A Disturbance in the Force (2023)
How the Star Wars Holiday Special Happened
Watched 21 Dec 2023
An entertaining documentary exploring one of the most infamous TV specials in network television history. A Disturbance in the Force shares how the Star Wars Holiday Special became the famous disaster of epic proportions we know today.
🎬 Production Credits
The documentary sympathetically shows how rushed timelines, inappropriate creative talent and the television landscape of the time all contributed to the doomed from the start project.
The Autopsy of a Disaster
What is interesting is how the film illustrates all the obvious faults with the concepts, ideas, and storylines of the special. It serves as a fascinating look at the insanity of 1970s variety television—a world where George Lucas was persuaded to turn his sci-fi phenomenon over to a format dominated by song and dance numbers.
💡 Fun Facts
- This documentary features the final film appearances of legendary comedian Gilbert Gottfried and author Jonathan Rinzler.
- In 1978, CBS pre-empted Wonder Woman and The Incredible Hulk to air the two-hour special to 13 million people.
- The special marks the first on-screen appearance of the bounty hunter Boba Fett in the Star Wars universe.
Key Contributors
- Seth Green & Weird Al Yankovic: Leading voices in the nerd community who help explain the special's bizarre legend.
- Donny Osmond: Offers surprising insight as someone who performed Star Wars spoofs on his own variety show.
- Bruce Vilanch: A writer for the original special who provides hilarious context on why the "aliens kept fainting".
✅ Pros
- Thoroughly researched historical context.
- Sympathetic look at the creators.
- Entertaining "VH-1 style" interviews.
❌ Cons
- Lacks new interviews from the core original cast (Ford, Hamill, Fisher).
A Disturbance in the Force is a must-watch for Star Wars completionists. It’s an affectionate, thorough, and often hilarious breakdown of why the Holiday Special happened—and why we can't stop talking about it decades later.
