This week, we dive into the Fire Swamp, cross a Sicilian with death on the line, and get out our six-fingered gloves along with Geek Girl Chicago as we check out Rob Reiner’s 1987 classic fantasy-comedy The Princess Bride! The ultimate loving homage to the trappings of sword-and-sorcery fantasy romances, this adaptation of the William Goldman novel is probably one of the most beloved comedies of all time, and for good reason: the performances and script are spot-on, and the few hints of sneaking subversion of the fantasy genre never undercut the proceedings in a cynical way.
Still, we manage to find a few topics that haven’t been discussed about this much-talked-about film, including: Should the characters have all died of blood loss at the end? Was Westley really gonna slap Buttercup? Would Fred Savage have gotten along with Bastian from The NeverEnding Story? Is the bit with Billy Crystal a bit too schtick-y? Find out the answers to these questions and more, along with our custom cocktail and drinking game!
NOTE: There may be a bit of light buzzing/static throughout the audio track due to some technical difficulties, for which we apologize. We’ve cut it down as much as possible, but it might still be there. We’ll do our best to limit that in the future – sorry about that!
LISTEN HERE OR DOWNLOAD:
THIS EPISODE’S DRINK: The Kissing Book
For this cocktail, we decided on a suitably floral drink to match Princess Buttercup’s moniker – a nice combination of fruity, sweet and light, topped with your favorite champagne
1 part Crème Yvette violet liqueur
1 part G’Vine gin
3 parts strawberry juice
½ lemon syrup
5 parts champagne or sparkling wine (Brut would be ideal)
pomegranate seeds
1) To make the lemon syrup, combine equal parts water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, along with a nice big squeeze of lemon juice. Heat until thick, and let cool.
2) Combine violet liqueur, gin, strawberry juice and lemon syrup in a shaker with ice; shake vigorously. Pour straight into cocktail glass, and top with champagne. Garnish with strawberry, pomegranate seeds and lemon peel.
DRINKING RULES FOR THE PRINCESS BRIDE:
- Whenever Fred Savage interrupts the story with his impertinent questions
- Anytime Princess Buttercup changes into a new outfit
- Every time you hear a repeated phrase/catchphrase (e.g. ‘As you wish!’ ‘Inconceivable!’)
FINISH YOUR DRINK WHEN:
Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin) finally dispatches his nemesis, Count Tyrone, while saying, “I want my father back, you son of a bitch.”
Join us next week as we take on yet another seminal love story – the Charlie Chaplin silent classic City Lights!
