by Melissa Haggar
Possibly one of the most bizarre and simply hilarious romantic comedies of all time; The Princess Bride first appeared on the big screen in 1987 and later became a hit on good old VHS. A testament to its quality, the film was re-released several times on different formats and has since become what one might call a ‘cult classic’. So what is The Princess Bride about anyway, and what makes it so great?
Possibly one of the most bizarre and simply hilarious romantic comedies of all time; The Princess Bride first appeared on the big screen in 1987 and later became a hit on good old VHS. A testament to its quality, the film was re-released several times on different formats and has since become what one might call a ‘cult classic’. So what is The Princess Bride about anyway, and what makes it so great?
Well, the film takes the form of a ‘story’ in a book that is being read from a grandfather (Peter Falk) to his sick grandson (Fred Savage). The ‘story’ follows a young farm woman named Buttercup, (Robin Wright) and her relationship with her local farm boy named Westley, (Cary Elwes) who always replies to any request from Buttercup with ‘as you wish’. Unfortunately, after the two realise their love for one another, Westley is presumed dead, having been attacked by Dread Pirate Roberts and his crew, whilst seeking his fortune on the seas. The innocent and delicate Buttercup is forced to accept Prince Humperdinck’s (Chris Sarandon) marriage proposal (who bears a remarkable resemble to Farquaad from Shrek, if he were shorter), despite the fact that she is still in love with Westley, and that Humperdinck is a self-obsessed tyrant. However, things take a turn for the worse as Buttercup is kidnapped by Vizzini, (Wallace Shawn) Fezzick (André the Giant) and Inigo Montoya, (Mandy Patinkin) who have been hired by Humperdinck to kidnap, kill her and leave her body on the shores of Guilder, to provoke a war between the two countries. Of course, there wouldn’t be a story if Westley was in fact actually dead, and he ends up turning up as the pirate Roberts himself to rescue Buttercup as they battle their way through fire swamps, lightning sand and Rodents of unusual size.
What makes The Princess Bride a Hit Play is its surprisingly comic take on the romantic genre; unlike so many romantic-comedies of recent years. The Princess Bride is a true classic and has so many unusual and hilarious scenes. The bickering old married couple is a particular delight in the film, comprised of ‘Miracle Max’ (played effortlessly by Billy Crystal) and Valerie (played by Carol Kane, whose repetitive shouting of the word “Liar” at Max will induce fits of laughter.) The saga of the six-fingered man (Christopher Guest) who Montoya wants to kill, is memorable and superbly performed by Patinkin. The repetitive recitation of those immortal words “My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed me Father, prepare to die” is so chilling and literally, to die for.
What makes The Princess Bride a Hit Play is its surprisingly comic take on the romantic genre; unlike so many romantic-comedies of recent years. The Princess Bride is a true classic and has so many unusual and hilarious scenes. The bickering old married couple is a particular delight in the film, comprised of ‘Miracle Max’ (played effortlessly by Billy Crystal) and Valerie (played by Carol Kane, whose repetitive shouting of the word “Liar” at Max will induce fits of laughter.) The saga of the six-fingered man (Christopher Guest) who Montoya wants to kill, is memorable and superbly performed by Patinkin. The repetitive recitation of those immortal words “My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed me Father, prepare to die” is so chilling and literally, to die for.
Meanwhile, the Rodents of unusual size are surprisingly terrifying, considering they look completely ridiculous, and that this is after all, a movie made in the 80s on quite a low budget, and therefore doesn’t possess many ‘fancy’ cinematic features that we have become so accustomed to. It is this however, that makes it stand out – it doesn’t need gimmicks and advanced CGI to make it memorable, as the script is cleverly written and possesses a whole heap of classic phrases and lines that are so easily quotable, it would almost be criminal not to slip a few into your everyday life (I’d suggest using the word “Inconceivable” multiple times like Vizzini, or the ‘classic Westley’ of “as you wish” or Valerie’s “I’m not a witch, I’m your wife”, to name a few).
So, if you want to see a rom-com with a bit of fantasy and adventure (not to mention Shrieking eels) and a whole lot of laughter, then look no further than The Princess Bride, which is sure to surprise and delight you for its 98 minute running time.
So, if you want to see a rom-com with a bit of fantasy and adventure (not to mention Shrieking eels) and a whole lot of laughter, then look no further than The Princess Bride, which is sure to surprise and delight you for its 98 minute running time.
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