I tried watching it several times and could not get through it. I kept thinking that I must be missing something. Maybe not.
The article is actually very clear about the soundtrack being performed by an acoustic guitarist and a keyboardist. Both of the reviews quoted by the Wikipedia article refer to the acoustic guitar on the soundtrack, and the article credits Mark Knopfler (also the composer) as the guitarist. Knopfler is of course better known as the lead guitarist and vocalist for Dire Straits. The keyboard player was Guy Fletcher, also a member of Dire Straits.
OK. Maybe I’ll give it a shot. But this thread has helped me to see that if I do find it disappointing, at least I won’t be alone. 
There are probably better threads for this, and maybe someone can point me to one of them. But maybe if someone shared the hilarity of it, I might be able to “get” what everyone is raving about. Is there a theme or frame of reference that needs to be known? Is it just pure silliness?
I stopped short of the credits, so thanks for pointing that out.
If you didn’t like it, you didn’t like it. This is a movie that’s been loved by plenty of young children, so it’s not like it requires a lot of sophistication to find it enjoyable. There are some jokes and subtleties in The Princess Bride that I didn’t pick up on as a child, but not “getting” these didn’t interfere with my enjoyment of the movie.
I think Roger Ebert’s review of the movie from the time it was released sums things up pretty well:
Again though, if you didn’t like it I’m not sure there’s anything to be done about that.
The mention of bantering humor earlier is a good description: much of the humor is in what people say.
The initial swordfight between Inigo Montoya and the Man in Black is a great example. Here you have two protagonists trying to kill each other, but while they’re doing it, they’re complimenting one another–totally in character as two gentlemen. And then it gets hard for one swordsman, so he reveals he’s intentionally been holding back–and then the other one reveals he’s been holding back. Throughout, they remain polite and complimentary, until the final moment. It’s not played for absurdism–this is no King Arthur vs. the Black Knight scene-but the incongruity of the excellent screen fencing (it was choreographed by probably the greatest of all screen swordfight choreographers) with the civil banter is a great source of humor.
I love The Princess Bride, but I agree on the cheesiness of the score. Another favorite, The Pirates of Penzance is similarly hampered by a crap synth score. I wish both films could be re-scored with a proper orchestra - or at least by someone with a modern keyboard and a good set of orchestra samples.
Not liking The Princess Bride was my contribution to the “why would Dopers hate you?” thread.
I’m glad to see I have company.
I think you hit on why I dislike this movie so much. The whole “civil banter” thing is just not funny to me. And this movie has a whole lot of it. It’s pretty much the schtick of the whole thing. Everyone being polite while fighting or arguing.
Whereas to me, that is the best part of the movie.
Leaffan: I like your threads/posts, but what’s with all the “I don’t like popular thing. Period. Please futilely convince me to like it (or not)” threads? You don’t expect to like something, and then don’t like it?
I don’t mind it, but I understand if people don’t like the Savage/Falk parts. Also, I don’t have any objection to the credits as a whole, but I cringe as soon as the credits hit I cringe to the “my love is like a storybook story.” I didn’t read the book until maybe 15 years after watching it.
Not one’s favorite movie? Great. Think it’s overrated? Fine. Is my enjoyment increased or decreased by people repeating the lines? Of course not, and that stuff can be annoying. Objectively bad? You seriously think that?
Plus I recognize the influence on Monkey Island, and that part is pretty alright.
Duly noted. And I kinda self-recognized this myself a day or two ago.
I’m not a trying to be a downer. I am however going through a very tough point in my personal life, and maybe that makes it more natural to bitch and complain about things I don’t like.
I apologize.
Et tu, lorene?
It is a nearly perfect movie, sorry it doesn’t work for you. It works for adventure, quotability and humor. But even perfect movies have detractors. My kids can’t understand the *Godfather *or Casablanca. Probably the most perfect movies. Though my daughter loves Princess Bride above all other movies.
Yes it was, so there. At least to me YMMV.
I don’t hate you. I like PB you do not, who cares.
*Porthos: You know, it strikes me that we would be better employed wringing Milady’s pretty neck than shooting these poor devils of Protestants. I mean, what are we killing them for? Because they sing psalms in French and we sing them in Latin?
Aramis: Porthos, have you no education? What do you think religious wars are all about?*
I think of TPB as an homage to Swashbuckler/Damsel in Distress movies and I find it entertaining. I think the cast had fun making it and that shows in the film. IIRC, it didn’t burn up the box office when it was first released, it became the cult hit it’s become on VHS/DVD.