The Star Wars Holiday Special Review

The Star Wars Holiday Special

Broadcast Date: 16th March 1979 - Australia

Production Companies

Smith-Hemion Productions

20th Century Fox Television

(in association with)

Lucasfilm Ltd.

Genre: Sci-Fi

Rating: M

Runtime: 98 minutes

Plot Summary

For Life Day, the most

important holiday in the

galaxy, Han Solo and

Chewbacca will have to

overtake the Empire

and get to the Wookie

homeworld, Kashyyk, to

celebrate the holiday

with Chewie's family.

As they await his return,

Chewie's family pass

the time with various

forms of entertainment.

Cast

Mark Hamill - Luke Skywalker

Harrison Ford - Han Solo

Carrie Fisher - Princess Leia Organa

Peter Mayhew - Chewbacca

Anthony Daniels - C-3PO

Kenny Baker - R2-D2

James Earl Jones - Darth Vader (Voice)

Bea Arthur - Ackmena

Art Carney - Saun Dunn

Diahann Carroll - Mermeia Holographic Wow

Jefferson Starship - Holographic Band

Harvey Korman - Krelman/

Chef Gormaanda/Amorphian

Instructor

Mickey Morton - Malla

Paul Gale - Itchy

Patty Maloney - Lumpy

Jack Rader - Imperial Guard Officer

Stephanie Stromer - The Great Zorback (Holographic Gymnast)

Michael Potter - Imperial Guard Officer

Wazzan Troupe - Holographic Tumblers

Yûichi Sugiyama - The Ringleader

The Mumm Brothers - The Reeko Brothers

Claude Woolman - Imperial

Officer (Widescreen)

Lev Mailer - Imperial

Guard #1

John McLaughlin - Imperial

Stormtrooper #1

Don Francks - Boba Fett

(Voice) (Uncredited)

Crew

Directors - Steve Binder and David Acomba (Uncredited)

Characters - George Lucas

Writers - Rod Warren, Bruce Vilanch, Pat Proft and Leonard Ripps

Writer/Producer - Mitzie Welch

Executive Producers - Dwight Hemion and Gary Smith

Producers - Joe Layton,

Jeff Starsh and Ken Welch

Consultant: Star Wars - Miki Herman

Art Director - Brian Bartholomew

Illustrator - Ralph McQuarrie

Set Decorator - Garrett Lewis

Costume Designer - Bob Mackie

Costume: "Chewbacca" - Stuart Freeborn

Costumes: "Wookie Family" - Ellis Burman Jr.,

Thomas R. Burman and Stan Winston

Cinematography - John B. Field

Choreographer - David Winters

Animation Director - Clive Smith (Uncredited)

Layout Artist - Frank Nissen (Uncredited)

Editors - Jerry Bixman and Vince Humphrey

Sound Effects - Ben Burtt

Star Wars Themes - John Williams

Music - Ian Fraser

Review

Happy holidays, everyone! Star Wars is a beloved franchise. Millions of fans worldwide have been captivated by it. Sure, it has its ups and downs. The original trilogy was the benchmark for the series, although the prequel trilogy was a mixed bag, to say the least. And as for the sequel trilogy, that's another story. One of the most debated topics within the community is which movie is the least favourite of the series. Some say it was The Phantom Menace. Others believe it was Attack of the Clones, The Rise of Skywalker, or The Last Jedi (but I don't think the latter is that bad). However, many fans agree that THE STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL is the worst, as it casts the prequels and (to a lesser extent) the sequels in a more favourable light by comparison.

In 1978, a year after the film that changed the world of cinema hit the screens, this holiday special appeared, supposedly born out of concern from its creator, George Lucas, that people would lose interest in the Star Wars franchise. It happened while The Empire Strikes Back was in pre-production. Now, of course, these fears have proven unfounded. But bear in mind that this was when Star Wars was still completely new. Nobody expected this to become a huge success, and despite its ludicrous box-office takings, no one knew how long it would last.

I have never done a full-length holiday special, but I'm excited to give it a try. When I first saw The Star Wars Holiday Special in 2021, it felt like I unearthed a lost treasure, but looking back, it's clear why it is hated. Seriously, what was George Lucas thinking? The main issue with the entire concept is that, in the 1970s, variety shows were popular, much like Sonny and Cher. Consequently, all of these awful tropes and nonsense from these shows found their way into Star Wars, resulting in this space mess. This gimmick just isn't suited for the franchise, as this example demonstrates.

Even today, no one is exactly sure who came up with this ridiculous idea, but somehow Lucas hooked up with CBS, and the rest is history. While Lucas had minimal involvement in this special, as he was busy working on other projects, I don't blame him. A series of writers and directors have come and gone during this tumultuous production. The outcome is not so much a space fantasy but more like a space farce. Heck, even Lucas wanted it erased. Since its original broadcast in 1978, the show has not been in any form of media, nor has it ever been released on home video. However, part of it appears on Disney+, specifically the animated segment.

At the same time, I admire Star Wars' approach to world-building, as it frequently produces fascinating settings and creatures, even if it sometimes feels commercial, as in the later films and television series. However, this special gets it all wrong. The plot is virtually nonexistent, nonsensical, and more convoluted. The characters created for this special, like Chewbacca's family, are mostly irritating. The skits are overly long and incomprehensible, and the musical numbers are out of place.

The only saving grace of this special is the animated segment, which, surprisingly, is the closest it gets to being a movie or a TV show. While it isn't bad, it would have been better suited to something more in line with the Star Wars name. However, the good thing about this segment is that it introduced fans to a certain bounty hunter named Boba Fett, who would later appear on the big screen in The Empire Strikes Back. While Bea Arthur gives the only sincere and earnest performance in the special, the other celebrity guests, including Art Carney and Harvey Korman, aren't much better, with the latter trying to be funny.

This holiday special is terrible, and fans have a right to accept that. Trust me, there's no point in defending it. I would not recommend this one to anyone unless you want to watch the abridged version, the cartoon, or the reviewed version, because those are far more enjoyable than watching a raw video of nothing happening if you know what's good for you.

Star rating: (1/10) Worst Movie Ever

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In Memory of Rob Reiner (1947-2025)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rob Reiner (1947-2025)

 

Rob Reiner, a famous director and actor who first gained recognition in "All in the Family" and went on to direct such classic films as "This is Spinal Tap," "Stand by Me," "The Princess Bride," "When Harry Met Sally...," "Misery," and "A Few Good Men," was reportedly found dead alongside his wife in their home. He was 78. Their cause of death was apparent homicide, as they received multiple stab wounds.

Born in the Bronx, New York, in 1947, Reiner is the son of the legendary comic actor Carl Reiner and singer Estelle Rebost. In the 1960s, he began his acting career, taking minor roles in television shows such as "Batman," "That Girl," "The Beverly Hillbillies," and "The Partridge Family." In 1971, Reiner landed his first notable role as the countercultural Michael "Meathead" Stivic in the CBS sitcom "All in the Family," which ran for nine seasons. He received two of the five Emmy nominations for his performance and five further Golden Globe nominations for the same role.

In 1984, Reiner transitioned from television acting to film directing with the renowned mockumentary "This is Spinal Tap," which satirised the excesses of the wildly popular heavy metal scene at the time. He built on his success with a string of hits, including "Stand by Me," "The Princess Bride," "When Harry Met Sally...," "Misery," and "A Few Good Men," the latter of which earned an Oscar nomination for Best Picture. Reiner's box-office success began to wane in the late 1990s as the writer-director turned to more topical subject matter, such as "Ghosts of Mississippi," which dealt with the civil rights movement of the 1960s, and "LBJ," which covered the presidential career of Lyndon Johnson. More recently, he directed "Shock and Awe," which dealt with the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

He also directed subsequent movies, including "The American President," "The Bucket List," and his final film, the 2025 sequel "Spinal Tap II: The End Continues." Reiner also continued to take on minor roles in films such as "Sleepless in Seattle," in which he played Tom Hanks' friend, as well as in "Postcards from the Edge," "The First Wives Club," "The Wolf of Wall Street," "New Girl," and "The Bear." He often played himself in comedies, such as "30 Rock," "The Simpsons," "Hannah Montana," "The Larry Sanders Show," and "Curb Your Enthusiasm." Reiner also co-founded the production company Castle Rock Entertainment, which is responsible for hit films and television shows, including "Seinfeld," "City Slickers," "In the Line of Fire," "Malice," "The Shawshank Redemption," "Lone Star," and "Miss Congeniality."

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