Another Myth
At the end of chapter 17 of Mythmaker: The Life And Work Of George Lucas, author John Baxter discusses the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special (which I've seen, by the way): "Lucas hasn't ever permitted its issue on videocassette, though bootleg copies circulate widely of the only commercial and artistic disaster to bear the name 'Star Wars."
That sentence was written about ten years ago. Okay maybe there's been no commercial disaster since then, but otherwise, perhaps Baxter needs an update.
posted by LAGuy @ 1:14 AM
3 Comments:
I have a grainy, digital copy of the "Holiday Special." It is difficult to watch, since most of it involves the Chewbacca family bleating at each other. But the parts with Han Solo and Luke are fun to watch because it is bizarre to see them apply their movie role characters to fairly mundane circumstances ("Don't worry Chewy, I'll get you home in time to celebrate the festival of light with your family." It comes off as a cheezy 1970's sit-com.
You may not like the second (or it the first) trilogy but I think its a bit much to call it an "artistic disaster." Episode I was crap but that was merely boring (disasters are exciting, aren't they?) and II and III had some good parts, if needlessly intricate plots.
I also don't know how Baxter leaves out the 1980s Saturday Morning cartoon-feeling "Ewok Adventures" from the disaster category- bad cheap CGI and effects, annoying little girl and Wilford Brimley. (Of course I would also include any part of Episode VI which had the little furballs onscreen as a disaster )
I don't mind that the plots are intricate--in fact, that's what's good about them. I don't like that they're boring and stupid.
Lucas originally considered starting the Star Wars movie on the Wookiee planet, but had to give it up for money reasons (among other things). The Christmas special was his chance to show the wookiees in their natural environment, but, this being Star Wars, it grew and grew, and took on guest stars, until the thing was an even bigger mess than it needed to be.
What I like about it is seeing the still young, fairly inexperience actors in the first flush as Star Wars success doing some silly work that would soon be beneath them (I'm guessing).
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