Explore Movie Vocabulary
Learn English with movies. Discover how much of a movie’s vocabulary you already know and review unfamiliar words before watching.
The Desperate Hours
Unique vocabulary and phrases by level
How difficult is The Desperate Hours in English?
The Desperate Hours: 75.7% A1–A2 vocabulary; 10.1% B2, C1, and rare vocabulary. Vocabulary size: 1,037.
Unique vocabulary
- For A2 learners: 17.7% of unique vocabulary is above A2 or marked rare. Preview recurring words and use English subtitles.
- For B1 learners: 10.1% of unique vocabulary is above B1 or marked rare. Preview recurring words and use English subtitles.
- For B2 learners: 7.0% of unique vocabulary is above B2 or marked rare. Try a short scene and check your comprehension; the vocabulary offers a relatively accessible starting point.
6.5% Unclassified. Unclassified vocabulary has no reliable level assignment.
Vocabulary weighted by word occurrences
94.7% A1–A2 vocabulary; 2.0% B2, C1, and rare vocabulary; 1.7% Unclassified.
This counts repeated eligible words. Phrases are excluded from this calculation to avoid counting their component words twice.
Recurring words and phrases to preview
- get in (B2): 13 occurrences in available subtitles.
English meaning: To enter a place or vehicle; in some contexts, to arrive.
Subtitle example:
Don't get in an uproar. - He's using his brain.
- pop (B1): 9 occurrences in available subtitles.
Subtitle example:
Sit tight, Pop. - Hand it over!
- clickety (rare): 8 occurrences in available subtitles.
Subtitle example:
Using his brain, is he? Look at him. Clickety-click. I can see it perking.
- brat (rare): 6 occurrences in available subtitles.
Subtitle example:
You brat! - Dad!
- slip (B1): 6 occurrences in available subtitles.
Subtitle example:
He was walking back to his house. - How did I slip up?
Compare with titles in similar genres
- The Big Combo: 10.8% B2, C1, and rare vocabulary (0.7 percentage points more than The Desperate Hours).
- Killer s Kiss: 9.4% B2, C1, and rare vocabulary (0.7 percentage points less than The Desperate Hours).
- Scarlet Street: 11.1% B2, C1, and rare vocabulary (1.0 percentage points more than The Desperate Hours).
These percentages describe vocabulary, not the proportion of dialogue you will understand. CEFR labels are estimates, not official film ratings. Accent, speed, songs, context, and your own vocabulary also affect comprehension. Repeated occurrences may include repeated dialogue or lyrics.
How we estimate vocabulary difficulty · Evidence generated: