logo 首頁 > 文匯報 > 新聞透視眼 > 正文

【騎呢遊學團】喪星玩乜鬼 搞笑學英語

2019-01-11

今日繼續介紹看電影學英文的「教材」-《Tropic Thunder》(雷霆喪星)

該片是由Ben Stiller主演的喜劇。Vietnam veteran Sgt. John "Four Leaf" Tayback's autobiography is being made into a film titled Tropic Thunder. The main cast consists of action-star Tugg Speedman, whose career is in stagnation, Australian Academy Award winner Kirk Lazarus, two-bit comedian Jeff "Fats" Portnoy, who has gained notoriety for his severe drug abuse, rapper Alpa Chino, and rookie actor Kevin Sandusky.

Despite the massive amount of money pumped into the film, production is a month behind schedule, and director Damien Cockburn cannot keep the cast in order. After studio executive Les Grossman threatens to shut down the film for good unless Cockburn can get his house in order, Cockburn comes up with an unorthodox way of reshooting the film, which includes sending the five-man acting crew into the isolated jungles of Southeast Asia on their own. However, the actors don't realize that they have been sent into the Golden Triangle region, a drug-producing region where the Flaming Dragon cartel is operating. When the actors realize they are facing a genuine threat, they are forced to become the very soldiers they are portraying.

電影的拍攝背景在越南,講述在拍攝關於一個美國老將(Veteran)在越南的自傳(Autobiography),這部戲就是叫《Tropic Thunder》。當中的演員來自不同地方,有演藝事業停滯不前(stagnation)的動作明星Tugg Speedman;有澳州電影金像獎得主Kirk Lazarus;有剛剛從戒毒所回歸正常生活的諧星Jeff Portnoy;饒舌歌手Alpa Chino;還有新進演員Kevin Sandusky。

雖然這套電影的製作預算龐大,可是導演Damien Cockburn因為不能控制電影的演員(Cast),所以進度已經慢了一個月,而且電影公司的高層(studio executive)Les Grossman更威脅要把整個製作腰斬,除非導演可以好好管理他的演員。所以導演Damien Cockburn就忽發奇想,用一個完全非傳統的方法(an unorthodox way)去拍攝整套電影。他把五名演員送到東南亞的熱帶森林中,完全與外界隔絕。可是五名演員完全不知道自己就是在金三角的地區,那裡有很多不同地方的游擊隊互相對抗。各人在真實的戰亂和危險中,能否拍出有水準的戲劇呢?

聽英文口音 識別人出身

《雷霆喪星》好看之處,是當中有很多不同口音的英文。例如飾演澳州電影金像獎得主的男演員,其實是美國人,卻說得一口澳州英語的口音。在日常生活中,說英語的國家有很多,除了最常見的英式和美式英語外,也會聽到澳州(Australia)、新西蘭(New Zealand),甚至是南非(South Africa)的口音,這些都是大有不同的。如果語文能力好,就可以分辨對方來自什麼地方。這套喜劇還有一個超級驚喜(surprise),就是扮演黑人角色的Kirk Lazarus本身其實是白人(caucasian)!而他的真正身份,就是Robert Downey Jr.,即是《Ironman》(鐵甲奇俠)的主角!■岑皓軒(畢業於英國倫敦帝國學院(Imperial College London),與太太馬漪楠合著暢銷書《Slang:屎爛英語1,2&3》,《全家變泰》及《放養孩子 - 育出自學力》。)

讀文匯報PDF版面

新聞排行
圖集
視頻