The Princess Bride 25th Anniversary Blu-ray Edition Review

The Princess Bride Blu-Ray Review

By: MattInRC

Among the quintessential fairy tale parody films, The Princess Bride ranks as one of my favorites.  Ready and willing to mock the genre and even itself at times, it's the perfect balance of humor, action, and story that has endured since its initial release in 1987.  Growing up with this film, I must have quoted it every day for a year; with so many quotable classic lines, who could blame me?  As a single-disc edition hits stores this week, we take a look at an enduringly funny film about damsels in distress, a man with six fingers, and a very large wrestler.

The Movie - 4/5

A young boy (Fred Savage, The Wizard) is sick and his grandfather (Peter Falk, TV's Columbo) arrives to raise his spirits by reading him the fairy tale book The Princess Bride.  But, the story better contain action and sports if it will keep his the boy's attention.  Although it starts off as a classic story of true love between a young farm boy named Westley (Cary Elwes, Glory) and the maiden Buttercup (Robin Wright, Unbreakable), it quickly develops into a tale of high adventure, high-brow comedy, and the requisite sword play. When Westley disappears after trying to raise enough money for their wedding, Buttercup is forced to become engaged to the vile Prince Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon, Child's Play). At the same time, a lovable trio of asskickers -- the intellectual Vizzini (Wallace Shawn, Toy Story), the hulking Fezzik (wrestling star Andre the Giant), and the dangerous swordsman Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin, Alien Nation) -- kidnap Buttercup in the hopes of beginning a war between two rival countries, Florin and Guilder. Their plan is derailed when they find themselves pursued by a man in a black mask, determined to retrieve Buttercup at any cost. As the story progresses, old enemies must unite against a common threat, and the nature of true love is finally revealed.

While the story seems to focus on retrieving Buttercup, it's really about the young boy who matures during the movie from someone obsessed with video games, Star Wars, and other 'dude-like' interests into a more self-aware human being.  It's moments like these which define people, and we too grow a little bit watching Bride unfold through Fred Savage's eyes.  The Princess Bride is the sort of film that succeeds, not because of any intense political message or intricate storyline, but in its simplicity and charm, all of which mesmerizes us from nearly the start.  Performances by Elwes and Patinkin are hilarious in their deadpan, while Crystal's pseudo-cameo is perfect.  Director Rob Reiner (This is Spinal Tap) creates a solid foundation of innocence and charm that is infections from moment Falk begins reading.  For Bride,everything coalesces, from the excellent casting, to the terrific swordplay, to the comedic wit of a film that doesn't take itself too seriously (I'm thinking Rodents of Unusual Size), leading one to quote it at parties, dinner dates, and Barmitzvas.  Even after 25 years, things are still fresh in this insanely funny world - Inconceivable!

The Video - 4/5

The Princess Bride returns on Blu-ray with a good 1080p MPEG-4/AVC transfer that's no different than the 2009 2-disc release.  Still, it's an excellent improvement over the overly-grainy DVD, gaining points in every category.  Clarity is improved from a scrubbed master that reveals excellent detail on rocks, sand, grass, and clothing.  Sharp detail is present on hair and facial features, while color is consistent throughout.  Luckily, Reiner knows how to direct, so even the backgrounds come out clear as a bell, showing themselves off as real sets instead of CGI-created environments.  Shadows play nicely with colors, especially reds and greens which stand out more than I remember from the DVD.  There is no evidence of banding, aliasing, or edge enhancement.  For a movie that was made in 1987, the overall improvement is pretty remarkable.

The Audio

As with the video, the audio for The Princess Bride is the same very solid DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack. Forward speakers deliver most of the goods with the center channel offering a clear and cleaned up dialogue track.  I also appreciated the atmospherics from the surround speakers, which work to strong effect in several part of the film.  We hear wind swirling, conversations, and water sloshing without having to reduce it to hear dialogue.  The LFE gets a nice workout, although it's not a consistent appearance due to the amount of dialogue. Music by Grammy-nominated Composer Mark Knopfler (Wag the Dog) plays perfectly across the front speakers, rounding a lossless experience that probably sounds better at home than it did when it premiered in theatres.  All in all, it's a good soundtrack. 

The Supplements - 4/5

The Princess Bride: 25th Anniversary Edition comes to Blu-ray as a single disc but ports over most of the DVD features.  If you have the 2009 release, a lot of what you'll see here will look familiar, although some is missing:

• Separate Commentaries by Director Rob Reiner and Writer William Goldman: Both fill us with many fun stories about the shooting of the film, as well as insights by Goldman into transitioning from writing the book to writing the script.
• True Love - The Princess Bride Phenomenon (HD, 30:10): Reiner, Elwes, and Wright gather to discuss the impact of the film, and several several new interviews with the cast including Billy Crystal and Mandy Patinkin.  There's also testimonials by fans and various parodies.
• The Art of Fencing (480p, 7:07):This featurette stars Sword Master Robert Goodwin and several others discussing the art of the sword fight, how swords are crafted, and the honor behind the duel itself.  One of the most insightful pieces in the release.
• As You Wish - The Story of 'The Princess Bride' (480p, 27:17): This piece features cast and crew remembering the story, the history behind the book as well as the production, the sets and locations, and other interesting aspects 
• Cary Elwes Video Diary (480p, 3:55): The actor is center here and is joined by Wright as he discusses behind-the-scenes video footage and stories from the set.    
• The Dread Pirate Roberts: Greatest Pirate of the Seven Seas (480p, 11:43): This fun piece looks at the journey to discover whether the real Dread Pirate Roberts character exists. 
• Fairytales and Folklore (480p, 9:16): This features the cast, crew, and others looking back at what makes the movie work and why the Fairy Tale remains a bedrock of literature. 
• Love is Like a Storybook (480p, 16:43): Another good piece that looks at the history of fairy tales and how The Princess Bride encorporates all of the genre's motifs into one. 
• Meet Professor Rawscey! (2:29): This hidden gem shows how Elwes is transformed through the magic of prosthetics.
• Princess Bride - The Untold Tales (480p, 9:06): This one looks at the film's lasting legacy, the shooting of some sequences, and more.
• Theatrical Trailer (1080p, 2:19)

Sadly, some of the features available in the 2009 version are not here, including Makeup and the game True Love and High Adventure: The Official 'Princess Bride' Game.  The disc comes without a slipcase, and the flimsy eco Amaray is just annoying.  Yet, the new features are insightful and definitely balance out the loss of any features

The Final Word - 4/5

The Princess Bride: 25th Anniversary Edition gives us plenty to like, with the same transfer of the 2009 release, but with several new supplements in HD.  However, there are some missing features which keep me from giving this a better score. However, if you don't have this film in your library (INCONCEIVABLE!), the 25th Anniversary Edition is certainly worth your while.

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