BethanyREVIEW: The Princess Bride (with fond memories) (LINK)
March 28th 2008 16:30
I will absolutely admit that I am biased in this. Completely biased. The Princess Bride was a movie that I watched as a kid, and was part of my MUST OWN collection- as is the Labyrinth- and it is one of the few films that I have memorized backwards and forwards. (In the interest of full disclosure, the Labyrinth is also one of those films. Detecting a pattern?)
Biased though I am, I will try to be a bit educational here.
The Princess Bride was released in September of 1987 and is directed by Rob Reiner, and features Robin Wright as the eponymous Princess Bride (aka Buttercup) and Cary Elwes as the handsome Westley. There are many more cast members, ranging up and down the spectrum, including Chris Sarandon, Christopher Guest, Andre the Giant, Mandy Patankin, Wallace Shawn, Billy Crystal, Carol Kane, and quite a few more. The Princess Bride suffered a bit from what you might call the 'Wizard of Oz' condition- it did poorly in theaters when it was first released, but then it gradually gained a huge following in VHS and, later, DVD sales. Many factors define movie sales, but my theory goes like this: the trailer sucked. I've seen it, and it is bad for an 80's clip (I still can't figure out where the Kenny G-like jazz music came from). Check it out for yourself here.
See? It's pretty bad.
The movie is set in the fictional country of Florin, but it's basically set "Once upon a time, in a kingdom far away". It features a love story between the beautiful and somewhat arrogant Buttercup and the shy, quiet, and handsome Westley. And the revenge of a young man for the death of his father. And a conspiracy to bring a country to war. It's a movie with a plot line that has multiple layers without being difficult to follow, and the playful banter is intelligent and humorous, as well as accessible.
But here's the thing: the Princess Bride features one of the greatest sword fights laid on celluloid, and I don't think I'm exaggerating. It displays the beauty and art of fencing, and it's worth watching just for that. It was organized by the fantastic Bob Anderson, and you should check out what all he's done here because it's just too much to list.
I'll be honest, there are a few points where you realize it's a movie made in the 80's with older tech. Although most of the outdoor scenes are real, you can tell when they throw a set or a matte background in. And they are guilty, just a bit, of the 'rubber man in a monster costume' problem, which so rarely looks even close to anything other than a dude in a suit. This is actually a 'small dude in a suit' category, I believe, but my point is no less valid. However, these moments are few and far between, and don't do much to detract from the enjoyment of the movie.
This is probably one of my favorite movies, and I think that if you haven't seen it you should at least rent it and check it out.
Biased though I am, I will try to be a bit educational here.
The Princess Bride was released in September of 1987 and is directed by Rob Reiner, and features Robin Wright as the eponymous Princess Bride (aka Buttercup) and Cary Elwes as the handsome Westley. There are many more cast members, ranging up and down the spectrum, including Chris Sarandon, Christopher Guest, Andre the Giant, Mandy Patankin, Wallace Shawn, Billy Crystal, Carol Kane, and quite a few more. The Princess Bride suffered a bit from what you might call the 'Wizard of Oz' condition- it did poorly in theaters when it was first released, but then it gradually gained a huge following in VHS and, later, DVD sales. Many factors define movie sales, but my theory goes like this: the trailer sucked. I've seen it, and it is bad for an 80's clip (I still can't figure out where the Kenny G-like jazz music came from). Check it out for yourself here.
See? It's pretty bad.
The movie is set in the fictional country of Florin, but it's basically set "Once upon a time, in a kingdom far away". It features a love story between the beautiful and somewhat arrogant Buttercup and the shy, quiet, and handsome Westley. And the revenge of a young man for the death of his father. And a conspiracy to bring a country to war. It's a movie with a plot line that has multiple layers without being difficult to follow, and the playful banter is intelligent and humorous, as well as accessible.
But here's the thing: the Princess Bride features one of the greatest sword fights laid on celluloid, and I don't think I'm exaggerating. It displays the beauty and art of fencing, and it's worth watching just for that. It was organized by the fantastic Bob Anderson, and you should check out what all he's done here because it's just too much to list.
I'll be honest, there are a few points where you realize it's a movie made in the 80's with older tech. Although most of the outdoor scenes are real, you can tell when they throw a set or a matte background in. And they are guilty, just a bit, of the 'rubber man in a monster costume' problem, which so rarely looks even close to anything other than a dude in a suit. This is actually a 'small dude in a suit' category, I believe, but my point is no less valid. However, these moments are few and far between, and don't do much to detract from the enjoyment of the movie.
This is probably one of my favorite movies, and I think that if you haven't seen it you should at least rent it and check it out.
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Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
A self aware screenplay long before it was fashionable, brilliantly paced, deliciously cast and overall wonderful entertainment. Love It. Ridiculous it bombed on original release.
Without the Princess Bride there would be no Shrek and everything that came later.
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