Review of A Disturbance in the Force

Last evening, I received an early birthday surprise—a screening of this documentary here in Indianapolis. I could try to claim that the guest appearances by two stormtroopers, a Rebel pilot, and Darth Vader himself didn't influence my review, but I can't honestly say that. What an incredible experience! As a six-year-old when the original Star Wars hit theaters, I was instantly hooked by everything that came from a galaxy "far, far away." This included The Star Wars Holiday Special. Yes, I have memories, albeit fuzzy, of watching it the one and only time it aired in 1978, and over the years, I've seen clips and bootleg copies of this wild moment in TV history. However, I had no idea about the behind-the-scenes chaos that went into the production of this cult classic. It seems that it could only have been brought into existence in the late 1970s, in a small window between the original Star Wars and the debut of The Empire Strikes Back in 1980. To round out the story, there are interviews with comedians like Paul Scheer, Seth Green, Taran Killam, Kevin Smith, Gilbert Gottfried, and Weird Al. Each brought their unique perspectives to the Holiday Special, as most of them were in the prime demographic for the show and had a front-row seat to the fever dream. For fans of Star Wars, Hollywood, the creative process, or those who simply enjoy watching a train wreck, I highly recommend treating yourself to A Disturbance in the Force. This is the way.