Cult

The Princess Bride (1987)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
The Princess Bride film poster- cartoon image of characters from the film underneath a castle gate in blue mist. The Princess Bride written in yellow.

The Princess Bride © Lionsgate Home Entertainment

Directed by: Rob Reiner

Written by: William Goldman

Starring: Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Mandy Parinkin, Chris Sarandon, Fred Savage, Peter Falk and Andre the Giant

Production Company: Act III Communications, Buttercup Films Ltd., The Princess Bride Ltd.

Kent Locations used: Penshurst Place

Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin) and Count Rugen (Christopher Guest) duelling in a hall next to a long wooden table with food on it. Candles are in the background behind them.

Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin) and Count Rugen (Christopher Guest) duelling © Lionsgate Home Entertainment

The Princess Bride is cult fantasy film, based on the 1973 book of the same name, written by William Goldman. A stable boy named Westley (Cary Elwes) confesses his love to an enchanting woman named Buttercup (Robin Wrigh) but their happiness is cut short when Westley is reportedly murdered by blood thirsty pirates. Fearing that her love will never return, Buttercup becomes engaged to a cruel king and they plan to wed. However, as the wedding ceremony begins, so does an invasion of the castle by an unlikely trio of men. Will there be a happy ending after all?

This film is a unique and daring spin on the classic fairy tale formula, complete with sword fights, damsels in distress, magic potions and heroic heroes.

The films cast includes  Cary Elwes (Twister, Saw), Robin Wright (Forest Gump, Beowulf), Mandy Parinkin (Homeland, Dead Like Me) Chris Sarandon (The Nightmare Before Christmas, Childs Play), Fred Savage (The Wonder years, Little Monsters), Peter Falk (Columbo, Murder Ink) and Andre the Giant (WWF, Conan the Destroyer).

Production visited Penshurst Place and used the Barons Hall as the setting for the confrontation between Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin) and Count Rugen (Christopher Guest). Penshurst Place is a grand estate located in the Weald of Kent with extensive grounds spanning 48 acres. Due to its medieval architecture, the house and grounds are a popular filming location and have previously been used in The Other Boleyn Girl (2008), the BBC fantasy series Merlin (2008), and thriller movie The Gathering (2003).

The Princess Bride was first released in November 1987 and is now available to buy on DVD.

 

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map. 

The Wicker Man (1973)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Christopher Lee as Lord Summerisle and Edward Woodward as Sergeant Howie stand in a luscious green garden. Christopher Lee wears a plaid suit, with green shirt and an olive-green tie. Edward Woodward is dressed in a vintage police uniform.

Lord Summerisle (Christopher Lee) and Sergeant Howie (Edward Woodward) in The Wicker Man (1973) © British Lion Film Corporation

Writer: Anthony Shaffer
Director: Robin Hardy
Starring: Edward Woodward, Christopher Lee, Diane Cilento, Britt Ekland
Production Company: British Lion Film Corporation
Kent Location Used: Hush Heath Estate

Cult classic The Wicker Man (1973) follows Sergeant Howie (Edward Woodward) from the West Highland Police force who travels to a village on the Scottish Island Summerisle in search of a girl who has gone missing. Upon arrival, he’s told by the Pagan villagers that the girl never existed.

Adapted for the screen by Anthony Shaffer (Sleuth, Frenzy) and directed by Robin Hardy (The Fantasist, The Bulldance), the film stars Edward Woodward (CI5: The New Professionals (1999), The Equalizer) as Sergeant Howie, Christopher Lee (The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones) as Lord Summerisle, Diane Cilento (Tom Jones, Hombre) as Miss Rose, and Britt Ekland (The Man with the Golden Gun, Get Carter) as Willow.

The gardens and orchard of the Hush Heath Estate in Staplehurst were used as the grove of Lord Summerisle’s Estate, where young, pregnant women wander through the blossom, and through which Sergeant Howie arrives on a carriage.

Hush Heath Estate is situated in the Tonbridge and Malling district. Other productions which shot in Tonbridge include Missing (2009-2010), Making Noise Quietly (2019) and The Larkins (2021).

The Wicker Man (1973) was first released in the UK on Thursday 6th December 1973 and has since become a cult classic.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.