It seems to me, that despite our various tastes in things, such as movies, most of us seem to agree on “The Princess Bride” and “The Labyrinth.”
Not that I am complaining, because I like these too, but why? They’re good, don’t get me wrong, but not that great. Is it the fantacy? The way it all turns out right? What is it about these 2 movies that make us love them (besides David Bowie’s voice and Cary Elwes’ face)?
White Wolf
“Honesty is the best policy, but insanity is a better defense.”
“Half the world is composed of idiots, the other half of people clever enough to take indecent advantage of them.”
I’m a member of the generation right after generation X, which hasn’t been named yet, and Labriynth came out during our childhood. I’ve noticed if you mention that movie to anyone of that generation, the first thing they mention is David Bowie’s really tight pants. I think that has something to do with it.
I’ll have to rent Labyrinth again before I can comment on it:I really don’t remember much about it except thinking Henson’s critters looked pretty cool.
But The Princess Bride? That’s just plain and simply a good movie.
The excellent dialogue. I could dedicate an entire thread to my favorite quotes from that movie. (I’ll spare y’all ).
The cool fight scenes. Very Hollywood, but fun to watch.
The since of humor. I loved the inside jokes.
The characters. From The Dread Pirate Roberts to Iningo Montoya, I really cared about what happened to them.
The cast of danger. I mean, common, Billy Crystal? Andre the Giant? Colombo as a grandfather?
The way the movie presents itself as a simple story, but it has so much more laired in (I had the same feeling about **Fight Club,[b/] plug, plug).
Honestly, Cary’s face, or body, really doesn’t enter into it for me.
Miss Tangerine: I thought I saw the generation after Generation X referred to as Generation Z. Personally, I’ve never been much for sequels… My evil self is at that door, and I have no power to stop it-Dr. Moribus
I thought Labyrinth was the one with Tim Curry playing the devil. I loved that just because the makeup was (and really, I do not use the word lightly) awesome.
I guess that was the fantasy with Tom Cruise now that I think about it. What was that one called?
The one with Tom Cruise was called LEGEND, directed by Ridley Scott.
I saw LABRYNTH at the Library with Jim Henson’s widow. (Well, me and fifty other people.) She was promoting a recent Kermit children’s book and brought some of Jim’s films to show. One was LABRYNTH and one was a weird, bizarre avant-garde short film Jim made early in his career that was what some people call “pure film”, which is a film that doesn’t tell a story. I can’t begin to describe it, but suffice it to say that it was very edgy, even disturbing, without being violent. It was hallucinatory, and Henson was in nearly every shot. Maybe he thought his life was out of control (it was made when Jim was having trouble finding work), or he was just indulging in his darker, creative side. And he definitely had a darker side. Henson also made the short animated counting films featured on “Sesame Street” in its early seasons.
TRIVIA: The last Muppet film that Jim Henson directed was Muppet*Vision 3-D for Walt Disney World. See it if you like the Muppets. If you don’t like the Muppets, what’s wrong with you?
Those who do not learn from the past are condemned to relive it. Georges Santayana
Most people I know think more highly of THE PRINCESS BRIDE than LABYRINTH. Not that LABYRINTH was all that bad. It suffered considerably from Voice Over disease – when someone (usually at the studio) decides that the audience is too stupid to figure out things for themselves and provides a Voiceover that gives away the entire plot (the same thing happened with DARK CITY). If you keep the sound down on the voiceover, the movie’s OK.
But not as good as THE PRINCESS BRIDE, which is a minor classic.
I’m not reading this thread b/c I still haven’t seen Labrynth. Every time I try to rent it the store doesn’t have it; same with buying it. Walmart is selling The Dark Crystal for under $10 though. . .
Anyway why I like The Princess Bride: of every movie I’ve seen based on a book, this is the best. Probably b/c this is the only one I’ve both read/seen where the novel and screenplay were written by the same person. Both were very good.
One of my favorite lines/scenes from the book that didn’t make it to the movie: “I am Inigo Montoya and still the Wizard! Come at me!” That was awesome.
“I’m just too much for human existence – I should be animated.”
–Wayne Knight
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