Episode 125.5 - Minisode 125.5

[jarrycanada 2483]

 

Crazy question--although, maybe not too "crazy" when you think about it--but do you think George Lucas got the idea to make Luke and Leia brother and sister from watching this?

 

Also, people used to laugh at some pretty dumb shit.

 

and in the future Star Wars films we will all learn the implications of all of that when we learn that luke and Leia had a small child together,

 

[jarrycanada 2483]

or was it this guy?

 

 

that kid doesn't even look like me!

 

 

L4ND0- I noticed they had a lot on the HDTGM facebook link to SW-CS, once you click on the link it takes you to the youtube page and shows you the other star wars fan edits. Mind you that link doesn't work anymore, it's got a "This video contains content from Disney, who has blocked it on copyright grounds." makes me laugh because does Disney really want to take ownership of that crappy Holiday Special" and I just noticed it's holiday Special and not Christmas Special.

[firsttimecallerlongtimelistenr 3590]

merry christmas ya filthy animals ... meet paul gruber

 

[firsttimecallerlongtimelistenr 3590]

just finished the annual viewing of die hard ... i just noticed its now christmas eve ... so till after the ep drops ... ill leave ye with

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmZBC92pgrE

[Cam Bert 8145]

Hey all! My vacation finally begins today I can come back to chat with you all! I hope you all enjoyed The Force Awakens, and I couldn't be more excited that this is this week's episode because for the last seven years watching the Star Wars Christmas special has been part of my Christmas routine. So it's a bit early but I want to wish you all a pleasant Life Day and maybe leave this for those of you that have never heard it...

 

[Lando 2019]

Hans. Bubby. I'm your white knight.

[Reptarftw 27]

So, preface: I'm not as in to the Star Wars mythology as most. Not because OMG STAR WARS NERDS ARE GROSS! But it just doesn't grab me like some other worlds.

 

That said, one thing that strikes me in the holiday special, from what Star Wars experience I do have: the discordant feel (of everything, but specifically) of James Earl Jones' comic beats. Like ... OK, I'll buy awkward comic beats for characters like Luke or R2D2 or Chewbacca because those characters had variant amounts of those beats in the films. But correct me if I'm wrong: Darth Vader never really had those moments in any of those films.

 

So I'm imagining the prospect of transitioning from a reality where you've seen some level of comic understanding from most characters into a reality where all beats are shitty and horribly mistimed here, but plausible nonetheless. And then Darth fucking Vader all of a sudden starts trying to get in on that action. And it's just ... no. No, James Earl Jones. Your character does not stay on that target.

 

It's like a follow-up to Schindler's List where Ralph Fiennes winks at the camera after making some awful camp or shower joke.

[Mr. Monster 20]

Star wars holiday special?

 

The prophecy has come true................

[jarrycanada 2483]

Finally somebody figured out the truth behind Star Wars and it's hidden symbolism and meaning.

And It just took Alex Jones to explain it.

 

 

Now If we could just get Kirk Cameron to explain the force.

 

You got to watch it to the end, there really is no Star Wars spoilers in this clip I promise.

 

By the way best Christmas album of all time, has got to be Charlie brown Christmas album, if you don't own it shame on you. Stupid copy right police have taken it down.

 

[clyde2801 2]

I remember this being broadcast when I was ten years old and what a bitter disappointment it was.

 

True story: it was only sponsored by General Motors; apparently everyone else had enough sense to steer clear of this flaming pile of poo.

 

Another true story: after eight minutes of watching it again I wanted to punch George Lucas in the face and drive a chevy citation full of TNT into the front of the GM building.

 

Where to begin? Oh yeah, how about the fact that the first five minutes consists of a child arguing with his mother nonverbally using growls, grunts and squeals over taking out the garbage?

 

And the guest stars...what were they thinking? Bea Arthur's appearance at the Mos Eisley cantina made about as much sense as the band playing the Charleston.

 

This special proves that Harvey Korman would take ANY role that was offered to him in the 70's. And that his only talent was acting as a straight man to Tim Conway.

 

At least Art Carney was able to consistently stay in character as the most ineffective operative in the Rebel Alliance. I'm also sure he didn't stand out at all as presumably the only human being in a planet full of Wookiees running an electronics store. It's about as clandestine as ISIS running a radio shack in the middle of Wisconsin.

 

The Boba Fett cartoon is widely held to be the best part of the whole affair, but for me it was the interspecies interactive holographic pron between Itchy and Diahann Carroll. I just can't help but wonder if the holograph emitter also functioned as a hair dryer.

 

Looking forward to what Paul, June-Dianne and Jason think about this.

[taylor anne photo 11311]

I can't believe I actually made it through this whole thing in one sitting. Probably being on my phone and looking up more interesting Star Wars trivia (about this and the universe as whole) helped get through the long ass Wookie scenes where I had no fucking clue what was happening.

 

I genuinely thought after the first ten minutes it was just gonna be an hour and a half of Wookie's arguing!

[Reptarftw 27]

Circling back for a second ... the whole concept of Life Day is mysterious to me.

 

I would get "Life Day" as some PC bullshit they would have to put in a family special now, in 2015. But PC bullshit in 1978 just seems anachronistic. I went to elementary school in the mid-90s and we still had "Christmas" parties (before that later changed to "holiday" parties for my brother's stint), so using anecdotal evidence because what could ever go wrong there, it stands to reason they totally could have just called it "Wookie Christmas" in 1978 and nobody would have given a shit.

 

They weren't aiming to put Life Day presents under the tree...

 

I'm also struck by how unnecessarily sexually aggressive so much of it is, which blends so oddly with the PC-ness of the central conceit. Grandpa Wookie totally has a masturbation station set up. There is no doubt. And that's just one of many totally unnecessarily sexualized elements in play here.

 

I might actually argue that, given the setup and context, I felt more uncomfortable watching Star Wars Holiday Special than Irreversible or Mysterious Skin.

[Cameron H. 23786]

Circling back for a second ... the whole concept of Life Day is mysterious to me.

 

I would get "Life Day" as some PC bullshit they would have to put in a family special now, in 2015. But PC bullshit in 1978 just seems anachronistic. I went to elementary school in the mid-90s and we still had "Christmas" parties (before that later changed to "holiday" parties for my brother's stint), so using anecdotal evidence because what could ever go wrong there, it stands to reason they totally could have just called it "Wookie Christmas" in 1978 and nobody would have given a shit.

 

They weren't aiming to put Life Day presents under the tree...

 

 

Honestly, I don't think it was them trying to PC. This is supposed to take place "A Long Time Ago in a Galaxy Far, Far Away." Trying to make it a straight up "Christmas" special would have just made this movie weird. Not to mention they'd probably have to have Lumpy take the spotlight and retell the story of Wookie Jesus' birth...

 

[taylor anne photo 11311]

Trying to make it a straight up "Christmas" special would have just made this movie weird.

Yeah that's what would have made the movie weird lol.

[Reptarftw 27]

I can buy that. But it's so overtly commercialized that calling it anything but Christmas feels weird. And the holiday itself doesn't even really mirror Christmas (or Hanukkah etc.) Why even call it or theme it as a holiday special then? Just make it "the Star Wars special we're airing during the holiday to try to get you to buy your kid toys and find some really odd range of Jefferson Starship and Harvey Korman to appease a wide audience".

 

Also the editing in this special is almost Birdemic bad.

[Cameron H. 23786]

Huzzah! Work just gave me the cue to go home! Since I do most of my posting during work hours (They're so lucky to have me) I'm not really sure if I'll be around that much for the next few days--although, let's face it, I probably will.

 

So, in all sincerity, thank you all for a very fun year! I'm thankful for all my HDTGM friends. So no matter what you believe, I just want to wish you all the Happiest of Holidays and a Merry Life Day!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzSfGvgogck

[Dr_Revelator 17]

Stir, whip, stir, whip, whip, whip, stir. EVERYBODY NOW!

 

Hey guys!

 

I finally sorted out my login problems and got onto the forum!

 

I'm so excited for this week's episode because we just had a watch-party for the ST Holiday Special just before the premier of SW:TFA!

 

It was a hard slog, but we made it through.

 

When Princess Leia started singing at the end, I thought I was going to pass out.... I literally went faint for a few seconds and my knees started to give out. It was waaaay too much.

[clyde2801 2]

 

Honestly, I don't think it was them trying to PC. This is supposed to take place "A Long Time Ago in a Galaxy Far, Far Away." Trying to make it a straight up "Christmas" special would have just made this movie weird. Not to mention they'd probably have to have Lumpy take the spotlight and retell the story of Wookie Jesus' birth...

 

I understand the confusion; Life Day has now been so commercialized that it's original meaning is lost. And Bea Arthur didn't even bother putting her customer's drinks in special Life Day mugs and glasses!

[EllenM 943]

That might awaken some latent stuff in EllenM.

What the fuck is this? I come back after the life (and subsequently liver-destroying) ending experience of exams and get called out?

 

My favourite Christmas song is the original Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) by Darlene Love, with Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas is You a close second.

 

My favourite seasonal song is What Are You Doing for New Year's Eve by Ella Fitzgerald. It just speaks to me. It's just the right amount of cautious hopefulness and self-deprecation/doubt that cuts me deep.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIcuK7wW8bU

[Joven 373]

So are we posting shitty christmas songs, or good ones? Here's a right merry one, anyway.

 

[FisterRoboto 7499]

What the fuck is this? I come back after the life (and subsequently liver-destroying) ending experience of exams and get called out?

Haha. I was wondering if that was going to get lost in the thread by the time you got back.

 

Circling back for a second ... the whole concept of Life Day is mysterious to me.

 

I would get "Life Day" as some PC bullshit they would have to put in a family special now, in 2015. But PC bullshit in 1978 just seems anachronistic. I went to elementary school in the mid-90s and we still had "Christmas" parties (before that later changed to "holiday" parties for my brother's stint), so using anecdotal evidence because what could ever go wrong there, it stands to reason they totally could have just called it "Wookie Christmas" in 1978 and nobody would have given a shit.

 

They weren't aiming to put Life Day presents under the tree...

 

I'm also struck by how unnecessarily sexually aggressive so much of it is, which blends so oddly with the PC-ness of the central conceit. Grandpa Wookie totally has a masturbation station set up. There is no doubt. And that's just one of many totally unnecessarily sexualized elements in play here.

 

I might actually argue that, given the setup and context, I felt more uncomfortable watching Star Wars Holiday Special than Irreversible or Mysterious Skin.

Ignoring the assertion that acknowledging any holiday besides Christmas is "PC bullshit," the main reason it's not Wookiee Christmas is because Life Day isn't meant to be Christmas. This special aired in mid-November, and Life Day was originally a stand-in for Thanksgiving.

 

In more recent Star Wars-themed media (and mostly starting with the awful game Star Wars Galaxies), it has been retconned to be closer to Christmas. However, Life Day was originally more like a harvest festival or Thanksgiving than it was Christmas.

[jarrycanada 2483]

Look what I found !!! i can't believe it, it's not really all that well done but it's almost as I had imagined it.

 

Kirk Cameron Saving Starwars,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47OrC9oLiz4

 

it's unreal how you can come up with an idea and type it into Youtube and the odds are someone else has already beating you to that idea.

 

Cameron H. I don't care what anyone says, that Wookie died for our sins!!

[Reptarftw 27]

Didn't expect my hot take to be such a hot take. Mea culpa, nerds. You are all correct.

 

But I stand by how goddamn sexually aggressive and poorly edited this is.

[FisterRoboto 7499]

Didn't expect my hot take to be such a hot take. Mea culpa, nerds. You are all correct.

 

But I stand by how goddamn sexually aggressive and poorly edited this is.

 

Oh, it's 100% sexually aggressive. That's for sure.

 

The scene with Itchy in the chair is definitely one of the worst, but even Luke is kind of creepy when he tells Malla:

 

 

Pretty sure he's trying to bang Chewie's mom. (For real spoiler for Ep7 coming up)

Maybe he has a thing for Wookiees. There's a lot of speculation that he's Rey's father in TFA, and a lot of people were talking about how she could understand Chewie from their first meeting. The only logical conclusion is that Luke hooked up with a Wookiee, and Rey was the result.

 

 

(Non-Ep7 spoiler)

Itchy's mask is basically nightmare fuel.

 

 

 

[Reptarftw 27]

It also occurred to me that Mark Hamill blinked maybe twice in this entire special. I wonder if the only direction he was given was "loudly broadcast your eye color!"