The Hilarious Secrets Behind Star Wars’ Iconically Awful Holiday Special
Whenever an artist begins a new piece of work, they embark on a path with two possible outcomes. “Sometimes the magic happens,” as one writer puts it in the SXSW documentary A Disturbance in the Force. “... and sometimes, it's The Star Wars Holiday Special.”
(Disclosure: Allegra Frank, a Daily Beast’s Obsessed editor, is a member of the SXSW documentary jury. She was not involved in coverage of any documentaries or editing of the story.)
A Disturbance in the Force premiered Saturday in Austin, and unravels the unbelievable but completely true story behind one of pop culture’s most infamous lost relics. (Plus, a few rumors.) Playful in tone and absolutely stacked with sources who either worked on or spent their youths obsessed with the special, the doc will entertain devoted and casual Star Wars fans alike. Plus, it’s a solid reminder of just how many people wound up in this thing who had absolutely no business being there. (As in, how did Diahann Carroll end up talking dirty to a grandpa Wookiee in what might be the most bizarre music video of her career?!)