A New Film Reveals How the ‘Star Wars Holiday Special’ Happened

If you thought Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker was unhealthy, you ain’t seen nothing.

The Rise of Skywalker was virtually The Empire Strikes Back — hell, it was virtually The Godfather — in comparison with The Star Wars Holiday Special, nonetheless the most infamous catastrophe in the historical past of Star Wars. The TV particular was made in 1978 by CBS, and was technically the first official continuation of Star Wars after the authentic 1977 movie. It was additionally an abject horror present, with weird musical numbers, random visitor stars, horrible particular results, and a tedious story about Chewbacca heading to his dwelling to rejoice “Life Day” — his planet’s equal of Christmas.

The particular aired solely as soon as, and was such a titanic failure that it was by no means formally screened once more and by no means launched on dwelling video on any format. The solely strategy to watch it for the final 40+ years was on a bootleg (though one section, an animated cartoon that was the first look of Boba Fett, has been launched a handful of instances, separate from the remainder of the particular).

Exactly how this monstrosity got here into existence and what occurred to it afterwards is now the topic of a documentary, A Disturbance in the Force, which is about to premiere later this month. The movie options archival footage and interviews with the likes of Kevin Smith, Seth Green, and extra. Here’s the trailer for the movie:

Here is the official synopsis for the doc:

In 1978, CBS aired the two-hour “Star Wars Holiday Special” throughout the week of Thanksgiving and was watched by 13 million folks. It by no means re-aired and is taken into account one in every of the worst exhibits to ever air on TV. While some followers of the franchise are conscious of this darkish secret, this weird two hours of tv nonetheless stays comparatively unknown amongst the common public. Simply put, we’ll reply how and why did the “Holiday Special” get made.

A Disturbance in the Force: How the Star Wars Holiday Special Happened premieres at the South by Southwest Film Festival later this month.