I have vague memories of watching the “Star Wars Holiday Special” back in 1978 – I was 4 but could always recall the scene when Lumpy, the little Wookie member of the Chewbacca clan, saw his little stuffed animal torn apart by vile Empire scum. That moment stuck in my head for years, along with dusty memories of things looking less like the lived-in world of George Lucas’ movie and more like a CBS variety show. While the show was never broadcast again – living in infamy as an unforgettable moment in TV history – the new documentary A DISTURBANCE IN THE FORCE (91 mins., 2023; Giant) offers a highly entertaining look back at a moment in pop culture that would never be repeated, boasting both insight for fans as well as a wider appeal to casual viewers.
Jeremy Coon and Steve Kozak’s effort assembles a wide swath of participants, from network TV variety show vets like writer Bruce Vilanch and director Steve Binder (who both worked on the “Holiday Special”), to Star Wars geeks and admirers like Kevin Smith, Seth Green, Paul Scheer, Patton Oswalt and Bobcat Goldthwait. They also bring in Donny Osmond to give younger viewers an understanding of what the network TV variety show was back in the ‘70s – and explain how the needs of that niche synced up with George Lucas’ desire to keep “Star Wars” in the public eye, during that time between the original’s 1977 release and “The Empire Strikes Back” (1980).
While Lucas needn’t have worried, his apprehension at the time over his future movie empire’s prospects can clearly be seen in the ridiculous amount of what today would be described as “cross-platform synergy” he engaged in, with creations Darth Vader, C-3PO and friends making appearances on everything from “Donny & Marie” to a Wolfman Jack special. The “Star Wars Holiday Special” was, then, a natural offshoot of that period, providing the entire movie cast with its own eclectic platform in which Lucas’ creative vision gave way to CBS executives brandishing their own idea of entertainment. That meant Bea Arthur and Art Carney serving as “Special Guest Stars” and the Jefferson Starship dropping in to perform a song in front of a “laser light show” – all the while a rightfully embarrassed Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and a singing Carrie Fisher attempt to bridge the gap between the Earth-bound realities of ‘70s network TV and what was, and still is, one of the greatest box-office hits – and influential sci-fi fantasy films – ever made.
The marriage didn’t work...at all...but fans have never forgotten the “Holiday Special,” trading old VHS recordings that have become more numerous as the years have passed; my personal favorite was the WCBS New York tape, which Lukas Kendall once brought over to my house in high school, complete with commercials. These included a “CBS Newsbreak” segment wherein an anchorwoman noted the lack of pregnancies stemming from the Blizzard of ‘78 (“said one nurse, most of the men must’ve been out shoveling now”!) and a local “Fighting the Frizzies...at 11!” news tease that ended up being referenced in a South Park Christmas episode years later.
“A Disturbance in the Force” offers loads of footage of the show itself with both a look at its actual production history (no surprise that it, too, was a disaster, with the original director fired after just a few days) and place in pop culture history. While the latter element doesn’t offer a lot of fresh insight, it’s enjoyably covered with lots of rare footage from variety specials like Mark Hamill’s appearance on a Bob Hope show; die-hard fans, meanwhile, will almost certainly find interest in a look at how the program came together, and all of it is pleasingly paced at a just-right 90 minutes.
Giant has released “A Disturbance in the Force” on Blu-Ray, in a no-frills but good looking 1080p (1.78, 5.1) transfer. One thing’s for sure: even with its infamous rep, did the “Holiday Special” do any more damage to the franchise than “The Last Jedi”?
https://www.amazon.com/A-Disturbance-in ... s_li_ss_tl
