Wherever you go, past and present members of Christian culture will be familiar with this movie, having seen it at least twelve times during youth group events or slumber parties. Good luck spending a summer working at Christian camp without hearing it quoted daily. "Inconceivable!" "No more rhymes now, I mean it! Anybody got a peanut?" "Have fun storming the castle!" "You are eeeeen the peeeet of dispaaaair." and of course "My name is Inigo Montoya..." [...post-traumatic stress disorder won't let me from type the rest of that quote.]
In 7th grade I was sleeping over with my homeschooled friend who was forbidden to listen to the radio or watch any TV. Somehow her parents decreed that The Princess Bride was acceptable for viewing, except for the one part where there is a bad word. Her mom sat with us and watched the movie until the bad-word-part was near, then she tried to fast-forward over it. But instead of skipping the bad word, she landed squarely on it and pressed play and Inigo Montoya said "I want my father back, you son of a bitch." As I remember, she was pretty upset about this.
In 7th grade I was sleeping over with my homeschooled friend who was forbidden to listen to the radio or watch any TV. Somehow her parents decreed that The Princess Bride was acceptable for viewing, except for the one part where there is a bad word. Her mom sat with us and watched the movie until the bad-word-part was near, then she tried to fast-forward over it. But instead of skipping the bad word, she landed squarely on it and pressed play and Inigo Montoya said "I want my father back, you son of a bitch." As I remember, she was pretty upset about this.
27 comments:
My mom used to fast forward through the "inappropiate" language, sex scenes, and other scenes she may have found offensive on videos.
On the other hand having Harlequin books in the house was tolerated. I did get in trouble in 7th grade for reading a Harlequin book (that I borrowed from my mom's stack nonetheless) so I resolved that problem by hiding the books under my bed, in the dresser drawers, etc.
Wow, now I'm so proud I haven't seen this movie all the way through! Although, isn't Andre the Giant in there? Probably knowing that much blows my chances of bucking the odds!
1. i have never seen the princess bride or heard of it until this blog. 2. i've never read any books in the narnia series. 3. my favorite uh, secular book of all time is "are you there God, it's me margaret" 4. i was reading about a girl who talks to God before i i became a girl who talks to God.
This blog is LAME, Stephanie. Clearly you didn't take the time to survey EVERY SINGLE CHRISTIAN on the planet. Unless you get unanimous results on your claims, they are clearly bunk. At the very least, you should consult with Mrs Maverick before you post who seems to think her experiences, or lack there of, invalidate yours.
1. simone, stephy doesn't have to check with me about anything. 2. my ex or inexperience about Christian culture doesn't invalidate stephy's. 3. i'm sure our experiences differ because of our ethnicities.
4. i could write my own post of what Christian culture likes but someone already beat me to it. you can check it out at www.pulpit-pimps.org
Angela, I only said that because you've repeatedly responded by pointing out that these things are not of your experience. Doing so appears to serve no other purpose than to somehow discredit what Stephanie is saying. Otherwise, what is the purpose of sharply stating you have no seen The Princess Bride? I did see it, but not in the Christian context she's describing, but I didn't comment "I'm not an evangelical Christian and I HAVE seen Princess Bride." There seemed to be no point. Perhaps I misinterpreted it, but the succinctness in your response seemed a bit cold. She may number her topics, but she then proceeds to elaborate.
hi simone, ok, so i'm not a comedienne. the numbers and succinctness was me trying to be funny not cold. i guess i blew it.
anyhoo, because you don't know me, you have no idea how warm and fuzzy i really am, and because of this, you really did misinterpret my replies.
miscommunication- it happens. we all make wrong assumptions, so i aint madatcha. :o)
hope we can dialogue some more.
btw, what's an evangelical Christian?
No sweat, Angela. Things often don't come across right in print, especially when you don't know the person. I just love Stephy and her writing so much, that I feel I must come to her and it's defense if they appear to be criticised!
I'll let Steph field the Evangelical Christian question because I wont have as accurate a definition, but I will say that I am afraid of them. Is that right Steph, or am I afraid of the Fundies? Or both? Or are they the same?
ok, stephy-
what's an evangelical Christian? simone, why are you afraid of Christians or is it only a certain kind of Christian?
When I think of an evangelical Christian I think of someone who is into Churchianity (being into Christian culture) more than into Christ. I am frightened of them too.
well then that make's 3 of us. 'cept i'm not afraid of them in the same way that i'm afraid of waterbugs. i also feel sorry for this crowd. they actually believe the building they meet in is a sacred place and erroneous call it the church. smh.
i left this kind of religion years ago.
i repent. i have some friends who are evangelicals and i'm not afraid of them at all. it just saddens me that they are caught up into a lot of these things that are linked to Christianity but have nothing to do with serving Christ.
i disagree with them on how we see church but they have a hard time with me and others if we don't hold to the same view.
This one hurt. :)
My father actually was murdered, and when I was feeling really sad one day, my SUPER DUPER college Christian 'friend' wanted to cheer me up about JESUS, and so when I finally explained to him my sad story about my father was murdered... he laughed, and said, I kid you not he said, "It's just like that movie! The Princess Bride? Have you seen it? Hah! My name is Inigo Montoya..." I laughed to be polite. I want my father back... you fake Christian.
No. Way. I am so so so sorry, Adam.
aww... I've just read backward through your whole blog and this is the first thing I've felt that I need to defend myself for relating to.
I love that movie! And so do plenty of other people I know who wouldn't relate to Christian Culture any better than I do.
I'm a Christian, but I find 95% of this stuff very foreign and scary. but I cant disagree that it exists out there.
I love it too.
I'm still to this day scared to death of rodents of unusual size
the book is soooo much better. william goldman is the shitttt
The Princess Bride is brilliant political and literary satire. I'm not sure why it's a big hit in Christian culture (perhaps its espousal of traditional read: medieval, values of chivalry and valor, and not having any sex scenes [though Wesley does call Buttercup's breasts "perfect"] or bad language [except that one line!] and violence... wait no, that's acceptable in Christian culture). Either way, it's a great film, a better book and who cares if Christian culture likes it? That doesn't actually make it unacceptable, does it?
Seriously, if you don't like The Princess Bride, I'm afraid your heart may be made of coal; cold, dead, and compressed by centuries upon centuries of accumulated rock and earth.
You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
Besides hitting the mute button or fast-forwarding through the SOB line, my parents also skipped Wesley's "there's a shortage of perfect brests in the world . . ." just because he said "breasts!" Oh, and when Fred Savage's character says "damnit." Poor dears. They tried so hard everytime we watched any PG or PG-13 movie.
Apologies for the late posting. I've started with #1 and am working my way through.
As an ex-member of CC, I still love Princess Bride. Every time I see it, though, I remember the first time. I was about 11, and my dad stopped the video to have a Very Serious Talk with us about the scene where a sword is used as sort of a dowsing rod to find a hidden doorway. He wanted to make sure we knew that dowsing was NEW AGE and of SATAN. We had a similar discussion about the New Age overtones of ET. Part of being a PK, i guess, is that everything turns into a sermon illustration, even at home.
We fast-forwarded through the SOB scene upon further viewings, as well as the dowsing scene. Sigh.
One more thing: my Mormon (therefore very Not Christian, according to us) best friend was sleeping over and watched with us that first time. I remember being so embarrassed at how weird my family seemed...
Come on. This movie is awesome and I'm pretty sure plenty of non Christians like this movie.
Now my fast forward story.
I was watching true lies at a friends house (I had already seen it all the way through) and everything was fine until we got to the sexy dance, which my friends mom fast forward and hung a towel in front of the TV. But she was OK with us watching people get knifed in the throat a few minutes later.
Now we were probably around 11-12 so I might be able to see being a bit uncomfortable watching the scene but I don't think it turned us into sex maniacs or anything.
Sorry.... I watched this movie on the advice of some people. It does not honor Christ. Profanity, magic and blasphemy are not neccessary for entertainment. I will not ever watch it again. Nor will I recommend it to anyone. There are other movie choices that do not take our precious Lord's holy Name in vain (Courageous is a great example).
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