Title: As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of the Princess Bride
Author: Cary Elwes and Joe Layden
Narrator: Cary Elwes, Carol Kane, Norman Lear, Rob Reiner, Chris Sarandon, Andy Scheinman, Wallace Shawn and Robin Wright
ISBN: 9781442383463
Audiobook Length: 7 hours, 1 minute
Genre: Nonfiction
Origins: Mine. All mine.
Release Date: 14 October 2014
Bottom Line: So much fun! I immediately had to watch this classic movie with the family.
Synopsis:
“From actor Cary Elwes, who played the iconic role of Westley in The Princess Bride, comes a first-person account and behind-the-scenes look at the making of the cult classic film filled with never-before-told stories, exclusive photographs, and interviews with costars Robin Wright, Wallace Shawn, Billy Crystal, Christopher Guest, and Mandy Patinkin, as well as author and screenwriter William Goldman, producer Norman Lear, and director Rob Reiner.
The Princess Bride has been a family favorite for close to three decades. Ranked by the American Film Institute as one of the top 100 Greatest Love Stories and by the Writers Guild of America as one of the top 100 screenplays of all time, The Princess Bride will continue to resonate with audiences for years to come.
Cary Elwes was inspired to share his memories and give fans an unprecedented look into the creation of the film while participating in the twenty-fifth anniversary cast reunion. In As You Wish he has created an enchanting experience; in addition to never-before seen photos and interviews with his fellow cast mates, there are plenty of set secrets and backstage stories.
With a foreword by Rob Reiner, As You Wish is a must-have for all fans of this beloved film.”
Thoughts: If you were a child during the late 1980s, chances are that you have seen the movie The Princess Bride at least once in your lifetime. For many of this era, it became the quintessential movie of their childhood. Famous lines from the movie still snake their way into everyday conversations, especially as those who loved it while young grow up and share it with their own children. What better way to celebrate its longevity and the twenty-fifth anniversary of its release than a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the classic movie? That is exactly what Cary Elwes delivers in his memoir, As You Wish.
Mr. Elwes covers everything from casting to the twenty-fifth reunion held at Lincoln Center. There are so many interesting details like historical details of certain filming locations, movie-making secrets, the brilliance of the casting, the training involved to film the duel, and the love that went into each shot. Some anecdotes are more poignant while others are amusing, but they all add a little extra to the story.
More importantly, nothing about Mr. Elwes’ story is boastful. It quickly becomes apparent that everyone involved in making the movie knows how fortunate they are to have been a part of this now-classic film. The humility each cast member continues to display about their role in the film is quite refreshing.
Really, given the fact that the book is about Mr. Elwes’ experiences before, during, and after filming the movie, there could be no one else to narrate it in its audiobook format. It makes his experiences so much more intimate and personal to hear him share his own story. There is the added bonus of hearing each of the other actors share their own memories too. The fact that so many of the original cast made themselves available to narrate their sections within the audio version is a great indication the the movie is as well-loved by them as it is by all of its fans. As You Wish is one audiobook that benefits from its author’s narration.
Let’s face it – the only reason one would have any interest in this book would be because they count themselves among the millions of fans of the movie. As such, those reading As You Wish will find it to be nothing but pure fun – much like the beloved movie. Mr. Elwes does a fantastic job bringing together the cast and crew to reminisce about the making of the movie, and his own personal insights into the shooting of the film and its impact on his life serves to make the movie that much more special.
