VOA标准英语2014--New Film Explores Cambodia's Forgotten 1960s Rock Scene

 

New Film Explores Cambodia's Forgotten 1960s Rock Scene

PHNOM PENH — Musicians who survived Cambodia's murderous Khmer Rouge¹ regime reunited over the weekend, playing onstage again for fans old and new. The open-air concert at Phnom Penh's Chaktomuk Theater followed a private screening of Don't Think I've Forgotten, a documentary about Cambodia's rock 'n' roll scene from the 1960s.

Reunion concerts often evoke² thoughts of once-famous bands picking up their instruments after a long hiatus. Here, musicians came out of not only retirement³, but often obscurity, said Touch Seang Tana.

"Maybe the audience doesn't know me well, but rather as a scientist. I was an artist and musician back in the day. Younger generations don't know me as an artist because history has lost the songwriters' names from the songs, so we don't know who wrote them anymore," he said.

Touch Seang Tana is better known as a prominent conservationist working with Mekong River dolphins. He recently joined several others as living testimonies⁴ to Cambodia's 'golden age' of rock. Many other musicians from that time are long gone, killed by the murderous Khmer Rouge, which tried to wipe out the music from Cambodia's history.

The sister of one of the era's most well-known singers, Ros Serey Sothea, was on hand to remind the audience. "The art from this era, we can consider it a very important heritage; please do not forget it and change that distinction," said Ros Saboeun.

Ten years in the making, the documentary Don't Think I've Forgotten shares the stories of the musicians who made this scene. The private screening in Phnom Penh more than filled the theater, an indication that many share the same fascination⁵ for the music and the war that originally hooked director John Pirozzi.

"As an American, I was feeling kind of shocked that I hadn't been taught that. So that was the first thing," he said. "And then when I heard the music, I'm a big music lover. It really just grabbed me. I was like, 'Wow, this is some amazing music,' and I was curious. Where did it come from? Who were these people?"

The documentary traces the history of Cambodia's 1960s and '70s rock music through interviews with survivors⁶ and fans. It also covers its traumatic end at the hands of the Khmer Rouge, with memories recounted by musicians, as well as by John Dean, former counselor⁷ to President Richard Nixon.

 

The film has its official premiere later this year.

1 rouge   

n.胭脂，口红唇膏；v.(在…上)擦口红

参考例句：

• Women put rouge on their cheeks to make their faces pretty.女人往面颊上涂胭脂，使脸更漂亮。
• She didn't need any powder or lip rouge to make her pretty.她天生漂亮，不需要任何脂粉唇膏打扮自己。

2 evoke   

vt.唤起，引起，使人想起

参考例句：

• These images are likely to evoke a strong response in the viewer.这些图像可能会在观众中产生强烈反响。
• Her only resource was the sympathy she could evoke.她以凭借的唯一力量就是她能从人们心底里激起的同情。

3 retirement   

n.退休，退职

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。

4 testimonies   

（法庭上证人的）证词( testimony的名词复数 )； 证明，证据

参考例句：

• Davie poured forth his eloquence upon the controversies and testimonies of the day. 戴维向他滔滔不绝地谈那些当时有争论的问题和上帝的箴言。
• Remove from me reproach and contempt; for I have kept thy testimonies. 22求你除掉我所受的羞辱和藐视，因我遵守你的法度。

5 fascination   

n.令人着迷的事物，魅力，迷恋

参考例句：

• He had a deep fascination with all forms of transport.他对所有的运输工具都很着迷。
• His letters have been a source of fascination to a wide audience.广大观众一直迷恋于他的来信。

6 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者

7 counselor   

n.顾问，法律顾问

参考例句：

• The counselor gave us some disinterested advice.顾问给了我们一些无私的忠告。
• Chinese commercial counselor's office in foreign countries.中国驻国外商务参赞处。