VOA慢速英语2021--斯皮尔伯格的电影公司将与Netflix合作

Award-winning American film director Steven Spielberg has just signed a new deal with Netflix. The movie streaming service is joining forces with Spielberg's production company, Amblin Partners, to make several films each year. The partnership¹ is a big step for Netflix as it faces competition from other streaming services.

The deal announced Monday does not specifically² include any movies that Spielberg will direct himself. For example, in December, he will release³ the musical film "West Side Story" with Disney's company 20th Century Studios. Amblin also has a separate deal with Universal Pictures for film releases⁴.

In a statement, Spielberg said that storytelling will always be "at the center of everything we do." And when he and Netflix's Ted⁵ Sarandos began talks, he knew this would be great way to tell new stories and reach new audiences. The statement goes on to say that the partnership will be very satisfying for Spielberg personally, and he cannot wait to get started with the Netflix team.

Amblin Partners takes its name from a 1968 film short by Spielberg. The company has helped produce many films outside of those made my Spielberg, including "1917" and "Green Book." Netflix and Amblin have worked together in the past on television series. They also worked together on "The Trial of the Chicago 7," a film directed by Aaron Sorkin. It was co-produced by Amblin and sold by Paramount⁶ Pictures to Netflix during the pandemic.

Spielberg has in the past been known as someone who opposes movie streaming. A headline from the news website Deadline.com on Monday asked if hell⁷ had frozen⁸ over. The expression suggests that the impossible has happened: Spielberg finally accepts the streaming of movies. But in 2019, he said that he was not against it, adding that people have mistakenly believed that about him.

In 2019, several news stories reported that Spielberg compared streamed film releases to made-for-television movies. He said such films should compete for television awards, or Emmys, not film awards, or Oscars. That year, Spielberg said he is a "firm believer" that movie theaters should be around in the future. He also said that, whether on television or in a theater, what matters is "a great story and everyone should have access to great stories."

Also that year, in an email to the New York Times, Spielberg wrote that people should have the chance to share a film experience at theaters. He said movie theaters enable⁹ crowds to laugh, cry and be afraid together, "so that...they might feel a little less like strangers." His email also said he wants movie theaters to survive and to remain important to American culture.

Since then, the lines between streaming and theaters have become less clear. For example, Netflix has presented some of its most popular film releases in theaters for a week or more. And traditional film companies like Disney and Warner Brothers now send their movies to theaters and to streaming services.

Netflix's Ted Sarandos said, "Steven is a creative visionary and leader and, like so many others around the world, my growing up was shaped by his memorable¹⁰ characters and stories." He added that Netflix is honored¹¹ and pleased to be part of this period in Spielberg's filmmaking history.

Words in This Story

stream - v. play continuously as data is sent to a computer over the Internet

audience - n. a group of people who gather together to listen to something or watch something

headline - n. the title written in large letters over a story in a newspaper

hell - n. the place where the devil¹² lives and where evil¹³ people go after they die according to some religions

access - v. to be able to use, enter, or get near something

visionary - n. a person who has clear ideas about what should happen or be done in the future

character - n. a person who appears in a story, book, play, movie, or television show

1 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

2 specifically   

adv.明确地，具体地；特别地，特意

参考例句：

• The book was written specifically for children.这本书是特地为儿童编写的。
• I told you specifically not to do that.我明确地告诉你不要那样做。

3 release   

vt.发布，发表，发行；释放，放开

参考例句：

• After my examination I had a feeling of release.考完试后我有如释重负之感。
• This medicine will give you release from pain.这药吃后会解除你的疼痛。

4 releases   

v.释放( release的第三人称单数 )；放开；发布；发行

参考例句：

• Nuclear fission releases tremendous amounts of energy. 核裂变释放出巨大的能量。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Zemel says that when calcium levels are low, the body releases a hormone that helps squeeze the most out of every available milligram of the mineral. 泽莫尔博士说，当人体中的钙含量偏低时，身体里就会产生一种荷尔蒙，它能帮助肌体最大限度地吸收所摄入的钙。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 ted   

vt.翻晒，撒，撒开

参考例句：

• The invaders gut ted the village.侵略者把村中财物洗劫一空。
• She often teds the corn when it's sunny.天好的时候她就翻晒玉米。

6 paramount   

a.最重要的，最高权力的

参考例句：

• My paramount object is to save the Union and destroy slavery.我的最高目标是拯救美国，摧毁奴隶制度。
• Nitrogen is of paramount importance to life on earth.氮对地球上的生命至关重要。

7 hell   

n.地狱，阴间；用以咒骂或表示愤怒，不满

参考例句：

• It's a hell of a hike from Sydney to Perth.从悉尼到珀斯的徒步旅行简直苦死了。
• The boss really gave me hell today.老板今天着实数落了我一通。

8 frozen   

adj.冻结的，冰冻的

参考例句：

• He was frozen to death on a snowing night.在一个风雪的晚上，他被冻死了。
• The weather is cold and the ground is frozen.天寒地冻。

9 enable   

vt.使能够；使可以；使成为可能

参考例句：

• Only teamwork will enable us to get the job done on time.只有团结一致，我们才能按时完成这项工作。
• This will enable China to go a step further in grain production.这是中国粮食生产再上新台阶的巨大动力。

10 memorable   

adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的

参考例句：

• This was indeed the most memorable day of my life.这的确是我一生中最值得怀念的日子。
• The veteran soldier has fought many memorable battles.这个老兵参加过许多难忘的战斗。

11 honored   

adj.光荣的：荣幸的v.尊敬，给以荣誉( honor的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• I hope to be honored with further orders. 如蒙惠顾，不胜荣幸。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This is a time-honored custom. 这是一个古老的习俗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 devil   

n.魔鬼，恶魔

参考例句：

• It is easier to raise the devil than to lay him.召鬼容易驱鬼难。
• Susie,you're a determined little devil.苏茜，你真是个坚决的小家伙。

13 evil   

n.邪恶，不幸，罪恶；adj.邪恶的，不幸的，有害的，诽谤的

参考例句：

• We pray to God to deliver us from evil.我们祈求上帝把我们从罪恶中拯救出来。
• Love of money is the root of all evil.爱钱是邪恶的根源。