Do you love talking about Films?
Are you trying to watch more films in English?
Join Peter’s English Film Club!
Saturday 24th October at 13:00 UK Time
We will discuss Inglourious Basterds (2009)
You can find more details on how to participate on Zoom via Patreon and Discord!
What is Film Club? – Inglourious Basterds
Film Language Document – Conversation Questions – Extra Resources
What is Peter’s Film Club?
The Film Club is a great opportunity to practice English speaking skills by talking about a film.
Peter invites Thinking In English Conversation Club members (Patreon levels: Learner and Master) to join him on Zoom one Saturday per month, for free!
If you are not a Patreon member, you can pay to join the film club on Peter’s website
But it’s not just about improving speaking skills. Every film has a different topic so talking about them is a really effective way to increase your vocabulary.
Also, you can practice your writing. After every meeting, you can write your thoughts about the film and Peter will read it amd give you detailed feedback!
How to Prepare the Film Club:
1. Watch the film!
2. Prepare by studying the Film Language Document.
(The Film Language Document contains Themes, and Vocabulary Items specific to the film. It also contains the Conversation Questions we will discuss in the meeting!)
You can find the Film Language Document (and more) below…
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Here is a simple description of the film
Inglourious Basterds is a well-known, semi-historical war film directed by Quentin Tarantino. Although it is set in occupied France in 1944, it is not historically accurate and introduces an loud, entertaining, and extremely violent plot against the Nazis.
We follow the Inglourious Basterds, a gang of rogue soldiers, most of whom are Jews that have escaped from persecution to try to kill as many Nazis as possible. Their leader is an American played by Brad Pitt. However there are also two other important story lines. One is of a young Jewish cinema owner whose family were murdered a few years earlier. The other is a cunning, articulate, and terrifying Nazi officer who is an expert at finding hidden Jews.
Tarantino intentionally shocks and provokes viewers with ultra-violence and an often unserious tone. He invites people to complain that the film is offensive or insensitive. And that’s the question for the viewer, Does the film make light of a serious topic? Does it glorify violence? Or does it empower people that are usually only seen as victims?
Conversation Questions!
- How did the film make you feel? Is it funny, interesting, satisfying? Would you recommend it to others and would you watch it again?
- Let’s talk about the opening scene at the farmhouse. It’s probably the most famous in the film. How does the scene build that tension? Was it surprising, or did you always know what was going to happen?
- Let’s talk about the character of Colonel Landa. Do you find him at all charming and likeable? Or purely repulsive? (Christoph Walz won an Oscar for this – does that surprise you?)
- How about the Basterds themselves, were they likeable? Why or why not?
- What did you think of Shosanna’s character and her story? Was it satisfying?
- Why do you think the film chose to make cinema itself the weapon?
- Did you laugh while watching the film? Which moments were funny, and why?
- Does the film glorify violence and revenge or does it empower Jewish people by not simply depicting them as victims?
- Tarantino surely intended to provoke people with this film and its treatment of a taboo topic. Why do you think he did this and did you find the film offensive?
Do you have any more thoughts or questions?
Why not prepare 1 or 2 more of your own questions or opinions about the film?!
Extra Resources
If you want to do even more, you might want to look at the online resources:
IMDb Page
IMDb page where you can find everything about the film including: Videos, Characters, Cast and Crew, Plot Synopsis, Quotes, Reviews and more!
Watch A Film Trailer on YouTube
See if you like the look of the film by watching the trailer.
… and it might help you refresh your memory if you saw it a long time ago!
Inglourious Basterds Vocabulary
Learn and practice the vocabulary for this film!.
Practice using 5 different study games and activities – including writing, listening, and memorisation techniques!
Flashcards
Matching Game
Learning Game
Test Yourself
Listening and Spelling
General Film Vocabulary
Learn and practice vocabulary for this Thinking in English Conversation Club.
Practice using 5 different study games and activities – including writing, listening, and memorisation techniques!
Flashcards
Matching Game
Learning Game
Test Yourself
Listening and Spelling
See you at the Film Club!
