[RIP] William Goldman, writer of many favorite classics, including "Misery", has died

Growing up, my school had a tradition. At least once a year, on a "movie day", we would watch The Princess Bride. From the first time I viewed it until the present, it has remained one of my favorite movies of all time. Full of magic, adventure, and even terror, the film has stood the test of time and has resonated with audiences all over. That is why it is with remorse that I write that today, the film's screenwriter, William Goldman, has died...

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...Goldman, an Oscar-winning screenwriter, died in his home last night at the age of 87. 

Goldman was what you could consider an accomplished screenwriter. He won two Academy Awards in his career, one for All the President's Men and one for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. But Goldman wasn't your average Academy screenwriter. He was a man who enjoyed dabbling in many genres, and left us with a bevy of classics, some of which horror fans hold close to their hearts. 

In particular, Goldman wrote one horror film that will likely continue to live on in infamy for decades to come, Misery, an adaptation of Stephen King's novel which thrilled audiences when it released in 1990. Goldman often returned to the horror genre, having also written an early Anthony Hopkins vehicle, Magic, as well as the original The Stepford Wives, Memoirs of an Invisible Man, Dreamcatcher, and a personal favorite of mine, The Ghost and the Darkness. 

William Goldman was the kind of writer that most screenwriters aspire to be. He proved he could write award winning caliber films, but never considered himself above writing genre material, which he always brought a thoughtful intelligence to. 

We lost a great one today. Thank you for all the memories, William. You taught me that if you truly love someone, the only response there ever is to their requests is, "as you wish". 

By Matt Konopka