SilverWook said:Lucasfilm does not pretend the HS doesn't exist. The characters have listings on the official site, and Hasbro released a Boba Fett based on the cartoo segement.
Doesn't count. They've refused all these years to release it on vhs or dvd, which is as good as trying to erase it from history and from what I've read Lucas has made it clear he wishes it were gone. Character listings in the official site's bullshit and toys are nothing compared to the issue of it being on legitimate dvd/vhs or not. And Lucasfilm is not Lucas. It's been demonstrated that Lucasfilm and Lucas can diverge in attitudes (such as on the canon issue). However some of his employees might feel about the special, I think it's clear Lucas is against it and I'd bet that's why it's never been released. Whereas he may not bother stopping them making the odd toy from it or sticking some stuff from it on their site, as long as the thing itself doesn't get the real recognition an official release gives.
SilverWook said:If they finally decided to officially release it, there might be music rights to sort out with Jefferson Starship, etc. Nobody was thinking of a video release back in 1978.
I wouldn't be so sure they wouldn't have thought of that. Just two years after the special came out, the tv documentary The Making of Star wars was out out on video. If they could put out a docummentary on video then they could surely put out an actual piece of screen fiction. I think even back then it was noticeable that the Holiday Special wasn't out on video.