Thirty years, you say? Inconceivable! Yes, we do know what that word means. And it truly is astonishing that the evergreen romantic comedy The Princess Bride is 30 years old, initially released in 1987 without being a huge box office hit. With home media editions such as DVD and Blu-ray released in 2000s and 2010s, this adventure comedy is as popular as it’s ever been.

Movie buffs all around the world have watched, re-watched and loved this film as it rose to its cult status. What makes Rob Reiner’s The Princess Bride have such a loyal following? Let’s revisit its story which starts with a sick boy in bed (Fred Savage) and his grandfather (Peter Falk) trying to read him a fairy tale. Well, some may think as did the boy, fairy tales are not for boys, but The Princess Bride is so much more. It has pirates, sword fighting, adventure, giant rodents, everything that may appeal to an adolescent boy.

Chosen as the princess bride to the loathsome Prince Humperdinck, our titular heroine is Buttercup played by wonderful and then 20-year-old Robin Wright fresh from the world of soap operas. Her soulmate, Westley/The Dread Pirate Roberts, is played by Cary Elwes, probably in the role of his career – even though he has a long list of credits. At the very beginning of the story, Princess Buttercup is kidnapped by villainous Vizzini (Wallace Shawn) who’s accompanied by Fezzik (Andre the Giant) and swordsman Inigo Montoya. The fabulous cast goes on and on including Christopher Guest, Chris Sarandon, Peter Cook…

Wesley, disguised as Man in Black follows in the footsteps of the crooks who kidnapped his true love, and eventually catches up to them at the top of the Cliffs of Insanity. Here Vizzini meets his end after Wesley tricked him into drinking poison, and Montoya is beaten in a duel with the man in black. Afterwards, Buttercup and now revealed Wesley continue their adventure, however separated, and trying to reunite once again. Well, if you still haven’t seen this iconic film, some details are better left unwritten.

One of the most memorable characters (but aren’t they all?) is Mandy Patinkin’s Inigo Montoya, driven by revenge and often proclaiming “Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.” This is not only one of the most famous movie quotes, but is also one of the best portrayed characters in the film. Few years back, I read an incredible and moving bit of trivia that stuck with me ever since. Before the filming of The Princess Bride, Patinkin’s father sadly died of cancer. As he said, his on-screen revenge was fuelled by the event from his own life, and when he fought on film, he fought and took revenge on the disease that killed his father. But don’t this affect your perspective of the film, after all, it’s an enjoyable comedy too with an incredible script. A big part of film’s plot is a fantastic sword fight between Inigo and Wesley, a result of months’ hard work and training, both left- and right-handed fencing, to make it as real as possible.

The Princess Bride was Rob Reiner’s 4th directorial feature and he already found success with Stand by Me and This is Spinal Tap, still being recognized as some of his best works.

But, can you expect any less from a man who delivered classics and fan favourites such as When Harry Met Sally, Misery and A Few Good Men, all in consecutive order.

Have you noticed that you probably remember and love all major characters in the movie? That is most certainly one of the factors why The Princess Bride is such a cultural phenomenon. Also, it is complemented with a soundtrack by British singer-songwriter and guitarist of Dire Straits, Mark Knopfler. From Billy Crystal’s Miracle Max (“Have fun storming the castle”) to The Impressive Clergyman’s Mawage. Mawage is wot bwings us togeder today speech, everyone is familiar with these unforgettable roles.

A lot of this trivia was recently published in Cary Elwes’s book As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride, including how author William Goldman was so nervous the film would fail that he ruined the first day of filming. Oh, if only he knew.

For many, The Princess Bride was an indispensable part of a childhood, and is still fondly looked upon as it invokes memories of a happier and simpler time.

I’m sure these 30 years are only the beginning and that The Princess Bride will stay a cult movie imprinted in the cinematic history, especially among the mass movie production we have these days. If you’re interested in watching some other cult classics, here’s a recommendation of movies to watch, considered fan favourites, which would make a perfect movie night.

By George Chrysostomou.

Hollywood loves adaptations. Working from much loved and respected source material is sure to bring in a legion of pre-existing fans and brand new ones. It should undoubtedly be a success; just transfer the story and characters that millions of readers already love. So, film and TV companies continue to drain the well of every possible franchise; whether they are relying on a new cinematic video game, the ever popular region of comics, or as of the recent trend, Young Adult novels.

The catalyst for this was the success of J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World, capturing the hearts and minds of adults and children alike, with the heroic story of the boy who lived. Since then, studios have continued to copy and paste the template hoping for similar results but to varying degrees of success. In fact, even the notoriously misplaced two-parter, seen in the likes of the Twilight Saga and the Hunger Games, came from the Warner Brothers’ Potter Franchise. Of course there are some adaptations that have experienced similar successes: The Maze Runner, the recently rebooted Series of Unfortunate Events and those mentioned above. But, over the year there have been missteps which have caused beloved worlds and characters to fall into obscurity to the viewing population.

Therefore, here are 5 Young Adult franchises that deserve a second chance on the big or small screen.

Alex Rider

Anthony Horowitz’s answer to James Bond, the Alex Rider series combined action, adventure, humour and even some sci-fi elements (a whole cloning saga). The young spy’s journey spans 11 thrilling novels, with a 12^th to be released in the coming year. Alex’s adventures have been sold millions of times around the world with an ever-growing fan-base across the globe; especially in his home nation of Britain. For many, 2006’s Stormbreaker was a major disappointment.

Making very little profit both in Britain and across the pond and being panned critically, the big screen debut of Alex Pettyfer’s Rider was deemed a failure and all future sequels were scrapped. Although featuring well known British acting beasts such Billy Nighy, the true failings of the film can likely be found in both marketing and the script itself, with Horowitz claiming that it did not translate well to the big screen. Regardless, the thrilling spy series deserves a second chance at glory and this may be found sooner rather than later. ITV have started work on a TV series for the franchise; a good fit for the teen spy moving forward.

Inkheart

The Inkheart trilogy is a combination of imaginative fantasy and entertaining drama which captivated children and young adults alike, winning multiple awards for its quality narrative. Originally released in German, Cornelia Funke’s translated Tintenwelt, created a story which shone a fiery light upon the joys of literature and the adventure of reading. With the power to transport literary characters into the real world by reading from their books, father and daughter stand together in their battle against The Shadow. In 2008 the first of the 3 books was released as an enjoyable but flawed film by New Line Cinema, starring Brendan Fraser.

Becoming a box office flop, the big screen version lacked the charm of the popular paperback series. With vast amounts of potential for a TV series, the world of Inkheart, dripping with love for the realm of literature, deserves a second chance to capture a new generation of readers. With successes like ABC’s Once Upon a Time, there is an audience in waiting for Funke’s parallel universe where books come to life.

Eragon

The first of four books in the Inheritance Cycle, American author Christopher Paolini crafted Alagaësia, a fictional world featuring a boy and his dragon fighting to overthrow and evil King. A well received series by fans, although sometimes criticised by reviewers, the series is overall an enjoyable story which would be perfect for a summer blockbuster. Unfortunately, the 2006 attempt at launching the cinematic franchise was met with displeasure from audiences and critics alike. Perhaps one of the biggest failures on this list, the film has fallen into obscurity now, even with big name actors like Jeremy Irons and John Malkovich attached.

Fans have pushed the failing film away, claiming it is a far cry from the spirit of the book series. A second attempt with the improved CGI of today and a better understanding of modern audiences’ desire for fantasy, may be an option for 20^th Century FOX and Davis Entertainment. The Star Wars meets Lord of the Rings novel may be the story that our screens are waiting for.

Enders Game

Based loosely on Orson Scott Card’s 1985 novel of the same name, Ender’s Game hit the cinemas relevantly recently in 2013. Described by the author himself as a ‘damn good film,’ Ender’s Game was overall viewed positively by critics and audiences although they claimed it lacked some of the thought provoking commentary made in its paper form. Ender’s Game much like the other entries on this list did flop however, making it into Variety’s ‘Biggest Flops of 2013.’ This creates a tricky situation for the current state of the franchise.

Asa Butterfield’s Wiggan, deserves in my opinion a sequel, not a reboot. With Harrison Ford attached to the series and a decent first entry, I believe that the place where the film left us, is the perfect way to pick up the series once more. Voyaging into deep space, with Star Trek vibes, continuing the saga with a direct sequel would provide audiences another chance to latch onto the franchise and appreciate it’ unique story telling. With perhaps the possibility of developing Ender’s Shadow and the ever growing sci-fi market, to me this series deserves a second, big screen chance.

Percy Jackson

The series I, along with many other thousands of kids grew up reading, deserves justice on the small screen. A narrative branching multiple novels and series and a wider world created with Rick Riordan with crossover appeal, the Olympian series and perhaps its wider Egyptian and Norse counterparts, is bursting with potential. Following the demigod son of Poseidon and the prophecy that will shape the world as he knows it, Riordan’s world building is a fantastic and innovative thing, focusing upon the Deities version of Hogwarts, Camp Half Blood and its inhabitants journeys. Percy Jackson and The Lightening Thief was financially successful but critically mixed, with the novels story being heavily changed for the screenplay adaptation.

Nonetheless a sequel was created which deviated even more from the novels sequel, The Sea of Monsters. With the future of the series in despair following a convoluted plot which shoehorned in many elements from the whole series, Percy Jackson is in need of a reboot. I believe Netflix is the perfect place for this. With the format and budget needed to successfully adapt these novels, Netflix provides a platform to craft a narrative arch that a films format could not produce. With the option to adapt further Riordan works and have a Defender’s-esque crossover, I believe that out of every option on this list, the Percy Jackson franchise is the most deserving of a second chance.

By George Chrysostomou.

Kevin Hart, Russell Brand, Sacha Baron Cohen, Amy Schumar, Eddie Murphy, Will Ferrell. Countless comedians have made the transition from their stand up tours, panel shows and evening sketch programming, hoping to make it big in Hollywood. Some transcend their genre, providing performances that play to every emotion and are worthy of the most prestigious awards in the industry. Think Robin Williams in Goodwill Hunting, or Jim Carrey in The Truman Show. These are performers who although come from a world of one liners, slapstick and quick witted rebuttals, have helped contribute to classics that we still admire to this day.

So what sets apart a comedian from an average actor, that they can provide Oscar winning performances perhaps without the acting experience or training that others spend years of their lives on?

Comedy is the control of emotions

The art of comedy is not as simple as making someone laugh. A good comedian has the ability to connect to an audience, relate to them and take them on a journey through every emotion. Watch a stand up piece from Trevor Noah and you will see this journey. He may perhaps talk about Donald Trump and in his opinion, the ridiculous nature of his presidency. This is a topic everyone has an emotional opinion on. He may then talk about his beloved home country of South Africa; a country that many have very little knowledge on yet can share his emotion of the love of a home.

Then, the bombshell. Trevor Noah’s mother was shot in the head and survived. We find ourselves laughing, why? Because, Trevor has already connected to us throughout his set and can now control the emotion you feel from a story, by his tone, his body language and his dialogue. All of these are traits of an actor. He completes his tale commenting on not having enough money to pay for his mothers medical care; the financial trouble one we can all relate too once more and find humour in. A good comedian takes their audience on a journey much like this. This translates beautifully for film.

A comedian understands emotions

Films are most successful when we feel the characters are relatable and genuine. When we feel like the emotions poured onto the screen are as raw as could possibly be. A comedian understands how to portray an emotion and manipulate an audience. The late Robin Williams is perhaps the king of this dance of understanding and manipulating.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvPxRyIWWX8

Go back to one of his masterpieces and you’ll find yourself laughing and crying. This is a man whom has encountered every emotion and continued to turn to laughter despite the mental health issues that he battled. He understood the depth and intimate detail of the vast spectrum of human feeling. He wore it all on his face beautifully. These are only elements that can come from personal experience and then retelling that experience through the art of comedy.

Is this still a trend in the industry?

Much like any era, yes and no. Some performers like Kevin Hart or Amy Schumer, step up and provide comedy in its blandest form; meaningless jokes designed for a cheap laugh. In fact many of the comedies today turn to bland dialogue and over the top, exaggerated situations which often have no relatability to them whatsoever. Sorry Sacha Baron Cohen but I don’t think I will ever climb into an elephant, it’s just too grim…. Some performers have a mixed bag of results. Will Ferrell may star in a Christmas classic like Elf and then a poorly produced failure, such as The House. Despite the charm he possesses sometimes a film cannot be saved by one performance. Other’s have meaningless but inoffensive roles like Miranda’s film debut in the action comedy Spy. She typecast as the funny assistant to the funny assistant, a role which probably could be filled by any other actor. Films like these don’t allow comedians the same opportunities that their predecessors were afforded.

The solution therefore may be in the familiar. Produce something that people can relate to. TV has been on this path for a few years now. Both Master of None and Fleabag have done this to critical and popular success, controlling every emotion through familiar and raw experiences. Whilst I rejoice when a talent like John Oliver gets cast in a big blockbuster such as the Lion King, there will likely be no connection between us and his take on Zazu, an African bird.

Instead, what I truly rejoice at are roles that don’t stereotype a comedian as the funny one and allow them to actually do their job; to tell relatable stories and control emotions.

Exploration has become something of an obsession for the human race. Unhappy with our own lot, we have often been known to scout the far reaches of the earth in search of something else, something different and primarily something exciting.

The expeditions of infamous explorers Captain Cook and Christopher Columbus led to the discovery of extraordinary places, cultures and peoples that were previously unknown to the western world. Their stories are as remarkable as their findings, and so it comes as no surprise that cinema, the window through which we see our own world, has provided some of the greatest exploratory tales of all time. Ventures across high seas, prehistoric lost worlds and even the far corners of the universe have been adapted for cinema.

The latest addition to this intriguing sub-genre of the film world is James Gray’s fascinating adaptation of David Grann’s book The Lost City of Z, documenting the travels made by Percy Fawcett in the Bolivian Amazon, as he became obsessive in his search of an ancient city in the heart of the jungle. To celebrate the DVD and Blu-ray release on July 24^th, we’re counting down very best exploration adventures to ever hit the big screen…

Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Our first introduction to the untouchable yet loveable Indy – the greatest museum artefact saviour in the modern age – came as he was tracking a golden idol in a booby-trapped temple in Peru. However after his quest is swiftly thwarted at the hands of the Nazis, Indiana proceeds to travel the globe in search of a much greater treasure: The Arc of the Covenant. A dramatic finale sees Indy and love interest Marion taken hostage by the Nazis as they perform a ritualistic opening of the lost Ark, only for them to escape by the skin of their teeth, spared by the almighty. This beloved adventure movie from Steven Spielberg is one of four from a franchise which spans 27 years, in which Mr. Jones tackles every corner of the earth. It may not surprise you to learn that the character of Indiana Jones was inspired by none other than Percy Fawcett. Both Indy and Percy’s passion for cultural artefacts and history, and their willingness to risk their lives to preserve them is something to inspire us all!

The Martian (2015)

In recent years, explorers have become bored with our blue and green planet, what with practically every inch available to see via Google Maps. So ever since the infamous space race during the 60s, outer space has been the centre of attention with cinema following suit. In this particular venture, Matt Damon and a fellow group of space boffs go on a mission to Mars, but during their departure they get the feeling that they’ve forgotten something… And so, with Damon stranded on the red planet with no sign of rescue any time soon, he is forced to try and survive in any way possible, including eating a fresh batch of poo-tatoes (no, that’s not a spelling error). During his time stuck on Mars, Damon’s character is forced to utilise the planet for all its worth until NASA come back to retrieve their forgotten man.

Jurassic Park (1993)

Although the island off the coast of Costa Rica had already been discovered, what was then bred there by Richard Attenborough’s obsessed eccentric millionaire John Hammond took exploration to a whole new level. In the hopes of building a one-of-a-kind theme park, Hammond cloned various dinosaurs back from extinction to make for more wonder and thrills for potential guests. However he got a little more than he bargained for when the park gets shut down by a ferocious storm and the snarling dinosaurs show that “just because you can play god, doesn’t mean you should” – to quote Mr Goldblum. Probably best to stick to roller-coasters next time, we think!

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006)

Perhaps one of the earliest examples of true explorers comes in the form of men with eye patches, peg legs and sarcastic colourful birds on their shoulders. In this adaptation of a Disney Land theme park ride, Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) and his crew of drunken misfits sail the high-seas in a quest to find the last golden coin which will grant him sweet, sweet mortality. During the film, Cap’ain Jack shows he is a true master of exploration, building a huge secret stash of booze on a desert island in case he’s stranded, which he then is. That man knows what his priorities are, if nothing else!

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

Another example of space exploration on this list comes in the form of Stanley Kubrick’s mind-bending sci-fi symphony, 2001: A Space Odyssey. In the space of 2 and a half hours, Kubrick manages to explore where we’ve come from, where we are (through the film’s futuristic present day), and where we’re going. Through the presence of a ominous and shrill black monolith, the human race are seen to progress in their evolution, one step at a time; learning how to use tools as apes, and transforming into something ‘other’ from humans, and the completion of the monolith’s evolutionary mission. Kubrick spent over two years meticulously creating the most “realistic” depictions of outer space ever seen; greatly enhancing our knowledge of what it’s actually like to experience the cosmos.

The Abyss (1989)

Finally, after exploring outer space with Aliens, James Cameron turned his attentions to what has become a personal passion of his; deep-sea exploration. The crew of an experimental, high-tech submersible is called into action to investigate a mysterious nuclear submarine crash. A series of strange encounters leads the crew to suspect the accident was caused by an extraterrestrial craft, and that they may be participating in an encounter with an alien species, and in order to make contact, they must brave the abyss… Hollywood’s fascination with the great blue sea has been longstanding. An interest that is continually piqued by scientists who tell us that only 5% of the sea has been explored, allowing the power of film’s imagination to thrive in the untouched depths.

THE LOST CITY OF Z is Available on EST from 17^th July  On Blu-ray & DVD from 24^th July, 2017