laurenwaters

See if you can guess which movie I’m going to gush about by these quotes:

• As you wish.

• Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.

• You are sure nobody’s follow’ us?
   As I told you, it would be absolutely, totally, and in all other ways inconceivable. No one in Guilder knows what we’ve done, and no one in Florin could have gotten here so fast. – Out of curiosity, why do you ask?
  No reason. It’s only… I just happened to look behind us and something is there.

• HE DIDN’T FALL? INCONCEIVABLE.
  You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

•  Hear this now: I will always come for you.
  But how can you be sure? 

            This is true love – you think this happens every day?

• You rush a miracle man, you get rotten miracles.

• I told you I would always come for you. Why didn’t you wait for me?
  Well… you were dead.
  Death cannot stop true love. All it can do is delay it for a while.
  I will never doubt again.
  There will never be a need.

• Why won’t my arms move?
  You’ve been mostly-dead all day.

• You truly love each other and so you might have been truly happy. Not one couple in a century has that chance, no matter what the story books say. And so I think no man in a century will suffer as greatly as you will.

• We are men of action, lies do not become us.

• Offer me money.
  Yes!
  Power, too, promise me that.
  [He slashes his other cheek]
  All that I have and more. Please…
  Offer me anything I ask for.
   Anything you want…
  [Rugen knocks Inigo’s sword aside and lunges. But Inigo traps his arm and aims his sword at Rugen’s stomach]
  I want my father back, you son of a bitch! 

• Can you move at all?
  Move? You’re alive. If you want I can fly.

You guessed it~

Okay I still haven’t read this book even though it is on the top of my list but I’ve watched it countless times (especially when I had such a thing for Wesley in high school). It was on today and since all I do is hold and feed Annabelle all day I’m always happy when such a classic is replayed. As I was watching this time, (instead of figuring out what I love so much about Cary Elwes) I studied this masterpiece to find out why so many people love this story. This is what I came up with:

*It’s told in a fairytale format and aren’t we all suckers for a fairytale?

*It’s a fantasy but set in a very realistic and recognizable world. The author plays with some fantasy elements such as the R.O.U.S, the screeching eels, and the magic to bring Wesley back from death, but the rest of the story feels like could have occurred in some far away kingdom long ago.

*It appeals to both men and women, young and old. The mix of romance with adventure keeps everyone entertained.

*It has fantastic comedic elements. The Princess Bride as some of the best comedic one-liners of all time. If you even start to quote them anyone can finish them. Both the heroes and villains are hysterical. It is extremely difficult to walk to serious line of a romance adventure with such humor woven throughout.

*The characters, good and bad, are so well-developed and fleshed out. The characters are so unique and immediately engage you. These are all characters you will never see again or ever forget.

*The romance is not heavy-handed. It is a simple romance but so true and sweet. The whole movie begins with this romance and it’s established within the first few minutes. It’s unusual in that the romance itself is established immediately when most books take the whole novel to build the relationship. The love between Wesley and Buttercup is never questioned and it never has to be in doubt to be compelling. It is simply true love conquers all and that is wonderful.

Maybe if I keep watching this it will seep in somewhere in my subconscious and come out in my writing. I wish there were more stories/movies like Princess Bride and if anyone knows of any with all these components I would love to know about them!