The Star Wars Holiday Special
Broadcast Date: 16th March 1979 - Australia
Production Companies
Smith-Hemion Productions
20th Century Fox Television
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
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
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
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
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
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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