English Listenign Lesson Lab Online
Views #477 | Low Intermediate 4

Horror Movies

Akane and Ruth talk about scary movies.
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Ruth: So Akane, is there anything that you’re frightened of?

Akane: Well… I’m, I’m really scared of horror movies. I never watch them, cuz they really really frighten me.

Ruth: Horror movies wow. Have your ever seen a horror movie?

Akane: Well, um, when I was little I used to watch them with my friends, because, back in the 80’s, horror movies used to be really popular. Like ah “Jason”, and “Freddy Cruger”. (Oh yeah) and things like that yeah. But ah, they used to keep me up at night and I couldn’t sleep.

Ruth: Yeah, my friend actually had a “Freddy Cruger” poster. It used to frighten me.

Akane: Did she?

Ruth: Yeah, it wasn’t my favorite. So, ah, what don’t you like about horror movies?

Akane: Well, um, I think, I think uh, I don’t know, I think it’s the psychological aspect of it. They just really make me feel scared.

Ruth: Ah, heh.. What was the last horror movie that you watched?

Akane: Um, the last one I watched was, I think it was the “Blair Witch Project”.

Ruth: Oh I know that film, yeah
.
Akane: The first one, I saw it in the theatre with my friend. And I couldn’t sleep properly for a week after that.

Ruth: Oh no!

Akane: Ya, I mean, I know it’s stupid. A lot of people think it’s a pretty stupid movie. Um, but I think it was just, just the psychological aspect of it that really made me feel scared. And uh, I think, with that movie, after people saw it, they weren’t really sure whether it was real or not.

Ruth: Oh yeah.

Akane: And so there was that element as, as well.

Ruth: Was that the same film that I’m thinking of. The one where they filmed people in a forest, is that right?

Akane: Yeah, that’s right. It was in a forest. And the whole thing was done with a camcorder. A hand held camcorder. And so, it was, a lot of it was, I think, black and white. I can’t remember. And uh, and the camera was very shaky, and…

Ruth: So it wasn’t professionally filmed?

Akane: Um, I guess it didn’t look like it was.

Ruth: Right.

Akane: Yeah, I heard that the movie actually only took um, It didn’t take a lot of money to film it.
But it, it made a lot of money.

Ruth: Yeah, I can believe that actually, I can believe that. Well, thanks for that.

Learn vocabulary from the lesson!

horror movies

I'm really scared of horror movies, so I never watch them.

'Horror movies' are scary movies that usually include a lot of blood and killing. Notice the following:

  1. Every Halloween my friends and I get together and watch horror movies.
  2. He love horror movies.

keep me up at night

Those horror movies used to keep me up at night and I couldn't sleep.

In this case, something that 'keeps you up at night' is something that makes you so scared that you can't sleep.  This can also be used to talk about something that you worry about so much that you can't sleep. Notice the following:

  1. You probably shouldn't watch this, because it will keep you up at night.
  2. It was an image that kept me up at night for weeks.

stupid movie

A lot of people think it's a pretty stupid movie, but it really made me feel scared.

A 'stupid movie' is one that is dumb and maybe doesn't make any sense. Notice the following:

  1. What a stupid movie.  I can't believe the actors agreed to be in it.
  2. I'm not surprised you haven't seen this.  It's a really stupid movie.

camcorder

The whole thing was done with a hand-held camcorder, and a lot of it was in black and white.

'Camcorder' is another way to say 'video camera.' Notice the following:

  1. My parents were always holding a camcorder when we were children.
  2. People with children usually have their camcorders with them.

made a lot of money

The movie didn't take a lot of money to film it, but it made a lot of money.

Something or someone that 'makes a lot of money' generates income.  Used like this, it means that many people paid to see the movie, so the producer got a lot of money for making the film. Notice the following:

  1. Many people have made a lot of money with only one successful invention.
  2. He made a lot of money in his first job, but he spent all of it.

Vocabulary Quiz

horror • keeping • stupid
camcorder • made
  1. Will you bring your to the park? I want to make a video.
  2. He was in a few popular movies in the 1990s.
  3. I can't find my keys and it's me up at night.
  4. It was such a movie that I stopped watching after 30 minutes.
  5. That company a lot of money right away, but then people stopped buying the product.
Answer the following questions about the interview.

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