We now have definitive proof that the Star Wars Holiday Special is beyond salvation, no matter what. Not even the rousing Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer music can hide the embarrassment that even George Lucas won’t acknowledge. And when the man who unleashed Jar Jar Binks and existential pain of sand wants to bury it, that should be the first sign that nothing can make this 1978 travesty look good. But the folks at Vulture have made a valiant attempt to accomplish such a task, so take a look at the results to see if they succeeded in remolding this dark spot in the franchise or simply polished a cheap-looking turd.
Credit where credit is due, there are some moments that sync up so perfectly that they almost trick you into getting sucked into this “adventure,” like matching up Finn’s dialogue with Boba Fett and also Han Solo eerily mouthing a line that matches with his “All of it” from the Force Awakens trailer. There’s also the nice touch of the tape rewind after the CBS logo to keep the trailer in line with the special’s quaint origin on analog television. But there’s no hiding just how bad this thing really is, and this trailer remix even seems to give in to the incoherent madness by the end.
George Lucas has never allowed an official release of the Holiday Special, although the animated Boba Fett segment was included on the Complete Saga blu-ray set and Rifftrax put out a version with its scathingly funny commentary. Whether or not it ever sees the Lucasfilm-approved light of day, this modernized trailer is probably the most tolerable form that it will ever be shown in.
(via Vulture)