Tag: princess bride

Inconceivable: ‘Princess Bride’ Writer William Goldman Has Died at 87

by-grace-of-god:

“I’ve been writing a very long time. Probably I started before most of you were born. And I believe this: Everything is about story. If any of you want to be writers, please try and believe me about story. If you have the story right for you, you have a chance. If you mess up the story, no matter how dazzling your style, you’ll be in trouble.”

…In the book — which I highly recommend for any current or aspiring screenwriter — Goldman takes a deep dive into his own work, including his Oscar-winning screenplay for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. He also took home an Academy Award for All the President’s Men; and adapted his own novels Marathon Man and Magic.

But for many moviegoers, even if they don’t know to whom they’re grateful, the Goldman work that is held closest to their hearts is The Princess Bride. He adapted his 1973 novel, a send-up of fantasy stories, into a beloved 1987 movie, directed by Rob Reiner.

…

I had two little daughters, I think they were 7 and 4 at the time, and I said, “I’ll write you a story. What do you want it to be about?” One of them said “a princess” and the other one said “a bride.” I said, “That’ll be the title.”

May he rest in peace.

Inconceivable: ‘Princess Bride’ Writer William Goldman Has Died at 87

jehanthepoet:

William Goldman died today, and so I’m going to talk about the Princess Bride for a second.

I don’t remember the first time I watched the Princess Bride. It was always one of my favorite moves, for as long as I can remember. My earliest memory of it is being nine years old, and voting for that movie whenever my friends or sister wanted to watch a movie. By middle school I had seen it so many times I could quote it verbatim (and often did, I was an annoying child).

I remember a car trip with some family friends where any of the four children in the car (ranging in age from 7-10) would say “No more rhymes now, I mean it!” and the rest of us would shriek in unison “ANYBODY WANT A PEANUT?” before dissolving into laughter.

The first time I read the book, I was in high school, and I fell in love instantly. It gave me knowledge of inside jokes I didn’t even know I was missing. It let me see the backstory of these characters I had considered friends for so long. I was heartbroken that it had taken me so long to get to this obviously essential thing.

And when my mom, who was terminally ill with ALS, had deteriorated to the point where she couldn’t even leave her bed without an incredible amount of help, I read the Princess Bride to her. My sister and I sat in her room and would read to her, at least a chapter a day, because no matter how horrible things in the real world were, that was our story, and it was always a safe haven for us.The first time I watched the Princess Bride after my mother died Count Rugan’s death resonated with me in a new way.

In college, I would put the movie on in the background when I had to write a particularly stressful essay, and I would read my favorite passages when I was sad.

My copy of The Princess Bride is torn at the spine. Almost every page is dogeared, and there’s a blue stain on the corner of the pages from….a marker? Dying easter eggs? I’m not sure. It’s a book I’ve brought everywhere with me for the past decade. It’s a story that has defined my life.

William Goldman didn’t just change my life, he shaped it, and I hope he knew what a deep impact he had.

teenwitched:

agooduniverse:

turtletotem:

I have long said that in order for any comedy to truly succeed as a story, there has to be meat beneath the jokes. There has to be that moment when it is not funny any more.

This. This is that moment.

#honestly even though this is one of the best scripts there ever has been  #that is the greatest line  #it’s /groundbreaking/ in terms of how it frames vengeance quests; temptation beats; inigo as a comedic figure throughout the movie  #you know because this is a happy book (film) that inigo will get his revenge  #but will he get JUSTICE  #will he get ABSOLUTION  #will he get CATHARSIS  #those are the things we don’t know  #and that line sells it more than any of the previous scene (x)

also:

Classic Blunders

momentsbeforemass:

In the movie “The Princess Bride,” one of the villains mocks the hero, saying “You fell victim to one of the classic blunders!” And then launches into his personal list of classic blunders.

I bring this up not because “The Princess Bride” is one of my favorite movies (although it is). But because the back half of the Beatitudes (today’s Gospel) is all about one of the real-life classic blunders.

It’s a warning that we often miss. But it’s one we need to hear. Because the danger to us is so subtle.

After all of the “blessed are you’s” in the Beatitudes comes a warning from Jesus. About trusting in riches. Instead of God.

But how does that apply to you and me? Since no one would mistake us for being rich.

Being rich depends on your perspective. You and I don’t have much compared to the wealthiest people in the world. But in the eyes of the homeless people that we serve at the shelter and with our street ministry? We’ve got it made.

And there’s the danger. As soon as we get comfortable. As soon as we feel like we have what we need. That’s when we’re at risk.

Of falling for one of the classic blunders.

Of thinking that we can handle things on our own. Of drifting away from God (often without meaning to). Because we think we’ve got this.

If we could see ourselves falling for this one, it would be funny if it wasn’t so sad. Because we’ve tried to go it alone so many times before.

And it always ends badly.

Instead of that closeness with the One who loves us best. Instead of letting God lead and being open to God’s best in our lives. We let things come between us and God.

We settle for things we think we can control. For good enough. And, without really meaning to, end up trusting in ourselves. Or what we have. Instead of God.

Which works. Until it doesn’t.

Of course, drifting away from God because we think we have what we need, that we’ve got this, isn’t the only way we set ourselves up for a fall.

It’s just one of the classic blunders.

Today’s Readings