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■第三十五屆香港國際電影節於本月20日舉行，《出軌的女人》和《報應》兩部影片屆時將隆重首映。 資料圖片
After the BAFTA (ie, British Academy of Film and Television Arts) Awards, as well as the Golden Globes and the Academy Awards (commonly called the Oscars) on the other side of the Atlantic, perhaps you're tempted to watch some of the movies, or have already seen some? Maybe it's Oscars' Best Picture - The King's Speech? Or Golden Globes' Best Motion Picture - The Social Network? Moreover, the Hong Kong International Film Festival commences this coming Sunday, lovers of moving pictures will be busy for some time.
Did you notice that, in the above paragraph, there are a few terms that means a film? They include 'movie', 'picture', 'motion picture', 'moving picture', and of course 'film'. What are their differences?
Film? Movie?
'Film' is the original word, and is still very commonly used, especially in Britain, and also particularly when we talk about good films. That is why most such awards are called 'film awards', rather than 'movie awards'.
Even before the First World War, Americans started to call films 'moving pictures', understandably because the pictures shown were moving. Then, they simplified 'moving picture' to 'movie'. Nowadays, many Americans use the word 'movie', and it's more popular than the word 'film' in daily conversations.
How about 'motion picture'? It's a term dreamt up in Hollywood, and some language experts insist that it's a silly expression! As for 'picture', clearly it's a shortened form of 'moving / motion picture'.
Cinema? Movie Theater?
What do we call the public places we watch films? The common British term is 'cinema', while the American one is 'movie theater' (hence spelled 'theater', rather than 'theatre'). Nowadays, most cinemas show several films at the same time; we call such a cinema a 'multiplex'.
How about the activity of going to watch a film? The British 'go to the cinema', 'go to the films' or 'go to the pictures', while the Americans 'go to the movies'.
A popular book is called a 'best-seller'. What do we call a popular film then? It's called a 'blockbuster'.
Actor? Actress?
How about people who act in the films? They're all called 'actors'. Note that an 'actor' can be a male or a female. In fact, many women prefer to be called 'actors', and do not like the word 'actress' at all. A famous actor is called a 'star', 'film star' or 'movie star'. How about the word 'cast'? It is a collective term referring to all the actors in the film. For example: Most Hong Kong films have an all-Chinese cast.
The leader of a film, who is in charge of making the film and teaches actors how to play their roles, is the 'director', while the person in charge of money is the 'producer'. They are all called 'film-makers'. Besides the actors, all the people who work to make a film are collectively called the 'film crew'.
Enjoy, all you film-goers out there!
Questions
What do we call:
1. the written text of a film?
2. the music and sounds played during a film?
3. the first public showing of a film?
Answers
1. script;
2. soundtrack;
3. premiere. ■MT Ness
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