Film / News
Rare Star Wars treat hits the very big screen in Bristol
Something of a holy grail for Star Wars nerds, the cash-in 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special was broadcast once on US TV in 1978 and never repeated or released on video or DVD. Only bootleg copies survive, and George Lucas has done his best to stamp them out.
How come? Well, those who’ve actually seen it report that the Holiday Special is little more than a very boring three-hour TV variety show. Much more palatable (and a lot shorter) is the new documentary A Disturbance in the Force, which tells the story of how it came about. After the release of the first movie, and before he’d figured out the sequel, Lucas was persuaded by CBS to feed the public appetite for all things Star Wars with the Holiday Special. All the cast were on board, alongside various comedians and even rockers Jefferson Starship. But fans and critics alike were appalled by the painful culture clash between big-screen science fiction and variety TV. Virtually everyone involved subsequently distanced themselves from the debacle.
A Disturbance in the Force comes to Bristol’s biggest cinema screen at the former IMAX on Thursday 14 December, courtesy of – who else? – the Bristol Bad Film Club. They’ll also be celebrating the weird world of Star Wars fandom in the company of Bad Movie Bible author Rob Hill, who’s put together a clip show celebrating some of the strangest efforts.
Tickets are on sale now. Go here for further information.
Main pic: A Disturbance in the Force
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