The Classics discussion

I watched the movie before reading the book and have found some interesting differences between the two. Goldman wrote both the book and the screenplay. Why do you think he made certain changes in the movie? Do you agree with his decision to add and remove certain aspects of the plot?

I can see why some events were cut for time and continuity...
the "first bride" who Humperdink proposes to, for instance is not essential in any way to the story. (turns out, she's bald, and this discover is made in a banquet hall full of people. A humiliated Humperdink angrily yells, "Madame: feel free to flee!" She leaves.)
While this would have been a hilarious scene to include, it doesn't really move the story along or tell us anything we don't already know about Humperdink.
I found the film to be as true and faithful an adaptation of the novel as one could ask for...

Usually whenever I see a movie based on a book I end up being disappointed. The Princess Bride is one of the few exceptions. I wonder if this is because it was adapted by the author, or because I also saw the movie first. When I read the book I heard the lines just as the actors said them, and it was nostalgically fun.

I agree, this is one of the few books based on a movie I can actually enjoy instead of mentally listing and resenting the differences.

I think seeing the movie first (and many times) biased me toward the movie. I thought Goldman made good choices in streamlining the story for the screenplay. I think if I hadn't seen the movie first I might have been more bothered by the cynicism and depressing personal bits.

I actually saw the movie after reading the book, and I liked them equally. I think I liked the inclusion of the backstories of Inigo and Fezzik in the book but I can see why they were summarised in the film. The interupptions from the boy and grandfather were a lot easier to enjoy than I expected, and seemed to make more sense than the book. It's refreshing to see a book made into a film that wasn't ruined by the transition, like so many are.