The Princess Bride: 25 years later

[jay santos]

I hated this movie with a passion as a teenager. I think I saw parts of it at least 50 times. Every single freakin' YMYW activity where a movie was shown, this was it. Every single group date/dance date thing they used to do in Utah county, this would be the movie playing after the date at the hang out house. Every time my buddies crashed a girls party or house where girls were hanging out, they were watching this. There was this group of girls that were a step behind the hot, popular girls that were super righteous and in student council and seminary council and would run and hug and scream at each other in the halls, we called them the "fat happy's". They would quote this movie ad nauseum.

I kind of like it now.

[Surfah]

Not a fan of this movie. Like Jay noted, it was part of the Mormon youth canon.

[FN Phat]

I've never seen this movie.

[LA Ute]

Not living in Utah or being a Mormon teen when it came out, I see it for what it is: a send-up of just about every kind of heroic sword-brandishing romance story imaginable, written by the most prominent screenwriter of a generation. It's kind of interesting that it achieved such cult status among Mormon youth and college kids. I didn't even know that until I read about it here on CUF.

[SuperGabers]

The book is an excellent read FWIW.

[thesaint258]

The book is an excellent read FWIW.

Agreed. I like the movie, but the book is better.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

This is the Alphaville of movies. I too learned to hate this movie for many of the reasons stated in this thread.

[BigPiney]

This is the Alphaville of movies. I too learned to hate this movie for many of the reasons stated in this thread.

Excellent comparison. Grease is another movie that falls close to this in terms of every yw had seen it a hundred times.

Based on others recommendations, I think I will get the book for my kids.

[marsupial]

Love it... And my son loves it as well. He'll get into it for a week and watch over and over, and then stop but will come back to it again a month or so later...

I made my kids watch it a couple of weeks ago and my 9-year-old son said, "I don't want to watch this stupid princess movie." He really liked it though and got quite a few laughs.

I was bored with it when I was a kid. I liked watching it the second time with him.

[Shaka]

Judged the movie by the VHS tape cover and decided I wanted nothing to do with it. I was forced to watch it in college and fell in love with it. Probably saw it thirty times in following years. Alas there is too much of a good thing and I haven't watched it in at least a decade.

[TripletDaddy]

First hating on TPB and now hating on Alphaville? What is wrong with Alphaville? Forever Young and Afternoons in Utopia are great albums. Breathtaking Blue is pretty good. Anything after that, no thanks.

[dabrockster]

I made my kids watch it a couple of weeks ago and my 9-year-old son said, "I don't want to watch this stupid princess movie." He really liked it though and got quite a few laughs.

I was bored with it when I was a kid. I liked watching it the second time with him.

Bad side effects. As soon as he is done watching he wants to sword fight anything that moves and goes around saying "INCONCEIVABLE". He uses this word a lot.. Even at school. His teacher got a chuckle out of it when he used it and told us in Parent Teacher Conference..

[Northwestcoug]

First hating on TPB and now hating on Alphaville? What is wrong with Alphaville? Forever Young and Afternoons in Utopia are great albums. Breathtaking Blue is pretty good. Anything after that, no thanks.

I think. I haven't heard these albums for about 20 years. But I loved them in college.

[SoCalCoug]

Amazon.com: Adventures in the Screen Trade: A Personal View of Hollywood and Screenwriting (9780446391177): William Goldman: Books

I have never gotten into the cultish aspect of the movie. I mainly appreciate the collection of comedic talent that made it happen, e.g., Rob Reiner directing, Goldman writing, Mandy Patinkin, Carol Kane, Billy Crystal, and Wally Shawn in a role made for him.

I think you hit on the genius of the movie - Yes, the writing was excellent, but the casting was perfect. You have at least three actors (Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, and Wallace Shawn) whose roles in the movie were career-defining. Even Chris Sarandon was perfect as Prince Humperdink. Just a great collection of talent. Can you tell I love this movie?

I think the movie came out on my mission. I just remember that in the mission home, when a group of missionaries would go home, they'd come spend the night in the mission home, and they'd watch a movie. I don't think it was when I went home, but for some reason I was spending the night with another group of missionaries, and this was the movie we watched. I'd never heard of it until then.

[LA Ute]

I think you hit on the genius of the movie - Yes, the writing was excellent, but the casting was perfect. You have at least three actors (Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, and Wallace Shawn) whose roles in the movie were career-defining. Even Chris Sarandon was perfect as Prince Humperdink. Just a great collection of talent. Can you tell I love this movie?

I think the movie came out on my mission. I just remember that in the mission home, when a group of missionaries would go home, they'd come spend the night in the mission home, and they'd watch a movie. I don't think it was when I went home, but for some reason I was spending the night with another group of missionaries, and this was the movie we watched. I'd never heard of it until then.

We are in accord!