The Reading Prismatic Arch discussion

I assume that everybody has watched this movie (isn't that required?)...
- What did you like better about the book/movie?
- Were there parts left out or added to the movie that you liked or didn't like?
- Overall, which is better?

The movie follows the book VERY closely. Really, there are only three differences. 1) William Goldman's abridgement notes, which I liked. 2) The back story of several of the characters, especially of Inigo and Fezzick. And 3) the Zoo of Death. I loved all of these additions, especially the background information. For this reason alone I would say the book is better. But the movie is still a classic and an incredibly well done book - to - film adaptation.

The Princess Bride is one of my favorite books and movies! In this case, the book is better than the movie. I like the added details, the Zoo of Death and the comedy. However, there is one place where the movie outdid the book. Max the Miracle Worker is performed much better in the movie than he is written about in the book.

Oh I have to agree with Mary, Billy Crystal's Miracle Max is better than the book.

I think that is partly because he was allowed to improvise.

No shrieking eels in the book?!?! Just sharks? Inconceivable!

And Fezzik's parents saying the "Life is pain" line

I finished reading the book the other day, so I thought I'd add more to my thoughts about the adaptation.
In the book, I enjoyed the parenthetical notations, especially relating to when things were invented or when it was being snarky with respects to Morgenstern. I, like Mary, enjoyed the Zoo of Death quite a bit. The back-story to the characters was also great!
I don't remember there being much difference between Billy Crystal's Miracle Max and the book's Miracle Max. Maybe the lines just became Billy Crystalized in my mind while I read the book?
I didn't think the phony narrator back-story as much, though. I don't remember it providing much information or entertainment. I'm glad the movie left that part out. I'm still a little sad that there were no shrieking eels. How did the movie people come up with that? Why? It's so random, yet so awesome.

I just finished the book.... and I am not sure if it is because I have watched the movie so many times and the book was 99% similar to the movie, but this book really dragged on for me. Doesn't really make sense since all of the things I love about the movie are in the book.... part of it is that I really didn't like the narrator, all of his side notes had way too many details. I liked the additives about the book, but not all the ones about his messed up life. I have to agree with some of you guys though, the eels in the movie were a strike of genius. overall I liked the story.... not the narrators life story though.

I'm about half way through the book and am loving it so far! (I haven't read many of the above comments so as to avoid spoilers). But so far I love all the bits that were left out of the movie. The additional background information is great! The description of the Zoo of death is pretty interesting. I also like the additional background information about Fezzik and Inigo, and how we find out just how good of fighters they are, and then they still get beaten.

I think the bald princess part (the original bride for Humperdink) would have been an interesting scene. Wouldn't fit very well in the narrative of the movie, but a great scene.