When I was your age, television was called books. And this is a special book.

No 122 – The Princess Bride

Director – Rob Reiner

Some films just age. This is not always detrimental to the story, but it means that the film, as a whole, is stuck in a certain period. From the opening sequence and the plinky plonky 8bit graphics, this film is very much of the 80s.

It doesn’t matter that much because it isn’t trying to be futuristic or show technology of any kind. It is a fairy tale, and can give off a timeless feel. And it does. It is a wonderful film to watch. It just all looks pretty budget.

It is obvious that a lot of the ‘outdoor’ shots are actually in a studio, they look artificial and are littered with the most obviously polystyrene rocks I have ever seen. It isn’t helped that whenever they do have an outdoor shot (especially if it is a wide angled shot) the film stock (on my DVD at least) goes all grainy.

It feels a bit like a 70’s sitcom, when you could easily tell which sections were filmed with which camera because the image quality would completely change.

When you factor in mythical beasts which are obviously people in (fairly unconvincing) suits, you have a film that is – visually at least – very naff.

And yet, none of that matters in the least. Because The Princess Bride is fun, ridiculous, escapist magic.

Maybe it is the strange way that 80’s cynicism and smart aleccary is blended into the fairytale myth that makes it more accessible. After all, you need a fantasy to have a sense of humour otherwise it all gets a little bit po-faced.

The Princess Bride has a fabulous sense of humour throughout. Whilst subtle (it is never knowingly overplayed) the setpieces provide wonderful laughs and thoroughly bonkers moments.

Let me list some of the things that I really like in this film.

The Rodents of Unusual Size – Yes, I know I’ve mentioned how intensely fake they look. But they’re REAL! They’ve been actually genuinely discovered. Surely that is quite exciting.

The Casting – there are so many excellent bit parts and cameos in this film. From the larger roles of the kidnappers through to the small roles that litter the film.

Columbo is in the film. Freaking COLUMBO! Narrating the tale... Amazing. ?But what of the characters within the story.

Firstly Andre the Giant… bless him, he just isn't an actor but he is hilarious in his stilted Arnie voice and the way that he picks up ‘boulders’ – there is no doubt that they are made of foam. He picks them up with such ease.

He is joined by Wallace Shawn in his kidnapping plot who slimes around with such a smug smarmy attitude you just want to bop him on the nose. Great work from the man who will forever be Rex in my eyes. Or Mr Hall.

We then get random pop ups from Peter Cooke in fine mutton chops and a stupid stupid Goons-esque voice. We have Mel Smith (how random) in preposterous white make up and we have a surprisingly unrecognisable (physically at least) Billy Crystal as Miracle Max. It is an odd juxtaposition to have such a fairytale setting with a fast talking neurotic New Yoik Jew.

Though, let me take this moment to ask an important question. Whilst we talk about casting, what happened to Cary Elwes? Actually, IMDB just told me he was in Saw… which I watched ages ago – I may have to watch it again to see if I can recognise him.

But really, Cary Elwes is much maligned. Firstly, he is beautiful (actually after checking in Saw.... he was beautiful). Genuinely a very pretty man and far prettier than Robin Wright is (I’m sorry to say) in that protagonist couple – and he is very witty. His accent may be preposterously British (in both this and Robin Hood Men in Tights – the only other film I can remember him being in) but his wit is dry, witty and sardonic. Just what you want from a romantic lead.

He also has one of the most wonderful sword fights with Inigo Montoya. Fighting due to nothing more than protocol, they admire each others handiwork and compliment each other on the styles used.

There is also some wonderful banter. But it is all hidden behind layers of civility. This is where the film’s humour really comes in. It offers us a fairytale staple (the duel to the death) and it manages to add just enough strangeness to turn it into a comedy.

The point where both duellers (duelling with their left hands) reveal themselves to be right handed is genuine class.

Which brings me to the greatest character in this film. The one character who pulls the film up from being an enjoyable piece of Sunday afternoon fluff, to the 122^nd best film of all time.

Inigo Montoya – played by Mandy Patinkin, who has also recently been in nothing of note. Though the excellent Noel Clarke has cast him in his newest film 4 3 2 1. So here is hoping he gets a bit of a comeback.

Inigo is amazing. A drunk, who is hell bent on vengeance. He is a master dueller and the owner of the thickest Spanish Accent since Robert Rodriguez. He is on the search for the man who killed his father. A six fingered man. Christopher Guest in fact.

Once he gets attacked by Guest he picks himself up from the ground and staggers towards him. Repeating a mantra which makes him stronger with each step. Not only is it a powerful mantra for getting you walking, it is also one of the most iconic, beautiful and chilling lines and Patinkin’s delivery is fabulous.

You may uncover jokes and set pieces and joyous moments every time you watch The Princess Bride. But you will remember it for one reason:

Hello. My name is Inigo Montaya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.

As long as there's, you know, sex and drugs, I can do without the rock and roll.

No 48 - This is Spinal Tap
Director - Rob Reiner

Spinal Tap is always going to be an important film, in that it brought us really great, influential, iconic comedy that was improvised. The improvisation thing is what is really impressive, because like Anchorman (another moment of improvisatory genius), this film is so utterly quotable. It makes you wonder how committees who are meticulously writing scripts can fail to get the zest and the laughter than some people can just invent on the spot. The acting is also brilliant, creating fabulous performances which deliver these amazing moments in a brilliantly subtle and understated way. It makes the film believable as an (albeit ridiculous) actual 'rockumentary'. However, before I go on to talk about some of the performances from comedy greats in this film, I want to begin by talking about Rob Reiner's role as fake documentary (and advert) director Marty DiBergi. For most of the film it is fairly understated, asking questions and sagely nodding as the band riffs around him. I imagine that for most of his time on screen, his biggest challenge was to keep a straight face when confronted with the insane improvisation. But his biggest triumph is his introduction. The fabulous level of awkward arrogance on display as Marty DiBergi talks about his film. My favourite bit being where he goes to cross his arms and instantly changes his mind, abandoning mid-cross.
Now it might be that Rob Reiner is genuinely uncomfortable in an acting role, but I think it is just a wonderful little performance.

As soon as the film starts though we are left to the mercy of the Tap. This is where Christopher Guest's Nigel Tufnel and Michael McKean's David St Hubbins shine as the driving force of Spinal Tap. However, there is also the excellent Harry Shearer as Derek Smalls, who whilst being a fairly background member of the band (though still in the all important central trio) has a lot of the best comic moments.
"You can't dust for vomit" he says at one point to describe one of the (many, many) unfortunate deaths of Spinal Tap drummers. Or the fabulous moment where he has to remove a foil covered cucumber from his pants when going through a metal detector. Or the point where he is trapped in his pod for the duration of the set. He is even the guy that utters the immortal "Hello Cleveland" in one of the film's greatest comedy moments.

This is the problem with this blog, I don't want to just sit there and list the film's iconic moments. But there are so many that deserve mention. Personal favourites are the Tiny Stone Henge and almost all of Nigel's little moments that he shares with the director. When left on his own you see how petulant and stupid he can be.
From his sulk about the size of the bread in his dressing room, through to his beautiful piano piece (excellently titled 'Lick My Love Pump') - seen here performed by a sprightly (and somewhat annoying) person.
However Nigel's shining moment is when guiding Marty through his guitar collection. Each ridiculous anecdote about the guitars leading up to Spinal Tap's most famous moment "This goes up to 11".
Rumour has it that Marshall released an amp that went up to 11, in tribute to the film. So Christopher Guest had a new on made, that went up to infinity. These little moments of arrogance are what makes the film so brilliant, it is what makes the humour so much cleverer than Anchorman. For the world of Anchorman is stupid. The whole thing is stupid. Here the world is real, there is a surprising level of realism in the way that society treats the rockstars who are starting to fade out. Protecting them from the cruel outside world.
This just helps to build Spinal Tap out as a bunch of very naive idiots, who are struggling with their own inadequacies.

This struggle becomes all the more evident when the film's surprisingly serious 'Yoko Ono' subplot creates a rift between David and Nigel. Because for all the talk of the band, for all the (truly fabulous and at times balls out genius) songs, for all the spectacle this is a film about a really long friendship and the rivalry and turbulence which is part of it.

And I don't know what else I can say about this. Just that it is very funny, but doesn't thrust it at you... and at the end, it is very moving.