Watching films is very popular in China, either at home or in the cinema. There are so many types and genre of films that sometimes it’s hard to choose. Have a think about your own favourites and work out how many different types of films you enjoy!
In this Podcast, you will learn:
(i) How to talk about certain types of films
(ii) To discuss which actors and directors you prefer
Dialogue:
Film fans are talking about their favourites:
(在街上)
(zài jiē shàng)
(on the street)
A:你喜欢看武侠片儿么？
Nǐ xǐ huān kàn wǔ xiá piān me?
Do you like to watch Chinese swordsman films?
B:喜欢啊。但有些剧情编得太夸张的，我就不爱看了。
Xǐ huān a. dàn yǒu xiē jù qíng biān de tài kuā zhāng de, wǒ jiù bù ài kàn le.
I do. But some plots are overly dramatic. Then, I don’t like to watch them.
A:你喜欢看谁导的？
Nǐ xǐ huān kàn shuí dǎo de?
Which director’s films do you like?
B:徐克。他拍了很多经典武侠片儿，而且他选的演员我也很喜欢。
Xú Kè. Tā pāi le hěn duō jīng diǎn wǔ xiá piān er, ér qiě tā xuǎn de yǎn yuán wǒ yě hěn xǐ huān.
Xu Ke. He has directed a lot of classic Chinese swordsman films. And I like the actors he selects, too.
Chinese words and phrases mentioned in this Podcast:
武侠片：a unique type of Chinese film, literally means ‘Chinese swordsman film’
功夫片：Kung Fu film which has lots of Kung Fu combat
剧情：plot
编：refers to ‘写’ in this context, write
夸张：exaggerate, overly dramatic, almost unreal
导：direct
导演：director
你喜欢看谁导的（电影／片儿）：Which director’s films do you like?
拍：shoot
拍片儿／拍电影：shoot a film
经典：classic
选的：select
演员：actor
Cultural/Grammar note:
‘武侠片’ is slightly different from ‘功夫片’. ‘武侠片’; it has lots of action in it but is more dramatic than that in a ‘Kung Fu movie’. The stories in ‘武侠片’usually happen in an ancient China dynasty, and you can see actors wearing ancient Chinese costumes, holding swords and flying over trees or houses chasing each other.
Xu Ke is a well-known Hong Kong director and producer with a good reputation in directing ‘武侠片’.