This is the first DVD / movie review we will have at Alliance.  This is not a regular movie review, because we will focus on DVDs for English listening practice.  Some movies are good, but they are not good for English listening practice.  For example, comedies are fun to watch, but jokes are difficult to catch.

Remember, when watching DVDs for English practice:
1st time:  Japanese subtitles 字幕
2nd time:  English subtitles
3rd time:  NO subtitles

You do not have to watch the movie 3 times in 1 day.  For English listening practice, you can watch it once a week, if you have time.

This month’s review, “2001:  A Space Odyssey.”

Title:  2001: A Space Odyssey
Japanese Title (タイトル）: 2001年宇宙の旅
Year(製作年): 1968
Director (監督): Stanley Kubrick

Main actors and characters
Character name (actor name)
Dr. Heywood Floyd (William Sylvester　ウィリアム・シルベスター)
Dr. Dave Bowman (Keir Dullea　キア・デゥリア)
Dr. Frank Poole (Gary Lockwood　ゲイリー・ロックウッド)
HAL 9000 computer (Douglas Rain　ダグラス・レイン)

Is the movie good?
Yes, it is a classic science-fiction movie.  It was made in 1968.  It was made 1 year before people first went to the moon.  It was made 9 years before “Star Wars.”  For that time, more than 50 years ago, the special effects are amazing.

However, the story is not easy to understand.  The ending is strange.  There is not much action.  But it is an interesting, mysterious movie

Is the movie good for English practice?
Yes, it is.  The movie is sometimes difficult, but there is not much speaking.  Actually, the first 25 minutes has ZERO talking, and the final 23 minutes has ZERO talking.

Doctor Heywood Floyd talked with different people, so it is important to listen to him to get information.  But the most important conversations are later, on the Discovery One spaceship.  That spaceship had the HAL 9000 computer, and the characters on it were Doctor Bowman and Doctor Poole.  For English practice, focus on the conversations between Doctor Bowman and Doctor Poole, and also between Doctor Bowman and the HAL 9000 computer.

Please try it, and have fun.