2. 2. ‘’ Beauty and the beast'’ (1946)

Read the text and say why the film was special.

The film 'Beauty and the Beast' was directed by Jean Cocteau. It is based on the fairy tale by Madame Le Prince de Beaumont and it stars Jean Marais as the Beast and Josette Day as Beauty.

Beauty is one of three daughters of a French merchant. Her sisters, Felicie and Adelaide, are mean and treat Beauty as a servant. One day Beauty's father gets lost in the forest, but finds a strange castle, where he enters, looking for help. The owner of the castle is a repulsive monster, half-man, half-beast. He threatens the merchant - either one of his daughters replaces him as a prisoner in the castle or he will die. Beauty offers to replace her father and goes to live in the castle.

There she discovers that the Beast is not as terrible and inhuman as he seems, then he turns into a handsome prince.

The film deals with the theme of appearances in very interesting and clever ways. In one memorable scene, Beauty looks in the mirror and her face is transformed into the Beast's. For its time (1946), the film uses some clever special effects.

One of them is when Beauty is walking, waiting for the Beast to visit her in her room - behind her a statue's head follows her movements! The other effect is the whispering furniture. It is as frightening as anything in modern films.

The film has some weak points, but I’m sure it must be one of the most beautiful films ever made. Though it is black and white, the striking use of light makes it seem at times like a moving painting. The music is also magnificent.

Beauty and the Beast is a fairy tale with an obvious message - you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. Of course, it has neither the cute characters nor the Hollywood songs of the Disney version; it speaks to people of all ages. I recommend it for all the family.

Exercise

Express your opinion on the review. Would you like to watch this film?

Do you think special effects are important in a film?

2. 3. THOMAS GAINSBOROUGH (1727-1788)

Read the text and say what made Thomas different from other boys.

Thomas Gainsborough is a famous English artist. He is one of the greatest English portrait painters.

Thomas was born at Sudbury in Suffolk. Не was the youngest of the nine children in the family. He went to school in his native town. Не liked to spend his spare time walking in the woods and drawing. His school friends did his arithmetic for him while he made drawings in their note –books.

When а bоу he was very good at drawing, and according to а story about him, he made such а good portrait from memory of а thief whom he had seen robbing а garden that the thief was caught.

Gainsborough's portraits are painted in clear tones. Gainsborough's colour is always tender and soft. Green, blue, grey and yellow colours predominate in his pictures. Gainsborough often placed his figures against а landscape background, and thеге is always harmony between them. Among his most famous portraits are the portrait of Mrs. Siddons, а famous actress in а blue dress, and the picture of а boy in а blue costume standing out on а background of brown and green landscape.

.Gainsborough was fond of painting landscapes. Не loved the country-side of his childhood and used to say that nature was his best teacher. "The Suffolk country-side made me a painter”, he said. Gainsborough felt deeply what he wished to express and his brush transferred these feelings to the canvas. His pictures are full of poetry and music.

Exercise

Answer the questions:

1. Where was Thomas born?

2. How many brothers and sisters did he have?

3. Prove that Thomas was a gifted portrait painter.

4. What are his favourite colours?

5. What was he fond of?