Once Upon a VHS: The Fairy Tale Behind LEGO Shrek

The announcement of LEGO set 72423 Shrek, Donkey & Puss in Boots sparked a wave of nostalgia, connecting the new set to childhood memories of VHS tapes, family gatherings, and the beloved animated film. The author reflects on the experience of watching movies on VHS, particularly during the holidays, and how the anticipation of a new film release created a unique sense of excitement. This feeling is now rekindled with the arrival of the new LEGO set.

The article delves into the history of VHS, tracing its origins to the 1970s with the Japanese company Matsushita Kotobuki Electronic Industries and JVC's launch of the Video Cassette Recorder system in 1976. The author recalls the joy of expanding their movie collection through rentals, homemade recordings, and the thrill of finally owning a favorite movie on VHS. The author's memories include the original *Star Wars* trilogy and *Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure*. The author highlights how the arrival of DVDs and Blu-ray discs changed home movie watching, but the VHS tapes held a certain mystique.

The author's connection to the Shrek franchise began in 2001 when DreamWorks Animation released the first film. The author's passion for art, drawing, and creativity, which eventually led to a love for LEGO, was ignited by the movie. Holding LEGO set 72423 Shrek, Donkey & Puss in Boots brought back the feeling of opening an old VHS case. The author notes the minimal box art, which adds to the familiar feeling of anticipation and discovery.

For LEGO fans who want to relive the nostalgia of the VHS era while building set 72423 Shrek, Donkey & Puss in Boots, consider displaying the finished set in a LEGO display case.