By Michael Lyons
It has to be seen to be believed.
Like a myth that some only heard of and one that haunts those who remember it.
Those who can remember would like to forget it and those who were there would like to destroy its memory.
But, it lives on, reaching out from dark recesses to rear its very ugly head.
Yes, that’s right...”The Star Wars Holiday Special.”
Made at the height of the popularity wave that followed 1977’s original “Star Wars,” the “Holiday Special” is part Star Wars saga, part ‘70’s variety show, part cartoon, part musical...and all like nothing you’ve ever seen. It was broadcast only once on CBS in November of 1978...and never seen again.
Through the years, the fact that this “lost sector” of the “Star Wars” Universe was so difficult to come by, it became even more discussed and highly sought after by fans. Today, “The Star Wars Holiday Special” is more than just a cult favorite, more than just a buried piece of TV and “Star Wars” history, it’s something that truly, well, has to be seen to be believed.
With this month marking the 40th anniversary of this “What were they thinking?” TV treat, it’s the perfect time to re-visit “The Star Wars Holiday Special.”
All of the original cast members from “Star Wars” return for the special: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Peter Mayhew, Anthony Daniels and James Earl Jones as the voice of Darth Vader.
Clocking in at two hours, with commercials, the special centers around Han Solo, accompanied by Chewbacca, who is trying to get to his home planet of Kashyyk, to celebrate the Wookiee holiday of Life Day (that’s the Holiday referred to in the special’s title. Although it was broadcast just before Thanksgiving, there’s no mention of that holiday or Christmas in the show). Han and Chewie are of course pursued by the Empire, delaying them on their journey
Meanwhile on Kashyyk, Chewbacca’s family, his wife Malla, son Lumpy and father Itchie await Chewbacca, only to find their home invaded by two Stormtroopers who are waiting for Han and Chewie to return.
And as they all wait, Malla talks with their friendly neighborhood trader, played by Ed Norton himself, Art Carney, Lumpy watches a music video, featuring Jefferson Starship and also a cartoon that features all of the Star Wars characters and includes the first screen appearance of Boba Fett.
As if all that wasn’t enough, comedian Harvey Korman (from “The Carol Burnett Show”) plays three different comic relief characters, including one in drag; Bea Arthur (“The Golden Girls”) appears as the bartender of the Cantina and even belts out a torch-song like number; And, the whole special culminates with us getting a peek at the Wookie Life Day ritual, which includes a song...sung by Carrie Fisher.
“The Star Wars Holiday Special” was most obviously made to not only capitalize on the popularity of the film, but also allow the film to remain popular while “The Empire Strikes Back” was in production. But without committing to one genre (either a variety special aimed at kids, or a made-for-TV movie for an older audience), the special comes off as well-meaning, but completely misguided, inconsistent and just baffling.
Dedicating the characters and story to a specific holiday would have probably allowed the special to “live on” through the years, like many other TV Specials. In fact, In 1980, a record album, “Star Wars: A Christmas in the Stars” was released, with well crafted songs and a plot that would have leant itself to a TV Special.
Broadcast on November 17 (a date which many fans claim is “Life Day”) of 1978, “The Star Was Holiday Special” was never rerun and seemingly disappeared...until the world of bootleg video came along. Several die hard fans had transferred what was probably their Betamax tapes on to VHS and DVD’s. These began appearing for sale at various comic book and sci-fi conventions. And suddenly, the world was once again familiar with “The Star Wars Holiday Special.”
This led George Lucas to once famously remark, “If I had the time and a sledgehammer, I would track down every bootleg copy of that program and smash it.”
And he means it. “The Star Wars Holiday Special” remains buried. The cartoon from the special has been released as a bonus feature on Blu-Ray, but the entire special has yet to see the light of day in an official release.
But fans don’t mind, they have tracked it down and quote and discuss all of it’s embarrassing moments in detail. Watching “The Star Wars Holiday Special” forty years later, during our current era of a “Star Wars” franchise renaissance, is extremely quaint. It’s reflective of a time when TV entertainment was quite different and that “Galaxy Far, Far Away” was much younger...and innocent.
A time when Bea Arthur could sing to a room full of aliens. Yeah, it has to be seen to be believed.
Sources:
IMDb
Wikipedia
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