A high-spirited adventure that pits true love against inconceivable odds, The Princess Bride has charmed legions of fans with its irreverent gags, eccentric ensemble, and dazzling swordplay. A kid (Fred Savage), home sick from school, grudgingly allows his grandfather (Peter Falk) to read him a dusty storybook—which is how we meet the innocent Buttercup (Robin Wright, in her breakout role), about to marry the nefarious Prince Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon) though her heart belongs to Westley (Cary Elwes). The wedding plans are interrupted, however, by a mysterious pirate, a vengeful Spaniard, and a good-natured giant, in a tale full of swashbuckling, romance, and outrageously hilarious spoofery. Directed by Rob Reiner from an endlessly quotable script by William Goldman, The Princess Bride reigns as a fairy-tale classic.
For thoughts on The Princess Bride, please check out our discussions on The Video Attic:
Video Quality
The Criterion Collection presents The Princess Bride with a tremendous 2160p HDR/Dolby Vision transfer in its original 1.85:1 sourced from a 4K scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative. The film was previously released by the label five years ago on Blu-Ray from the same base restoration, which is also included in this package. This transfer gave rich new life to the film when compared to the ancient MGM Blu-Ray release first seen in 2009, but this new release is the ideal presentation of the film for fans.
The new Dolby Vision transfer explodes the vibrancy of the color palette as you unlock hues that seem more deep and complex than ever. The varied landscapes throughout the journey are delightful and various costumes and elements of the production design make a big impression. This presentation seems to tap into the greatest level of accuracy to date, which is a treat with the Adrian Biddle cinematography that radiates off the screen. There are some nice improvements in the handling of the contrast with deep black levels that never succumb to crush or noise along with highlights that avoid blooming.
This transfer retains the gorgeous natural film grain which resolves in a more tight and controlled manner, allowing for a terrific amount of fine detail to show up. Elements of the production design and costumes reveal more subtle facets than the previous presentation. There are elements of this presentation such as the smoky or hazy environments that put the transfer to the test, but this encode holds its own. Take a look at the Fire Swamp and see how the transfer handles the tough environment. There is no trace of grain reduction as you get a fine sheen that resolves evenly without breaking up into swarmy noise. Any minor moments of print damage such as nicks or scratches have also been completely eradicated. This transfer is a stunning effort for fans of the film thanks to the Criterion Collection.
Audio Quality
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track which handles this material famously. Dialogue emanates crisp and clearly with wonderful fidelity. Environmental sounds are brought to life in a decently immersive manner which never sounds unnatural for the time. The low end brings forth a fine amount of texture when necessary, but it was never intended to make your seat rumble. All vital information comes through without issue no matter the context. The whimsical score is used perfectly to establish the spirit of the story, and this track allows it to sound truly great. There does not seem to be any glaring instances of age-related wear and tear as the track holds up well. The Criterion Collection has given this film a top notch audio experience. There are English SDH subtitles provided.
Special Features
The Criterion 4K UHD Blu-Ray of The Princess Bride comes in a digibook packaging which is fashioned to look like a storybook. Within this case is a bound booklet featuring an essay by author Sloane Crosley and Goldman’s introduction to his Princess Bride script from his collection Four Screenplays. The on-disc special features are as follows:
- Audio Commentary: Director Rob Reiner, Screenwriter William Goldman, Producer Andrew Scheinman, and Actors Billy Crystal and Peter Falk provide separate insights that are stitched together to create an engaging commentary track. This piece explores the cultivation of the narrative, the personal resonance of the material, the atmosphere on set, the themes of the picture, the performances and much more. This was recorded in 1997 and is well worth a listen for fans.
- AudioBook: Director Rob Reiner reads Goldman’s novel “The Princess Bride” for the audience for those who want to see the differences between the source material and the adaptation.
- True Love: A 15-minute reunion from 2012 between Rob Reiner, Cary Elwes and Robin Wright in which they reflect on the 25th anniversary of the film as they discuss their experiences in the wake of the film, memories of fellow cast members, how the film finally got out of development hell, getting set on fire and more that is a joy to watch.
- Pure Enchantment: A 17-minute piece from 2018 with Columbia University adjunct professor Loren-Paul Caplin who discusses the work of William Goldman, what makes this screenplay so special, how Goldman set the bar so high for other writers and more.
- The Tapestry: A nearly seven-minute look at a gorgeous tapestry commissioned by Goldman that depicts numerous key scenes from The Princess Bride.
- Making The Film
-
- As You Wish: A 27-minute archival piece in which the cast and creative team reveal their experiences with the film, the themes of the story, how it works as a feat of adaptation, the intricate set design and location shooting, the varied tone and style, and much more.
-
- The Princess Bride – The Untold Tales: A nine-minute archival piece from a small group of the performers who recall some of their favorite moments from the film, reminisce about specific moments during production and more.
-
- Fairy-Tale Reality: A 12-minute piece recorded in 2018 in which Art Director Richard Holland and more reflect on the world created for the film.
-
- Miraculous Makeup: A nearly 12-minute archival piece in which actor Billy Crystal and the special effects team discuss the creation of Miracle Max through makeup and more.
-
- Behind The Scenes: A series of brief on-set videos are provided with optional commentaries recorded in 1997 by producer Andrew Scheinman, actor Billy Crystal and director Rob Reiner.
-
-
- On The High Seas (Scheinman) (3:52)
-
-
-
- Fezzik, Vizzini and Buttercup (Crystal) (4:48)
-
-
-
- Westley and Fezzik (Scheinman) (4:38)
-
-
-
- Miracle Max’s Hut (Crystal) (2:32)
-
-
-
- Buttercup, The King and The Queen (Reiner) (2:34)
-
-
- Cary Elwes Video Diary: A four-minute collection of footage shot by the star who also provided narration alongside Robin Wright in the form of humorous anecdotes.
- The Art of Fencing: A seven-minute featurette with Sword Master Robert Goodwin which takes a look at the art of swordplay, the story being told through the movements, the training that goes into it and more.
- Fairy Tales & Folklore: A nine-minute piece which explores fairytale in storytelling and how certain tropes are reframed in The Princess Bride.
- Trailers and TV Spots: This disc provides the U.S. Trailer (2:16), the Foreign-Market Trailer (2:19) and TV Spots 1-4 (1:02, 0:32, 0:32, 0:32).
Final Thoughts
The Princess Bride has remained an enduring classic ever since it first debuted. The film tackles familiar storybook tropes in fresh and exciting ways which upends everything you think you know about the journey. The ensemble gathered for this one is pitch perfect all around with even very minor roles securing top tier performers. The film is terrifically funny, thrilling and romantic in equal measure, and somehow the story makes everything work. The Criterion Collection has delivered a new 4K UHD Blu-Ray that offers a first rate A/V presentation and splashy array of special features. If you are a fan of the film, you owe it to yourself to pick it up. Highly Recommended
The Criterion Collection edition of The Princess Bride is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD, Blu-Ray and DVD.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: The Criterion Collection has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.