Happy Life Day - 40 Years of the Star Wars Holiday Special

[Hedji]

40 Years Old Today, the Star Wars Holiday Special.

I'll defend it til I die. I loved it as a kid, and I love it now. I recognize its shortcomings, but love it for what it is.

Say what you like, it did one thing better than The Force Awakens and that is THIS:

[Werewolf]

It's terrible but not as legendarily bad as been often claimed. It's really no worse the any other 70s variety special and I'd put above stuff like Legends of the Superheroes.

[Werewolf]

What I find a bit darkly humorous is Lucas is embarrassed of the Holiday Special but years later was totally okay with this.

No, that is not a parody. It is an official Star Wars game

[Bruce Banner]

I still vividly remember watching it the night it was first broadcast.
It was a really big deal for us SW kids... seeing those characters again in a new (albeit short) adventure.
Plus, the Nelvana animated segment was awesome.

[monitor_ep]

I remember watching it when it first aired, then when I discovered bootleg VHS I bought one to relive that time. I have seen found one of the best quality version on DVD and even sold it at conventions where Peter Mayhew was there.

Now it is on youtube for everybody to watch.

[Earth 2 Chris]

I can stomach a lot of bad movies and TV, but this is almost unwatchably bad for me, but I have no nostalgia for it. Even the presence of the actors, who I love, can't save it, because I feel so bad for them suffering through this. The animated segment is the best part, but I have a hard time with that really odd Han Solo design they went with.

But I'm glad some folks legitimately love it, and I wish it were commercially available for you.

Chris

[cjefferys]

In the fall of 1978, my two favorite things were Star Wars and KISS. And then within less than a month I received the one-two punch of disappointment, the SW Holiday Special and KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park. That was brutal because I was so looking forward to watching both of them.

[monitor_ep]

What is funny is I liked watched both of those and still rewatch them. From some reason the Kiss Meets The Phantom Of The Park seems to follow the two Marvel Comics that came out back then.

Now as far as the SWHS I even have to two books that deal tie into the movie and was hoping that they would release figures of the family but that did not happen.

[Brue]

I loved it when it aired on TV. It was in the same vain as Carole Burnette, Donny and Marie or Sonny and Cher. It had the original cast.
When I got a hold of a VHS 5th generation copy in the mid 90's, I thought it was pretty bad. But still had nostalgia about it.
I eventually got a DVD copy of a first generation VHS. On re-watching I still found it nostalgic, but it also held many cool things. First Boba Fett appearance, great animated short, Original Cast. Carrie Fisher singing, Several cutting room floor shots from the original movie, weird seventies skits, Jefferson Airplane, Kashyyk, etc. The only things to really dislike for a low budget variety show holiday special of Star Wars is creepy looking Grandpa and the soft core porn video he watches.

In 1978 I would give it a 9 compared to other junk on TV.
In 1995 I would give it a 5 because I was comparing a grainy version of a 70's variety show with current feature films (Like many of you do now)
In 2001 after getting a clean copy and considering the things it gave us and re categorizing my thinking to late 70's TV (and being subjected to the Phantom Menace) I would give it a 7. It is just good fun. To hate this or even see it as terrible - is just not accurate.

I watch this every year now with my kids (we do skip the virtual burlesque scene with grandpa). -Ahhhh, Tradition!

[EmergencyIan]

I never have seen it. I was around when it aired, and old enough, but I guess we didn’t watch it or I just missed that it was airing. Don’t remember it, at all. I do remember KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park and Legend of the Superheroes specials; even their previews. So, it’s odd that I did not catch the Holiday Special, as I loved Star Wars as much as Superheroes and KISS.

- Ian