Joey Magidson
These days, Star Wars is just another property. It’s even on television (well, streaming). Once upon a time, however, that novel idea led to the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special. If you’re like me, you’ve heard a lot about it and maybe seen an image or two, but never actively sought out what was known to be spectacularly bad. Well, if so, you’re in luck. The new documentary A Disturbance in the Force is here to show it to you, alongside explaining how it happened, why it went so wrong, and the entire cult aspect of it all. The rest is a very fun doc that’s perfect for the holiday season.
A Disturbance in the Force is the sort of documentary that doesn’t try to change the world, but wants you to have a fun time learning about a piece of pop culture. In that regard, it succeeds without qualification. Being a Star Wars fan won’t hurt your enjoyment any, but if you’re not, it’s also no barrier for entry.
This is a look at how, in 1978, Star Wars creator George Lucas is convinced to let a television special be produced. While he went off and prepped The Empire Strikes Back, the property was turned over to the folks who were making 1970’s variety shows. What eventually resulted was The Star Wars Holiday Special, which has been cited on many an occasion as one of the all time worst bits of entertainment ever produced. CBS aired the two-hour special during Thanksgiving week, with about thirteen million people watching. Then, it never aired again, becoming an underground question mark for fans of all ages.
The doc focuses on the environment at the time that suggested making this in the first place, the fraught production, and many of the bizarre choices. You’ll see Donnie Osmond playing Luke Skywalker on his own show, you’ll see the Wookiee home world of Kashyyyk, and plenty of moments since the airing where the cast members have spoken about how bad it turned out. Through it all, you’re just almost stunned that this ever got made.
Directors Jeremy Coon and Steve Kozak have such affection for everything here, but they never shy away from the fact that it was a complete misfire. A wide range of talking heads includes Seth Green, Patton Oswalt, Paul Scheer, Kevin Smith, Bruce Vilanch (who wrote for the special) and ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic lend some very interesting perspectives. Everyone here is coming at it from a different angle, too. Coon and Kozak keep it very simple, never going too deep on any one topic, but always tying it all together in an entertaining and interesting manner.
A Disturbance in the Force is a good time, plain and simple. If you’re looking for an offbeat holiday viewing option, this is certainly one to consider. There aren’t many holiday documentaries, let alone uppers. So, give this one a shot and you’re almost guaranteed to enjoy!
SCORE: ★★★
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