The '80s and '90s were a time when you could be too young to watch a particular movie and yet still be targeted by endless Saturday morning commercials peddling toys based on that movie.It was truly a less P.C. time.
I don't know which of these I find most shocking, though I might have to give the edge to Kenner's 18″ “Alien” action figure from 1979, which just so happened to be spun off from the bleakest, most shocking, most phallic sci-fi/horror film of all time. Guess what? It didn't sell well. But I'd venture a guess that many of the other toys listed below did, thanks to targeted advertising campaigns that boxed the ultraviolence of the film and TV properties in question into a more kid-friendly package — if you can call the excessive marketing of automatic firearms “kid friendly,” which I wouldn't. In fact, I wouldn't even call it “adult friendly.” Let's just not use the term “friendly” to describe guns at any point, deal?
Did we miss any? After scrolling through our selections below, tell us which R-rated toys you can't believe you played with in the comments.