Classics The Holiday Special - General Discussion

Lets discuss here what we think about the Holiday Special in general.

Some info to start with: The Star Wars Holiday Special is a 2-hour long television special that aired on CBS on November 17, 1978. It starred all of the original cast of Star Wars except for Alec Guinness. Excluding commercials, the program ran about 90 minutes.
The entire show is live-action, but there is an 11 minute animated segment, that is most popular as Boba Fett's first appearance in the Star Wars universe.
George Lucas wrote the story for the program, but because of preparations for Empire Strikes Back he had hardly any further involvement.
The program is about Chewbacca trying to fly home to his family on Kashyyyk. His family consists of his father, wife, and son. The show also has several special guest and musical appearances including the Jefferson Starship, Diahann Carroll, Bea Arthur, Art Carney, and Harvey Korman.

Pics coming in a few posts from now. And for those who are interesting to discuss Chewies family in special i point you all also to the tread on this board from YodaJeff.

 

Dude, you forgot to mention how fantastic it is!!

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I have to agree. Lucas's own comments notwithstanding, I hear a lot of people writing in their columns that it's a horrible piece of schlock best left forgotten (and that they own a bootleg).

I, for one, love it. I remember watching it in '78 and have watched it at least once a year (during the Life Day season) since I acquired a copy of it about a decade ago, usually with a groaning non-Star Wars enthusiast in tow.

I honestly get pulled back into the nostalgia whenever I turn it on. I admit I like the kitsch: when stormtroopers hold guns at the faces of the good guys but never utter a word, Diahann Carroll shows the world, literally, the first version of virtual reality sex ("Do you feel me, [Itchy]? I am your fantasy."), and the long-faced Han from the animated portion scratches his groggy head. Sure, I've been known to fast-forward through the Jefferson Starship song, and Yes, I can get a bit bored while Harvey Korman's dated, otherworldy Julia Child wears out his (her?) welcome, but darn it, this is part of my childhood. This is the sort of thing that Lucas wants us to forget about. The hiccups and oddities that really gave the Star Wars Phenomenon its texture. It's time this thing gets remastered Officially and gets proper DVD treatment. ...but I'm not going to hold my breath. -Campbell

 

Holiday Special on DVD you got a better chance of seeing God. The Star Wars Holiday special is Georges' "Bastard Child." It sucks "ass," people have said it was "so cool." Not cool, Boba Fett was introduced as a cartoon for cripes sakes. George owns the rights to that one, and most likely he will keep it more hidden that the final script for Ep III. Even with all of the digial abilities that he has he won't touch that with a 10-foot pole.

I have heard that there are bootleg copies that can be purchased from "sellers looking for suckers" on several auction sites.

Do yourself a favor, don't purchase a bootlegged copy, it is disapointing as it is. You don't need to be scarred for life.

 

I've got to agree with jediknightobi1 on this one. I'm not a fan of the EU but that holiday special is the worst Star Wars associated product I've ever seen. The Boba Fett cartoon is okay but the rest ranges from boring to painfully embarassing. Carrie Fisher sings a song set to Star Wars music, and Mark Hamill's make-up job is atrocious. There's a G-rated exotic dance from Diahann Carroll. Bea Arthur even does a cooking show! I won't comment on Art Carney, Jefferson Starship, etc. Thinking about it makes me laugh. Watching it makes me sleep.

 

Oh god. [edited]. What an experience. Was it just me or did Hamill look a bit, nah, I dont want to be banned. It was dodgy. I love cheesy movies like this, but this was just too bad.

YJ edit: Don't mention illegal ways of obtaining bootleg copies.

 

I dont think this was fantastic but not bad either. Sure there were some bad stuff like those mentoined above. But he its still star wars and dont we all want to see as much as possible of it? Well i do.

 

I have never seen this and have only ever seen a few screen caps. I really wish there was some way to get a hold of this.

 

Well Sapient i know a way for you to get it, but i cant say it here. But i am sure you can find a way to get it. [edited]

YJ edit: Don't give hints as to where illegal copies can be found.

 

I'm glad to say that I painstakenly sat through watching it once. Most of it anyway, there was a lot of fast forwarding. But what suprized me the most is that I can't remember there being one shot fired or one light saber lit up. In fact the only death I remember is a storm trooper falling off the tree house.

 

La_Capitan, i cant remember any shooting of blasters either and I am sure of that there is no lightsaber lit. The only one we could have done that was Luke, but we saw him just twice (i believe). First time when he was contacted by Malla while cleaning something of his x-wing and later when they all came together. But i will check this later for you.

 

Thanks.
Question on lumpy and itchy. Would thier full names be lumpbacca and itchbacca?

 

While I agree THS is an abomination as a whole, I think there are some cool elements, campy as it may be. For starters, it's great to see the characters play out a story that's not one of the original films -- it's the only bit of EU that features the familiar faces of Mark, Harrison, and Carrie. The cartoon is fine and it helps that the actors did the voice characterizations. The imperial troops were great, with a little fight action at the end and an officer falling to his death.

It is WAY too long, and Diane Carrol -- uh...no comment.

I reccommend watching it at least once.

 

Your welcome, always the pleasure to help a fellow poster here.

And the full names of Itchy, Lumpy and Malla are: Attichitcuk, Lumpawarrump (later changed into: Lumpawaroo) and Mallatobuck.

 

I saw it recently...oh god.

Harvey Korman in drag!

Bea Arthur dancing with Greedo!

Carrie Fisher singing...badly!

Mark Hamill with waaaay too much makeup!

What's not to like!


And Lumpy looks like Gary Coleman!

[image=http://www.starwars-universe.com/images/dossiers/holiday_special/prod_making_6m.jpg]

 

I found a soundfile of Carrie singing.

Listen at your own risk!

 

There are Neimoidians sat at the bar in that Golden Girls woman's scene. A down and out Nute Gunray, Lott Dod and Rune Haako? Possible proof that they may not die in Episode III?

 

Well, I obtained a copy a while back and let me just say that that was probably the worst $10 I have spent in my life.

My recommendation: If you feel the urge to watch this, do so in a padded room with no corners and stay away from sharp objects for at least 24 hours.

 

I think they should remake it.

 

Does anyone know what George and company thought of it? Who lets something so bad get on air??

 

I know Lucas hates it now. I'm guessing they were contractually obligated to CBS to allow them to air it.

 

Excellent, now I have another question

Is the Holiday Special considered EU? It was written by Lucas, however it isn't a part of the movies.

 

I don't believe it was written by George. I think it was written under conditions similar to the current EU -- the writer/publishing house comes to George with a story overview, he approves or disapproves certain things, and then they go from there.

On paper, back in the day, I'm sure it looked like a good idea -- a SW story about Han trying to get Chewie home for the holidays, focusing on Chewie's home planet, stormtroopers are looking for them, it's cut with musical and comedy acts by reputable people of the time, and has a cartoon.

It's just that something, somewhere, went terribly wrong.

 

For some strange reason, I seem to remember Lucas' name being conspicuously absent from the Holiday Special credits.

So either he had next to nothing to do with it, or he wisely washed his hands of the whole mess.

And if nothing else, the Holiday Special teaches us that contractual obligations are bad.

 

Type in "Star Wars Holiday Special" into any seach engine... there are a few web pages dedicated to it...

GL once said that "if he had the time and a hammer, he would track down every copy of the *curse* ed thing and smash it to pieces".

I saw it a a frinds house... the VR machien... Art Carney... oh the horror!!