The Princess Bride: Dread Pirate Edition

Nearly 20 years after its release, The Princess Bride escaped its initial fate as "another Wizard of Oz” (meaning, originally, no one saw it, the studio had no idea how to market it and it flopped, according to director Rob Reiner) to emerge as one of the classic fairy tale films of all times. Reiner, then fresh off of This Is Spinal Tap and The Sure Thing, directs this tale of revenge, true love, resurrection, pirates, the six-fingered man, duels, miracles, familial bonds, giants, screeching eels and evil princes with a deft comedic touch but avoids ever falling into parody or cheese, even as he constantly skirts these waters, and its main message that true love conquers all is honest and forthright. Cary Elwes as Westley/Dread Pirate Roberts is perfect, humorous, innocent, vulnerable yet determined, in fact, almost all the casting and performances are pitch perfect/inspired, including that of Robin Wright Penn as Westley’s love Buttercup, the late, great Andre the Giant as the hulking yet childlike Fezzik, Wallace Shawn as evil genius Vizzini ("inconceivable!”) and Mandy Patinkin as revenge obsessed duellist Inigo Montoya (who utters those classic words, "’ello, my name in Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die”). A timeless tale, The Princess Bride is as charming and engaging today as when it was released and remains a true classic. The two-disc Dread Pirate edition comes laden with extras and features, including a very detailed, loving commentary with Reiner, a moving although short tribute to Andre the Giant, details on the trials and tribulations of getting The Princess Bride made, a feature exploring whether the Dread Pirate Roberts was based on a real-life, infamous pirate, an analysis by fairy tale experts on the book/film, the original "making of” doc and much more. Plus: Commentary by writer William Goldman; more. (MGM/Sony)