电影赏析:律政俏佳人(上)
这是一部典型的好莱坞青春校园影片,有丰富的画面和绚烂的色彩,当然最最重要的就是主人公在90分钟中传奇的励志过程。 从中我们也了解到了金发美人在美国社会的地位究竟是怎样的一种状况,不学无术,靠美貌吃饭是大多数人对她们的看法,但在影片中美丽聪慧的Elle打破了这个定势,完成了一个从美貌白天鹅到智慧白天鹅的过程。
对于英语学习来说,我认为此片更是一部上好的教材,原因有二:第一,就语言本身来说。这是一部青春校园片,剧中人物的语言涉猎了课堂、餐厅、电话、演讲、聚会等各个方面,对日常的口语表达很有帮助;第二,从内容上,Elle的奋发向上会激励学习中的你,把枯燥的学习过程变得后劲十足。
首先来认识电影中的主要角色,这里提一点学习英语的小建议,在看完影片后不妨给你印象深刻的角色写一个“人物小传”,这是表演学习当中重要的一部份,但我认为它同样适用于英语学习,根据你对人物的理解,写一到两话即可,既可以锻炼自己对事物的归纳能力,同样也可以轻松自然的练到写作,可谓一举两得。
Elle Woods
A very pretty, smart and sweet young woman who decides to completely change her life and go to Harvard law School, in order to follow her boyfriend, who has decided to break up with her.
Warner Huntington the 3rd
Elle’s boyfriend, who is snobby, who decides to leave her because he feels he needs to find a more serious looking girlfriend that will help him with his future career in politics.
Paulette
A woman working class hairdresser who becomes Elle’s best friend.
Vivian
Warner’s new girlfriend at Harvard, who treats Elle very poorly at first.
Brooke Taylor Windham
A successful business woman who makes well known exercise videos, who is charged with the murder of her rich husband.
Professor Callahan
A lawyer and Professor at Harvard, who is hired to defend Brooke.
Emmett
A young lawyer and Professor Callahan’s assistant.
This is the story of Elle Woods, a very cute and friendly student who is also the most popular girl in her Los Angeles sorority (A house and club for female students). Elle has just finished her studies in Fashion, and is getting prepared to marry her boyfriend, Warner, who will soon be going to Harvard Law School, in Boston. Unfortunately, Warner decides to break up with Elle, because he wants to find a more serious looking girlfriend who will help his career in politics after he gets out of law school (Elle, unfortunately looks like the dumb blonde)
故事的引子是从Elle的金发开始的,这似乎是很荒谬的一件事情,但是在英美文化当中,这种现象已经历来已久了,判断一个女孩的受教育程度或是家庭背景,往往是通过头发颜色和说话声音的位置,这在很多的影视作品中都有体现(梦露早期的作品都是挤着嗓子说话的)。还有Warner就读的大学是Harvard Law School(哈佛法学院),熟悉美国政治的人都知道,竞选议员是迈入仕途的第一步。从政的道路当中,伴侣的选择至关重要,不光要有较好的教育背景,更重要的是联姻的家族要门当户对,就Warner所说的抛弃Elle为了找一个serious girl其实也只是一个借口罢了。
进入影片
场景一
Elle为迎接期待已久的约会,拉着两个死党去置装。在服装店(Sun Plaza Boutique)里,坏心的店员认为Elle只是富家的挥霍女罢了,于是想拿过季的衣服充当新款……
Clerk:There’s noting I love more than a dumb blond with daddy’s plastic.(to Elle)Did you see this one? We just got it in yesterday.
Elle:Oh,Is this low-viscosity rayon?
Clerk: yes, of course.
Elle: With a half-loop, top-stitching on the hem.
Clerk: Absolutely. It’s one of kind.
在这个简短的对话中,需要引起我们注意的有:
It’s one of kind. 字面上是“在此类中的唯一一种”,意思是“独一无二”,If something is “one of a kind,” it is truly unique, with no others like it.强调的是对于某事物“独特”unique的感觉。关于这个短语,想起了上课期间一个同学问我可否用“I won’t lift a finger”,他理解该短语的意思是“爱不释手”。其实不然,如“put a finger on sth.”的意思就是对某事理解,得门道,所以以此联想一下就可以得出“I won’t lift a finger”是我不感兴趣之意。
还应该注意的是Sun Plaza Boutique,这里的服装店没有用传统的“商店”之类词,而是用了“Boutique”,根据发音我们感觉他有一点法语的味道,没错,他来自于法语,原意是small shop,或者是A small shop located within a large department store or supermarket.(大商场中的“店中店”),但是在今天,boutique更多的与luxury(奢侈品)相联系,而且特指高档女装店,每年的奥斯卡颁奖典礼上,众多女星的礼服大多是在世界顶级品牌的Boutique中定制的。