The Princess Bride turns 30 this year, which means the movie is being remembered in many mediums: new merch, costumes, documentaries, convention guests… And we couldn’t be happier. The Princess Bride holds a special place in our hearts. We’ve heard heartwarming stories of Andre the Giant, sidesplitting takes of Billy Crystal’s on-set shenanigans, and more. What we hadn’t seen, until this Labor Day weekend, was the immortal Wallace Shawn (Vizzini) sharing his memories. But we got that, and a whole lot more, when Mr. Shawn himself stopped by Dragon Con.
Of course he talked about The Princess Bride. He recalled the jolliness that was Andre, shared his fear of heights that flared up on the Cliffs of Insanity, and told of his utter surprise when the movie became a classic that still lives on thirty years later.
He talked about other projects as well. He spoke about his character Rex from Toy Story, his favorite smaller projects, his book Night Thoughts, and the plays he has written.
There were two moments in particular that stood out. First was his meeting with fan Shawn Wallace who wondered if the two of them shaking hands would cause the world to implode. Mr. Shawn countered that it would likely make the world better and proceeded to invite Mr. Wallace to the stage for a handshake.
The other moment that caught many off guard was when a fan asked if Shawn still hosts science slumber parties. Confused? We were, too, at first. Then Shawn reminded us of a lesser known role he played: the principle in A Goofy Movie. He seemed tickled that someone remembered the role enough to ask about it.
In truth, Wallace Shawn is our favorite “little old man”; as someone who has never owned a TV and who wondered if you need a special device to play video games, he endeared himself to everyone in the room…
Nerdy Minds Magazine 
Comments? Questions?