Sometimes when you are living abroad and studying a language intensively, you just need to do something completely mindless in order to remain sane. Such a moment occured a couple of days ago. Instead of doing my grammar homework, I decided to go watch a movie with my friends Steven and Tyler. Unfortunately, we did not consult the schedule at the theater beforehand. It turned out only one movie was playing at a convenient time - "The Offer" starring Sandra Bullock. The plotline - a Canadian business woman faces deportation from the States. She pretends to marry her male assistant so as to keep her job. At first, the couple can't stand each other, but over the course of a weekend in beautiful, sunny Sitka, Alaska, they fall in love. Of course, the story ends happily with much smooching.
I had all ready watched this movie in a previous attempt to find a distraction from studying. This left me with an unenviable choice. I either had to put up with a chick-flick that was barely passable the first time around, or head home to deal with opinionated Russian women. I chose the former. It pains me to admit, but I watched "The Offer" two times in the span of little over a week. For those of you who have seen the movie, I think you will understand what I mean when I say I've reached a new all time low.
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Роман. Surely there was another choice. Have you not heard of sitting around on benches drinking beer? That is the approved method of killing time in Russia.
ReplyDeleteSusanna above put it very well. Almost can't add to that. Also, another good time is vodka with pickles.
ReplyDeleteTell us more about the opinionated Russian women. More opinionated than me? =)
Keep up the good work.
How about "The Offer" in Goblin's translation? The new plot line: an American spy (Bullock) in the heart of the USSR is on the brink of being found out and needs to act fast in order to escape the harsh reality of Soviet justice. Her only hope is to bribe a young Russian special services agent to help her run away to Anadyr in the extreme North of the USSR, where she plans to use a dog sled to flee to safety in Canada. The plot takes an unexpected twist as it turns out that Bullock is actually a double agent and is on the payroll of the British MI-6. The Soviet KGB officer's integrity is at stake, but Russian sled dogs are on KGB's payroll too, and instead of taking the traitors to Canada, they make a rather long trip over the Arctic ocean and take them to St. Petersburg, where they listen to a long lecture on patriotism by senior KGB members. The story ends happily as Bullock resigns from both MI-6 and CIA, marries the young Russian officer, and they settle in a suburb of Vladivostok.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, though, I don't know if Goblin has already made an alternative voiceover of this movie, but he makes some funny jokes in the ones he does translate.
Alia! The Goblin translation is a marked improvement! Thanks for sharing the details:) I'll definitely have to watch "The Offer" a....third time :(.
ReplyDeleteAnd of course Susanna is completely right. There really is no excuse for deviating from the approved method of killing time. However, I don't think I'm quite ready for vodka and pickles. That sounds rather intense.
As for opinionated Russian women - I think I have all ready expressed my thoughts on the subject. I propose and they dispose. May I wash my dishes? Net. May I carry my dishes into the kitchen? Net. How can you wear a shirt that has not been ironed? Why don't you eat another khatchapouri - you are soooo thin? etc. etc. I just try to laugh...that's all I can do.