Watching the Star Wars saga in this day and age is as easy as pressing a button. Streaming platforms like Disney+ have brought these movies and more to the comfort of our homes, without the need for us to step out or buy them. Of course, the pros and cons of streaming services are an entirely separate conversation, but there’s no denying that they bring an unprecedented level of convenience to our TV or movie watching experience. But things weren’t always this easy.
Back in the ‘70s you’d have to go to the movie theater if you wanted to watch Star Wars: A New Hope. Home video was still not pervasive and VCR cassettes for the movies were hard to rent because of how popular the movie was. However, there was a way to experience it at home, thanks to one of Kenner’s most unusual Star Wars products. While the manufacturer was primarily known for its toys, this product allowed us to relive the movie at home at a time when things weren’t as simple as they are today.
Notice I used words like “experience” and “relive” instead of “watch”. That’s because the Star Wars Give-A-Show Projector wasn’t exactly a stand-in for the movie itself. It featured an illustrated retelling of the movie, made up of 112 fully colored slides. Sure, it’s no replacement for one of, if not the most iconic franchises of all time, but it was a great way to relive the experience at a time when it wasn’t easy to do so. The projector and slides showcased stills of key scenes from the movie, almost like an extended recap.
Given the nature of the product itself, and how delicate the slides were, finding a pristine version of the projector would be incredibly difficult today. You can bet that it’s going to have a lot of suitors once bidding opens up on Heritage Auctions. Unlike some odd product ideas, like the Luke Skywalker Headset AM Radio, this projector is actually one of Kenner’s most interesting innovations. The thought of experiencing the movie with such convenience at home, even in this form, was something fans would not have not even thought possible at the time.
If you want to get meta about it, it’s almost akin to the holograms that characters used to communicate in the movies. It’s safe to say that Kenner really nailed it with this product, bringing Star Wars from a galaxy far far away, right into the homes of fans. Add to that the unique hand-drawn artwork, and you had something that the kids could keep rewatching till the release of The Empire Strikes Back.
