1060 Film Review: Love at First Bite (1979) Transcript

Love at First Bite is a comedy film from 1979 that mixes romance, horror, and humour. Directed by Stan Dragoti and written by Robert Kaufman, it offers a light-hearted version of the Dracula story. Instead of being scary, this Count Dracula is charming, funny, and completely out of place in modern-day America. Starring George Hamilton in the lead role, the film invites viewers to see the famous vampire in a whole new way.

The story begins in Transylvania, where Dracula is being forced to leave his castle. The Communist government wants to turn it into a training centre for gymnasts. With no other choice, Dracula decides to move to New York City. He hopes to find his true love, who has been reborn as a fashion model named Cindy Sondheim (played by Susan Saint James). However, life in America is not as easy as he expected. He has to deal with fast food, busy streets, and Cindy’s jealous boyfriend—who happens to be a descendant of Dracula’s old enemy, Van Helsing.

George Hamilton’s performance as Dracula is one of the film’s greatest strengths. He plays the character with style and confidence, giving the vampire an elegant, old-fashioned charm. Unlike traditional horror films, this Dracula is not frightening. He’s polite, well-dressed, and always looking for love—not just blood. His thick accent and romantic manners add to the humour, especially when he tries to understand American culture.

The film’s comedy comes mostly from this cultural clash. Dracula is confused by everyday things like taxis, phones, and disco clubs. One of the most memorable scenes shows him dancing at a nightclub with Cindy, surrounded by flashing lights and loud music. The use of the popular disco song “I Love the Nightlife” makes the moment even funnier. These scenes highlight the differences between Dracula’s world and the fast-paced life of New York in the 1970s.

Cindy Sondheim, played by Susan Saint James, is a strong and independent character. She is modern, stylish, and not easily impressed. Her relationship with Dracula is both romantic and comedic, as she tries to decide between him and her current boyfriend, Dr. Jeffrey Rosenberg (played by Richard Benjamin). Rosenberg adds more comedy to the film. He is nervous, jealous, and always trying to prove that Dracula is dangerous—even though no one takes him seriously.

While the film is entertaining, it also shows its age. Some jokes rely on stereotypes that may seem outdated today. The style, music, and references are all from the 1970s, which might feel strange to modern viewers. However, if you enjoy retro fashion, disco music, and classic comedy, you will likely find it amusing.

Visually, the film offers a modest but effective aesthetic. The contrast between Dracula’s gothic attire and the gaudy excess of New York’s disco scene is used to strong comedic effect. The cinematography isn’t especially stylish, but it supports the story well, and the limited special effects are enough for the film’s light-hearted tone.

Love at First Bite was a box office success when it was released and remains popular with fans of classic comedy. It may not be as well-known as other horror parodies like Young Frankenstein, but it has its own charm. The idea of a vampire trying to live in New York City is funny enough, but George Hamilton’s performance makes it even more enjoyable.

Conclusion:

Love at First Bite is a playful and humorous take on the Dracula story. It’s more of a romantic comedy than a horror film, and it uses the contrast between old traditions and modern life to make the audience laugh. While some parts feel dated, the film still has plenty of charm. If you’re looking for a funny and unusual vampire film—and you like disco—this is a great choice.

1058 Indigenous Languages in the UK Transcript

When people think of the United Kingdom, they often imagine a place dominated by the English language. Yet beneath the surface lies a tapestry of indigenous languages—living links to the islands’ ancient past and cultural identities. These languages—Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, Irish, Cornish, and Scots—tell stories of communities, landscapes, and traditions that have shaped the UK in ways that are often overlooked. Though many have faced long periods of decline, today there is a growing awareness of their value, and efforts to keep them alive are filled with passion, creativity, and hope.

Welsh (Cymraeg) is a shining example of language resilience. A Celtic language with roots stretching back more than 1,500 years, Welsh has faced many challenges, particularly during times when English was promoted at the expense of local languages. Despite this, Welsh has held on—not just in remote valleys, but in cities, schools, and homes. Today, it’s not unusual to hear children playing in Welsh on school playgrounds, or to see road signs proudly printed in both English and Welsh. The language has been given real support, especially since devolution, with the Welsh Government committing to the ambitious goal of reaching one million Welsh speakers by 2050. As of the 2021 census, around 18% of the population in Wales reported being able to speak Welsh, and many more are learning it as part of a national revival that feels both urgent and full of possibility.

Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) tells a more fragile but no less powerful story. Once spoken widely across Scotland, especially in the Highlands and Islands, Gaelic suffered greatly following events like the Highland Clearances and the suppression of Highland culture after the Battle of Culloden. Generations of Gaelic speakers were made to feel ashamed of their language. Yet even now, in the face of declining speaker numbers—around 1% of the Scottish population—Gaelic lives on. From traditional songs passed down through families to modern Gaelic-medium schools and television programming like BBC Alba, the language continues to evolve. For many, learning or speaking Gaelic today is not just about communication; it’s an act of connection and care, a way of honouring ancestors and re-rooting identity in the land.

Irish, spoken in Northern Ireland as well as the Republic of Ireland, also belongs to the UK’s indigenous language family. While Irish faces political sensitivities in Northern Ireland, it is also embraced by growing communities who see it as a symbol of heritage and belonging. Language classes, cultural festivals, and Irish-speaking groups have brought new energy to what was once seen by some as a relic of the past. Cornish, though it had largely died out as a spoken language by the 18th century, has seen an inspiring revival. With passionate community involvement, it is being taught in schools, sung in choirs, and even spoken in some households once again.

And then there’s Scots—a language often debated for its status but spoken every day by thousands across Lowland Scotland and parts of Ulster. With its own rich literary tradition, from Robert Burns to modern poets and novelists, Scots offers a way of speaking that feels earthy, direct, and deeply expressive. It’s a language that carries humour, affection, and identity, often in the everyday rhythms of conversation.

Why do these languages matter today? It’s not just about preserving old words. Language carries the way a people sees the world. Each of the UK’s indigenous languages holds within it unique ways of thinking, storytelling, and relating to the land. When a language fades, something irreplaceable is lost—not just for the community that spoke it, but for all of us.

Thankfully, attitudes are changing. Across the UK, more people are recognising the beauty and importance of linguistic diversity. From government support to grassroots activism, the movement to keep these languages alive is growing stronger. The path ahead isn’t easy—reviving a language takes more than policies; it takes people, communities, and love. But as long as even one child grows up singing songs in Welsh, or a family learns Gaelic together, or a poet writes in Scots or Cornish, these languages continue to live—and to speak not just of the past, but of the future too.

1057 Song Lyrics -The Carpenters, Rainy Days and Mondays.

Hi, everyone. Welcome again to another Teacher Joseph Podcast, and today we’re going to go through some song lyrics from the Carpenters and their famous song Rainy Days and Mondays.

If you don’t know the Carpenters, you really should. They…. they represented a style of music which doesn’t really exist anymore. A kind of ballad, softly spoken. A Canadian brother and sister, Karen Carpenter and her brother, Richard, and like all creative things and creative people, of course, there was a dark side. You know, whenever something beautiful comes out, there’s usually…well, there’s usually a dark side hiding and Karen Carpenter sadly died of anorexia after giving us this beautiful, beautiful range of musical songs.

So let’s go through the lyrics of rainy days and Mondays.

Karen tells us:

Talking to myself and feeling old

Sometimes I’d like to quit

Nothing ever seems to fit

Hanging around

Nothing to do but frown

Rainy days and Mondays always get me down

So there you can hear Karen saying…. Well, the first part is quite clear. Talking to myself and feeling old, sometimes I’d like to quit. So she just means give up, there. Sometimes she’d like to give up. Nothing ever seems to fit. Yeah. You know, when things go wrong, we often say nothing ever seems to fit. It’s like we’re banging our head off a brick wall sometimes with certain colleagues or family members. Karen then tells us hanging around. That’s what we do when we’re bored. Oh, I’m just hanging around today. Nothing to do but frown. Frown is when you don’t smile, you do the opposite. You look kind of sad.

Then Karen tells us what I’ve got, they used to call the Blues… the Blues, meaning sadness. You know, sometimes you might hear someone saying, hmm, I feel quite blue today. There’s a famous Dutch song called Mr Blue. I don’t recall who sings it, but it’s a good song. Then Karen tells us that nothing is really wrong, just feeling like I don’t belong. You know, we all have days like that. We don’t fit in walking around… some kind of lonely clown. Good metaphor. Sometimes clowns, they tell us, are the loneliest, aren’t they? These beings that are supposed to make us happy, and then Karen tells us again, Rainy days and Mondays always get me down.

And then Karen has her moment of love. She tells us funny, which means strange, but it seems I always wind up here with you. Wind up in this case means end up, she says. It’s nice to know somebody loves me… funny, but it seems that it’s the only thing to do. Run and find the one who loves me. So she’s saying on a day when she doesn’t… feel that she fits in or belongs, she finds the man who loves her. Well, I’m assuming it’s a man. And then of course, uh, she says, you know, funny, but it seems I always wind up here with you. Nice to know somebody loves me. Karen then tells us what I feel has come and gone before. No need to talk it out. Yeah. To talk out something. It’s a phrasal verb its to talk… to talk until you’ve made someone understand what you mean, she says. We know what it’s all about. Hanging around, nothing to do but frown rainy days and Mondays get me down.

Yeah. You know, some of the happiest days before the Internet came, of course, were days at my grandmother’s house. And, you know, before the Internet, we all had times we felt really bored, but in that boredom, there was something content. It wasn’t a longing, it was just a nothing to do-ness. And we don’t have that any more because there’s always something to do now. But it’s, it was some feeling of completion, but being bored at the same time.

And then Karen goes over the same lyrics again. She tells us about her lover, whoever that is. And then at the end she tells us again what I feel has come and gone before. No need to talk it out. We know what it’s all about, hanging around, nothing to do but frown rainy days and Mondays always get me down. Ohh. Lovely. I love Karen Carpenter. It’s the kind of music for a day when you want to just dream and forget about the world, you know, lovely song.

I can imagine. Looking out at the rain, saying… talking to myself and feeling old. Long before I had health problems or had too many websites to look after, or thousands and thousands of English students, there were days when you know, you just had nothing to do. You just….well…… It was just nice, wasn’t it? Well, that’s the song for today. Karen Carpenter, part of the group the Carpenters. Her and her brother Richard reminding us that ah, Rainy days and Mondays always get me down.

Thanks very much, everyone. Good phrasal verbs, Sir. Wind up was one of them. Talk out was another one. So enjoy.

Don’t forget to have a look at the lyrics. They’re all on my website. See you soon. Bye.

 

 

Podcast 1056: (At the Supermarket Transcript)

Hello, everyone. Welcome again to another Teacher Joseph podcast.                                                        

Well, today I’m in the supermarket and I’m walking around deciding what I’m going to have for dinner. Now, you might think that sounds like quite an easy thing but actually, you know what? For me it’s not the easiest thing in the world. I have to say.

Oh delicious. What’s this? Spicy dough Pepperoni (Pizza). I don’t even know what pepperoni is. That’s sausage, isn’t it? Well, I’m not going to have that. I am supposedly vegetarian.

Let’s see what else they have here. Umm, two beef and vegetable…. Oh, no, no, that’s beef. I don’t want that. What’s this? Loin steaks? No, that’s pork. I’m not going to have that either. Yeah, I’m just looking for something delicious, you know, to have tonight. And I also want to buy some sugar. So that’s why I’m here wandering around.

I’m in one of these frozen food stores where everything is frozen and you might think that sounds a bit strange, but perfectly normal here. Fresh food is hard to come by in a place like this …so…

Oh delicious…. what’s this? Bounty bars…. oh I haven’t them in years… Bounty bars? Yeah, I’m going to have some of those. They’re delicious. It’s basically a chocolate bar. Coconut, covered in chocolate. But really, if if I’m going to have something sweet, I want to have the doughnuts and I’m just eyeing them up as I’m walking around. So let me see where I can find them.

Let’s see. Yeah. So I’m still looking for something else for tonight’s dinner as well. There’s nothing jumping up and hitting me. OK, here’s the chicken frozen food aisle. Everything is in like cabinets, so it’s gonna be easy to peer in. Just to see what they have, let me have a little look.

Yeah, delicious. There’s more pizzas. Ohh, lovely. What’s this? Vegetable pasta bolognese pre packed. Well, that’s kind of tempting, isn’t it? That’s a keeper. Let’s see. Breast fillet, sesame chicken. Well, I could make that at home. I’m looking for something a little bit different, a little bit easier. A snack box. Oh, no….at this rate, I’ll be making something myself. Well, maybe I’ll get some bread anyway, because I’ve not had a proper loaf of bread in a long time, so it’s always nice to have, isn’t it? So let’s see. Yeah, I’ll just take the sliced bread and I’ll carry on looking for my thing for tonight’s dinner.

OK, let me see… chicken chow mein. I love these, these kind of like frozen food shops. OK, it’s not Fresh, but within seconds you could be eating something which is quite good. Oh, delicious. Oh, ham and pineapple pizza. I know that upsets Italian people. Sorry if you’re Italian, but it is very common here.

A four cheese pizza. Yeah, I’ll have that. I mean, I could make one, but today I don’t have time because I’m busy revising for my Gaelic exam which is coming up on Friday and that’s my last exam of the year. Well, last exam of the semester, so….

Oh delicious, I love that… Doctor Ohkter’s pizzas. They’re always nice aren’t they. A bit more pricey as well, I think. I’ll stay with my four cheese pizza, I think.

Yeah, oh delicious. I still haven’t seen the doughnuts. I’m still trying to find them. They must be here somewhere. Let me just have another look. No… I can see biscuits and cakes, but let’s see…. I don’t see doughnuts. I’m gonna try the biscuit aisle because I need to have them. Do you know I was talking to someone last night about Swiss chocolate, and after that I just became really hungry. So I got up so early this morning, determined to disappear and get to the shops, you know?

Right, here’s the biscuit (aisle). Oh delicious. What’s this? Still in the frozen part… Cadburys Dairy Milk, creamy vanilla ice cream. Oh, so these are ice lollies. Oh, lovely. Delicious. I love those. What else do we have here? Oh cheesecake. Ohh strawberry gateau. Oh lovely. I do like a bit of em…. All right, here’s the…. here’s the biscuits. zero… slims no sugar. Oh, no. I don’t want some of those. I’m looking for hardcore doughnuts here. No……. Oh Wagon wheels. So lovely. Ohh Toblerone, how much is that? That’s a bit pricey, but. After talking about Swiss food last night, I’m very tempted. I won’t. I won’t.

Yeah, I don’t see any here. I’m just going to do another quick spin around the shop just to see, but I’m not seeing pre packed doughnuts anywhere. Which is a great pity, cause it’s exactly what..(*I want) they are delicious. Air fry southern fried chicken breast strips. I wouldn’t mind some of those…. Tea, well, I’ve got loads of that. I got a delicious box of tea bags a few days ago. Right, I’m back at the bread part just to see if I can find some doughnuts. Oh yeah, these will do. Croissant with chocolate filling. Well, if you buy enough of them, that will satisfy me, I suppose.

Umm. Yeah, I’m not really seeing what I want though. OK, no worries. Well, I have enough kind of like things to keep me going with the amount of sugar that I’ve got in my basket, sitting happily next to the pizza. And that’s it. Look, delicious. Ma Rayburn sweet pancakes. Well, I can make pancakes myself, so I don’t know why I have to buy them here, but… well, that’s it. So I hope you’ve enjoyed this and. I’ll catch up with you again soon and eh…

Yeah, I’m just going to have another quick spin over to the biscuits and then I’m done.

See you. Bye.

 

 

1055 – The Story of Maggie McTaggart

Hi Everyone,

Welcome to another podcast from Teacher Joseph.

Today I want to tell you a story about my ancestor Maggie McTaggart, who lived in south-west Scotland in 1920.

Maggie was just sixteen years old when this story takes place. She came from a lively, hardworking family — one of eleven children. Her father worked long hours in the steelworks, and her mother stayed at home, looking after the younger ones, cooking, cleaning, sewing, and somehow keeping everything running.

Life wasn’t easy for Maggie, but it was full of energy. Their small stone house stood at the edge of the town, close enough to the railway tracks that you could hear the trains rattling past at all hours. Inside, it was always noisy — children shouting, babies crying, pots banging, someone always rushing in or out. But there was warmth too, a sense that no matter how little they had, they had each other.

Maggie herself was bright and full of life. She had a quick smile, a love of singing, and a fierce determination to make the best of whatever came her way. Like many girls her age, she had started working young — not in the mills like some of her friends, but in a small bakery on the high street. Every morning before sunrise, she would tie back her hair, pull on her apron, and walk into town with the smell of fresh bread already filling the air.

The bakery was a busy place, especially in the early hours, and Maggie worked hard. She learned to knead dough quickly, to pack up loaves without squashing them, and to deal with all sorts of customers — from grumpy old men to tired mothers with crying children clinging to their skirts.

But Maggie didn’t mind the hard work. She liked being busy, and she liked knowing she was helping her family. Every Saturday, she handed over most of her wages to her mother, keeping just a few pennies for herself — enough to buy a second-hand book now and then, or a bright ribbon for her hair.

At home, Maggie helped raise her younger brothers and sisters. She mended torn clothes, told bedtime stories, and sometimes even led the whole group in games out in the fields after supper. She had a natural gift for finding joy in small things: the way the sun fell on the river, the sound of the church bells on a Sunday morning, the laughter of her brothers tumbling over each other in the long grass.

Sometimes, in the evenings, when the day’s work was done and the younger ones had finally fallen asleep, Maggie would sit by the window with a book on her lap, dreaming of what life might hold for her. Maybe, one day, she would save enough money to travel — not far, perhaps just to Glasgow or Edinburgh — and see the world beyond the grey streets of her hometown.

But Maggie wasn’t unhappy. She loved her family fiercely, and she loved the life she knew. There was music in her world — real music, played on battered fiddles and old pianos at dances in the village hall. There were friendships that had lasted since childhood, solid and dependable. And there was the deep satisfaction of knowing that, even with so many mouths to feed and so many worries to carry, her family never gave up on hope.

In the spring of 1920, Maggie’s life took a small but important turn. The bakery owner, impressed by her hard work and cheerful manner, offered her an apprenticeship to learn more about the business. It was an unexpected opportunity — and one Maggie seized with both hands. She began learning how to balance the books, manage orders, and even create new recipes.

It wasn’t just about the money, although that helped too. It was about the pride she felt every time a customer smiled and complimented her work. It was about standing a little taller, knowing she was building a future for herself, bit by bit.

That summer, there was a celebration in the town — a fair held in the fields just outside the church. Maggie went with her brothers and sisters, laughing as they ran from stall to stall, their pockets full of sticky sweets. She wore a blue dress her mother had helped her sew and danced late into the evening under the open sky.

When the stars came out, she sat with her friends by the riverbank, her bare feet dangling in the cool water. They spoke about dreams — of travelling, of owning shops or farms, of simply living good lives. Maggie listened, smiling quietly, her heart full. She didn’t know exactly what the future would bring, but for the first time, she believed it could be bright.

Maggie McTaggart never became rich, or famous, or travelled very far from the town where she was born. But she built a life of meaning — full of laughter, kindness, and hard work. She became a pillar of her community, a woman others turned to for help or advice, someone who always had a warm loaf ready for a neighbour in need.

And perhaps that’s the best kind of legacy to leave behind — not one written in grand histories, but in small, steady acts of love that ripple outward long after we’re gone.

Today, when I think of Maggie, I don’t picture tragedy or hardship. I see a bright-eyed girl with a ribbon in her hair, singing as she walks down a dusty road at sunrise, ready to face whatever the day will bring.

Podcast 1054: In the Piazza Shopping Centre – Transcript

Hello, everyone.

Welcome again to another podcast from Teacher Joseph. Today I’m inside the shopping centre and I’m going to describe for you what I can see and what’s here.

OK. So first of all, I’m sitting on some kind of bench, which they have in shopping centres. It’s covered in leather and it’s purple. So it’s a little bit odd…. it’s a little bit odd compared to other things you find in a shopping centre.

Yeah, this one is nice, but a bit impoverished. Not the best place. And they’re playing, they’re playing elevator music. That’s basically music, which you would kind of find in an elevator. It’s instrumental. It sounds a bit bland, not really making a statement of any kind, and it’s obviously very long. It’s not just one track, it’s just kind of hotel lobby music, you know.

What else can I tell you? Well… looking around….I’ve been sitting here for a little while, and now I’ve just stood up waiting to move. Looking around, I can tell you that this is very diverse. Lots of shapes and sizes, lots of different colours, as well as different diverse people. I cannot make assumptions about them of course, by their skin colour, but it certainly is a very diverse shopping centre, especially when I can see and hear  different types of people and hear different languages.

The main shop which is inside the shopping centre and open is selling greetings cards. As you know here in the UK we sell greetings cards for absolutely everything. I’m just looking in the window of this shop. Let’s see:

For someone special.

Happy birthday.

We have more here:

 Happy divorce.

 Happy Father’s Day…which is coming up on the 15th of June.,,,Different from other countries…our Father’s Day is not associated with any religious or Saints day as it is in the Mediterranean Countries and:

 Happy day that I met you.

Happy divorce.

Sorry. Your pet died.

Oh, my goodness me. We have cards for absolutely everything. Happy 18. Happy 21. Happy 40th. Wow, I didn’t realise we were such specialists with cards, but clearly we are. This would be a rather depressing shopping centre because the card shop is the only one that’s open. Ohh yeah, many of these shops are closed, some of them completely empty.

And …and in those windows there are signs which say “to let” to let means available to rent and you sometimes see that here outside shops, outside vacant apartments “to let” it means available to rent, there’s also a pop-up shop here. A pop-up shop is a shop that’s here, but it will not be here permanently. It’s only on a temporary basis. So that’s another way that shops can operate within shopping centres, they can just pop up.

I’m now passing a supermarket. It has some lovely pictures of food in the window. But the sign says “closed permanently”. Ohh. And looking in the window. Clearly another “to let” sign. “Please contact this company for further details.”….but it’s being used for seminars by charities, while it’s closed and one says here “experimental noise artist seminar coming soon”. So yeah, no longer a supermarket oh…. photo ID.,,,oh there’s a photo booth here if you want to pay £6  to get your passport photos.

All kinds of instructions on that little photo booth. And yeah, everything’s closed but lots of people inside. Let me just walk here on the outside.

Here we are. Yeah. OK. So now I’m outside and I’m able to see what’s around me. I’m in a town square. As you can probably hear…

And it’s around….. Well, as you can probably hear, it’s quite busy is what I wanted to say. You might be able to hear the clock chiming, which lets me know the time, which is around 3:00 and that’s it….. not a lot else to see or do here unfortunately. But I wanted to share this description with you and  now I’m going to buy some doughnuts, have a coffee and relax.

And yeah, very sad about the shopping centre. But these shopping centres, you know, they’re always marketed very well. This one’s called the Piazza, which makes it sound Italian. They always give them Italian names to make them sound glamorous. But once you go inside. Oh, no. Awful.

Well It’s windy, the rain is coming, so I’m going to have a coffee. Bye.

Podcast 1053 – The Cranberries song, “Linger” Transcript

Hello, everyone. Welcome again to another Teacher Joseph podcast.

Today we are going to talk about the lyrics of a song by The Cranberries, and it’s called Linger, which means something that doesn’t go away. To linger is something which hangs around. To linger is something which is always there, and maybe you want to get rid of it.

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1052: Matlock : A New Drama on Amazon Prime (Podcast with script)

https://youtu.be/ERrx1N4SLzI

Matlock Returns: A Clever and Modern Legal Drama

These days, it feels like every old TV show is being brought back. Sometimes, the new versions aren’t very good — they try to copy the original without bringing anything new. But Prime Video’s new Matlock is a pleasant surprise. Instead of just repeating the past, this show offers something thoughtful, engaging, and fresh. It respects the original but speaks clearly to today’s world.

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Podcast 1051 Script: Pope Francis, the Legacy

Today, we take a moment to reflect on the extraordinary life and enduring legacy of Pope Francis — a spiritual leader who broke with tradition, embraced the margins, and called the global Catholic Church to walk with humility, mercy, and compassion.

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