Star Wars: The Weirdest Things to Happen in the 1978 Holiday Special
The Star Wars Holiday Special is more than two hours of infamy, but these are some of the strangest and weirdest parts.
The holiday season, as we gather with our family and friends, is the perfect time to turn on the Star Wars Holiday Special and inflict some of the worst television ever to air upon your loved ones. It doesn’t celebrate any of Earth’s December holidays but Life Day– which we celebrate on November 17th- but between the red robes and the giant tree decorated with twinkling lights… there are enough similarities to justify enjoying the Star Wars Holiday Special over your winter holiday break. And while you’re watching, keep an eye out for these hilariously weird moments.
Harrison Ford Didn’t Want to Be There
The Star Wars Holiday Special came out right at the very end of the popularity of the variety show, and one of the staples of the variety show was having your cast look at the camera and give their best smile during the opening introduction. And if you have watched, you may have noticed that Harrison Ford was having none of it.
It’s no secret that he has been over Star Wars for a while now, but this was a special kind of disdain that someone would save for the lowest possible point of their career. In interviews, Ford made it clear that he was contractually obligated to be there and couldn’t get out of it, calling the entire thing “an embarrassment.”
But on screen? You can see it on screen right at the very beginning when he stares into the camera with a deadpan glare.
You Can’t Understand Chewbacca’s Family at All
Usually, when non-basic-speaking aliens show up on screen the audience is given the ability to understand them in one way or another. Sometimes context clues and the response of other characters make it obvious, others a character will literally translate. Sometimes we don’t know exactly what they’ve said, but we get the gist and it was only one line anyway.
The Star Wars Holiday Special went in a very different direction and instead of utilizing subtitles or an interpreter, or Babel Fish or anything they instead have ten uninterrupted minutes of Chewbacca’s family speaking Shyriiwook at each other.
What’s happening? As far as we can tell it’s… family holiday… stuff? The scene feels like going to your friend’s house and listening to their entire family yell at each other in Russian while you stare at the floor before your friend translates the entire last twenty minutes into “Are you hungry?”
Grandpa Watches a Dirty VR Movie
Chewie’s son, Lumpy, watches a weird tiny Cirque de Soleil in a move that’s weird to watch and a little boring, but also weirdly true of little kids at family gatherings. I spent an entire Thanksgiving day at my uncle’s house watching Cowboy Bebop in the basement with my brother. It’s just how kids are.
But Chewie’s dad Itchy escapes from helping prepare the meal or clean the dining room in a slightly different way. He uses the VR device tellingly named the “mind evaporator”. He watches a musical number by Diahann Carroll as Mermeia, and it’s weird.
Nothing about it is saucy per se. But lyrics like “Experience me, I am your pleasure,” and Itchy’s response makes the whole thing feel dirty. This should be a family-friendly sort of dirty. There are a lot of scenes in the Star Wars Holiday Special to hate. But this one may take the cake.
The Musical Numbers
There are so many musical numbers. Jefferson Starship shows up with a holographic music video. Bea Arthur sings a song about kicking everyone out of her bar that isn’t “Closing Time”. And of course, the aforementioned uncomfortable time spent with Grandpa.
But the last one is a truly special kind of awkward. It should be a sweet scene spent singing about peace and love and the holiday spirit, but it’s… not.
Carrie Fisher sings just as hard as she can. But while she had many talents singing wasn’t one of them. Anyway, it’s clear that the entire cast is more or less done being there by this point. But at least they, like us, know that it’s finally over.
Have you seen the Star Wars Holiday Special? What did you think the absolute weirdest and worst parts were? Do you have a favorite scene? Let us know in the comments!
May The Force Be With You, Adventures!
