The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978)
Adventure, Science Fiction, Family, TV Movie • 1h 37m
Director: Steve Binder
Cast: Peter Mayhew, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Anthony Daniels, James Earl Jones, Bea Arthur, Art Carney, Paul Kantner, Diahann Carroll, David Freiberg, Marty Balin, Craig Chaquico, John Barbata, Harvey Korman, Mickey Morton, Paul Gale, Patty Maloney, Jack Rader, Stephanie Stromer, Michael Potter, Yûichi Sugiyama, Claude Woolman, Lev Mailer, David Prowse, Mary Ann Hay, Gabriel Dell, Alec Guinness
About the film
Luke Skywalker and Han Solo battle evil Imperial forces to help Chewbacca reach his imperiled family on the Wookiee planet - in time for Life Day, their most important day of the year!
- Featured Lists
- RiffTrax Films
Studio commentary with Mike Nelson, Bill Corbett, and Kevin Murphy
- Alternative Titles
- The 'Star Wars' Christmas Special, Star Wars - The Holiday Special
Director: Victor Fleming
3D: Warner Bros 3D Blu-ray or Apple Vision Pro
Director: Roger Christian
Theatrical Version: Mill Creek Blu-ray
Home Video Version: Concorde Blu-ray
3D version: Paramount 3D Blu-ray
Paramount 4K Blu-ray on October 26 2026
Video format: HD Streaming
Director: Micky Dolenz
Video format: SD Streaming
Director: Joel Schumacher
Theatrical Dolby Digital 5.1: WB LaserDisc AC3, 1997 WB DVD 5.1
2005 5.1 retransfer: 2005 WB DVD Dolby, DTS. WB Blu-ray TrueHD
4K Blu-ray has Atmos remixes with new effects and changes. The original matrix surround track is somewhat different in its mix than the 5.1 discrete but relatively the same.
Director: Joel Schumacher
Dolby Stereo SR: WB LaserDisc (best audio mix of the film)
Dolby 5.1: WB LaserDisc AC3, WB DVD
2005 5.1 retransfer: WB DVD Dolby and DTS, WB Blu-ray TrueHD
4K Blu-ray has Atmos remixes with new effects and changes. The original matrix surround track is better mixed than the 5.1 discrete with more surround and low end engagement amazingly. It also hides the extensive ADR a bit due to the inherent quality dip comparing matrix to discrete formats.
1991 Warner Bros LaserDisc (for original mono track)
1996 Warner Bros 25th Anniversary LaserDisc has isolated music and effects track (incorrectly labeled "music minus vocals") not present on any other release
More Adventure on Blu-ray
Director: George Pal
4K restoration from Original Camera Negative
Director: Dennis Hopper
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
Included in the Complete Kubrick box set with FiM encode of the same master from the Universal release without the filtering.
DTS:X mix on Universal 4K Blu-ray most closely approximates original surround mix
Criterion DVD and Universal 4K Blu-ray has additional features not found on the Criterion 4K Blu-ray
Video format: UHD Blu-ray
WB 4K
Sources: YouTube (opens in a new tab)
An undeniably significant improvement from the BD yet still severely flawed. See DFIC's review.
Director: John Huston
Sources: Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)
Eureka Blu-ray > StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray. Older DVD or LaserDisc probably even better
All blu-ray releases so far is from the 2010 scan.
Directors: Ernest B. Schoedsack & Merian C. Cooper
Director: George Lucas
Video format: UHD Blu-ray
OG: "4K77" or "D+77" on high seas.
Special Edition: "4K97_IV" or "D+97_IV" on high seas.
2027 Original Trilogy restoration/50th anniversary rerelease clips leaked plus release confirmed
OG: LaserDisc audio is the best option for the Dolby Stereo mixes (and usually included in fan restorations). There are 16mm/TV rips of the mono mixes.
Special Edition: Cinema DTS or 1997 LaserDisc for the Special Edition.
Director: David Lean
Sources: Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)
The 5.1 on Sony 4K Blu-ray is from the 1989 70mm mix. The original is 4-track. not on the disc.
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