If you’re a cinephile, then you are probably aware of some of the most mind-boggling features and/or creators that exist. If you’re not a cinephile but just enjoy movies and entertainment, you may not know some of these infamous works of art, people like Tommy Wiseau (The Room), or films like Troll 2 (1990). Now, no one goes out of their way to make something terrible as making anything requires effort, passion, blood, sweat, and tears, but there are things that just miss the mark. If you have been living under a rock your entire life, you’re at least familiar with the franchise known as Star Wars; whether you’ve seen the movies or not, the knowledge of their existence is present. While Star Wars changed the way movies are made and looked at today and created one of the greatest franchises of all time (this is not a debate, regardless of anyone’s thoughts on the prequel or sequel trilogy), if the internet has proven anything, it is that people will raise their torches and pitchforks at nearly anything, warranted or not. The ‘70s gave the world variety hours that had a wild range of success; who would’ve thought that a variety hour for a holiday special for Star Wars would become one of the most baffling creations to ever exist.
L-R: Bob Hope, Olivia Newton John, and Mark Hamill in THE STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL. Photo courtesy of September Club and Giant Pictures.
In 1978, directors Steve Binder (Diana Ross Live from Central Park) and David Acomba (Night Life) brought to the world The Star Wars Holiday Special, something that aired once on television and never was to be seen again. Of course, with something as big as Star Wars, bootlegs of the Holiday Special existed. What was unexpected, though, were the horrors that unfolded over the 92 minutes in a variety special that was so horrendously made and didn’t understand the essence of Star Wars or the love of the film itself. A Disturbance in the Force examines what exactly went wrong, how the special was even made, and why it garnered the cult status it has today. With anyone and everyone you could think of giving their opinions on what the Holiday Special means to them or why they were involved, there is a clear love/hate relationship going on, and A Disturbance in the Force collects the interviews, provides some insight into the disaster that premiered in 1978, and brings together a documentary that may not be polished, but is infinitely better than the subject it is discussing.
L-R: Kris Kristofferson, Marie Osmond, Donny Osmond, and C-3PO on the DONNY & MARIE SHOW. Photo courtesy of September Club and Giant Pictures.
What is important to note about A Disturbance in the Force is that the documentary nearly refuses to disparage and be mean-spirited about one of the darkest moments in the Star Wars mythology and history. No one who partook in participating or creating A Disturbance in the Force was mean for the sake of being mean. Contributors ranging from Seth Green (Weird: The Al Yankovic Story) and Patton Oswalt (Weird: The Al Yankovic Story) to Donny Osmond (Mulan) and Bea Arthur (History of the World: Part I) bring their opinions on the special to the forefront as well as their initial reactions and quips on how they ended up getting to see the infamous special itself. The most interesting answers though, come from the cast themselves with archival interviews with Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones Saga), Mark Hamill (Batman: The Animated Series), and Carrie Fisher (Postcards from the Edge), who all have a certain level of cringe in their tone and expression while talking about Life Day, Chewbacca, and the holiday special that became notorious.
Seth Green in the documentary A DISTURBANCE IN THE FORCE. Photo courtesy of September Club and Giant Pictures.
A Disturbance in the Force feels incredibly surface-level when examining the most chaotic variety hour that broke all forms of logic and sanity, while having some tongue in cheek fun about the topic itself. However, this oddly edited oddity in of itself works because something perfectly polished and formed about The Star Wars Holiday Special would certainly feel weird and out of place. While directors Jeremy Coon (That’s So John Rad) and Steve Kozak (first feature) certainly had a tall order to fill, their plate overflows with interviews and details that will satisfy the hungry fans. While the documentary may be bloated and overflowing and disjointed at times, it packs a fun punch that will bring more enjoyment than the Holiday Special ever could. Since the rumor mill has floated that George Lucas himself has ensured that no physical existence of the Holiday Special can see the light of day, he hasn’t commented on the numerous copies on YouTube, so hopefully A Disturbance in the Force avoids the wrath of a man scorned.
Available on digital December 5th, 2023.
For more information, head to the official A Disturbance in the Force website.
Final Score: 3.5 out of 5.
Leave a Reply