list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around The Princess Bride on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/The_Princess_Bride/27394/default.aspx Title: The Princess Bride
Year: 1987
Director: Rob Reiner
Plot: Based on William Goldman's novel of the same name, The Princess Bride is staged as a book read by grandfather (Peter Falk) to his ill grandson (Fred Savage). Falk's character assures a romance-weary Savage that the book has much more to deliver than a simpering love story, including but not limited to fencing, fighting, torture, death, true love, giants, and pirates. Indeed, The Princess Bride offers a tongue-in-cheek fairy tale depicting stable boy-turned-pirate Westley's journey to rescue Buttercup (Robin Wright), his true love, away from the evil prince (Chris Sarandon), whom she had agreed to marry five years after learning of what she had believed to be news of Westley's death. With help from Prince Humperdinck's disgruntled former employee Miracle Max (Billy Crystal), swordsman Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin), and a very large man named Fezzik (Andre the Giant), the star-crossed lovers are reunited. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 223
Number of Lists: 185
Number of blog posts: 18
Number of discussion threads: 23
SpoutRating: 4
]]>Thu, 30 Jul 2009 00:17:43 GMTThe Princess Bride1987Rob ReinerBased on <a href="/players/P____91933/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>William Goldman</a>'s novel of the same name, The Princess Bride is staged as a book read by grandfather (<a href="/players/P____22575/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Peter Falk</a>) to his ill grandson (<a href="/players/P____63323/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Fred Savage</a>). Falk's character assures a romance-weary Savage that the book has much more to deliver than a simpering love story, including but not limited to fencing, fighting, torture, death, true love, giants, and pirates. Indeed, The Princess Bride offers a tongue-in-cheek fairy tale depicting stable boy-turned-pirate Westley's journey to rescue Buttercup (Robin Wright), his true love, away from the evil prince (<a href="/players/P____63156/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Chris Sarandon</a>), whom she had agreed to marry five years after learning of what she had believed to be news of Westley's death. With help from Prince Humperdinck's disgruntled former employee Miracle Max (<a href="/players/P____86318/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Billy Crystal</a>), swordsman Inigo Montoya (<a href="/players/P____55373/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Mandy Patinkin</a>), and a very large man named Fezzik (<a href="/players/P_____1642/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Andre the Giant</a>), the star-crossed lovers are reunited. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide223Tag Target (>10)18518234http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/u48931u3i5a.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/The_Princess_Bride/27394/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Re_Weekly_Theme_for_July_27_Games_of_Chance/625/43321/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: leeroy711
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 7/29/2009 8:17:43 PM
Body: I'm going to start this post with the appropriate music video from a couple of Living Legends. The Grough and Eligh - "All In" ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ Okay, now that I've gotten that out of my system... KICK ASS TOPIC MERC!!!! I just went to Vegas a couple weeks ago.. It was a blast! [quote user="mercurial"] The dangerous illegal gambles where life is on the line are also rather intriguing like in the inconceivably funny The Princess Bride, ultra realistic Intacto and historical accurate Barry Lyndon. [/quote] I liked Intacto but I thought 13 Tzameti took the same concept and did it a little bit better. I thought it was pretty tense throughout the whole second half. Also, check out The Cooler if you haven't already. I really liked the 'old school' Vegas feel of this film. It had a good story as well.
]]>Thu, 30 Jul 2009 00:17:43 GMTleeroy711Weekly Theme7/29/2009 8:17:43 PMI'm going to start this post with the appropriate music video from a couple of Living Legends. The Grough and Eligh - "All In" ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ Okay, now that I've gotten that out of my system... KICK ASS TOPIC MERC!!!! I just went to Vegas a couple weeks ago.. It was a blast! [quote user="mercurial"] The dangerous illegal gambles where life is on the line are also rather intriguing like in the inconceivably funny The Princess Bride, ultra realistic Intacto and historical accurate Barry Lyndon. [/quote] I liked Intacto but I thought 13 Tzameti took the same concept and did it a little bit better. I thought it was pretty tense throughout the whole second half. Also, check out The Cooler if you haven't already. I really liked the 'old school' Vegas feel of this film. It had a good story as well. http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Weekly_Theme_for_July_27_Games_of_Chance/625/43299/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: mercurial
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 7/28/2009 9:57:28 PM
Body: We're throwing caution to the wind and hoping for a windfall this week. There's a reason Las Vegas is such a popular destination: the strippers and all you can eat buffets are a distant second to the lure of taking a chance on the endless stream of slot machines, roulette wheels and poker tables where a single stroke of luck can bring you unimaginable riches (or at least pay for a go at the buffet later). I've always loved those smokey gambling dens of iniquity where the liquor is cheap and so are the woman such as those in The Big Sleep, Gilda, and Dick Tracy. The dangerous illegal gambles where life is on the line are also rather intriguing like in the inconceivably funny The Princess Bride, ultra realistic Intacto and historical accurate Barry Lyndon. Recently I've taken a liking to Texas Hold'em and movies such as Rounders, Ocean's 11, Casino Royale and My Blueberry Nights do the game justice (with losers like Lucky You and All In making a mockery of it). So what other movies are there about gambling / games of chance?
]]>Wed, 29 Jul 2009 01:57:28 GMTmercurialWeekly Theme7/28/2009 9:57:28 PMWe're throwing caution to the wind and hoping for a windfall this week. There's a reason Las Vegas is such a popular destination: the strippers and all you can eat buffets are a distant second to the lure of taking a chance on the endless stream of slot machines, roulette wheels and poker tables where a single stroke of luck can bring you unimaginable riches (or at least pay for a go at the buffet later). I've always loved those smokey gambling dens of iniquity where the liquor is cheap and so are the woman such as those in The Big Sleep, Gilda, and Dick Tracy. The dangerous illegal gambles where life is on the line are also rather intriguing like in the inconceivably funny The Princess Bride, ultra realistic Intacto and historical accurate Barry Lyndon. Recently I've taken a liking to Texas Hold'em and movies such as Rounders, Ocean's 11, Casino Royale and My Blueberry Nights do the game justice (with losers like Lucky You and All In making a mockery of it). So what other movies are there about gambling / games of chance? http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Re_Weekly_Theme_for_April_20_Abducted/625/41842/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: mercurial
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 4/29/2009 12:11:42 AM
Body: When I think about kidnapping films the first thing that comes to mind is "It puts the lotion in the basket." The Silence of the Lambs has that rare ability to give me chills each time I watch it and I love it for that. I think a lot of people also became weary of helping others after Buffalo Bill feigned an injury in order to kidnap his prey in the film. The thought of being trapped in a well and starved so someone could skin me definitely gives me the willies. I just recently got to see my first Buster Keaton film, The General, which revolves around a kidnapping. It's probably one of a handful of films in which the audience is rooting for a Southerner to win out over the North during the Civil War. Another older film that involves kidnapping is Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. It's a disturbingly creepy but incredibly enjoyable musical about a group of mountain men that decide to kidnap the local towns young girls in order to get all the "perks" of marriage. I'm really only a fan of the first one, but all of the Saw films centered around kidnappings. Similarly, all of the Cube films revolve around a group of kidnapped victims trying to figure out why they were abducted. And lastly, The Princess Bride. Undoubtedly doesn't need any explanation. The combination of Wallace Shawn, Andre the Giant and Mandy Patinkin as the kidnappers is just perfection.
]]>Wed, 29 Apr 2009 04:11:42 GMTmercurialWeekly Theme4/29/2009 12:11:42 AMWhen I think about kidnapping films the first thing that comes to mind is "It puts the lotion in the basket." The Silence of the Lambs has that rare ability to give me chills each time I watch it and I love it for that. I think a lot of people also became weary of helping others after Buffalo Bill feigned an injury in order to kidnap his prey in the film. The thought of being trapped in a well and starved so someone could skin me definitely gives me the willies. I just recently got to see my first Buster Keaton film, The General, which revolves around a kidnapping. It's probably one of a handful of films in which the audience is rooting for a Southerner to win out over the North during the Civil War. Another older film that involves kidnapping is Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. It's a disturbingly creepy but incredibly enjoyable musical about a group of mountain men that decide to kidnap the local towns young girls in order to get all the "perks" of marriage. I'm really only a fan of the first one, but all of the Saw films centered around kidnappings. Similarly, all of the Cube films revolve around a group of kidnapped victims trying to figure out why they were abducted. And lastly, The Princess Bride. Undoubtedly doesn't need any explanation. The combination of Wallace Shawn, Andre the Giant and Mandy Patinkin as the kidnappers is just perfection. http://www.spout.com/blogs/karina/archive/2009/1/14/39548.aspx Post By: Karina
Post To: Karina on SpoutBlog
Post Date: 1/14/2009 11:00:48 PM
Body: Director Lynn Shelton’s follow-up to My Effortless Brilliance, Sundance Dramatic Competition entry stars Mark Duplass (HumpdayThe Puffy Chair) and Joshua Leonard (The Blair Witch Project) as two college friends who meet up a decade later and somehow end up pacting to make a boy-on-boy sex tape together. Answering our 4 Questions We Ask Everyone, Shelton declared her love for The Princess Bride, named the crew member she poached from Medicine for Melancholy, and explained her philosophy of low expectations. Tell us about your movie: who did you work with, what did you shoot on, why did you make it? Give us the reductive, 25-word or less, “It’s like [pop culture reference a] meets [pop culture reference b]!” pitch, then explain what the quick and dirty sell leaves out. Humpday is like Bang the Drum Slowly meets Jaws. Only no-one dies. Either by tumor or by shark. It’s about the reunion of two old college buddies, Ben and Andrew, who haven’t seen each other for years. Somehow, within 24 hours of being in each other’s company again, they manage to box themselves into a mutual dare to have sex with each other on film. For an “art project”. Which wouldn’t be so radical or weird except for the fact that Ben’s married, and both guys are about as straight as straight can be. The film’s about fear of conformity; of not living up to your own image of yourself; about long-term romantic relationships; about a certain kind of male friendship between two guys who adore each other but who also bring out the most absurdly competitive aspects in each other. Why I made the movie: 1) an overwhelming desire to work with Mark Duplass, and, 2) a sadistic desire to watch a couple of straight guys squirm. I’d met Mark Duplass in August of 2007 on the set of True Adolescents, a film shooting in Seattle that he was acting in and I was shooting stills for. Watching him act, seeing how generous he was with the other actors, and how far he was willing to go in every single scene, I knew immediately that I wanted to work with him. We bonded at the craft services table and I pitched the idea for Humpday to him about a month or two after the production had wrapped and he’d gone back to LA. I think Mark found the premise—of two straight dudes deciding they had to try and have sex together—an intriguing, if slightly insane, challenge. He introduced me to Joshua Leonard as his potential co-star almost immediately and the two of them seemed to have just the right kind of chemistry for this intense, nutty, onscreen friendship. I brought in Alycia Delmore, a great Seattle actress, to play Mark’s wife and, soon thereafter, Mark convinced me to play the supporting role of Monica, Josh’s love interest, myself. We shot on two HVX-200s over the course of 9-10 days at the end of June, 2008. Ben Kasulke (who shot my first two features) was the DP and Nat Sanders (who I’d met on the festival circuit last year…he edited Medicine for Melancholy) moved himself up to Seattle from LA to edit the film with me over the next two and a half months. If you funded your film through a “day job” or through working on projects that were not your own, tell us about that. If not, tell us a story from your past work life, before you became a professional filmmaker. I funded the film through grants and donations and fed myself and my family by teaching part time at the Digital Filmmaking program at the Art Institute of Seattle. My most exotic past employment experience: working for 4 months on a factory trawler in the Bering Sea when I was twenty-two years old. Have you been to Sundance before? If so, tell us your best moment (or worst, which ever is funnier). If you haven’t, what are you most (or least) looking forward to based on your impressions of the festival? I have never been to Sundance before, (although I have been to Park City; my first feature film, We Go Way Back won Slamdance in 2006.) I am imagining long lines, icy sidewalks, and a constant headache the first few days due to the high altitude. (I like to keep my expectations low so if I end up having a fabulous time, it will all just be a pleasant surprise.) Let’s get hypothetical: You’re on death row. The night of your execution, you’re allowed to watch any two films of your choice. What would you pick for your last-night-on-Earth double feature? This is Spinal Tap and The Princess Bride. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog » Karina Longworth
]]>Thu, 15 Jan 2009 04:00:48 GMTKarinaKarina on SpoutBlog1/14/2009 11:00:48 PMDirector Lynn Shelton’s follow-up to My Effortless Brilliance, Sundance Dramatic Competition entry stars Mark Duplass (HumpdayThe Puffy Chair) and Joshua Leonard (The Blair Witch Project) as two college friends who meet up a decade later and somehow end up pacting to make a boy-on-boy sex tape together. Answering our 4 Questions We Ask Everyone, Shelton declared her love for The Princess Bride, named the crew member she poached from Medicine for Melancholy, and explained her philosophy of low expectations. Tell us about your movie: who did you work with, what did you shoot on, why did you make it? Give us the reductive, 25-word or less, “It’s like [pop culture reference a] meets [pop culture reference b]!” pitch, then explain what the quick and dirty sell leaves out. Humpday is like Bang the Drum Slowly meets Jaws. Only no-one dies. Either by tumor or by shark. It’s about the reunion of two old college buddies, Ben and Andrew, who haven’t seen each other for years. Somehow, within 24 hours of being in each other’s company again, they manage to box themselves into a mutual dare to have sex with each other on film. For an “art project”. Which wouldn’t be so radical or weird except for the fact that Ben’s married, and both guys are about as straight as straight can be. The film’s about fear of conformity; of not living up to your own image of yourself; about long-term romantic relationships; about a certain kind of male friendship between two guys who adore each other but who also bring out the most absurdly competitive aspects in each other. Why I made the movie: 1) an overwhelming desire to work with Mark Duplass, and, 2) a sadistic desire to watch a couple of straight guys squirm. I’d met Mark Duplass in August of 2007 on the set of True Adolescents, a film shooting in Seattle that he was acting in and I was shooting stills for. Watching him act, seeing how generous he was with the other actors, and how far he was willing to go in every single scene, I knew immediately that I wanted to work with him. We bonded at the craft services table and I pitched the idea for Humpday to him about a month or two after the production had wrapped and he’d gone back to LA. I think Mark found the premise—of two straight dudes deciding they had to try and have sex together—an intriguing, if slightly insane, challenge. He introduced me to Joshua Leonard as his potential co-star almost immediately and the two of them seemed to have just the right kind of chemistry for this intense, nutty, onscreen friendship. I brought in Alycia Delmore, a great Seattle actress, to play Mark’s wife and, soon thereafter, Mark convinced me to play the supporting role of Monica, Josh’s love interest, myself. We shot on two HVX-200s over the course of 9-10 days at the end of June, 2008. Ben Kasulke (who shot my first two features) was the DP and Nat Sanders (who I’d met on the festival circuit last year…he edited Medicine for Melancholy) moved himself up to Seattle from LA to edit the film with me over the next two and a half months. If you funded your film through a “day job” or through working on projects that were not your own, tell us about that. If not, tell us a story from your past work life, before you became a professional filmmaker. I funded the film through grants and donations and fed myself and my family by teaching part time at the Digital Filmmaking program at the Art Institute of Seattle. My most exotic past employment experience: working for 4 months on a factory trawler in the Bering Sea when I was twenty-two years old. Have you been to Sundance before? If so, tell us your best moment (or worst, which ever is funnier). If you haven’t, what are you most (or least) looking forward to based on your impressions of the festival? I have never been to Sundance before, (although I have been to Park City; my first feature film, We Go Way Back won Slamdance in 2006.) I am imagining long lines, icy sidewalks, and a constant headache the first few days due to the high altitude. (I like to keep my expectations low so if I end up having a fabulous time, it will all just be a pleasant surprise.) Let’s get hypothetical: You’re on death row. The night of your execution, you’re allowed to watch any two films of your choice. What would you pick for your last-night-on-Earth double feature? This is Spinal Tap and The Princess Bride. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog » Karina Longworth http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2009/1/14/39547.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 1/14/2009 11:00:34 PM
Body: Director Lynn Shelton’s follow-up to My Effortless Brilliance, Sundance Dramatic Competition entry stars Mark Duplass (HumpdayThe Puffy Chair) and Joshua Leonard (The Blair Witch Project) as two college friends who meet up a decade later and somehow end up pacting to make a boy-on-boy sex tape together. Answering our 4 Questions We Ask Everyone, Shelton declared her love for The Princess Bride, named the crew member she poached from Medicine for Melancholy, and explained her philosophy of low expectations. Tell us about your movie: who did you work with, what did you shoot on, why did you make it? Give us the reductive, 25-word or less, “It’s like [pop culture reference a] meets [pop culture reference b]!” pitch, then explain what the quick and dirty sell leaves out. Humpday is like Bang the Drum Slowly meets Jaws. Only no-one dies. Either by tumor or by shark. It’s about the reunion of two old college buddies, Ben and Andrew, who haven’t seen each other for years. Somehow, within 24 hours of being in each other’s company again, they manage to box themselves into a mutual dare to have sex with each other on film. For an “art project”. Which wouldn’t be so radical or weird except for the fact that Ben’s married, and both guys are about as straight as straight can be. The film’s about fear of conformity; of not living up to your own image of yourself; about long-term romantic relationships; about a certain kind of male friendship between two guys who adore each other but who also bring out the most absurdly competitive aspects in each other. Why I made the movie: 1) an overwhelming desire to work with Mark Duplass, and, 2) a sadistic desire to watch a couple of straight guys squirm. I’d met Mark Duplass in August of 2007 on the set of True Adolescents, a film shooting in Seattle that he was acting in and I was shooting stills for. Watching him act, seeing how generous he was with the other actors, and how far he was willing to go in every single scene, I knew immediately that I wanted to work with him. We bonded at the craft services table and I pitched the idea for Humpday to him about a month or two after the production had wrapped and he’d gone back to LA. I think Mark found the premise—of two straight dudes deciding they had to try and have sex together—an intriguing, if slightly insane, challenge. He introduced me to Joshua Leonard as his potential co-star almost immediately and the two of them seemed to have just the right kind of chemistry for this intense, nutty, onscreen friendship. I brought in Alycia Delmore, a great Seattle actress, to play Mark’s wife and, soon thereafter, Mark convinced me to play the supporting role of Monica, Josh’s love interest, myself. We shot on two HVX-200s over the course of 9-10 days at the end of June, 2008. Ben Kasulke (who shot my first two features) was the DP and Nat Sanders (who I’d met on the festival circuit last year…he edited Medicine for Melancholy) moved himself up to Seattle from LA to edit the film with me over the next two and a half months. If you funded your film through a “day job” or through working on projects that were not your own, tell us about that. If not, tell us a story from your past work life, before you became a professional filmmaker. I funded the film through grants and donations and fed myself and my family by teaching part time at the Digital Filmmaking program at the Art Institute of Seattle. My most exotic past employment experience: working for 4 months on a factory trawler in the Bering Sea when I was twenty-two years old. Have you been to Sundance before? If so, tell us your best moment (or worst, which ever is funnier). If you haven’t, what are you most (or least) looking forward to based on your impressions of the festival? I have never been to Sundance before, (although I have been to Park City; my first feature film, We Go Way Back won Slamdance in 2006.) I am imagining long lines, icy sidewalks, and a constant headache the first few days due to the high altitude. (I like to keep my expectations low so if I end up having a fabulous time, it will all just be a pleasant surprise.) Let’s get hypothetical: You’re on death row. The night of your execution, you’re allowed to watch any two films of your choice. What would you pick for your last-night-on-Earth double feature? This is Spinal Tap and The Princess Bride. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Thu, 15 Jan 2009 04:00:34 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com1/14/2009 11:00:34 PMDirector Lynn Shelton’s follow-up to My Effortless Brilliance, Sundance Dramatic Competition entry stars Mark Duplass (HumpdayThe Puffy Chair) and Joshua Leonard (The Blair Witch Project) as two college friends who meet up a decade later and somehow end up pacting to make a boy-on-boy sex tape together. Answering our 4 Questions We Ask Everyone, Shelton declared her love for The Princess Bride, named the crew member she poached from Medicine for Melancholy, and explained her philosophy of low expectations. Tell us about your movie: who did you work with, what did you shoot on, why did you make it? Give us the reductive, 25-word or less, “It’s like [pop culture reference a] meets [pop culture reference b]!” pitch, then explain what the quick and dirty sell leaves out. Humpday is like Bang the Drum Slowly meets Jaws. Only no-one dies. Either by tumor or by shark. It’s about the reunion of two old college buddies, Ben and Andrew, who haven’t seen each other for years. Somehow, within 24 hours of being in each other’s company again, they manage to box themselves into a mutual dare to have sex with each other on film. For an “art project”. Which wouldn’t be so radical or weird except for the fact that Ben’s married, and both guys are about as straight as straight can be. The film’s about fear of conformity; of not living up to your own image of yourself; about long-term romantic relationships; about a certain kind of male friendship between two guys who adore each other but who also bring out the most absurdly competitive aspects in each other. Why I made the movie: 1) an overwhelming desire to work with Mark Duplass, and, 2) a sadistic desire to watch a couple of straight guys squirm. I’d met Mark Duplass in August of 2007 on the set of True Adolescents, a film shooting in Seattle that he was acting in and I was shooting stills for. Watching him act, seeing how generous he was with the other actors, and how far he was willing to go in every single scene, I knew immediately that I wanted to work with him. We bonded at the craft services table and I pitched the idea for Humpday to him about a month or two after the production had wrapped and he’d gone back to LA. I think Mark found the premise—of two straight dudes deciding they had to try and have sex together—an intriguing, if slightly insane, challenge. He introduced me to Joshua Leonard as his potential co-star almost immediately and the two of them seemed to have just the right kind of chemistry for this intense, nutty, onscreen friendship. I brought in Alycia Delmore, a great Seattle actress, to play Mark’s wife and, soon thereafter, Mark convinced me to play the supporting role of Monica, Josh’s love interest, myself. We shot on two HVX-200s over the course of 9-10 days at the end of June, 2008. Ben Kasulke (who shot my first two features) was the DP and Nat Sanders (who I’d met on the festival circuit last year…he edited Medicine for Melancholy) moved himself up to Seattle from LA to edit the film with me over the next two and a half months. If you funded your film through a “day job” or through working on projects that were not your own, tell us about that. If not, tell us a story from your past work life, before you became a professional filmmaker. I funded the film through grants and donations and fed myself and my family by teaching part time at the Digital Filmmaking program at the Art Institute of Seattle. My most exotic past employment experience: working for 4 months on a factory trawler in the Bering Sea when I was twenty-two years old. Have you been to Sundance before? If so, tell us your best moment (or worst, which ever is funnier). If you haven’t, what are you most (or least) looking forward to based on your impressions of the festival? I have never been to Sundance before, (although I have been to Park City; my first feature film, We Go Way Back won Slamdance in 2006.) I am imagining long lines, icy sidewalks, and a constant headache the first few days due to the high altitude. (I like to keep my expectations low so if I end up having a fabulous time, it will all just be a pleasant surprise.) Let’s get hypothetical: You’re on death row. The night of your execution, you’re allowed to watch any two films of your choice. What would you pick for your last-night-on-Earth double feature? This is Spinal Tap and The Princess Bride. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/jimbell/archive/2009/1/4/39069.aspx Post By: JimBell
Post To: JimBell Blog
Post Date: 1/4/2009 2:28:16 PM
Body: The Princess Bride (1987; USA) is a romance and one of the best pictures ever made. But it is not the kind of romance that we nowadays think of, and we should rehabilitate the old term “romance.” For one thing, we would understand why this is such a powerful film. Today we define romance very narrowly as some kind of love relationship between two people. But The Princess Bride is a romance in the broader, richer, classic sense—with a great sense of humour as well. A romance has a virtuous hero and a beautiful (and virtuous, of course) heroine who represent ideals, and there are always villains threatening their ascendancy. The hero starts off in an idyllic setting but then must go on a quest. There is death involved—the hero, villain, or both—and sometimes the hero comes back from his ritual death, saves the day, gets the girl, and the society is healthy and happy. William Goldman, who wrote the book and the screenplay, channels this archetypal story into The Princess Bride. Wesley, the farm boy (Cary Elwes), and Buttercup, the farmer’s daughter (Robin Wright Penn), live in an idyllic setting, slowly fall in love, but are torn apart as teenagers, Wesley vowing to always be there for Buttercup. But several years go by and the evil and talented Prince (Chris Sarandan) of the land has chosen beautiful Buttercup for his bride—only to have her kidnapped by three rascally guys. Wesley undertakes his quest to defeat the three—brilliant swordsman (Mandy Patinkin), mighty giant (Andre the Giant), and scheming genius (Wallace Shawn)—and survive the fire swamp, and rodents of unusual size . . . But the Prince captures Wesley and tortures him relentlessly in the Pit of Despair, leaving him apparently dead but actually “only almost dead.” It takes a miracle pill concocted by the old wizard Miracle Max (Billy Crystal) to revive Wesley—sort of—as he wobbles off to storm the castle with his two new friends, the brilliant swordsman and the mighty giant. Well, enough, you know how a classic romance ends. Quite apart from Rob Reiner’s excellent direction, Mark Knopfler’s great soundtrack, and costumes that are so good you take them for granted as perfect for a fairy-tale world, The Prince Bride is comic—not in the one-liner, laugh-out-loud sense, but in the sense that everything is playful and done is good spirits. As an additional touch, the story is told as a story within a story, as a grandfather reads the book to his fidgety grandson who has a cold and has to stay in bed. The modern kid is sceptical, but he is promised that the book has a bit of everything, and he is slowly won over. Similarly, it is almost as if the writer Goldman is teasing us—he will interrupt the movie to remind us that it is just a story, and he will tell us a classic romance but make it tongue-in-cheek, yet we’ll be won over—and we are. Enjoy!
]]>Sun, 04 Jan 2009 19:28:16 GMTJimBellJimBell Blog1/4/2009 2:28:16 PMThe Princess Bride (1987; USA) is a romance and one of the best pictures ever made. But it is not the kind of romance that we nowadays think of, and we should rehabilitate the old term &ldquo;romance.&rdquo; For one thing, we would understand why this is such a powerful film. Today we define romance very narrowly as some kind of love relationship between two people. But The Princess Bride is a romance in the broader, richer, classic sense&mdash;with a great sense of humour as well. A romance has a virtuous hero and a beautiful (and virtuous, of course) heroine who represent ideals, and there are always villains threatening their ascendancy. The hero starts off in an idyllic setting but then must go on a quest. There is death involved&mdash;the hero, villain, or both&mdash;and sometimes the hero comes back from his ritual death, saves the day, gets the girl, and the society is healthy and happy. William Goldman, who wrote the book and the screenplay, channels this archetypal story into The Princess Bride. Wesley, the farm boy (Cary Elwes), and Buttercup, the farmer&rsquo;s daughter (Robin Wright Penn), live in an idyllic setting, slowly fall in love, but are torn apart as teenagers, Wesley vowing to always be there for Buttercup. But several years go by and the evil and talented Prince (Chris Sarandan) of the land has chosen beautiful Buttercup for his bride&mdash;only to have her kidnapped by three rascally guys. Wesley undertakes his quest to defeat the three&mdash;brilliant swordsman (Mandy Patinkin), mighty giant (Andre the Giant), and scheming genius (Wallace Shawn)&mdash;and survive the fire swamp, and rodents of unusual size . . . But the Prince captures Wesley and tortures him relentlessly in the Pit of Despair, leaving him apparently dead but actually &ldquo;only almost dead.&rdquo; It takes a miracle pill concocted by the old wizard Miracle Max (Billy Crystal) to revive Wesley&mdash;sort of&mdash;as he wobbles off to storm the castle with his two new friends, the brilliant swordsman and the mighty giant. Well, enough, you know how a classic romance ends. Quite apart from Rob Reiner&rsquo;s excellent direction, Mark Knopfler&rsquo;s great soundtrack, and costumes that are so good you take them for granted as perfect for a fairy-tale world, The Prince Bride is comic&mdash;not in the one-liner, laugh-out-loud sense, but in the sense that everything is playful and done is good spirits. As an additional touch, the story is told as a story within a story, as a grandfather reads the book to his fidgety grandson who has a cold and has to stay in bed. The modern kid is sceptical, but he is promised that the book has a bit of everything, and he is slowly won over. Similarly, it is almost as if the writer Goldman is teasing us&mdash;he will interrupt the movie to remind us that it is just a story, and he will tell us a classic romance but make it tongue-in-cheek, yet we&rsquo;ll be won over&mdash;and we are. Enjoy! http://www.spout.com/groups/Top_5/Re_Top_5_films_from_your_childhood/190/38803/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: stacey042
Post To: Top 5
Post Date: 12/24/2008 3:54:17 AM
Body: This is so hard; they're are so many it seems. Here goes: Dirty Dancing "Nobody puts baby in the corner." This was a super favorite movie of mine growing up. I loved this movie and would watch it every single day around the time when our laserdisc player was breaking. I'd ask my parents to watch it everyday until my mom hid the movie from me and lied to me saying that my uncle took it with him when he moved. I continued to believe this lie until my high school years, which was when my mom told me that we had it the whole time. Drop Dead Fred Also a favorite. I'd watch this over and over again, and it even made me wish I had an imaginary friend like Fred growing up. The Princess Bride I remember watching this all the time when I was really young. Despite my crazy fear of some old lady in the movie (I associated that characted as being a scary witch), I still liked watching this. Superman II Let's just say that I watched this movie religiously -- everyday after I'd come home from elementary school until the VCR broke. I was so bummed. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze Nothing like the teenage mutant ninja turtles facing against Shredder and a mutant dog and turtle. Oh yeah and the random role of Vanilla Ice in one of the scenes. TMNT were cool growing up. I even played the video game. "Aw, shell-shocked!"
]]>Wed, 24 Dec 2008 08:54:17 GMTstacey042Top 512/24/2008 3:54:17 AMThis is so hard; they're are so many it seems. Here goes: Dirty Dancing "Nobody puts baby in the corner." This was a super favorite movie of mine growing up. I loved this movie and would watch it every single day around the time when our laserdisc player was breaking. I'd ask my parents to watch it everyday until my mom hid the movie from me and lied to me saying that my uncle took it with him when he moved. I continued to believe this lie until my high school years, which was when my mom told me that we had it the whole time. Drop Dead Fred Also a favorite. I'd watch this over and over again, and it even made me wish I had an imaginary friend like Fred growing up. The Princess Bride I remember watching this all the time when I was really young. Despite my crazy fear of some old lady in the movie (I associated that characted as being a scary witch), I still liked watching this. Superman II Let's just say that I watched this movie religiously -- everyday after I'd come home from elementary school until the VCR broke. I was so bummed. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze Nothing like the teenage mutant ninja turtles facing against Shredder and a mutant dog and turtle. Oh yeah and the random role of Vanilla Ice in one of the scenes. TMNT were cool growing up. I even played the video game. "Aw, shell-shocked!" http://www.spout.com/groups/Coming_Soon/Re_Share_your_reviews_New_movies_in_theaters/216/37586/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: SkyPilot
Post To: Coming Soon
Post Date: 11/24/2008 2:19:57 PM
Body: If your familiy is like mine, you guys always watch a movie after Thanksgiving dinner. When I was younger, my uncle usually picked the movies. He had questionable judgment...* As I got older, they started letting me pick the movies, and I took this responsibility very seriously. Here's how some of the movies went over with my family. I'd love to hear about your family movie experiences. Top 5 Movies Good for the Whole Family on Thanksgiving 1. Stardust (2007) -- Watch the trailer. I love this movie, and so did the rest of the family. It's very much in the tradition of The Princess Bride, though I like Stardust more. 2. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (2005) -- Watch the trailer. Even the people who don't normally like fantasy were able to get into the story. 3. Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006) -- Watch the trailer. Goofy and incredibly smart at the same time, this has always been my favorite Will Ferrell movie. This one's only safe if people don't mind the "hard" PG-13 rating. 4. Thank You for Smoking (2005) -- Watch the trailer. A good mix of important message and just plain fun. If there are young viewers around, just remember there's a semi-graphic sex scene between Aaron Eckhart and Katie Holmes. They're both fully clothed, but somehow it's still embarrassing to watch with young cousins in the room. 5. Best In Show (2000) -- Watch the trailer. Maybe this one only worked so well because there are so many animal lovers in our family, but I've always thought this is the most accessible Christopher Guest movie. Note: my relative who breeds show animals did not like it. The 3 Biggest Mistakes I Made When Selecting Movies 1. Death Race 2000 (1975) -- Watch the trailer. Why did I do it? My family likes comedies, so I thought I'd introduce them to camp. My family started a mutiny at about the ten minute mark. 2. Rescue Dawn (2006) -- Watch the trailer. We actually didn't even watch this one because my sister had the sense to talk me out of it. I thought everyone would find it hopeful, but now I don't know what I was thinking. 3. About Schmidt (2002) -- Watch the trailer. For the love of God, don't show this one to your family, especially if the film reminds you of your family! *My uncle's picks. The only time I saw Highlander was on Thanksgiving, when I was far too young for it. And I was the oldest child in the room! Another year I remember we watched The Rock with Nic Cage and Sean Connery ("Lomax, you bastard!") Sure we had fun, but in retrospect, I wonder what the adults were thinking?
]]>Mon, 24 Nov 2008 19:19:57 GMTSkyPilotComing Soon11/24/2008 2:19:57 PMIf your familiy is like mine, you guys always watch a movie after Thanksgiving dinner. When I was younger, my uncle usually picked the movies. He had questionable judgment...* As I got older, they started letting me pick the movies, and I took this responsibility very seriously. Here's how some of the movies went over with my family. I'd love to hear about your family movie experiences. Top 5 Movies Good for the Whole Family on Thanksgiving 1. Stardust (2007) -- Watch the trailer. I love this movie, and so did the rest of the family. It's very much in the tradition of The Princess Bride, though I like Stardust more. 2. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (2005) -- Watch the trailer. Even the people who don't normally like fantasy were able to get into the story. 3. Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006) -- Watch the trailer. Goofy and incredibly smart at the same time, this has always been my favorite Will Ferrell movie. This one's only safe if people don't mind the "hard" PG-13 rating. 4. Thank You for Smoking (2005) -- Watch the trailer. A good mix of important message and just plain fun. If there are young viewers around, just remember there's a semi-graphic sex scene between Aaron Eckhart and Katie Holmes. They're both fully clothed, but somehow it's still embarrassing to watch with young cousins in the room. 5. Best In Show (2000) -- Watch the trailer. Maybe this one only worked so well because there are so many animal lovers in our family, but I've always thought this is the most accessible Christopher Guest movie. Note: my relative who breeds show animals did not like it. The 3 Biggest Mistakes I Made When Selecting Movies 1. Death Race 2000 (1975) -- Watch the trailer. Why did I do it? My family likes comedies, so I thought I'd introduce them to camp. My family started a mutiny at about the ten minute mark. 2. Rescue Dawn (2006) -- Watch the trailer. We actually didn't even watch this one because my sister had the sense to talk me out of it. I thought everyone would find it hopeful, but now I don't know what I was thinking. 3. About Schmidt (2002) -- Watch the trailer. For the love of God, don't show this one to your family, especially if the film reminds you of your family! *My uncle's picks. The only time I saw Highlander was on Thanksgiving, when I was far too young for it. And I was the oldest child in the room! Another year I remember we watched The Rock with Nic Cage and Sean Connery ("Lomax, you bastard!") Sure we had fun, but in retrospect, I wonder what the adults were thinking? http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Weekly_Theme_for_October_6_Revenge/625/35939/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: leeroy711
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 10/6/2008 2:06:06 PM
Body: I think this is an interesting theme for many reasons. I actually think that this theme may be the easiest one for a film maker to use to drum up some empathy from the audience. I mean......... most people have been in or are in love, but everyone's been wronged one way or another. "Screw unto other as they have screwed unto you." right?.............. We'll call that the Silver rule. So what about some cinematic uses of revenge? I am quickly reminded of Bill Murray in The Life Aquatic.... [a woman asks a question about the shark Zissou is hunting] Festival Director: [translating] That's an endangered species at most. What would be the scientific purpose of killing it? Steve Zissou: Revenge. And you mustn't forget about Sin City. Revenge is what drives Marv and Hartigan through their journeys. Revenge is the prime motivating force behind another one of my favorites. Luc Besson's Leon: The Professional. "This.......... is....... for......................... Matilda." Even as a young child I was familiar with this theme. I can remember fashioning swords out of sticks, broom handles or whatever else I could find and pretending I was a Spanish swordsman. All the while, repeating the phrase: "Hello....... my name is Inigo Montoya.......... you killed my father........... prepare to die." So there you have it. These are the sweet revenge films. These moments are burned in my brain and there's probably a ton more. What are you favorites? Do you find the whole thing repulsive? Are there any example of the quest for revenge going sour? Emery P.S. I would just like to take a second to thank everyone that's contributed to this group thus far. I really want to keep this up as long as possible. Looking up, I realize that we have 35 members now and we've been going for a little over 3 months. So thank you for your input. It wouldn't work with out you.
]]>Mon, 06 Oct 2008 18:06:06 GMTleeroy711Weekly Theme10/6/2008 2:06:06 PM I think this is an interesting theme for many reasons. I actually think that this theme may be the easiest one for a film maker to use to drum up some empathy from the audience. I mean......... most people have been in or are in love, but everyone's been wronged one way or another. "Screw unto other as they have screwed unto you." right?.............. We'll call that the Silver rule. So what about some cinematic uses of revenge? I am quickly reminded of Bill Murray in The Life Aquatic.... [a woman asks a question about the shark Zissou is hunting] Festival Director: [translating] That's an endangered species at most. What would be the scientific purpose of killing it? Steve Zissou: Revenge. And you mustn't forget about Sin City. Revenge is what drives Marv and Hartigan through their journeys. Revenge is the prime motivating force behind another one of my favorites. Luc Besson's Leon: The Professional. "This.......... is....... for......................... Matilda." Even as a young child I was familiar with this theme. I can remember fashioning swords out of sticks, broom handles or whatever else I could find and pretending I was a Spanish swordsman. All the while, repeating the phrase: "Hello....... my name is Inigo Montoya.......... you killed my father........... prepare to die." So there you have it. These are the sweet revenge films. These moments are burned in my brain and there's probably a ton more. What are you favorites? Do you find the whole thing repulsive? Are there any example of the quest for revenge going sour? Emery P.S. I would just like to take a second to thank everyone that's contributed to this group thus far. I really want to keep this up as long as possible. Looking up, I realize that we have 35 members now and we've been going for a little over 3 months. So thank you for your input. It wouldn't work with out you. http://www.spout.com/groups/Top_5/Re_Top_5_Romantic_Films/190/35938/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: seely
Post To: Top 5
Post Date: 10/6/2008 1:28:13 PM
Body: This is a tough one...I can't think of a lot of romantic films I've seen, but I'll give it a shot. Across the Universe - I love the Beatles, I love sporadic singing, I love the 60's and I love Love. It seemed a little "Higschool Musical Does the Sixties" at times, but I loved some of the cameos and cultural references of the era (despite not particularly liking Bono, I thought he did a fantastic job), and albeit sappy love story. Princess Bride - A classic. I'm a closet fairy tale fan, and this is one of the best. It turns the genre on its head a little, adds a lot of comedy and relies on some less-than-perfect characters with some glaring flaws to create a story that somehow still remains romantic. Say Anything - I'm always a fan of the daughter/son-likes-the-girl/guy-dad/mom-does-not films. These seemed especially prevalent in the 80's, and I think SA is the shining example. SA edged out Valley Girl by a hair in this category for me, mostly because Nicolas Cage suffered a devastating setback in my mind after remaking Bangkok Dangerous (and it wasn't because the first was any good). Big Fish - I know its fictional, but its a powerful love story none-the-less. You get to see the couple through their entire lives together, beginning to end, and how committed and how much they loved each other to the end. Its ridiculously beautiful. I can barely handle the end of the movie. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - Maybe a bit out of place in this categorie, but I think it deserves a mention. I think it highlights the idea that love wouldn't exist without pain, and gives us an appreciation of memories and past relationships. Its better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all. Bah, one short. Wait! Once - Probably my favorite, because of a) the music, and b) the fact it does not end like most romances. It is a beautiful and very innocent story, of a complicated friendship/romance. Don't want to give too much away for those who haven't seen it, but it truly is a beautiful story of two people meeting exactly when they needed to.
]]>Mon, 06 Oct 2008 17:28:13 GMTseelyTop 510/6/2008 1:28:13 PMThis is a tough one...I can't think of a lot of romantic films I've seen, but I'll give it a shot. Across the Universe - I love the Beatles, I love sporadic singing, I love the 60's and I love Love. It seemed a little "Higschool Musical Does the Sixties" at times, but I loved some of the cameos and cultural references of the era (despite not particularly liking Bono, I thought he did a fantastic job), and albeit sappy love story. Princess Bride - A classic. I'm a closet fairy tale fan, and this is one of the best. It turns the genre on its head a little, adds a lot of comedy and relies on some less-than-perfect characters with some glaring flaws to create a story that somehow still remains romantic. Say Anything - I'm always a fan of the daughter/son-likes-the-girl/guy-dad/mom-does-not films. These seemed especially prevalent in the 80's, and I think SA is the shining example. SA edged out Valley Girl by a hair in this category for me, mostly because Nicolas Cage suffered a devastating setback in my mind after remaking Bangkok Dangerous (and it wasn't because the first was any good). Big Fish - I know its fictional, but its a powerful love story none-the-less. You get to see the couple through their entire lives together, beginning to end, and how committed and how much they loved each other to the end. Its ridiculously beautiful. I can barely handle the end of the movie. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - Maybe a bit out of place in this categorie, but I think it deserves a mention. I think it highlights the idea that love wouldn't exist without pain, and gives us an appreciation of memories and past relationships. Its better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all. Bah, one short. Wait! Once - Probably my favorite, because of a) the music, and b) the fact it does not end like most romances. It is a beautiful and very innocent story, of a complicated friendship/romance. Don't want to give too much away for those who haven't seen it, but it truly is a beautiful story of two people meeting exactly when they needed to. http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/love/MemberTagFilms.aspxlove
Number of films tagged: 12478

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]]>Fri, 11 Dec 2009 01:28:29 GMT124783381480Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/Classic/MemberTagFilms.aspxClassic
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]]>Sun, 23 Aug 2009 22:54:36 GMT8163121453Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/comedy/MemberTagFilms.aspxcomedy
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]]>Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:11:49 GMT231202371Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/Loved-It/MemberTagFilms.aspxLoved-It
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]]>Wed, 16 Dec 2009 19:01:30 GMT71621691004Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/hilarious/MemberTagFilms.aspxhilarious
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]]>Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:39:04 GMT222165331Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/revenge/MemberTagFilms.aspxrevenge
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]]>Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:13:41 GMT5189145489Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/fun/MemberTagFilms.aspxfun
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]]>Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:19:21 GMT10674137Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/Stupid/MemberTagFilms.aspxStupid
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