ID Number
Responses
a. What are your personal reactions to this movie? Be descriptive.
“The Princess Bride” is a charming, funny Gothic film filled with colorful characters. The most captivating part of the movie is the sense of sincerity with which Director Reiner tells the story. The princess’ enchanted appearance also adds more interesting features to the film. “Princess Bride” is a postmodern fairy tale movie that affirms and challenges the principles of a genre that may be devoid of flexibility to provide support to the movie. The character of Patinkin is a joy to witness in this film because of his longhaired disheveled cavalier. In the movie, evil men are outsmarted, and love triumphs over deceit and a young boy can value the power of his imagination.
b. Tell me what makes this story a fantasy.
The “Princess Bride” is a fantasy film because there are the series of scenes in the movie that are purely fantastic and imaginative. These themes typically include supernatural events, magic, and fantasy worlds. For example, the presence of a giant is one strong evidence that the film is fantasy make. Further, “Princess Bride” has the capacity of bringing the viewer into the next dimension.
c. Describe how the themes from this week’s lesson are demonstrated in the story line, using specific examples from the movie.
1. Reciprocity
Reciprocity is the manner of exchanging something in return for another. Reciprocity happened when anger matched with another’s anger and when love matched with another’s love. The man in black reciprocated the violence hurled at him. Unfortunately, all those who threw violence upon him, receive violence in return and were killed. Westley love Buttercup and Buttercup reciprocated that love for him. Reciprocity also happened when Buttercup agreed to go back with Humperdinck and in turn, the latter should release Westley.
2. Mutuality
Mutuality is about having the same feelings or impressions towards another person. There is mutuality between Westley and Buttercup as evident in the fact that they mutually love each other.
3. Belonging
A sense of belonging is having the feeling of being part of someone’s life or a feeling of being accepted by another. Westley and Buttercup had that sense of belongingness when they are with each other. On the other hand, when Buttercup was with Humperdinck, she was unhappy for her heart belongs to someone else.
4. Getting One’s Needs Met
Being able to accomplish one’s desire is the ultimate goal of every individual. Only when the person achieves its desire that one’s needs are met. In the movie, Westley needs the only woman he loves so he engaged in battles just to see her and stops her from marrying Prince Humperdinck. Westley’s need was met when he finally saw Buttercup about to end her life believing that she was married to the Prince. Westley assured her that the wedding was not valid because there was no exchange of I Do’s. When Westley got back Buttercup, his needs were fulfilled.
5. Authenticity
Authenticity is about genuineness or sincerity or purity of one’s intention. The love between Westley and Buttercup was authentic because no matter how many years have passed, they only long for each other’s love and company.
iii. Good begets goodness and evil begets evilness. Reciprocity existed in almost all parts of the film as one’s action is reciprocated by another’s. When one hurls violence at another person, violence goes back to the initiator. Reciprocity happens when the love given out goes back through the love of another person. When love reciprocates, there is mutuality in their emotions. As the two individuals share this love, they experience a feeling of belongingness and a sense of fulfillment for having their needs met. Two people who continually love each other despite distance and time are experiencing the authenticity of love.
