Welcome to the inaugural post of our ongoing series — Finding the Vintage Toys of 80s Movie Bedrooms — where we’re going to have some fun and relive the best kid rooms from 1980s-era movies. We’ll do some deep diving and find the toys we see in the background of these iconic rooms from these equally iconic 1980s flicks.
So sit back and get ready for some pure nostalgia as we dive into our first 80s movie room of this series — The Princess Bride.
Why We Loved Seeing Awesome Kid Characters Rooms in Movies
When we watched movies during the 1980s era, the kid rooms always stood out because many of us were kids back then. And we knew what a real kid room looked like. Back in the day, our rooms were full of toys, posters, games, and trinkets from the 1970s and 1980s.
The 1980s were full of so many pop culture icons when it came to toys. Toylines were part of the 1980s zeitgeist.
When you were watching a movie and the scene was set within a kid character’s room, there was an added feeling of excitement when the room looked like our own. It felt more real. We either got excited because we saw toys of our own on the big screen or we felt fun envy because we wanted the toys those characters had. And sometimes we wanted our rooms to emulate those cinematic ones.
About The Princess Bride
If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if a fairytale, a comedy, an adventure, and a romance all got together and had a movie baby, look no further than The Princess Bride. This 1987 classic, directed by the legendary Rob Reiner, has enchanted audiences for decades with its whimsical charm, memorable characters, and endlessly quotable lines.
The film is based on the 1973 novel of the same name by William Goldman. But this isn’t your average fairy tale adaptation. Goldman’s novel is a playful, self-aware story that pretends to be an abridged version of a book by the fictional author S. Morgenstern. This quirky meta-narrative is faithfully carried over into the film, giving it a unique and enchanting flavor.
The movie opens with a grandfather, played by Peter Falk, visiting his sick grandson (a young Fred Savage). To cheer him up, he begins reading a book — the very book that will transport us into the magical world of Florin. This framing device sets the stage for a story within a story, as the grandfather’s narration guides us through the adventure.
As the tale unfolds, we meet Buttercup, a beautiful young woman living on a farm in the country of Florin. She falls in love with Westley, her farm boy, who leaves to seek his fortune so they can marry. When Westley is reported dead at the hands of the Dread Pirate Roberts, Buttercup is heartbroken and agrees to marry Prince Humperdinck, though she does not love him.
But this is just the beginning! The plot thickens as Buttercup is kidnapped by a trio of bandits — the clever Vizzini, the giant Fezzik, and the skilled swordsman Inigo Montoya. They are pursued by a mysterious masked man who turns out to be none other than Westley, alive and well. What follows is a thrilling adventure filled with sword fights, daring rescues, and a quest for revenge.
In the end, true love conquers all, and our heroes live happily ever after — but not before overcoming a series of challenges that test their courage, wit, and heart.
During the movie, we continue to go back to the grandson’s room as he comments on the story being told to him.
The Grandson’s Room in The Princess Bride — And the Toys Within
Okay, let’s get started. Consider this a game, whether you’re watching the clips below or rewatching the movies at home. It really is exciting to see how the production and set designers of these classics filled the sets with pop culture pieces.
We’re going to focus primarily on action figures and toy line vehicles. Although there are plenty of amazing non-toy pop culture items throughout the room.
This opening sequence when we’re introduced to the grandson, his mom, and the grandfather is where you’ll catch a glimpse of these toys in the background. Check it out. Pay attention to the shelf behind the grandson. Most of the key pieces we found will be on there.
Did you see any? Let us do the work for you as we share what we’ve found below. Once you know what to look for, it may be easier to find them when you watch the clip again. Use this screenshot as a reference:
Oh, by the way, we actually discovered some vintage figures that The Toys of Our Lives has for sale. We’ll offer links to those we have in our online store — or you can come down to our store in Verona, WI to buy them for your collection!
HE-MAN AND THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE: Battle Armor He-Man and Battle Cat
You’ll see these two to your left of the shot of the grandson.
Come out to the store to check these figures out or click on these links to buy Battle Armor He-Man and Battle Cat now!
These lesser-known villains from the MOTU series are highly sought-after pieces for collectors. You can see them in the reference image to the right of the grandson.
Come out to the store to check these figures out or click on these links to buy Leech or Grizzlor now!
HE-MAN AND THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE: Skeletor’s Landshark
In the upper left of the reference screenshot, you’ll see a blob of blue and orange/red colors. That’s Skeletor’s Landshark, one of the many unique vehicles from the MOTU line.
HE-MAN AND THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE: ZOAR
Near the Skeletor’s Landshark, you can also catch a glimpse of the MOTU creature figure Zoar.
HE-MAN AND THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE: Hordak Riding Spydor
The villain Hordak appears in both the HE-MAN MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE franchise, as well as the spin-off SHE-RA franchise as well. In this second reference screenshot, you’ll see Hordak riding Spydor to the right of the grandson.
Come out to the store to check out our contemporary 2022 version of Hordak or click on the link to buy him now!
HE-MAN AND THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE: SY-KLONE
On the second tier of the bookshelf behind the grandson you can also (barely) spot the figure Sy-Klone. Within the MOTU realm, Sy-Klone was a member of the Heroic Warriors. He is a blue-skinned cyborg with the ability to spin at super-speed and generate a whirlwind. Sy-Klone's name was originally going to be Tornado. In his first mini-comic appearance in "Spikor Strikes,” one panel mistakenly refers to him by his original name.
Come out to the store to check this figure out or click on this link to buy Sy-Klone now!
MARVEL’S SECRET WARS: Captain America
This 1984 figure release coincided with the release of Marvel’s Secret Wars comics. The Marvel Cinematic Universe has the Secret Wars movie set for a tentative 2027 release.
And, yes, we have this figure in mint condition on the card!
Come out to the store to check this figure out or click on this link to buy Secret Wars Captain America now!
Oh, there’s one more item.
Burger King The Empire Strikes Back Luke on Dagobah Collector Glass
We don’t have it online, but come out to the store to buy it now!
There you have it. If we’ve missed anything, let us know and we’ll update the post!
As you can see, the grandson in The Princess Bride loved He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.
Stay tuned for our next installment where we’ll feature the kids' room in the 1982 classic horror flick, Poltergeist!