Christmas with the Kranks

Christmas with the
Kranks
By J. Byron Dean
Starring: Tim Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis, Dan Aykroyd
Genre: Comedy
When their only daughter Blair leaves the family nest, Luther and Nora Krank (Tim
Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis) decide to book an island cruise to beat the yuletide blues
and just skip the holidays. But their decision to boycott tradition has the whole
neighborhood in an uproar, and when Blair calls on Christmas Eve to announce a
surprise visit with her new fiancée, the Kranks have just twelve hours to perform a
miracle and pull themselves and their neighbours together to throw the best
celebration ever!
With fast-paced energy and support from Dan Aykroyd, Cheech Marin, Jake Busey
and M. Emmet Walsh, this hilarious adaptation of John Grisham's best-selling novel,
"Skipping Christmas" has become "an instant family classic!" (Gorman Woodfin, CBN)
Words you may need before watching the film:
the Peace Corps – Friedenstruppe;
pistachios – Pistazien; it’s just sprinkling – es tröpfelt nur; as odd as it
sounds – so eigenartig es klingen mag;
pasta – Nudelgericht, a little ledger – Kontoaufzeichnung; ornament –
Christbaumbehang; you got to be kidding me – du veräppelst mich; The
Caribbean – die Karibik; 10-day luxury cruise – 10-Tage Luxus
Kreuzfahrt; What’s the catch? – Was ist der Haken dabei? We skip
Christmas. – Wir lassen Weihnachten aus. go bask in the sun – in der
Sonne aalen; charitable donations – wohltätige Spenden; participate –
teilnehmen;
spilling their guts – Herz ausschütten; the Three Wise Men – Hl. 3
Könige; Don’t underestimate him, honey – Unterschätze ihn nicht,
Liebling. ; backyard – Hinterhof; pretty upset – ziemlich aufgebracht;
swap gifts – Geschenke austauschen; feel guilty – schuldig fühlen;
leash – Leine; Will you two ever be friends? – Werdet ihr zwei jemals
Freunde sein?
furnace – Heizung; front porch – vordere Veranda;
… a ridiculous 7-foot tall snowman – ein lächerlicher 7Fuß großer
Schneemann; regret – bedauern; take the brunt – die Hauptlast tragen;
You know what’s odd… - weißt du was eigenartig ist …; outlawed –
geächtet; front page – Titelblatt; a rotten display of selfishness – eine
miese Offenbarung von Selbstsucht;
a bunch of losers – ein Haufen Verlierer; cancer – Krebs;
I’ll appreciate it. – Ich weiß es zu würdigen.
handicapped kids – behinderte Kinder; What a jerk! – Was für ein
Dummkopf! contribution – Mitwirkung; carolling- jubilieren; He’s kind of
weird. – Er ist ziemlich eigenartig. They’re trespassing. – unbefugtes
Übertreten. set someone up – jmd. hereinlegen; property – Eigentum,
Besitz;
temporary – vorübergehend; wrinkles are gone – die Falten sind weg;
a bark – eine Rinde; I’m speechless and overwhelmed – Ich bin
sprachlos und überwältigt.
a blue spruce – eine Blautanne; donation – Spende; take it or leave it –
Nimm sie, oder lass sie („Mach was du willst!“) serious – ernsthaft;
you owe me – du schuldest mir etwas; steer – lenken; imaginary friend –
unsichtbarer Freund; burglary – Einbruch; weird – eigenartig; sticker
price - Verkaufspreis
not a clue – keine Ahnung; watch your balance – Gleichgewicht halten;
suicide attempt – Selbstmordversuch; expects to see a Christmas tree –
sie erwartet einen Weihnachtsbaum zu sehen; smoked trout –
geräucherte Forelle; spoiled and selfish – verwöhnt und egoistisch; to
scatter – sich zerstreuen;
mistletoe – Mistelzweig; body bag – Leichensack; (lustige Szene: N.
Reeky – anstelle von Enrique, Schild am Flughafen!); we need to stall –
verzögern; domestic disturbance – häuslicher Unfrieden; starve –
verhungern; grab some food – nimm etwas zum Essen; raised a smart
girl – zog ein kluges Mädchen auf; you deserve it – du verdienst es;
propose a toast – einen Trinkspruch sagen; true meaning of community
– wahre Bedeutung der Gemeinschaft/Gemeinde;
vacation – Ferien, Urlaub; sacrifice – (auf)opfern;
allergic to pork – allergisch auf Schweinefleisch; purchase – einkaufen,
Erwerb; wasted – verschwendet; selfless –selbstlos; (Now watch the film!)
SUMMARY: Luther Krank (Tim Allen) and wife, Nora (Jamie Lee
Curtis) are going to spend Christmas without their daughter Blair (Julie
Gonzalo) for the first time in 23 years. Blair has joined the Peace
Corps and will be in Peru. Luther calculates that the cruise he'd like to
take his wife on will save them half of what they normally spend on
Christmas and besides, it's not going to be much of a holiday without
Blair.
At first Nora is completely against the idea ... "Skip Christmas?!" She
just can't get used to the idea. They always decorate the house,
always put Frosty (a huge plastic snowman) on the roof, always send
the most beautiful Christmas cards and they are famous for their
Christmas Eve party. How can they just skip Christmas?
But Luther is not giving up. Handing out a memo to all his co-workers
that he will not be joining in on the Christmas gift-giving or holiday
party this year people say "Bah, Humbugs (Unsinn)" and "Good
morning, Mr. Scrooge." And when the neighbourhood finds out - it's
as if a blizzard hit their tiny, close-knit (eng verbunden) Hemlock Street.
Headed by Vic Frohmeyer (Dan Aykroyd), self appointed block leader,
the entire neighbourhood takes umbrage (Anstoß) at the fact that The
Kranks will be the only ones not joining in on the traditional
celebrations.
Nora, left home to fend against Frohmeyer and the neighbour's
demands that Frosty be put up has her hiding in the corner of her
bedroom as she calls Luther for help. Directed to get in the car and
meet him at the mall has all the makings of a subversive mission
(staatsfeindliche Aktivitäten) as Nora, bundled up in a hooded parka, tries to
make her get-away down Hemlock Street amidst her neighbours busy
decorating their homes.
Despite the protests, the Kranks finally settle in on the idea that their
dream vacation will take place and nothing is going to stop them.
Nothing until they get a phone call from Blair on Christmas Eve saying
that she's flown back to celebrate Christmas at home ... and she has
her fiancé (Verlobten) with her!
Now it's a mad dash (verrücktes Sausen od.Flitzen) to create the usual
Christmas Holiday as if nothing had been abandoned. With only hours
away to complete the task, Nora and Luther are up against some
pretty high odds that they can pull it off. Will their neighbours pitch in
and help or turn a cold shoulder and leave them lumps of coal
for being naughty? And will Luther learn the true meaning
of Christmas ... that it is better to give than to receive? ………????
(Kohlestücke)
(Finish the summary!)
"Christmas with the Kranks" is full of laughs, gags and typical Tim
Allen sarcastic humour. Some bits are predictable (vorhersehbar) but the
cast (Besetzung) and writing makes for an enjoyable holiday film. Tim
Allen has one scene with Jamie Lee Curtis where he has had Botox
injections done and the numbness (Taubheit) makes it impossible to
eat. And Dan Aykroyd gives us a bit of a Blues Brothers' Christmas as
he breaks out an accordion and sings some holiday tunes.
Taken from:
http://www.parentstv.org/PTC/publications/moviereviews/PTC/2004/thekranks.asp
Method.-didakti. Hinweise:
Film "Christmas with the Kranks" (Orignalstory von John Grisham
"Skipping Christmas / leicht zu lesen) - Geeignet ab der 3. Klasse. Im Film
einfach English language einstellen - und los geht's.
Zuerst Vokabelentlastung, dann den Film
öfter stoppen, damit die Schüler die Untertitel bewusst lesen können.
Die Zusammenfassung bzw. dann zu Ende schreiben oder auch nicht.
Credit to A. Zimmerl