Is One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest good for learning German?

Yes, from about A2 up, if you learn its word list first. Words from A1 to B1 cover 84% of the words it says that a learner has to learn, and 36% sit above A2.

Where do the words come from?

From the German subtitles of the German dub, matched to what is said. Names of characters and places are left out, and every word is stored in its dictionary form, so ging and gegangen both count as gehen. The levels are estimates, taken from the Goethe Institut lists up to B1 and from how common a word is above that.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

The words to learn before you watch

These are the 20 words at B1 and above that One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest says most often. Each one comes up between 5 and 27 times, so a card for each pays off several times in one evening.

Word	Level	Meaning	Said
der Häuptling	B2	chief	27
falls	B1	if, in case	21
heben	B1	to lift, to raise	16
werfen	B1	to throw	14
der Gott	B1	god	13
verrückt	B1	crazy, mad	13
stimmen	B1	to be right, to vote	10
der Korb	B2	basket	9
die Sitzung	B2	session, sitting	8
angeln	B1	to fish, to angle	7
die Bewegung	B1	movement, motion	7
das Boot	B1	boat	7
folgen +Dat	B1	to follow	7
leidtun +Dat	B1	to be sorry	7
die Medizin	B1	medicine	7
schlagen	B1	to hit, to beat	7
springen	B1	to jump	7
die Station	B1	ward, station	6
bereit	B1	ready	5
das Gelaber	C1	waffle, blather	5

The full list in the app has all 832 words, each with its plural or past forms, a recording, and the line from the film where it is said.

How hard One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is in German

Langvie counts every word the film uses and how often each one is said. The level is the band that covers 80% of what is said, and for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest the words from A1 to B1 make up 84%.

Level	Words	Share of what is said
A1	234	46%
A2	140	18%
B1	204	20%
B2	51	5%
C1	152	9%
C2	51	3%

The count leaves out function words, greetings, numbers and names, so it covers the words a learner has to learn. Of those, as the film says them, 36% sit above A2 and 16% above B1. Learning the list above first cuts both numbers most, because those are the words said again and again.

How to learn it in Langvie

Open One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and press Learn Top-50 words for this movie. The fifty words it says most enter your deck at once. They come back tomorrow, then after 6 days, 13 and 29, and a word you miss returns before the session ends. Once the list stops surprising you, watch.

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The words to learn before you watch

How hard One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is in German

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Other films at B1

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