writer/editor

middle east: work and travels

Thursday, July 10, 2008

listening comprehension: or what i understood from the last 15 minutes of a mexican telenovella dubbed into arabic

(scene 1, a man and a woman, both in their 40s, sitting in a living room)

woman:  I hate ––––.  I really hate him/it.  Sometimes I want to –––– him.  (I notice that she is holding what is either a knife or letter opener in her hand).

man:  I ––– ––– –––– ––––––– ––––––.

(doorbell rings)

man:  I'll go.

woman:  Yes, go, you always go!  (angry) –––– –––– you –––– –––– ––––!

(scene changes, see a man slinking around in the shadows of a palatial home while dramatic music cues.  we see the man from the previous scene in the lit area open a door.  man with glasses enters.)

glasses:  Hello.

man:  Hello.

glasses:  Hello lady of the house.

woman:  (Angry yelling)

(scene 2.  two young women in a large room that looks like the study in clue.  one is flustered and attractive.  the other has frizzy hair, is pudgy, and clearly sassy.)

attractive:  Where is he?  Do hear what I am telling you?

sassy:  Yeah I hear.  I just ––– –––– ––––!  (probably very sassy)

attractive:  That's it!  I'm, I'm going to call him!  (instead of getting out, say, a phone, instead walks over to the window.  we see a close-up of what appears to be a private residence imitating the white house lit entirely in bluish-purple, where a man and a woman are conveniently getting out of a car and going up the stairs to the front door.)

attractive:  I can't believe my eyes!  I can't believe –––– –––– he –––– –––– –––– me! (random man walks in)

random man: Hello!

attractive:  I can't believe –––– –––– –––––!  She saw everything too!  (points to sassy, who has somehow in the last two seconds nuzzled under random man's arm.  she looks up at him knowingly).

(scene 3, a opulently dressed woman lounges on a bed.  she is around 40.  another woman stand by.)

opulent:  Where is he?  Where is Carlo?  Where did he go?

woman:  –––– –––– okay.  (probably consoling)

(door opens, man and young woman walk in)

man:  Mother, this is my special female friend I want you to make acquaintance with.

young:  Hello ma'am.  (walks over and kisses opulent on the cheek.  opulent glares.)

young:  Haven't we met before?  (dramatic music queues as opulent's expression becomes fiercer.)

(show ends with credits as a woman dances in the rain with happy music)

1 comment:

Adrienne said...

I LOVE TELENOVELAS. I am so happy they have made their way to Morocco.

If you ever get a hankering to learn Spanish, use Marimar as your guide:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marimar_%28Mexican_TV_series%29