The Star Wars Holiday Special Really Is That Bad

I HATE 3PO. Mostly because he reminds me too much of myself, and I annoy the heck out of myself. I'd take you up on that fight, but I'm the wimpiest person I've ever met, and you'd have no issue beating me up.

Definitely not an anthology but it seems like they were trying to do some kind of Star Wars themed variety show, which were pretty hot at the time (Sonny and Cher, Donnie and Marie, Hee-Haw, etc.)

Oh Emma, it is impossible for me to explain the 1970s US Variety show genre....I did see it live and it's the very low end of typical for variety show fare, but it's far from alone. The plot was intended to be beside the point, just a setting to hang things on. And yeah, the cameos were intended as "hey, it's those folks you like!" Removing it from the original context definitely makes it incomprehensible though. And that cartoon was the introduction of Boba Fett! After it, we were so excited to see him in ESB...and he did nothing.

The "poppy band" was Jefferson Starship, formerly Jefferson Airplane (of "White Rabbit" fame). Some years hence they would become just Starship, of "We Built This City on Rock and Roll" infamy.

I'm sorry but whenever I see the StarWars special mentioned I have to make reference to Ishtar and how these men are pawns

Now we know why Luke became an ermit. He wanted to avoid any new calls from Chewbacca's family.

Wookies live in trees because their society is subject to a continuing pattern of raids by trandoshan slavers, in which they are hunted for sport, kidnapped and sold into slavery.

This may not have been canon at the time but my god its would have been a wild tonal shift lol

Hey Emma! You got it out before Orthodox Christmas, which was the 7th of January! YOU DID IT!

It was a variety show with a thin veneer of Star Wars plot over top to tie it together. Variety shows were still popular in the 70s, but trying to tie it in with Star Wars was just an idea that wasn't going to work.

I am old enough to remember seeing it on its first release. I remember thinking it was clearly cheesy as hell, but still kind of fun. Then for DECADES I never heard anyone ever mention it. Or Chewie's Family. Or Life Day. Or any of it really... besides Boba Fett, who showed up in a movie later. I actually started wondering if maybe I just dreamt the whole thing.

This is a weird ass special... wtf were ppl on in the late 70's to make this?!

That aquarium is about the only thing I remember from that show. I was 12, so there is that.

You must understand that this is a variety show, not a movie with a plot. These were common and very normal in the 70s. This one is just.... Particularly bad. Mostly it was just a way to show x celebrity, and EVERYONE was excited at the time for the Boba Fett reveal. His first appearance before the movie.

I saw this on TV. I was 12.

Fun fact: Ackmena (the Tatooine bartender played by Bea Arthur) got an expanded background and they retconned her to be a lesbian. That's supposed explain why she turned down the guy who kept trying to give her a flower. Seriously, her Wookiepedia entry makes her sound like a fleshed out, important character when she was just a throwaway cameo on the much maligned holiday special 🤣

You're lumpy in the best way

I subscribed for athiest videos

Stayed for the Star Wars Review lol 😂

Prowse DID deserve better. Tidbit regarding that, all his footage he appears in is recycled deleted scenes from the first film (if you don’t know the history of how insanely that film was changed in editing, check out “How Star Wars Was Saved in the Edit” and “Star Wars: Deleted Magic Revisited,” it’s immensely fascinating).

Additionally, as I’m sure you possibly already know (commenters potentially don’t), Prowse didn’t purposely “botch” his on-set vocals. Surviving on-set audio shows Anthony Daniels’ (C-3PO) on-set vocals weren’t good either… because he knew he’d get to redo them later in editing. It’s the same thing with Prowse, like, he’s not a terrible actor! He just only focused on the physical performance, because he thought he’d get to redo the voice later like Daniels did (then Lucas tried to rewrite history and claim Prowse was just a terrible actor, when that’s not what happened, Lucas just lied to him and said he’d get to redo his voice properly later on).

EDIT: also, regarding the claustrophobic set, all the footage of the Falcon/Space battle/Vader/TIE fighters is fully recycled from the first film, with the closeups being the ONLY new footage. The tight closeups are to hide the separate pieces of footage not matching up, and to prevent having to create new blue screen effects, hence no FB/wide shots.

"Okay, listen. Look. Listen..."

then maybe taste, and touch, then listen again, and listen, and look listen listen look listen.

that's the cheat code will get you a special baphomet icon.

"It's me!"

i always wonder why folks say that. is there is a chance one day someone will say, "It's not me. I'm not here!"
because if anyone would do that, it's me.

'reviewing thr Star wars Holiday Special."

way to keep things current Emma!


next up, a comprehensive review of revolutionary war literature.
TLDR, britain lost, the US won.

....
...

...too soon?


"a pocket sized aquarium. I want one."

wouldn't it be regular sized for you?

"let us know your thoughts down below in the comment section..."

okay! ...wombats are cute.

if i met the buddha on the road, i will not kill the buddha.

a least not wout giving him a 3 minute head start.


i am rooting for the ravens.

both the football team, and the birds in general.

"... i am losing my voice,."


coming soon, Emma's Mime Channel.


""... i am losing my voice,.""
coming soon, Emma doing video using text to speech and then lip syncing the words.

"... i am losing my voice,."
that's me in the corner.....

This was a fun video! If anyone cares, try looking up the review of this goofy show that the "Creationist Cat" did years ago. I nearly died laughing. It's still somewhere on You Tube, hopefully.

Obviously, you are reviving Twelfth Night, which ends in early January, so you are still in European traditional end of year celebration time.
Some of the characters have just morphed into Wookiees.

It does feel like they may have padded the length to fill a big prime time 70's tv time slot.

I was just wondering what would have happened if this special was somehow a hit and they went on to make "The Indiana Jones Holiday Special." I picture Indy searching for Santa's legendary magical snow globe -- even though he doesn't believe in Santa -- while also trying to get Willie Scott home for Christmas. Most of the special us spent with Willie's family, who just scream the whole time. The magic snow globe can predict the future and that's how you work in contemporary 80s musical acts. And instead of comedy sketches with Harvey Korman, you get Dan Akroyd. Imagine, Dan Akroyd in Indiana Jones! ;) :D

Now watch Hardware Wars.

I've seen the entire film multiple times. It's still goddamn hilarious. I also highly recommend watching the rifftrax version for anybody interested.

So sorry you were sick, love. I hope your voice recovers completely and soon. Your amazing sense of humor is wonderfully intact, even considering your illness. Looking forward to seeing your next hair color adventure.🤟🏻 Be well!

I was six years old when this Star Wars special aired and I was absolutely inconsolable after the Bantha Plushie was ripped apart.

Emma: (appears on screen in furry mask)
Me: "Gonna tell my kids this was 'Yellowjackets.'"

I watched this when it aired. I remember just being flabergasted at how bad it was. Great work Emma!

This is actually my 2nd favorite star wars movie. Given I don't like star wars at all and I love B movies that probably makes sense.

The next school day everyone was awkwardly quiet. We were still in shock and denial. Our 8yo minds couldn't comprehend how the world had turned against us, could gravity suddenly stop working? It really was our own 9-11. I honestly haven't experienced that kind of profound, universal despair until trump was elected.
When I worked at LucasFilm in the late 90s we were not allowed to mention it, but sometimes we'd ask Lincensing what parts were canon (they never replied). And we'd share the video around every December under the name LucasBane.

The Star Wars Holiday Special is a great, highly underrated film.
Its well made, and very fun to watch.
these are my thoughts and they are true, im not being held at gunpoint to say this

If you don't do a singalong video with the bar scene, there will be many sad Wookies.

This is the best half hour of Star Wars stuff I've ever seen. Admittedly, I only ever watched the first film... and hated it. The only relatable character was Darth Vader and that was a bit troubling. Still, thanks anyway.

I watched this on TV when it came out.

Lumpy looks like Chakka from "Land of the Lost".

I definitely had a moment when you were saying I don't think it's possible for you to watch this at normal speed without skipping anything on your own, I have done all those, but then you said and enjoy yourself. Yeah, got me there.

Hi from the United States, Emma 🙋‍♂ Glad you're feeling better 🥰 I'm just getting over being sick myself. So, not exactly a great start to 2024 on my end either😩 Anyway, hilarious take on this infamous Holiday Special. I actually never watched it from beginning to end as I was never quite curious enough to bother and truth be told, I was a late bloomer to becoming a Star Wars fan, albeit not a hardcore SW fan. However, watching it from the mindset of not taking it seriously and treating it as an unintended parody 🤣🤣, I think I am going to watch it in all it's cheesy cringe glory so...thank you? Lol

I believe that showing the "Star Wars Holiday Special" is a war crime. I was there, in 1978. It's really that bad.

Where did you even find this monstrosity? 🤣I have been wanting to watch it for the LOLs and cringe for years. ... Although admittedly not enough to really actively look for it.

Id never heard what happens i the SWHS but I am... terrified and will run far if anyone ever puts it on.

The hairstyle is…similar.

It's still better than The Force Awakens, appalling stuff really.

I saw this as I guess a 12 or 13 year old. I loved Star Wars and thought the cartoon section was pretty cool (or at least Boba Fett was - I got the kenner figure, which was released around that time aka before his actual appearance in Empires Strikes Back). I do remember thinking the live action part was pretty lame, but I just assumed it was for little kids and just enjoyed it for what it was. Seeing the characters was great, as I'm not sure we even realised for sure if we would ever get any more Star Wars. You take what you can get.

I watched this when it premiered. I was probably 6 years old at the time and the only thing that stuck with me was when the Stormtroopers messed up the little Wookiee's room and then told him to clean it up. I thought that was the meanest thing imaginable.

Emma, I'm not a Star Wars fan. I wasn't alive when it debut and if I were, I wouldn't of watched the special anyway. I'm glad you're feeling better, it's rotten to be sick. ☹️