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ComprehensiveDust197

It is a movie/book referrence. "***The Indian in the Cupboard*** is a 1995 American [family](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_film) [fantasy film](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantasy_film) directed by [Frank Oz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Oz) and written by [Melissa Mathison](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melissa_Mathison), based on the 1980 children's [book of the same name](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Indian_in_the_Cupboard) by [Lynne Reid Banks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynne_Reid_Banks). The story revolves around a boy who receives a [cupboard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cupboard) as a gift on his ninth birthday. He later discovers that putting toy figures in the cupboard, after locking and unlocking it, brings the toys to life." Fun fact: The title of the story didnt came to my mind, so I googled "Indian in a cupboard" and was surprised anbout this very literal title


Rae_Of_Light_919

Some extra context. The VHS release of the movie had a plastic case with a reversible insert that made it look like a cupboard, along with the figure and key in the photo. The image of the cupboard behind the figure is part of the VHS case with the insert.


LeftCoastBrain

Came here to say this! I still have my little figure. Semi-related side note: I started to read this book aloud to my kids a couple weeks ago and felt weird saying “Indian” - I tried to change it to “native”. Language and culture are weird.


capalbertalexander

I’ve been told by several natives of multiple tribes of the southwest that they use and prefer Indian and I’ve heard from others they prefer Native American. I think as long as the context is polite you’re fine but honestly who am I to say.


phil8248

I watched a documentary from Canada where they approached Natives to discuss the use of Eskimo for sports teams. They said, "We don't care. We're Inuit. Eskimo is a white man's word." It was priceless.


tomahawkfury13

I'm inuit and also don't care unless you're being ignorant with it. My gamer tag even has Eskimo in it because I'm also part mohawk and Eskimohawk just works lok


captainrina

That IS a great tag


tomahawkfury13

Lol thank you. The funny thing is I have had people try and call me out on it online saying it's racist and I just laugh lol


Angry_argie

They're jelly because they can't build awesome portable leather kayaks.


silverandshade

That's so clever omg


aoskunk

Oh that’s awesome.


ChiotVulgaire

It might be better now than before, in a way: India has recently changed their international country name to reflect their endonym, Bharat. If we similarly change the term for the nationality then there won't be as much confusion over the term.


No-Appearance-9113

Have they officially done this yet? I know it is/was being discussed


Rivarz

Wasn't that proposed by their PM who also just came out as literal God? From what I've seen it's only popular with the conservative Indians. I could be wrong though, it's just what I've seen from the vast majority of Indian subs on reddit


Glittering_Rain8562

Indigenous writer Sherman Alexi once said something to the effect of, "The white man took everything else. I'm not letting them take the word Indian too."


[deleted]

Indian is a word the white man gave to the people of the Americas. It probably would make more sense to refer to them by the name they gave themselves as individual tribes and cultures pre-Columbus.


RevolutionFast8676

You are an english speaker. You have just as much authority over how the language should be used as anyone else.


Mindless-Charity4889

I read “Tom Sawyer” to my kids. That’s even more problematic.


FrogManTheGreat667

never read it myself, can you explain why it's problematic?


Mindless-Charity4889

One of the characters is “Injun Joe”, which is the part relevant to this thread, but there’s also “N****r Jim” which I’m uncomfortable even writing, let alone saying. Edit: thinking back, I remember as a kid watching an animated series about the adventures of Tom Sawyer. In it, the cave where he and Becky were lost contained a time portal so they were able to travel to different times and places (where everyone nevertheless spoke English), all the while still being pursued by Joe.


Sinnsearachd

You could always say American Indian if that's easier.


LeftCoastBrain

Do you think “Native American” or “American Indian” is more accurate/respectful?


Sinnsearachd

So, I actually worked at the Smithsonian National Museum for the American Indian, and when they first built it they did a nation wide pole asking what American Indians preferred. All would like to be called by their tribe name first, but in lieu of that about 60% preferred American Indian , and 40 percent preferred Native American. But if they are outside the States, Canadians preferred First People and central/south Americans prefer indigenous.


LeftCoastBrain

I can’t remember if they mention the tribe that The Indian In The Cupboard was from but I have it in my head he was a Sioux. Anyway I was thinking it would probably be best to use that if it’s in there. Thanks for the factoid!


showcore911

It is mentioned, he is Iriquois, and more specifically Onondaga.


tanhallama

Re: proper names, I've known a few people from Siouan tribes that get real pissy if you use the word "Sioux," preferring more specific tribal designations like Lakota or Oglala (it might just be them actually)


infiniteanomaly

My cousin named her daughter Brittany Sioux...said daughter is in her 30s now. I cannot help the internal cringe any time I hear this cousin (Brittany) mentioned...it's a Tragedeigh. The cringe is strong.


ImpossibleInternet3

Sioux in a Siouxtcase?


Sinnsearachd

No worries! I appreciate you!


NaiveReflection5877

Okie here. Indian is fine.


embee90

Yeah and the vhs case had a little keyhole cut into it on the seam so you could “unlock” it with the toy key. Definitely played with the case more than I ever watched the movie.


Rae_Of_Light_919

I completely forgot about the keyhole in the case! I have to see if my parents or siblings still have the VHS somewhere.


Lori2345

The toys didn’t come to life, the cupboard causes time travel to happen and people from the past that look identical to the toy replace the toy and find themselves in the present. And very tiny.


-Clarity-

In one of the later books it turns out it's the key that's causes the time travel. Omri actually travels back with Boon at one point and gets hurt. I think he used a large chest. God it's been literal decades since I read those books I gave no idea how I remember that lol.


PogintheMachine

Close. Patrick travels with Boon, in book 3. The best entry is book 4- Mystery of the cupboard in which we get the lore of the key >!(created by Omri’s somewhat-witchy great great Aunt) and the cupboard (imbued with power and a hatred of plastic by Omri’s great Uncle, a toymaker).!< There’s dark family trauma, it’s really a step forward in maturity for the books. Then book 5 is utter garbage.


Ponykegabs

Is book five the one where they melt the key down and recast it as a car key? Or did I just imagine that?


Hollownerox

I wish you imagined it. It's been a long time since I read it, but even as a kid I thought that book must have been a fever dream after I was done with it. Really bizarre direction to take.


derpkoikoi

She pulled the western equivalent of turning the rom com into a battle manga


StoneGoldX

I had no idea there was more than one sequel. And now I see why, I had aged out of the series by the time the third one came out.


Mad_Aeric

I didn't even know there was a fifth book, and I'm kinda grateful for that given what I've just learned.


Caleb_Reynolds

Imagine he shows up in the past 60 ft tall.


cheezfreek

Inuk chuk?


Paul_C

Who the eff gives a 9 year-old a cupboard for his birthday?


ninjesh

I'd have accepted a magic cupboard as a 9-year-old


deowolf

I'd accept a magic cupboard now


[deleted]

[удалено]


deowolf

Stupid monkey’s paw


throwaway098764567

i gave my then 5yo cousin's kid a small painted chest with a oblong nail polished piece of wood in it, was a treasure chest with a "dragon scale" and they LOVED that gift. granted 5 is different than 9 but if they still got the imagination..


seraphimsilver

It was a gift from one of his brothers who'd had his allowance suspended after wrecking their dad's bicycle. It's mentioned that it looked like he'd pulled it out of a neighbor's trash pile. 😄 Later books got a little weird with the actual origin of the cupboard.


TommyTwoTanks

"A little weird". Yeah, that's one way to refer to a toymaker's hate magic causing magical time-traveling, shrink-ray keys.


seraphimsilver

The toy maker made the cabinet, it was his mother who made the key, and apparently the mother was like, a great aunt to Omri's mom? That's why she had the key in the first place. The author really loved her coincidences. 😆


Azidamadjida

He also got a skateboard as his main gift. The cupboard was kind of a random afterthought gift, like they thought it looked cool but the main gift was the skateboard


Ok-Street-7963

I didn’t even realize there was a movie.


BZenMojo

Yep. Solid flick (as a huge fan of the books).


MjrLeeStoned

My favorite part is when the kid says "It's too risky" and Boone the Cowboy (played by David Keith) goes "WHISKEY?!?" Not sure why but that part always got me.


miightymiighty

Oh man, this occupied a lot of my childhood imagination. How's I forget about it until now!


ToothlessPorcupine

It took me three or four tries to correctly read “family fantasy film”


csudyh

Holy frick I just remembered about this, this is the first time I've seen it in like 6 year


dekabreak1000

And if you read the books it turns out the cupboard isn’t magic it’s the key as the key is used on a trunk and it sends the boys back to the past


Alorxico

I read the whole series shortly after the movie came out. It was interesting. It kinda got weird towards the end, but was a great read for an early teen.


nazul22

In my country it wad aptly named "thr magic key" i think


condor6425

It was also a book and I had to read it for school, so idk if it was general mandatory curriculum for grade schoolers nationwide/statewide but if so a whole generation is guaranteed to know about it.


MrPete1985

There were 3 books in the series, don't think they got movies though


ripull125

Am a teen rn but this was a fun book to read when i was a kid. Crazy how i recognized it from the pic so fast


YogurtclosetRude8955

These are the paragraph guys in the minecraft parkour reddit stories on yt


Jillybeans82

The book “The Indian and the Cupboard.” I think every third grader read that book in the 80s.


palescales7

Can confirm


j10brook

The later books in the series got weird. If I recall, Omri found a way to send himself back to Little Bear's time but he went back as a longhouse that was being burned, and when he came back to present day, half his hair was burnt off.


Luckydog6631

I remember being horrified when they put the army men in the cupboard and they started unloading machine guns into his palms when he opened the door


Tiny_Artificer

Holy smokes I completely forgot about that. In fact I'd completely forgotten about reading the entire series until I read your comment.


Brilliant_Buns

WHAT lmfaoooo this is like A24 does Indian in the Cupboard


BZenMojo

I still remember him discovering the bodies of the people he'd brought though the cupboard and when that one soldier just transformed into a set of empty clothes.


j10brook

Tommy! Right, WW1 medic. And his clothes were transported because, "He didn't need them anymore"


Brilliant_Buns

Oh lord. I remember now...


Difficult_Bit_1339

This whole comment chain is nostalgia


Turbomattk

It’s been well over 30 plus years since I’ve read those three books. Somehow that part with the fire is one of few core memories I have from reading them.


KittyGaming570

I remember reading this in 3rd or 4th grade and I wasn't even alive in the 80s man


MKE-Henry

I had to read it in school in like 2008


turtle-ding-dong

I read it in school in 2018


REDandBLUElights

If you're serious, thats really exciting to an old guy like me. This book was one of my favorites growing up. I was really excited to see this post as I had almost forgotten about it.


turtle-ding-dong

Yep, 4th grade in california in 2018


lylertila

They're still reading Hatchet too! My son came home one day stoked about a new book they were reading in class-and it was Hatchet!


GuitarJazzer

If you were a third grader in the 80s, you are not old. Old is when you were a third grader and read *Dick and Jane*. See Spot run.


ScottyArrgh

I still have the books packed away, for when my kids get old enough lol.


A_Nodachi_

I read it in 4th grade in 2013 so it’s still kicking somewhere


epic-Independence-66

Goddamn, I was born after 2000, and I had read book https://preview.redd.it/w7qx8rvi7z4d1.png?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1b4b3689ac39f0fe7c692bac466bdc48c2887398


DocFaust13

OPs pic didn’t hit me nearly as hard as seeing the cover of the book. That’s some serious nostalgia. Also, I am WAY older than you lol


TheRider5342

Why the "I'm way older than you" part😭😭


Lancearon

Toy story -1


iThatIsMe

Small Soldiers -4


Rued_possible

It’s the 1995 movie called The Indian in the Cupboard, in which a kid discovers that he has a magical cupboard that animates things when he puts them inside of it. Give it a watch sometime to get some of that 90s movie magic


uyigho98

>1995 I feel old now...


GameJon

Bro it’s based on the books, I saw this and thought of the books - I’m that old


Prof_Aganda

Yeah, I didn't even know there was a movie, and I read the books before the movie came out...


LeftCoastBrain

1995? You mean like 15 years ago? *Oh wait…*


Buroda

The kid on the poster has square teeth


WoppingSet

And the VHS came with that plastic key that bent as soon as you put it in anything, magic cupboard or otherwise.


GiantMenacingCrab

OP didn't want to light up his dark room with his bright phone screen to look up "small Indian inside of cupboard"


torivor100

No I'm not looking this up Chris I don't believe you


pioneerpatrick

This is just another herculad situation


Erbodyloveserbody

Tomar orchestrated all of this


DankLinks

THE INDIAN IN THE CUPBOARD IS REAL!!


RealMuthafknGerald

Israel?


DankLinks

Yea Tomar


Nowardier

It's the VHS tape for the movie *The Indian in the Cupboard.* I remember playing with the box for hours as a kid. You could take the paper label that came in a little sleeve attached to the plastic case the tape came in off, turn it inside out, and put it back on and it made the case look like a wooden cupboard. The tape came with a couple of "feelies" as they were called back in the day, a key and a little figure of the Indian from the movie, and I remember there being a keyhole molded into the VHS case. So when you bought the movie, you got kind of a little playset with it.


Small-Grocery-1502

Oh such a good memory. I was looking for this comment, or was going to post it myself. I remember losing the key and feeling a little sad that I lost part of the set. Wasn't it so cool?


TCGHexenwahn

I feel old...


EmperorGrinnar

Pretty good books.


V4ULTB0Y101

I'm 17. I get this, I am bewildered by anyone who doesn't.


Amazing-Cool

Dude me too, but to be fair this was in the far corner of my mind until now.


CauseCertain1672

it's a British childrens book reference


Miserable-Ad-8663

It's all fun and games until mom puts her *toys* inside


NC_MW

All you folks out here defining this as a "movie" are making my joint hurt and my hair turn grey.


OR56

A very good book called “the Indian in the cupboard”


Micahmanne

Give that guy some corn husk please


Entire_Transition_99

Then you're not old enough, OP


TrainsDontHunt

... or not young enough.


Chitterspitter

I remember reading the vhs case of this movie when i pooped as a kid! just had the case under the sink for some weird reason but man kids these days with their game boys and tablets haha


losleeper

Loved the book! One of my favorite parts of the movie was when Omri and Patrick brought Tommy to life to heal Boone. When they put Tommy back in the cupboard he’s adjusting his belt and says “Buckles keep catchin’ on me doo-dah.” Always thought that line was so funny


SnooNuggets

I had the vhs of it


aznexile602

I was in 5th grade when I watched this movie. The concept was so fascinating to me at the time


Lee-Dest-Roy

Core memory unlocked


Less_Atmosphere_8524

Core memory unlocked!


Flimsy-Republic-5226

H o l y - memory unlocked fr


The_8th_Angel

I don't *want* to get it. I'm too young to feel this old. But damn, I wanted one as a kid.


TheAmazing2ArmedMan

The Indian in the Cupboard was a series of novels about a boy who brings his plastic toys to life. He eventually finds out that these are real people whom he has ripped out of their times, and taken them away from their lives, and then he just keeps doing it. For at least four novels iirc. Update: double checked, turns out it was five novels.


Aesthetics_Supernal

Ngl, this movie got me into miniatures and later I started Warhammer. It didn't help that we also got Small Soldiers.


Wend-E-Baconator

It's a reference to the 1995 movie "The Indian in the Cupboard". When the child puts a plastic Indian in the cupboard, it comes to life. Then the boy learns lessons about the nature of conflict blah blah blah the important part is that the poster is old enough to remember the movie.


NiceCunt91

Oh man I forgot about the Indian in the cupboard. Loved the film as a child


KittyGaming570

bro I remember this bookk/movie we read it in elementary school, so good


RogueTBNRzero

Dude I remember Indian in the cupboard 😭 this book was always confusing to me as a child cuz in Texas it’s called a cabinet and I have never heard of it being called a cupboard so I had the hardest time imagining what the setting looked like Edit: I’m 19 but I’m not old so I’m one of the outliers


JRsisk

14-year-olds know this movie, I don’t know why the guy in the post is pretending like he’s an ancient


MrYouknowhoo

Bro, me too. Was just reflecting on this film just the other day.


PerfectFoundation223

This hurts me I just turned 21 today and I get this joke


RooIsHome

First book series that I enjoyed as a kid.


turtletaint911

https://preview.redd.it/j7j52olwyz4d1.jpeg?width=300&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=46a0513db9b5858714eab6c0dbeb61b5e7236903 Welcome to my Cupboard


[deleted]

Damn, your back must hurt like mine


holyparasite29a

I read these books when I was in grade school… didn’t realize they made movies


DiligentSink7919

not a joke, this damn sub is turning into another low rent karma farming sub like all the rest


Mountain_Man_44

I read this book as a child, and I’m not old at all


Dzdilla

Dang, I’m so old I thought about the book and forgot they even made a movie! I was already a little too old for it at that point!


goodbye_wig

https://preview.redd.it/ds6vmz0zm15d1.jpeg?width=704&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7a19b39f4257e0b8ae12ca486d08787ded06b8e0 I happened to have this in my camera roll


Procrastinatedthink

Indian in the cupboard. Go watch it, it’s such a great movie…at least it was when I was a kid (god damnit this site is reminding me Im old)


SkilledWood

“Plas-tic people.. plas-tic..”


EpiphanyPhoenix

Indian in the Cupboard! My childhood!


darkking1927

But… this isn’t that old? I’m 18 and extremely fond of this movie


enoctis

29 years ago.


darkking1927

Jesus, now I do feel old… I honestly thought it was like 20 years ago this movie was made…


FreddyVanZ

I just got hit in the age-spot. Specifically, my growing bald spot.


NicNac_PattyMac

It was a book.


bflatmatt

He’s Plaztec.


Flaky_Dance_9080

Yooooooo


CantStopStinkPoo

Plassss-tech


gregarious_giant

Pllaasstak


Jetventus1

The Indian and the cupboard, hated that movie even though my boi is in it


beykakua

Never forget the way that kid said "plaz-tack"


WolfKill52

I love this movie!!


AmyRoseJohnson

“Little Bear… Amigo…”


Unclerojelio

Jeez, my kids watched this thousands of times. I think I’ve still got the tape around here somewhere.


Historical_Ad7662

The rat getting kicked down the stairs made me laugh so much when I was a kid. I would rewind it and laugh and laugh.


IIPrayzII

I think it’s referencing the book/movie “The Indian in the Cupboard” from 1995. I’m assuming they were a kid when the movie came out, roughly dating them.


superradguy

Sorry to hear that dating them has been rough. Maybe time to move on and see other people?


SnooSnooSnuSnu

Maybe they're sleeping rough.


superradguy

Rough snusnu


SnooSnooSnuSnu

😏


TifCreatesAgain

Great movie!


GreebleSlayer

Thought it was Kocoum from Pocahontas 🥴


Dull-Emergency2995

Omri!


SuperEnough

This movie is amazing I saw it in theaters.


[deleted]

sad thing is I remember that I am old :(


TheTninker2

Once again I am reminded that my physical age and my emotional/mental age don't match as I was raised in a region that's at least a decade behind and I was raised by my grandmother. I saw this and went, "Indian in the cupboard" then read the title of the post.


HauntingPhilosopher

Same


Sui_hou

_"The Indian in the Cupboard is reeeeal!"_


terriblykinky

Uh oh… I’m old now…


Soggy-Class1248

Lollll


Druidcowb0y

we’ve found the youngster


Puppy-Zwolle

So about 37? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Indian_in_the_Cupboard_(film)


pseudodelver

You don't get it because you're not old enough lmao


CamJam621

Wow, this takes me back…


UgoStrange

HATED this movie ! If I had that cupboard I'd be spending every dollar I had on fake money .


Dardzel

Before elf on a shelf, there was an Indian in the cupboard.


1RandomMind

If they’re saying “Im this old” must make me ancient.


HndWrmdSausage

Thats a fantastic movie.


Jazzlike-Rip-1872

Your not old enough to


Galva_

i remember this actually being a pretty good movie


i-might-do-that

I forget this existed every once in a while. Guess it was time for the universe to remind me.


Audreysatori

Omg new memories unlocked 🥹😍


Melovance

op is in fact not that old apparently lol


Inner-Honeydew103

Such a great movie I was 3 when it came out saw it when I was six probably before but I don’t remember first seeing till I was 6


demitasse22

This book is welded into my childhood.


EndurableOrmeedue

I had read that book when I was younger.


Fukyuiku

Because you're young