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THE PRINCESS BRIDE

A comic tale of true love and high adventure. A young boy, bedridden with the flu is less than thrilled when his grandfather arrives to read aloud the book "The Princess Bride" which recounts the adventures of Buttercup, the most beautiful women in the world, and Wesley, the man she loves in the fairy tale kingdom of Florin. The old grandfather promises everything: Fencing, Fighting, Torture, Revenge, Giants, Bad men, Best men, Monsters of all shapes and sizes, Chases, Escapes, True love, Miracles...." And as all this comes to life before the boy's enchanted eyes, his relationship with his grandfather deepens as well.

With its brilliant combination of childlike wonder and adult sarcasm, The Princess Bride is a marvelous piece of cinematic storytelling. Rob Reiner does a wonderful job of translating Goldman's script to the screen. This film sports some of the most easily quotable and instantly recognizable lines in films today. Each actor gives a standout performance: Robin Wright as Buttercup is beautiful and is so convincing (her accent is the best I've heard an American do, you'll actually think she was British?); Cary Elwes as the dashing and ever-so-smug "Man in Black"; Mandy Patinkin and Andre The Giant are a surprisingly credible duo as is Spanish swordsman Inigo Montoya ("My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die!") and the lovable giant, Fezic. Rounding out the cast are the three evil-to-the-core villains: the viciously arrogant Sicilian, Fizzing (Wallace "Inconceivable!" Shawn); the charismatically vain Prince Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon); and the six-fingered Count Rugen, played so chillingly cold by Christopher Guest, he'll send shivers down your spine.

Utterly charming, 'The Princess Bride' combines action, adventure, plenty of swashbuckling swordplay with a well-written script by the author himself, William Goldman. This fantasy tale really is full of everything -- action, revenge, danger, and of course, true love.

The film's musical score is composed by 'Dire Straits' front man Mark Knoplfer.

Camillo Agrippa

Ridolfe Capo Ferro

Girard Thibault

The Man in Black (Cary Elwes) and the Spaniard, Inigo Montoya (Patinkin) are the standouts -- their swordfight atop the Cliffs of Insanity is brilliant, literate, and extremely entertaining.

This is some of the best sword fighting you're ever going to see from the world's premier swordfight choreographer and stunt double, Bob Anderson (click to Article: I coached and was Darth Vader) Because Bob Anderson is a fencing master himself, all the names mentioned during the fight scenes were actual fencing masters who had contributed in one way or another to the development of the sword and fencing. "You're using Bonetti's defence against me" (Rocco Bonetti was a Fencing Master in the late 1500s), "I think it's fitting considering the rocky terrain", "Naturally, you must expect me to attack with Capo Ferro" (Ridolfe Capo Ferro was again another famous Fencing Master), "Naturally, but I find Thibault (Girard Thibault Fencing Master of the early 1600's) cancels out Capo Ferro", "Unless the enemy has studied his Agrippa (Camillo Agrippa early 1500's) and I have".

Rapier and dagger according to Capo Ferro

		Currently on sale at Amazons The Princess Bride	Swashbucklers is currently developing an A3 size PRINCESS BRIDE Poster pictorially detailing aspects of the swordfight atop the Cliffs of Insanity! Let us know if you are interested in this unique poster.
		DVD List $29.98 Amazon's $23.99 VHS Amazon's $9.94 Used $4.75
		Amazon prices are in US $'s

		Rating *** An absolute classic! a must-have in your swordfight collection.**

The dagger being used as defense with a rapier counter-thrust. Epee tactics of today is often a game of wait for the first person to commit themselves to the offensive and thus expose a counter-offensive opportunity.

Date Last Modified: 12 Mar 2009

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