You either love it or you hate it. I originally intended this thread to be a more fun, post your favorite quotes here thread in GD, but in chat some people brought up some serious moral objections so I decided to put it here instead. You can still post your favorite quote, and yes, my response to their objections was simply: . I, personally, love the movie.

I personally absolutely adore that movie.

"We'll never survive!"

"Nonsense. You only say that because nobody ever has."
___

"Inconceivable!"

"You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."

The best movie of the 80's.

"Anyone want a peanut?!"

Aw, the best quotes are already taken. . . This is the BEST movie ever.

Ooh, wait!

"Mawiage."

* raises hand * Hello, I am one of those obscure souls that doesn't like this movie.

I understand why people quote this movie to no end. Really snappy one-liners.

But in terms of content, I almost couldn't finish watching it. I didn't sit through the credits, which is my sign of utter distaste. If the movie is worth the cost of the disc it's burned on, I'll watch the credits in honor of the filmmakers.

I'll keep it short... This movie disgusted me because of romance, language, crude references, questionable magic, immodesty, static and selfish characters, comments that were almost racist, ill-treatment of women, excessive blood and violence, poor morals about revenge and suicide, and kissing that was so gross I almost couldn't watch it.

I will not watch the film again.

Now, I'm done. Carry on.

Honestly I can't tell where you get half of that list. Language? Immodesty? Racist comments? But if it helps at all the movie was a comedy and the magic and the romance and the suicide and the characters and the revenge seemed like a parody of the genre to me. I mean, they were portrayed in such a light that they couldn't be taken seriously, and that was done on purpose.

I agree with Philadelphia about some of the content issues. I also want to add that I found it kind of boring. It had a little action and a little comedy, but not enough of either element by itself nor in combination to make it truly entertaining. If it didn't have the content issues, I suppose it would be harmless fluff.

"And everyone knows Australia is entirely peopled with criminals."
???

That's the only one I can think of but Australia was originally a prison colony...

I don't even remember that, and I have half the script memorized. . . funny. I don't get why an other world fantasy would reference Australia.

Oh, and I now remember what Phila meant by "language." That one time during the climax. I think my mom let out a low whistle and made some comment about Ignigo's potty mouth and that was it. I don't even know what that word means. . . *is innocent*

I do remember Inigo saying something... but I can't remember what. It's one of those situations where it's almost justified, rather than movies that use it gratuitously to no end.

Most of what's in the movie isn't meant to be taken seriously. Like the magic is the most absurd thing ever, so it really isn't a portrayal of magic at all. And the comment about Australia... you might take it as a racist comment if it was in a serious movie, but like my grandfather said, consider the source! (I assume it was said by whats-his-name the bald villain? I'm terrible with names.) It isn't meant to be taken seriously.

"Never get into a land war in Asia, and the other one is: never go against a Sicilian when death is on the line!"

What magic is in this movie???

The pill Miracle Max gives Wesley. Although I didn't have a problem with that since Wes was mostly dead. It's just like a stimulant or something.

Its a pill, not magic methinks. Either way for me really I liked it anyway.

Yeah. I wouldn't call it actual magic either. And the scenes were hi-lar-i-ous. . .


Exactly. It's a comedic fantasy with pirates and damsels in distress with the healthy doses of revenge and sword fights. In the right light it could look like a parody of the genre.

I find it highly amusing that the bald villain did the voice for the boss in the Incredibles...

OMW I didn't know that, but you're right! Oh my word. . . *runs to tell everyone*

Wallace Shawn was also Rex in Toy Story.
And Billy Crystal was Mike from Monsters inc.

Actually Ben Barnes purposely based his accent on Inigo Montoya (who, btw, is Gideon in criminal minds).

My highlight of my trip to Canada was hearing two guys discuss whether or not they would want to meet Inigo Montoya. I laughed to myself but secretly wanted to join the conversation.

Racist comments... it wasn't direct, just touchy. Something about Spaniards, and that albino... The film had so much else that the "little things" just stacked up which I might have otherwise passed over.

I understand that it's supposed to be a parody. I understand that it's supposed to be comedy. But I personally cannot laugh at a parody that sports ungodly and distasteful things as ridiculous. Am I supposed to take the suicide lightly and pass it over as a joke? I could laugh at cliche evil overlords. I could laugh at a stereotypical "fantasy hero that rises out of obscurity to be a dragonrider." Those and many other fantasy tropes I could exploit and put in a humorous light. But should I laugh at suicide, which is a serious emotional issue, because it's a genre convention?

It is my personal opinion that the movie kills its humor by salting it with too much distasteful content. I cannot, in good conscience, enjoy the humor when my nerves are curling.

But that is all I have to say. I do not want to argue about it and I do not want to judge anyone else that loves it. I will not watch it again, and that's the end of the story for me.

That's just showing the pride and ignorance of the character.

And the Spaniard thing, if you know 100 people of the same nationality, one of them at least is bound to be mean or something. So, all he is saying is that he doesn't think Spain is completely perfect. It's not conformation for him. Which I agree with, for any country.

*Ponders whether or not it was a good idea to get involved in this argument.*

I dunno. . . I admit, the albino irks me. . . but everything else? I think it's OK to laugh at so-called racial jokes that are poking fun at cultures.

Anyone else know the punch line to this? (yes, it comes from another country)
What do you call someone who speaks three languages? Trilingual.
What do you call someone who speaks two languages? Bilingual.
What do you call someone who speaks only one language?

An American?

She got it!

[off topic]I just realized why I called Reiyen "princess" last night. I was thinking of Riniel.[/off topic]

Racist!

No, it's hilarious! And based in facts, too. My point is it's OK to laugh at other cultures - and our own. Despite whatever is "politically correct."

I can ask for "El Banyo" in Spanish so there


(The truer it is the more you're not allowed to say it.)

I love hanging out with people who are willing to stereotype themselves. It shows they're secure in themselves.

Okay, this is totally off-topic, but you're very right - it's a fact that Americans are far behind other cultures in that most of us only know one language. Americans can be stupid...

I do think there's a difference between laughing at yourself and laughing at someone else, though. Racist comments were not a big thing in this movie... but there was a lot else going that bugged me.

Like...what? I still don't really understand whoever said immodesty...where in the world in the movie would that be?

Wesly takes his shirt off to be tortured!

I think Buttercup and maybe the queen have low necklines on some of their dresses.

That's all I can think off too, but really it's nothing more than you can expect in almost any movie.

"Humperdink, Humperdink, Humperdink!"

My sister's only favorite line, (she hates the movie,) and Carissa could tell you a story about it.

I actually saw a really lovely kind of reverse racism in PB, at least in regards to Inigo. Wesley thinks Inigo is untrustworthy, based off of his past experiences with Spaniards (and do you really think he, Dread Pirate Roberts, has gotten a fair sampling of Spaniards?), but Inigo proves him completely and utterly wrong. He is trustworthy and faithful. Perhaps more concerned with achieving his own ends (understandable, poor guy's been doing this his whole life), but during the palace attack does make sure his people are safe. I liked it.

And Australia was basically a dump for all the undesirables, so "entirely peopled with criminals" is fact.

As for immodesty, I saw no issues. Perhaps if Madame Buttercup had been a bit bigger upstairs we would've had problems, but for her body I thought the cut was fine. I didn't look much at the queen, so I don't know about her.
As for suicide, I actually could see this being an issue, for some people. Not me, but I could see it. I guess I just see it as them mocking the overblown "Kill myself for my lover is dead!" kind of thing, which is so prevalent in fantasy and literature in general, probably because of the abundance of people who misinterpret Romeo and Juliet.

So anyway. I love it. It's funny and goofy, and I like the crazy characters. I pick it up when I want to laugh and not think too much, and I leave happy. The end kiss is so crazy cheesy, and it's just funny. I love the grandpa reading the book like it's supposed to be serious, and the kid drinking it up, it just adds that much more goofiness to the whole thing.

Speaking of which, has anyone read the book?

I read the book once.

I want the book. I've heard it's as good, if not better, than the movie.

I seem to remember someone saying something about it being a political satire, (like Wizard of Oz) but I could be mistaken. If it was that might explain some of the comments in question in the movie. They might be subtleties we can't catch.

"He's gaining on us!"
"Of course he's gaining on us. I'm carrying four people, he's by himself."

"Did I mention that your job is at stake?"

I have NEVER noticed ANYTHING about the necklines or whatever in the movie. (then again, I wasn't looking, but why would I?) As for Wesley with his shirt off....I do that (in the summer) once in a while...There's no problem with that IMO. Princess Bride ranks way up on my favorites...

In defense of Philli, there are lots of people, guys included, who do not take their shirts off because they view it as being immodest. Just because girls aren't as visually driven as guys, doesn't mean guys should be able to bare their chests and women must remained clothed. After all, you don't think the guys in Twilight run around without shirts on to satisfy the guys' desires, do you? You men make the mistake of thinking women don't respond to visual stimuli. Those guys were meant as total eye candy for the female audience to lust over.

My question is, what is the difference between men taking their shirts off, and women doing so? It used to be very inappropriate for men to take their shirts of in the early 1900's. Why is it now acceptable?

I do however think that in torture it is acceptable. Torture is meant as a humiliation, among other things. Often captors, throughout history, strip their prisoners.

I didn't know shirtless guys bothered some people so much...I guess I should be more careful...

I've just always found it interesting that there are different standards of modesty for men and women. While I think Wesly's shirtless scene is in keeping with reality, guys tend to pass over this as never being an issue. The physical draw is different for women than it is men.

Let me enlighten you guys for a moment. Women want to feel protected, so there is nothing more drawing to a young woman's lusts than a man who portrays that strength externally to them.

And now I have probably made a number of people uncomfortable...

Fascinating discussion. I guess it is a love it or hate it movie, but I had never bumped into people who hated it before.

As for Philli, she has decided to have a very tight rein on her standards of media consumption. I understand and applaud that. So I understand why she would consider Princess Bride to be distasteful. No argument there.

Of course, I consider it to be one of my favorite movies, and I don't have a qualm about any single portion of it (except for when the boy uses God's name in vain, but I never noticed it until someone pointed it out, and I still don't notice unless I am looking for it, which I never am, it is well hidden).

So debating it doesn't seem to be all that beneficial, though you guys have been doing a pretty good job of avoiding that. Thanks.

Racism there is none, in it though. And what comes close is done by people the movie decries (or is refuted later), so it isn't encouraging it any more than it is encouraging murder or starting wars for entertainment (Prince Humperdink's motive). The Albino is... albino. Spaniards were untrustworthy. Australia was a prison (and was thus populated by criminals). Etc.

And Inigo's colorful phrase at the end was actually quite appropriate and accurate. Though it could have been excluded to save the ears of the young.

As for male modesty... that is a more in depth topic than the others. There was a good point though: it was only during the torture scene, and it was actually very very modest for a torture scene.

I don't go around with my shirt off though. Haha. But some of my characters do in my stories, and I don't think it is completely wrong in some situations.

They'll get over it.


I don't hate it, I just found it kind of boring. Had the content problems not existed, I would probably have watched it again at some point.

It's been a while since I saw it, so I can't remember all the problems I had with the content, but I do remember this:


I also seem to remember one or more uses of the 'b' word, a word which I find particularly offensive since it is insulting to women. I'm not sure if that is what you are referring to here:

Yes, that is what he was referring to, Jonathan. As far as I can recall, that is the only time it is used. I don't like any bad words, I won't even say 'crap' which is getting more and more acceptable, unfortunately. I also boo them in movies, but if it's sparse enough like it is in Princess Bride it doesn't ruin it to me. I normally say something really loud at the point where it is, and don't let myself hear it. *need to bleep it out with my computer sometime*