The Princess Bride is one of those movies.
From Mr. Besilly:
Mr. Besilly's - 10 Things I've Learned from The Princess Bride
1. It's possible, with the right strategy, to best a giant.
2. Outsmarting the one who thinks he is smartest of all is not inconceivable. Pride creates vulnerability.
3. Don't believe everything you hear. It appears people can actually survive the fire-swamp.
4. The obvious bad guy isn't always the bad guy, but a reputation can be bigger than reality.
5. Reciting your name and life's purpose with passion to everyone you meet can gain you the resources you need to reach your goal. Plus win you a few lifelong friends along the way.
6. Good fighting is as much about style as it is about skill. Add style to your skills because style is more fun to watch.
7. The six fingered man was wicked then and he's wicked now. Pay attention to track records they tell a true story.
8. There is such a thing as true love if you are willing to fight to the death for it.
9. Having a great gift for rhyme can bring levity during a difficult time... I mean it. Anybody want a peanut? A sense of humor is priceless.
10. Fairy tales are a great reminder that happy endings are possible if you believe in them. We sacrifice for those things we believe in.
H/T Life in a Shoe
Fans and writers might be interested in this snip from Creative Screenwriting Magazine:
Imitating the frame story he devised for the novel, Goldman recreates the narrative distance he fabricated to remove the audience one-step from the fantasy element of the story. This has the effect of softening the suspension of disbelief burden for the audience while reaffirming the "found narrative" construct that holds the imaginary novelist responsible for devising the tale long ago. The meta-fictional frame also empowers the young boy hearing the story, along with his grandpa (who doubles as the film's narrator) to interject commentary into the course of the fairytale. In this fashion, Goldman creates a point of identification for both young and old viewers and allows both segments of the audience to have a voice in the telling of the story. While the boy speaks for every kid who's ever been grossed out by kissing scenes, his grandfather is on hand to suggest that he might not find such romantic interludes inconceivable one day -- a notion that punctuates the final kissing scene of the fairytale where Goldman, through clever deployment of framing characters, has earned a final fairytale kiss from his young audience and delivers, at long-last, one for the adults.A couple of other movies I'd add into this "must see/must have/quote often at family functions" would be A Christmas Story and OfficeSpace. My husband would add Caveman, which I hate and proves rockstars shouldn't act, even if they don't have any actual lines. I've posted on them before, here and here.
Although Officespace is not for kids, I always feel a vicarious thrill when they beat down the printer. At my last job, the printer could best be described as my archenemy. It almost matched my boss' wife on the aggravation scale.
What movies are part of your family culture?
Labels: Family Life, movies
