Princess Bride - A Classic or just Intimidating?

[Vilya]

I cannot overstate how much I love this movie. It definitely falls in the classic category for me.
The only other comedic fantasy I can think of, off the top of my head, is "Men in Rights". Will just leave it at that

I can and do quote every line in the movie, much to the chagrin of those around me. I just can't help myself.

The book for me was pretty bland, but that could have been in part to the fact that I have watched the movie so many times that it was just old hat. The movie, however has been, and likely always will be, one of my favorites of all time.

"No more rhyming now, I mean it."
"Anybody want a peanut."

I still laugh every time.

 

[acapes]

Yes, it is an undoubtedly awesome film. I still fence, and a lot of people in my club have seen Princess Bride as well. Since I started fencing, I've come to realize that every move in the clifftop fight is real. All of that--you can do all of that with a foil and a partner who isn't afraid to get knocked out at the end of the bout. (And perhaps some gymnastic equipment. Unfortunately, most fencing venues don't contain uneven parallel bars to swing off of or stairs and things to climb up and jump off.)

You know that one scene where Westley gets his foot under his rapier, flicks it into the air, and catches it? We all taught ourselves how to do that one night during practice while the coach wasn't paying attention.

I enjoyed the book for the most part. It's nice that William Goldman wrote the screenplay, so the movie and the book have the same sort of character. The book was familiar enough that I felt comfortable, but different enough from the movie that I stayed interested.

I agree, I think we're lucky he was involved in the film, very much so!

Awesome - did the coach ever catch you?

You should renact it for youtube one day?!! Too crazy? Tough set to replicate, as you mentioned ;D

 

[acapes]

I cannot overstate how much I love this movie. It definitely falls in the classic category for me.
The only other comedic fantasy I can think of, off the top of my head, is "Men in Rights". Will just leave it at that

I can and do quote every line in the movie, much to the chagrin of those around me. I just can't help myself.

The book for me was pretty bland, but that could have been in part to the fact that I have watched the movie so many times that it was just old hat. The movie, however has been, and likely always will be, one of my favorites of all time.

"No more rhyming now, I mean it."
"Anybody want a peanut."

I still laugh every time.

Love those scenes - my favourite is the pauses around 'charm' and 'harm'

 

[Tom]

I agree, I think we're lucky he was involved in the film, very much so!

Awesome - did the coach ever catch you?

You should renact it for youtube one day?!! Too crazy? Tough set to replicate, as you mentioned ;D

Yeah, she caught us at it after we'd sent a few too many foils clattering across the gym. It seems you can only get the hang of the trick after you've flipped your foil ten feet in the air a few times.

Actually, our club used to do choreographed stage fencing for local Renaissance festivals and other venues. It's not exactly Princess Bride, but the foot- and bladework for the one routine was pretty close. We had costumes, stage foils, speaking lines--the works. Unfortunately, we don't do it anymore, but there's a demonstration video still floating around YouTube.

Here's the link: http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yRqzSoM24Y&list=FLh53eotupq0duXiFZWbWStQ

 

[acapes]

Awesome, Tom! Let me know if you post any more

Interesting to see how much the 'off hand/free hand' (?) was used in the interaction - like striking the shoulder of the opponents' sword arm

 

[Tom]

Awesome, Tom! Let me know if you post any more

Interesting to see how much the 'off hand/free hand' (?) was used in the interaction - like striking the shoulder of the opponents' sword arm

Trailing hand/trailing arm. If we had gone with a more traditional rapier style, the left hand would have been armed with a long knife called a main-gauche or parrying dagger. But those are little expensive for our club budget. Using the trailing arm isn't usually done in fencing, but for the stage routine we wanted extra drama. In a regular bout you'd get chewed out by the ref.

What's your favorite scene from Princess Bride?

 

[acapes]

Ah! Trailing hand/arm - cool, thank you

Wow, yeah - just browsed a few on ebay and the price range there was $9k to $100.

Tough choice!

Probably that fight scene - 'I hate to die' is an amazing line, but I also love the Dread Pirate Roberts story itself. Geeze, really, really tough choice. The impressive clergyman is a great scene too

 

[Tom]

My favorite is the fight scene as well, though the Battle of Wits and Miracle Max's would have to be close seconds.

Because I'm interested in filmography, for me it's amazing how perfectly the movie is paced. It never lags, it never feels rushed...It's also impressive how well the movie has stood the test of time. I mean, it was made in the eighties, but it doesn't feel dated at all.

Well, besides the video game in the first scene. When I introduced my seven-year-old brother to the movie, he screeched, "What IS that thing?" when he saw the video game. He couldn't believe it was a video game, even when I explained to him that most video games from when I was his age looked a lot like that. Child of the Digital Age...

 

[acapes]

Yes! The Micacle Max scene - apparently improvised a fair bit?

Agreed - it's pretty damn ageless. And I agree about the pacing too, it never drags a second. And even the breaks with Kevin work perfectly too. Wait - another fav scene - Vizzini's death!!!!!

Hahaha! Show him Space Invaders or Pong next

Love the older games, classics like Sonic & Mario, Chrono Trigger etc

 

[Tom]

Oh, Space Invaders is fun.

Vizzini's death is a great scene. I think the dialogue in that scene is probably the best in the movie. I just can't get over Vizzini's last line:

You fool! You fell victim to one of the classic blunders--the most famous of which is "Never get involved in a land war in Asia"--but only slightly less well-known is this: Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line!"

...And cue hysterical laughter.

 

[Noma Galway]

I love the dialogue in that scene. Just. I love it. My favorite line there is "Have you ever heard of Plato, Aristotle, Socrates? Morons."

I learned the entire dialogue sequence for the fencing scene a couple years ago, and a friend and I were going to reenact it during lunch at school one day, but it never happened.

 

[Tom]

My friend and I wanted to do the same thing for our fencing club's Christmas party, but it never got off the ground. I still wish we could have done that--would have been so much fun.

 

[Noma Galway]

Oh yes. I would have been Inigo...mostly because I've got the accent down. Comes from quoting the movie so often, I guess.

 

[Tom]

I have an ear for accents and languages, and I think I've got Inigo's accent down pat. My most annoying impression by far, though, is the Impressive Clergyman. My friends always roll their eyes and groan when I start going, "Maaawwidge...maawidge is whutt bwings us toogevva tooday."

 

[Noma Galway]

Oh yes. I do that one too. I can imitate most of the characters from Princess Bride because of the sheer number of times I've watched it. Quoting along with the movie requires accurate impressions.

 

[acapes]

I might have posted this already - but really keen to read this as soon as possible!

 

[AmberliFoxx]

It is PURE GOLD! Did anyone catch what Westly said when Inigo asked him why he wore his mask? He said it was comfortable! And I'm just over here like "Well that was the top half of your face..." I hate having stuff over my mouth, just another side thing from my insanity so *shrugs* ^v^

 

[AmberliFoxx]

every move in the clifftop fight is real.[/I] All of that--you can do all of that with a foil and a partner who isn't afraid to get knocked out at the end of the bout. (And perhaps some gymnastic equipment. Unfortunately, most fencing venues don't contain uneven parallel bars to swing off of or stairs and things to climb up and jump off.)

You know that one scene where Westley gets his foot under his rapier, flicks it into the air, and catches it? We all taught ourselves how to do that one night during practice while the coach wasn't paying attention.

Oh my gosh, you fence???? I really want to, but idk if that's something I can find where I live.