Gil T's Pleasure: The Princess Bride DVD Review

I remember "The Princess Bride" way back when it was in the theaters. At the time I wanted to see the film only because Billy Crystal was in it. Yeah, that was 1987 and Billy Crystal was big, and I was a fan. But after watching that movie I forgot he was in it and just enjoyed one of the funniest family films ever made.

They simply don't make movies like this anymore. This movie was great for the whole family, in fact it was great for a young bachelor that was serving in the U.S. Navy.

My favorite part of the whole film was the character Inigo Montoya played by Mandy Patinkin. One of the many subplots in this film is his seeking the 6 fingered man that killed his father. "My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." He would say this just before fighting someone he thought was the killer. The best part is when he actually found the man responsible. Here is a youtube video of Inigo's moments. Warning if for some reason you haven't seen the film, this video contains a spoiler.

Okay the movie is told by a grandfather (Peter Falk [Columbo])to his grandson (Fred Savage[The Wonder Years]). The grandson is home ill, and the grandfather has come to read him a story. The plot of the movie is the enactment of the story as it is being read, which is sometimes interrupted by comments by the grandson and grandfather. This resembles the original book, wherein the author presents a fictionalization of his own darkly comic or lightly tragic relationships with the book, his father, and his wife. So as you see it is a story within a story.

The fairy tale being told is that of a beautiful woman called Buttercup (Robin Wright) lives on a farm in the fictional country of Florin. She delights in verbally abusing the farm hand boy Westley (Cary Elwes) by demanding that he perform chores for her. Westley's only answer is "As you wish," which represents his great affection for her. After Buttercup realizes the true meaning of the words, as well as the fact that she returns his love, Westley leaves to seek his fortune so they can marry. He promises to return, but Buttercup later receives word that his ship was attacked at sea by the Dread Pirate Roberts, who is notorious for taking no prisoners. Five years later, believing Westley to be dead, Buttercup becomes reluctantly engaged to Prince Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon), heir to the throne of Florin.

Westly then goes on an adventure to rescue Buttercup from the Prince. During this mission/adventure he runs into many characters that help or hinder or even at times both. Billy Crystal and Carol Kane play a magical married couple (old wizard and wife). The scenes with them are laugh out loud hilarious. Other stars in the movie are the wrestler Andre the Giant, Christopher Guest and many more great actors/characters.

With advertising taglines like

Scaling the Cliffs of Insanity, Battling Rodents of Unusual Size, Facing torture in the Pit of Despair. - True love has never been a snap.

It's as real as the feelings you feel.

Heroes. Giants. Villains. Wizards. True Love. - Not just your basic, average, everyday, ordinary, run-of-the-mill, ho-hum fairy tale.

Heroes, giants, villains, wizards, true love.

She gets kidnapped. He gets killed. But it all ends up okay.

You know it's gotta be good, right?
RIGHT.

So sit down with the family and enjoy a laugh for all.

The movie is to be released in a special 20th anniversary edition. (Has it really been that long?!?). The DVD features such bonuses as