Happy Life Day! (Star Wars Holiday Special - May The 44th Be With You)

[ThaOGDreamWeaver]

 

On this day, 44 years ago, one of the most (in)famous entries to the scifi canon dropped out of hyperspace... and then vanished again, its memory carried on only through word of mouth and the most dedicated of nerd archivists.

 

It had very little to do with Lucas, and was instead created by CBS's Saturday night variety teams, as a thinly-veiled Thanksgiving event.
It also includes musical segments and "comedy", including guest stars like Bea Arthur and Harvey Korman.

 

It is, for the most part, exactly as bad as it sounds.

According to Wikipedia, Carrie demanded one of the very few remaining official copies in exchange for recording DVD commentaries, so that she could show it at parties. (Especially when she wanted people to leave).

 

But there are a few gems in this trash compactor of a show:

• Carrie Fisher sings! The song's not great, but Space Mom had pipes.
• Pretty decent track from Jefferson Starship 
• The Tale Of The Faithful Wookie: a Nelvana-made cartoon short about Chewie trying to find a cure for Han, who's contracted a deadly virus, and includes the very first canon appearance of everyone's favourite bounty hunter scum.
  (If you don't fancy suffering through the whole thing to get to that, this is the only part of the Special released "officially", on D+.)

 

Edited November 17, 2022 by ThaOGDreamWeaver

[Mr. Vee]

If you feel like watching the whole thing but possibly suffering less, yoobs also has the rifftrax version.

[Techwright]

Has it really been 44?  Wow.  I remember watching this premier (and only) night.  I also remember thinking: what off earth am I watching?  Very bizarre. 

 

On 11/17/2022 at 6:23 PM, ThaOGDreamWeaver said:

The Tale Of The Faithful Wookie: a Nelvana-made cartoon short about Chewie trying to find a cure for Han, who's contracted a deadly virus, and includes the very first canon appearance of everyone's favourite bounty hunter scum.

Perhaps this is what caused Harrison Ford to hate his role so much.

 

The hilarious thing is that The Mandalorian has been adding bits of the holiday special into official canon, but making them cool, like the disintegration rifle.  I've got to believe that is Dave & Jon trolling George.

Edited November 20, 2022 by Techwright