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The Princess Bride Blu-ray Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov, October 28, 2018



The stranger

belongs to a small group of films that are now just as easy to praise as they are to critique. One reason why is the fact that it used to be easier to make films that would be genuinely playful and witty, cheeky and funny, and people allowed these films to entertain them. There was something of a gentlemen's agreement between the filmmakers and the people that bought tickets to support their work that they would give each other the benefit of the doubt, so the former did their best to entertain while the latter weren't too hard on them when they delivered a dud. But then the two sides decided to junk the agreement, and as soon as they did the proponents of political correctness unloaded a ton of new rules that made it impossible for them to trust each other. This is where we are right now, enjoying the gifts of political correctness, and having an overwhelming majority of filmmakers consciously or subconsciously pretending that they still have the freedom to create, and even their dwindling customers doing a fair deal of acting when addressing the quality of their work. Don't shake your head, because it is true. Think. It is not an odd phenomenon that so many people are once again falling in love with the '80s. Even those that weren't around when the '80s ended would admit, if they are honest, that they had better films and better music. Have you ever pondered why? Because it was the last decade that allowed people to be bold, creative, and loose, completely free to express their true feelings and emotions without fear that they may not be doing it the 'right' way.Rob Reiner's film has not lost any of its charm precisely because it goes where it wants to go without fear that it isn't following the 'right' route to get there. Frankly, it is a bit like a Monty Python project with a greater emphasis on old-fashioned romance but conceived on this side of the Atlantic. (The film was actually shot entirely on location in the United Kingdom and Ireland). It is funny, it is cheeky, and it is definitely a bit out there. It is why it appeals to viewers of different ages -- there are all sorts of nuggets in it that may not be as easy to spot and appreciate at sixteen as they are at fifty, or vice versa. It also helps tremendously that the film does not demand a temporary suspension of disbelief to strengthen and legitimize its narrative. On the contrary, it repeatedly pulls its audience out of the period environment where Buttercup (Robin Wright) and the man of her dreams (Cary Elwes) are trying to reunite and survive, and while the grandfather (Peter Falk) explains to his grandson (Fred Savage) why certain things happen to them the audience is freed to enjoy their adventures without needing to question their logic. It is an old trick, but when done right it never disappoints.The bulk of the criticism that has been produced to dismiss the film as a poor effort is usually supported with claims about sexism that supposedly compromises the evolution of the relationship between the two leads. While certainly very easy to produce, this is the type of dishonest analysis that in recent decades has actually devalued film criticism. The film does not need to establish 'proper' characterizations because it transports its audience to an imaginary place where the conventional definitions of 'proper' and 'improper' are no longer relevant. It is the whole point of the journey -- it is an invitation to temporarily disable all social filters that people are conditioned to utilize while existing in the present, and after that simply have some good old-fashioned fun while being in the company of a motley crew of strangers.*This new edition ofis sourced from a brand new 4K restoration of the film which was completed while utilizing Criterion's 1997 laserdisc master, previously supervised and approved by associate producer Steve Nicolaides.