2007年VOA标准英语-Los Angeles Festival Highlights Independent Fil

By Mike O'Sullivan
Los Angeles
26 June 2007

This week, Los Angeles movie lovers are watching some of the latest films from independent producers and Hollywood studios at the Los Angeles Film Festival. Mike O'Sullivan reports, the 10-day forum¹ is showcasing some small-budget films, and a big-budget blockbuster.

The annual festival began in 1995 as a showcase for independent films. Today, it is a major Hollywood event, attracting such stars as Martin Sheen, Cedric the Entertainer, and Don Cheadle.

Rachel Rosen

"We have about 236 films, that is features and shorts included," said Rachel Rosen, the festival's director of programming. "And last year, we had 80,000 attendees. This year, we are expecting about 100,000."

The big-budget science fiction-adventure Transformers² will open here.

GOVT. OFFFICIAL: "At 09:00, the forward operating base in Qatar was attacked. The only lead we have is this sound."

Most of the films are smaller-scale productions, including the documentary³ The Town That Was. The film was made for just $30,000.

"It was a full town, countless⁴ stores, gas stations. We had our own bank, post office, and anything any other town would have."

The film looks at the once-thriving town of Centralia, Pennsylvania, which is now nearly deserted⁵. A coal fire has burned beneath the city in abandoned mines for more than 40 years.

Filmaker Chris Perkel

Filmmaker Chris Perkel, who directed the film with his friend Georgie Roland, says it tells the story through the eyes of one of the town's few remaining residents.

"It is about one very stubborn⁶ man, but it is about a man who cannot let go of the past, a man's quixotic fight to try to keep alive a community that has literally⁷ disintegrated⁸ under his feet," said Perkel.

The documentary Young [At] Heart, looks at a group of senior citizens who perform rock and roll and pop music.

British filmmaker Stephen Walker says the elderly singers could sometimes be difficult to work with.

"They are very worried about being punctual the whole time, and if you are not completely punctual, you are in trouble," said Walker.

"But they are also wonderful, and it was like the greatest set of grandparents I came across in my life. But I never met grandparents that sung rock and roll before. So it was unique," he added.

Russian actor and producer Alexander Nevsky is showing an action-adventure called Treasure Raiders in which he costars with American actor David Carradine.

Russian actor and producer Alexander Nevsky

"In my movies, it is always a Russian and American together fighting against evil," said Nevsky.

"And that is basically how we won World War Two. And I hope that for the young generation, because it is an action movie, it will be easy to understand that we are not enemies, we are friends. So see, I am really like a big ambassador⁹ of Russian action movies here," he continued.

For Los Angeles movie lovers, the festival offers plenty of entertainment, some thought-provoking films, and a touch of Hollywood glamour¹⁰. It runs through July 1.

1 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

2 transformers   

n.变压器( transformer的名词复数 )；促使变化的（或人物），改革者

参考例句：

• The magnetic cores of transformers and other apparatus are laminated. 把变压器及其它仪器的磁心分层。 来自辞典例句
• Several distributor transformers had fallen from the poles, and secondary wires and service drops were down. 几个配电变压器从电线杆上摔下来，副线及吊饰也垂下来。 来自辞典例句

3 documentary   

adj.文献的；n.纪录片

参考例句：

• This case lacked documentary proof.本案缺少书面证据。
• I watched a documentary on the Civil War.我看了一部关于内战的纪录片。

4 countless   

adj.无数的，多得不计其数的

参考例句：

• In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
• I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。

5 deserted   

adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的

参考例句：

• The deserted village was filled with a deathly silence.这个荒废的村庄死一般的寂静。
• The enemy chieftain was opposed and deserted by his followers.敌人头目众叛亲离。

6 stubborn   

adj.难以移动，去除的，固执的，顽固的

参考例句：

• I can not cope with that boy;he is stubborn.我对付不了那个孩子，他很固执。
• When he's in his stubborn mood,he isn't easily talked round.他那股牛劲上来了，一时不容易说服。

7 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

8 disintegrated   

v.（使）破裂[分裂，粉碎]，（使）崩溃( disintegrate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The plane disintegrated as it fell into the sea. 飞机坠入大海时解体了。
• The box was so old;it just disintegrated when I picked it up. 那箱子太破旧了，我刚一提就散了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 ambassador   

n.大使，特使，（派驻国际组织的）代表

参考例句：

• He took up office as an ambassador for ten years continuously.他连任十年大使。
• The new ambassador is more mature than his predecessor.新大使比他的前任更成熟一些。

10 glamour   

n.魔力，魅力；vt.迷住

参考例句：

• Foreign travel has lost its glamour for her.到国外旅行对她已失去吸引力了。
• The moonlight cast a glamour over the scene.月光给景色增添了魅力。