to if you’re up for just visual eye candy.

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Discussion

Beren hasn’t seen Beowulf because she saw a trailer and doesn’t like CGI, or computer-generated imagery. She says it’s creepy because it almost looks real, but not quite.

Marni saw Beowulf in 3D, which was fun because it reminded her of seeing other movies in 3D when she was a kid. She’s not sure if she liked the movie or not, but it was definitely exciting.

What’s your favorite kind of animation? Is there an old story or poem in your culture that you think would make a good movie?

Comments

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Erise

Poland

Here we are. The 11th Century and 3D. The poem which was passed down from generation to generation by simply being told orally. The 21st Century has chosen the way of 3D. Well, every generation has own educative ways

joeli116

China

i like the whole 3D thing. like “The Load of the Ring”, the “Matrix”. i am really having fun in that. i will go and see Beowulf then :)

yuki gao

China

I didn't mean to reply anything

junaidasif

Pakistan

hel

lamita83

Morocco

beowulf is the name of a warrior .itis a norse myth which is from the viking times .well i think that the word 's meaning half bear and half wolf .

ola3

Ukraine

I've watched Beowulf and liked it very much. It is really a state-of-art animation and characters are so real that in the beginning I couldn`t understand what`s going on. It's a fantastic experience watching the 3-D as though are there in the scene. Notwithstanding that the movie is storie for children I wasn't sorry watching it. The movie reminded me of my native russian fairy tales about dragons, baba Yaga and it would be great if our producers made something similar.

aoismail2008

Somalia

i don't knowwhat is the meanig of this word

夏宝

China

AS A SENIOR 3 STUDENT ,I KNOW I SHOULD AND HAVE TO MEET THE PRESSURE OF STUDENT.

EVERYTIME I WANT TO GIVE UP THE STUDENT ,MY FATHER'S ADVICE ALWAYS AROUND MY EARS"WHANTEVER DIFFICULTS YOU COME ACROSS ,YOU MUST TO STAND UP TO THEM .AND IT'S NOT TERRIED OF STRESS ,BUT YOUR ATTITUDE. IF YOU USE A NEGETIVE ATTITUDE TO FACE ANY PROBLEM,YOU ARE DDESTINED FORFAILURE."

AS A MATTER OF FACT ,I KNOW THE REASONABLENESS BUT_~~_~~~~

FACING THE REPEATED LIFE ! I JUST FEEL VERY TIRED. I DON'T KNOW WHETHER MY AIM IS TOO HIGH !

MAYBE THE MORE PRESSURE COME FROM MYSELF!@

IF YOU WANT TO TALK WITH ME ,YOU CAN ADD MY QQ 602987475.

FROM 凌木日熙

NICE MOVICE！

yuliapbs

Israel

I sew this movie ,and i have to say that it guite good.I recommed everybody to go over this one-time movie experience.

riya_arora127

India

Till I did not see this movie I will see later

轻云蔽月

China

good!V-V

jack.hame

China

it is difficultto understand.

李星

China

I am go mad ,it is so quick .I have nothing to say .

xulei_0329

China

Don’t understand!

xulei_0329

China

Don't understand !

Devendra

India

It's amazing to hear this clipping. I just can't describe it into words. the mention of watching CGI reminded me the things I heard about 3d movies but never saw them. but now I think I should be up for just 'visual eye candy'.