The Princess Bride (Rob Reiner, 1987, USA)

Made between Stand By Me and When Harry Met Sally..., The Princess Bride represents one film in one of the most successful stretches by an American director in recent history. There was a period in the mid-to-late 80s and early 1990s when Rob Reiner seemed to have the golden touch, and The Princess Bride is no exception. Though unsuccessful at the box office upon its initial release (the film was released alongside Three Men and a Baby and Fatal Attraction), the film found a new life on home video and gradually became a family favorite for children of the late 80s and early 90s.

Written by award-winning scribe William Goldman for his children, The Princess Bride is ostensibly a film for children, though it doesn't pander to them. There is plenty of adult humor here, as well as some quite frightening and intense sequences. The true secret of the film's success, perhaps, is its all-star cast. Aside from the two leads (Cary Elwes and Robin Wright), who were relative newcomers at the time, the rest of the cast is a who's who of comedic talent of the era - from Billy Crystal and Wallace Shaw to Peter Falk and Christopher Guest.

The Princess Bride evokes a different era of filmmaking where studios were less risk-averse, and films for families were allowed to be a bit dangerous and rough around the edges. John Hughes' films also fit into this model, and this explains their enduring popularity. In an era of sanitized entertainment, The Princess Bride is remarkably refreshing. It is easy to understand why the film has become a cult favorite over the years. Watching it in a packed screening, there were plenty of people who could recite every line of dialogue from the film. That is a testament to the film's enduring popularity.

8/10