Week 47: The Princess Bride

Dear Avid Reader,

I've been reading my past blog posts. They are really good.

Have I introduced a blog like this before?

We Are Men Of Action, Lies Do Not Become Us

There is only one bad thing about this flick. At the end, Wesley, Inigo, and Buttercup hear Fezzik's voice outside a window. They all look and see that Fezzik has stolen four horses for all of them to ride off on. All of them seem happy, but then Inigo says something. He says, "Fezzik, you did something right." Like he's surprised or something. What the hell Mantoya? Everyone reading this, excuse me for a moment.

Look Spaniard, Fezzik may not have a sexy fight scene or a cool threatening monologue, but dude has been getting shit done since the get-go. First off, he nursed your idiot ass back to health and told you where to find Count Rugen. Haven't you been searching your whole life for him? And wasn't it Fezzik that knocked down that locked door so you could pursue the guy who killed your dad? Yeah, I thought so. And would you have even get into the castle if he didn't snag that cloak from Miracle Max? And you're gonna sandbag him now like he hasn't be an integral part of this little strike force? Seriously?

You did something right. As if! You are a dick, sir.

I Am Not Left-Handed

There is a terrible movie from my childhood that I memorized called Big Trouble in Little China. And I have covered this movie in blog form already. But Princess Bride is a movie that EVERYONE has memorized. And I mean EVERYONE. At least if they are around my age. Now Bride is a fun movie with just the right amounts of action, love, and comedy. It's also smart, in a kind of sarcastic, winking way. But more than that, all of the dialogue is sophisticated, especially for what is essentially a family/kid movie. I mean another movie would call Rodents of Unusual Size dog-rats.

But the eighties and nineties had a lot of children's programming with adult sensibilities. Look no further than Animaniacs for an Exhibit A. And that kind of kids-but-with-an-edge entertainment was very welcome and popular. So that fact that this movie was able to be a hit with so many of my generation is no surprise. The fact that it was able to be seen in more conservative homes also helped the size of the audience. I guess just one "Jesus" and one "bitch" per movie is acceptable to parents.

Never Go Against A Sicilian When Death Is On The Line

Having a movie that is loved deeply by so many other people, while at the same time is loved deeply by me, creates a weird dynamic. Bride is the kind of movie that I normally would classify a nerdy movie. It's got magic, giants, and fire swamps. All of the things my D&D character might encounter. But I guess because the fantasy aspect is so light, folks that aren't in love with the genre can enjoy as well. But it's still a fantasy movie right? Or is it?

And this is where my complicated feelings with the movie begin. I keep wondering why all of these people know about this typically niche movie. And so when I think about the movie, I think about the specific settings I've watched it in. Like in my college's auditorium, or on the bootleg VHS copy that my brother's friend Bobby gave us. It's the only movie where I always remember the context of the film first, before the movie itself. Weird right?

What Hideous Sin Have You Committed Lately

This whole dynamic makes for a strange feeling. Because I'm into the film hardcore (like with my other nerdish pursuits), I am always surprised it has such wide appeal, and my fellow devotees are just as hardcore as me. It throws off my game. It's like I don't ever think about the movie itself, only it's implication, only it's effect on me on and others. And when I watch it, it kind of takes on this grey pallor. Like I'm seeing it through a fog. I wonder if I even like to movie, or can even enjoy it. I have the memory of enjoying it, but watching it now, the fun of the movie seems elusive. It's as slippery as a Shrieking Eel.

Have I just grown up? That may be the case. But I worry that this distance I'm feeling is because I have just watched it too many times. And that truly terrifies me. Because if this can happen to one movie that I really like, what about the other movies I like? What about albums? How much time do I have with them? Will I run out of stuff to enjoy? Can artist keep up with the ebbing away of the excitement with new works? Should I start rationing now?

Hello, My Name Is Inigo Montoya

I guess this serves as the first sign of the disease of boredom and I should start making plans for treatments and lifestyle changes. Maybe I'll give alternative medicines like Jazz and foreign films a try.

Dang I love this project. Isn't this fun? This blogging?

It is for me. And bonus...I just spelled "rationing" right on the first try. Pretty awesome.

Until Next I Blog,
James