As You Wish
I've read a lot of books about movies and how they are made, about the actors in them, etc, but perhaps none has interested me as much as "As You Wish," by Cary Elwes, who plays Wesley in The Princess Bride. The movie has become very special in Hollywood history, but other than knowing what it was about and remembering that I had enjoyed it, I really didn't have any special feeling about it.
When I saw the Elwes had written a book about the making of the movie, I thought it might be interesting and put it on my Amazon wish list. Ned and Marta got it for me...for Christmas or for my birthday and other than barely starting it, I hadn't really picked it up until this week.
It quickly became obvious that before I could read the book, I'd have to see the movie again. Fortunately it was on Disney, and so I got it and watched it. When I picked the book up again, it was a whole different experience reading it with the movie fresh in my mind.
What a fascinating story. I was midway through the book, reading about the training for the sword fight between Elwes and Mandy Patinkin as Inigo Montoya (3 months, 8 hours a day, 5--sometimes 6--days a week!) and I had to watch the movie again to see not only the sword fight but all the rest that I had read about up to that point.
I simply couldn't put the book down. I sat and finished it this afternoon and now I have to go back and watch the movie again, to see the things he talks about toward the end of the book.
If you are into finding out how movies are made, this is definitely a book you should read.
Surely this is a good book. The film is splendorous, and amazing.
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