#24 - "The Princess Bride" (1987) with Ron West

It has been called the “Wizard of Oz” of our generation. Meaning that although it was not a blockbuster film at the time of its release, over the years it has become a rare family film that has been enjoyed by children, their parents, and even their grandparents as it has been “handed down”, in a sense, from generation to generation. It has also been known as one of the most quoted films of all time. You may think that’s “inconceivable”, but… get used to disappointment. So prepare for a battle of wits as Tim Williams and guest co-host Ron West take on the cliffs of insanity, the pit of despair, shrieking eels, and rodents of unusual size as we discuss “The Princess Bride” from 1987 on this episode of the 80’s Flick Flashback! Here are some additional behind the scenes trivia we were unable to cover in this episode: Westley's headfirst dive into the quicksand was not how he was originally scripted to react — Elwes was supposed to step in and hold his nose, but felt that looked "feeble." "There was something rather unheroic about jumping into quicksand feet-first," he wrote. "Especially holding one's nose." So, the actor suggested a headfirst dive — an idea that gave everyone pause. While the sandpit featured a trapdoor that gave way to a host of padding, if Elwes executed the dive wrong, he could have broken his neck. Eventually the rejiggered leap was tested with a stuntman, who executed it perfectly, so Elwes was allowed to attempt the dive himself — and he nailed it. In fact, the scene you see in the finished film is actually the first take. "It definitely helped the movie," Scheinman wrote. "It's way more Errol Flynn-y and hero-y to dive than not to dive." There were no "shrieking eels" in the original novel. Instead, once Buttercup jumps overboard to escape her captors, Vizzini warns her of sharks in the water, and fills a cup with his own blood and throws it in the water to attract them. Count Rugen's death in the original novel was more graphic. After telling the "son of a b***h" he wants his father back, Inigo proceeds to cut Rugen's heart out, even describing what he's doing to Rugen, claiming that the count had figuratively done the same to him when he murdered his father years before (Inigo even tells Fezzik earlier on, "That is the sound of ultimate suffering. My heart made that sound when Rugen slaughtered my father. The Man in Black makes it now.") However, before Inigo finishes cutting out the Count's heart, Rugen dies of fright. Sources: Wikipedia IMDB Rotten Tomatoes Box Office Mojo “The Princess Bride” Blu-Ray Featurettes https://screenrant.com/princess-bride-behind-scenes-facts-trivia/ https://www.buzzfeed.com/jarettwieselman/19-inconceivable-facts-about-the-making-of-the-princess-bride https://www.thethings.com/the-princess-bride-facts-behind-the-scenes/ Intro & Outro Music: "Total Eclipse" by Nathaniel Wyver Additional Music: "I Will Never Love Again" by Mark Knopfer (from "The Princess Bride" Original Soundtrack) Send us an email or reach out to us on social media to let us know what you liked, what you loved, what we may have missed, or what 80's movie we should watch next! Email - [email protected] Facebook - Moviviews Presents 80's Flick Flashback Podcast (Fan Page) & Moviviews News & Reviews (Group Page) InstaGram - Moviviews