Documentary About The Infamous ‘Star Wars Holiday Special’ Is Coming To Digital
The year was 1978 and America was in the throes of two cultural phenomena: disco and Star Wars. Imagine if the two somehow came together and were all wrapped up with a Christmas bow. Well, imagine no more because it actually happened in the form of the Star Wars Holiday Special.
Just one year earlier, George Lucas’ groundbreaking science-fiction film took the entire world by storm. There was a lot of money to be made from it even before any sequels were produced. Somehow, Lucas was talked into producing a holiday-themed TV variety special (another ’70s phenomenon) based on his already iconic motion picture. Regret soon followed.
The infamous Star Wars Holiday Special of 1978 was so hated by fans and the Star Wars actors themselves that it aired once, and never again. I’ve never seen it. I’ve only heard the legend of what many believe is one of the single worst things ever shot on camera. Makes you want to see why, doesn’t it? Well, 45 years and many other Star Wars movies later, we’re finally getting a chance to look back at this televised debacle.
According to Variety, a new documentary about the notoriously bad Star Wars Holiday Special is coming to digital next month. After premiering at this year’s SXSW Film Festival, the aptly-titled A Disturbance in the Force was released in select theaters on November 17th. It will be released on digital, Blu-Ray, and DVD on Tuesday, December 5th. This sounds like the perfect gift for any fan of Star Wars or bad ’70s television on your list. You can see the trailer about this cringe-worthy blip in pop culture history below.