The Princess Bride

So, I watched The Princess Bride probably about a month ago now.... so it's high time I write about it (before I completely forget about what I was going to say about it).

I had seen the movie before... well, part of it. I watched it with my Mom years ago when I was very little, and I distinctly remember we never finished watching it. I'm not sure why we never watched the end. It wasn't a Bambi or Old Yeller sort of thing where she was protecting me from seeing a terribly sad ending or scene. I think it was time for bed and we shut it off and never came back to it... until now.

My friends and I got together because I hadn't seen anyone since after my trip to Atlanta (yes, that's when I saw Alien... so that's how long it's been since I've written on this blog). The plan was to watch an episode or two of my friend's favorite show Father Ted and maybe watch a movie. Well, suggest the possible chance to watch a movie to a film student and ask to bring a couple along and you'll get a bagful of about ten movies to pick from. I forget what other movies I brought with me, but in the bag happened to be The Princess Bride (yes, I own this movie, which is why it's even more of a puzzle that I never had watched the end) and after much deliberation, we all determined that that was the movie we could all agree to watch.

The movie wasn't my favorite, I have to say. It's terribly cheesy and ridiculous, but it was the perfect movie to watch with a roomful of my best girlfriends all squeezed on to one couch. I wouldn't have wanted to watch it any other way. If I had watched it by myself, I'm not sure I would have made it past the Fire Swamp scene where my mother had stopped the tape the first time I saw the film.

And I think it was certainly important for me to see it. Why? Because this film is frickin' everywhere! They used parts of the fight choreography between Inigo Montoya and Westley in my high school's production of The Three Musketeers! It starred Andre the Giant, a strange pop culture phenomenon himself (what with his image all over the world with the word "Obey" plastered by graffiti artist and designer of Obama's famous Hope poster Shepard Fairy). And do you know how many times I have heard the line "Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."? Far more than you think would be possible in everyday conversations! And now I finally know! Now I too can quote and reference The Princess Bride!

Really, this movie hasn't lasted as long as it has for furthering the cinematic art, but because it has become a pop culture icon with its hilarious quotes, and vignette-like situations perfect for recounting with friends "remember when...". And that is where it gets interesting folks. There are pop culture movies and classic movies. Classic movies may be referenced in pop culture, but can stand alone. Without pop culture, movies like The Princess Bride would disappear. (I just made these terms up right now. Makes me seem smart, don't it?).

This post could be interpreted as dissing or hating on The Princess Bride and wonderfully quotable movies (Superbad comes to mind as another example of a pop culture movie). I don't mean it that way. It's fun to watch movies with friends that you can talk during and share moments with later. The same can't be said as well about The Bicycle Thief (Remember that scene when the guy's bike was stolen? That was like, so emotional). Not quite the same.

And the pop culture movie vs. classic movie divide SHOULD NOT be confused with a divide between genres! I would say Ninotchka is a classic movie even though it's funny because honestly, it isn't really referenced in pop culture ever and it has great cinematography, great acting, and has a little bit to say politically. Can dramatic movies be pop culture movies? The only example I can think of is The Other Boleyn Girl... although I'm sure there are others, and that that isn't the best example.

AND that brings up another point! There are good pop culture movies and bad pop culture movies (I would say The Princess Bride and Superbad are good and The Other Boleyn Girl would be categorized as bad... guilty pleasure at best). Good pop culture movies stand in the pop culture spotlight for a longer time (and are parodied, not made fun of), and may even represent pop culture itself.

But now I'm starting to question my definitions... can a pop culture movie become a classic movie by standing the test of time? What really is the definition.

Enough with the essay-like writing and defining of terms!

I'm moving on.

COMING SOON: Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Because John Hughes is awesome.