Reply to: Learning Russian

That's nothing...

Sylvia Kristel did the 1st Battalion the Parachute regiment to practice for her part in Emmanuelle

Emmanuelle Beart learnt to play the violin for her role in Coeur en hiver 8o

Yes, but de Niro is a true "method" actor - he wouldn't have taken the part unless he knew he could really box

I saw an interview with the guy who trained de Niro for "Raging Bull" a few weeks ago. He said that de Niro could have turned pro boxer he was that good.

Did you know he proposed the role of Mr T in Rocky III to a true heavy weight champion? After a couple of round where this professional boxer went easy he had two ribs broken, giving up to this idea

I didn't know that. I do remember Joe Frazier making an appearance in the first film. I suppose it makes a change from greeting customers at a Vegas casino like Joe Louis

as a non-boxer he wasn't too bad

I think Stallone tried some boxing, but he obviously wasn't any good. The fights in the movies are completely unrealistic; the concept of defence and guard never enter their heads, jab and move is an alien concept, and a real ref would never allow a fight to continue with punishment like that.
Raging Bull is much better and more realistic.

"Lord, Drago's Russian accent was as convincing as Rocky's ability to speak English "

Perhaps as convincing as Stallone's boxing skills? :-)

However, as a non-boxer he wasn't too bad. Did you know he proposed the role of Mr T in Rocky III to a true heavy weight champion? After a couple of round where this professional boxer went easy he had two ribs broken, giving up to this idea.:lol

I have learned from Rocky IV! "I must break you"

Lord, Drago's Russian accent was as convincing as Rocky's ability to speak English :lol
Rocky! Rocky! Rocky! Rocky!

"P.S. Don't ask Franco for help. I think he was taught Russian by the Eskimos. "

I have learned from Rocky IV! "I must break you"

Re: russian

you don't fatten a pig by weighing it

russian

nazdrovje, tovarich

exams

> Sounds very familiar to me - if they don't pass change the exams. :rolleyes

Russian exams are very different -- they are mainly verbal rather than written and even if you answer the question (picked randomly) you were supposed to answer the examiners have right to ask additional questions -- its these questions that make it easy for them to give someone they don't like B rather than A, or even get it down to C. Generally it is expected that those who want to get A grade should be able to answer those additional questions.

Re: real

When I graduated situation changed as schools became more interested in getting their children out with medals, it became statistic of pride.

Sounds very familiar to me - if they don't pass change the exams. :rolleyes

Re: real

I am off to get haircut and parts for SKA.

And that my son is why you'll never be a real software engineer!!!

Never go to the barbers voluntarily!

real

Real as in made of silver? I don't think so.

To be honest at the time when I got medal they changed policy -- my sister is older than me by 5 years and she was genuinly going to get Gold medal, however in her time (USSR was still in force) they had stupid policy of giving no more than 1-2 gold medals per city of 500,000, even though our school was top school in the city, but nevertheless they intentionally gave my sister B grade for what was A grade work -- unlike me she was top in Russian literature, but scum teachers let her down.

When I graduated situation changed as schools became more interested in getting their children out with medals, it became statistic of pride.

Well anyhow, I got silver medal, which was pretty fair since I knew other subjects very well, its only fecking Russian and Russian literature that were major problem. And Chemistry, but that's another story :rolleyes

I am off to get haircut and parts for SKA.

Re: learning languages

I graduated from school with a silver medal which was given to those who had no more than 2 non-A grades -

AtW, were they still giving out real medals when you graduated?