The Star Wars Holiday Special: The Definitive Release (Help Needed) (WIP)

Special thanks to Matt Mahdi, Snoopac, and Zman for making this project possible.

Hello everybody, the goal of this project is to create a definitive release of the star wars holiday special. I have gathered together VHS recordings of different airings of the special, the editdroid DVD, and many interviews with the cast and crew along with other little things released throughout the years to create the definitive release of The Star Wars Holiday special. This release will include the following:

My own version of the Special (expanded on below)
Editdroid DVD
KCCI airing
WCBS airing
WMAR airing
Tasjo’s WHIO edition
Zion V2
Digital Spy Anthony Daniels interview
Screen Rant Plus: Anthony Daniels on the lego star wars holiday special
beatrice arthur emmytvlegends.org interview
Bruce VIlanch emmytvlegends.org interview
Harvey Koreman emmytvlegends.org interview
Harrison Ford On Late Night with Conan O’Brien
Harrison Ford on the star wars holiday special and cowboys and aliens
Boba Fett screentest
Star Wars Holiday Special Boba Fett Animator JOHN CELESTRI Interview
Mark Hamill - Memories of Carrie Fisher, The Holiday Special, and a Broken Promise
JJ abrams on the canonicity of the star wars holiday special
the Simpsons I will not be home for Christmas
Skywalking through wonderland Steve Binder Interview
Fox News coverage
Cartoon anamatic
South Park: Uncle Hanks Christmas Classics
TV land segment on the special
Opie and Anthony: Mark Hamill
Opie and Anthony: Carrie Fisher
Star Wars Actor Anthony Daniels Recalls DREADFUL 1978 Holiday Special
Ten Questions for Carrie Fisher (2010)
Carrie Fisher Celebration VI (2012)
Carrie Fisher DragonCon Highlights (2011)
Carrie Fisher, Date with a Princess
Nerdeek Life: Mark Hamill
Peter Mayhew describes family
Peter Mayhew Home to the family
Peter Mayhew Never Got a Answer
The Star Wars Holiday Special at 40: How a landmark TV bomb was born
Cantina Archeology 40 Years of the SWHS
40 Years of Star Wars Holiday Special Collecting - Collecting Track 2019
Star Wars Holiday Special 2016 Retrospect With George Lucas & Cast
Star Wars Holiday Special 40th Anniversary Tribute - LosCon 2018
Nightline 2007 Star Wars Holiday Special Coverage
2010 TV Guide Coverage
White and Nerdy
Robot Chicken commercials
Holiday Special/Flying High Promo
Holiday Special/Flying High Promo 2
A Cosmic Christmas
Romie-0 and Julie-8
The Lego Star Wars Holiday Special
The Predator Holiday Special
Clips from the Flying High November 17, 1978 episode
Clips from Lucy Comes to Nashville
Hot City: the almost complete series (missing 2 episodes)
The interviews from the editdroid DVD
Honest Trailer
Ryan George Pitch Meeting
From the Desk of Charles Lippincott article
Vanity Fair Han Solo Comedy Hour article
Starlog #19
A Photo Gallery
All the interviews from www.starwarsholidayspecial.com
All the graphics from Holonet 59
Chef Gamora article in Holonet 59
The transcript
The original story treatment
The fourth Draft of the script
The production notes
Proto-Fett the Birth of Boba www.starwars.com article, along with all the graphics from the article.
The Depths of Kashyk
A Forest Apart

What I Need

1. Dallas season 2 “Election” DVD rip
2. All In the Family season 9 “Edith vs. the Bank” DVD rip
3. KMGH airing
4. KNXT airing
5. WBNS airing
6. ATV airing
7. Network10 airing
8. Full Sweden airing
9. Scan of filmfax magazine 69/70
10. Chasing Christmas 1080p Amazon Web-DL
11. Blu-ray rip of the supergirl episode Reign
12. 1080p Mandalorian web DL
    Chapter 1
    Chapter 5
    Chapter 9
    Chapter 14
    Chapter 15
    Chapter 16
13. anything else you are able to contribute
    (for all airings a recording including commercials is preferable)

stuff I would like but I am not certain of their existence

1. KCMO airing with commercials
2. KCCI airing with commercials

Other things I need

1. someone to create some nice blu-ray menus when I am done with everything else
2. People who can subtitle the special in different languages
3. someone who can create optional Wookie subtitles

Currently, I think this release will be on three Blu-ray 50s, but this might change later on.

My version of the special will aim to improve on Zion, Editdroid, and Tasjos’s work. Here is a outline of its goals.

1. replace shots tooken from star wars with 4K77 footage
2. Include the fighting the frizzies segment and any other promos/bumpers from different TV channels
3. Have the option to watch with or without commercials
4. Have synced french, Spanish, and Rifftrax audio tracks
5. Have optional Wookie subtitles
6. Compile an audio commentary from different Interviews (only a possibility)

The main source I will use for my version of the special will be The Editdroid DVD. Then I will use 4K77 for the sections taken from A New Hope, and the official Blu-ray for the stormtrooper search scene. Then I will be using tasjo’s WHIO release for the audio dropouts and missing frames in the editdroid version. I will be sourcing the commercials from the zion hybrid and the WHIO for the opening CBS bumpers.

If you can contribute anything please do.

Pretty audacious undertaking! A couple of items that you may have missed…

There are three known CBS “You’re On” promos… one with Valerie Bertinelli, one with Alan Alda and one with Carol O’Conner.

Also, I didn’t see the unedited HS cartoon in your list that has the Canadian campaign “wasting electricity turns people off” line recorded backwards.

Hopefully you’re working with Skot if you plan to use his website content in your project.

pufnstuf said:

Pretty audacious undertaking! A couple of items that you may have missed…

There are three known CBS “You’re On” promos… one with Valerie Bertinelli, one with Alan Alda and one with Carol O’Conner.

Also, I didn’t see the unedited HS cartoon in your list that has the Canadian campaign “wasting electricity turns people off” line recorded backwards.

Hopefully you’re working with Skot if you plan to use his website content in your project.

Thanks, I did not know a forum member ran the website. I assumed the same Person no longer owned it due to the drastic change in interface and information. Thank you for the information on the promos, do you know how I can find the third one? I have the one with a old man and the one with the girl with curly hair. I’ll make sure to PM Skot immediately. Intirely forgot about the standalone cartoon, do you know what the best source for that is?

I have been testing different things with dr. dres color matcher and I have been getting a bit closer. It is not great, and the editdroid still looks much better, but it is a step forward.

before

after

Ok, so I noticed that the editdroid barely has any color problems, so I decided to try some very minimalistic tweaking and it turned out quite good. There isnt much difference but I think it is a improvment. what do you guys think.

Before

After

Darth telly said:

Special thanks to Matt Mahdi and Snoopac for making this project possible.

Hello everybody, the goal of this project is to create a definitive release of the star wars holiday special. I have gathered together VHS recordings of different airings of the special, the editdroid DVD, and many interviews with the cast and crew along with other little things released throughout the years to create the definitive release of The Star Wars Holiday special. This release will include the following:

My own version of the Special (expanded on below)
Editdroid DVD
KCCI airing
WCBS airing
WMAR airing
Tasjo’s WHIO edition
Zion V2
Digital Spy Anthony Daniels interview
Screen Rant Plus: Anthony Daniels on the lego star wars holiday special
beatrice arthur emmytvlegends.org interview
Bruce VIlanch emmytvlegends.org interview
Harvey Koreman emmytvlegends.org interview
Harrison Ford On Late Night with Conan O’Brien
Harrison Ford on the star wars holiday special and cowboys and aliens
Boba Fett screentest
Star Wars Holiday Special Boba Fett Animator JOHN CELESTRI Interview
Mark Hamill - Memories of Carrie Fisher, The Holiday Special, and a Broken Promise
JJ abrams on the canonicity of the star wars holiday special
Skywalking through wonderland Steve Binder Interview
Fox News coverage
Cartoon anamatic
South Park: Uncle Hanks Christmas Classics
TV land segment on the special
Robot Chicken commmercials
Holiday Special/Flying High Promo
Holiday Special/Flying High Promo 2
Clips from the Flying High November 17, 1978 episode
Clips from Lucy Comes to Nashville
Hot City: the almost complete series (missing 2 episodes)
The interviews from the editdroid DVD
Honest Trailer
Ryan George Pitch Meeting
From the Desk of Charles Lippincott article
Vanity Fair Han Solo Comedy Hour article
Starlog #19
A Photo Gallery
All the interviews from www.starwarsholidayspecial.com
All the graphics from Holonet 59
Chef Gamora article in Holonet 59
The transcript
The original story treatment
The fourth Draft of the script
The production notes
Proto-Fett the Birth of Boba www.starwars.com article, along with all the graphics from the article.
The Depths of Kashyk
A Forest Apart

What I Need

1. Censored audio track for South Park: Uncle Hanks Christmas classics from south park season 3 DVD.
2. KMGH airing
3. KNXT airing
4. WBNS airing
5. ATV airing
6. Network10 airing
7. Full Sweden airing
8. Good quality french airing with commercials
9. Scan of filmfax magazine 69/70
10. anything else you are able to contribute
    (for all airings a recording including commercials is preferable)

stuff I would like but I am not certain of their existence

1. KCMO airing with commercials
2. KCCI airing with commercials

Other things I need

1. someone to create some nice blu-ray menus when I am done with everything else
2. People who can subtitle the special in different languages
3. someone who can create optional Wookie subtitles

Currently, I think this release will be on two Blu-ray50s, but this might change later on.

My version of the special will aim to improve on Zion, Editdroid, and Tasjos’s work. Here is a outline of its goals.

1. replace shots tooken from star wars with 4K77 footage
2. Include the fighting the frizzies segment and any other promos/bumpers from different TV channels
3. Have the option to watch with or without commercials
4. Have synced french, Spanish, and Rifftrax audio tracks
5. Have optional Wookie subtitles
6. Compile an audio commentary from different Interviews (only a possibility)

The main source I will use for my version of the special will be The Editdroid DVD. Then I will use 4K77 for the sections taken from A New Hope, and the official Blu-ray for the Vader widens the search scene. I will color correct the Editdroid using 4K77 as a reference up against the scenes taken from a New hope on the editdroid DVD. Then I will be using tasjo’s WHIO release for the audio dropouts and missing frames in the editdroid version. I will be sourcing the commercials from the zion hybrid and the WHIO for the opening CBS bumpers.

If you can contribute anything please do.

“Vader widens the search scene” on blu-ray is a different take

PS for youtube downloader use yt-dlp

nobodybutjarjar42 said:

Darth telly said:

Special thanks to Matt Mahdi and Snoopac for making this project possible.

Hello everybody, the goal of this project is to create a definitive release of the star wars holiday special. I have gathered together VHS recordings of different airings of the special, the editdroid DVD, and many interviews with the cast and crew along with other little things released throughout the years to create the definitive release of The Star Wars Holiday special. This release will include the following:

My own version of the Special (expanded on below)
Editdroid DVD
KCCI airing
WCBS airing
WMAR airing
Tasjo’s WHIO edition
Zion V2
Digital Spy Anthony Daniels interview
Screen Rant Plus: Anthony Daniels on the lego star wars holiday special
beatrice arthur emmytvlegends.org interview
Bruce VIlanch emmytvlegends.org interview
Harvey Koreman emmytvlegends.org interview
Harrison Ford On Late Night with Conan O’Brien
Harrison Ford on the star wars holiday special and cowboys and aliens
Boba Fett screentest
Star Wars Holiday Special Boba Fett Animator JOHN CELESTRI Interview
Mark Hamill - Memories of Carrie Fisher, The Holiday Special, and a Broken Promise
JJ abrams on the canonicity of the star wars holiday special
Skywalking through wonderland Steve Binder Interview
Fox News coverage
Cartoon anamatic
South Park: Uncle Hanks Christmas Classics
TV land segment on the special
Robot Chicken commmercials
Holiday Special/Flying High Promo
Holiday Special/Flying High Promo 2
Clips from the Flying High November 17, 1978 episode
Clips from Lucy Comes to Nashville
Hot City: the almost complete series (missing 2 episodes)
The interviews from the editdroid DVD
Honest Trailer
Ryan George Pitch Meeting
From the Desk of Charles Lippincott article
Vanity Fair Han Solo Comedy Hour article
Starlog #19
A Photo Gallery
All the interviews from www.starwarsholidayspecial.com
All the graphics from Holonet 59
Chef Gamora article in Holonet 59
The transcript
The original story treatment
The fourth Draft of the script
The production notes
Proto-Fett the Birth of Boba www.starwars.com article, along with all the graphics from the article.
The Depths of Kashyk
A Forest Apart

What I Need

1. Censored audio track for South Park: Uncle Hanks Christmas classics from south park season 3 DVD.
2. KMGH airing
3. KNXT airing
4. WBNS airing
5. ATV airing
6. Network10 airing
7. Full Sweden airing
8. Good quality french airing with commercials
9. Scan of filmfax magazine 69/70
10. anything else you are able to contribute
    (for all airings a recording including commercials is preferable)

stuff I would like but I am not certain of their existence

1. KCMO airing with commercials
2. KCCI airing with commercials

Other things I need

1. someone to create some nice blu-ray menus when I am done with everything else
2. People who can subtitle the special in different languages
3. someone who can create optional Wookie subtitles

Currently, I think this release will be on two Blu-ray50s, but this might change later on.

My version of the special will aim to improve on Zion, Editdroid, and Tasjos’s work. Here is a outline of its goals.

1. replace shots tooken from star wars with 4K77 footage
2. Include the fighting the frizzies segment and any other promos/bumpers from different TV channels
3. Have the option to watch with or without commercials
4. Have synced french, Spanish, and Rifftrax audio tracks
5. Have optional Wookie subtitles
6. Compile an audio commentary from different Interviews (only a possibility)

The main source I will use for my version of the special will be The Editdroid DVD. Then I will use 4K77 for the sections taken from A New Hope, and the official Blu-ray for the Vader widens the search scene. I will color correct the Editdroid using 4K77 as a reference up against the scenes taken from a New hope on the editdroid DVD. Then I will be using tasjo’s WHIO release for the audio dropouts and missing frames in the editdroid version. I will be sourcing the commercials from the zion hybrid and the WHIO for the opening CBS bumpers.

If you can contribute anything please do.

“Vader widens the search scene” on blu-ray is a different take

PS for youtube downloader use yt-dlp with -S vcodec:av1 added for best video quality and if your scared of the command line use yt-dlg with the same arguments and change the backend to yt-dlp

I know it is another take. I always use the free version of 4K video downloader.

The stuff I need section has been updated.

Ok this is more of just a curiosity, but what is a Broadcast master? Does anyone know, I know the editdroid was sourced from one but that is all I know.

WXM said:

Darth telly said:

what is a Broadcast master?

In general/simple terms… TV stations used (much) higher end media (tapes) compared to home recording (VHS, Betamax). You’ve surely seen those bits of “reveal footage” from news programs and game shows and such where you get a glimpse of those HUGE studio cameras (which has always been the case). Those million-dollar monster cameras wouldn’t be recording to just flimsy little VHS tapes and their weak signals, right? (And that’s putting aside that TV stations were of course recording way before VHS or Betamax existed.) Yes, the resolution was still the same — NTSC in the U.S. — but there was much more detail packed into the signal over VHS and other home formats.

(Taking about after things switched from reel to reel…) These TV broadcast cassettes generally looked similar to home VCR tapes, but were larger, the tape wider, more inches of tape moved for recording, which gave them much higher fidelity (within the locked resolution) than their smaller home cousins. I.e., it was a much higher end realm of (video tape) media.

You seem very knolegable about this so just one more question, do these high end tapes get more washed out with each time they are copied? Also even with your answer I still do not quite understand what a broadcast master is, Is it a copy of the tape distributed to TV stations? Is it the immediate finished product?

Is it possible to get multiple videos to play together seamlessly? The parts from a new hope are encoded as separate videos and I need to know now if I have to change my plan for my remaster of the special.

I know MPV has the ability to play multiple videos in a grid layout, but only if launched from the command line. I’ve used it before but it has been quite a while and I don’t seem to have bookmarked the how-to that I used.

If you meant playing the videos sequentially, VLC can play an entire directory, and you could either name the files with sequential numeric prefixes, or create a playlist file to specify the order

zman said:

I know MPV has the ability to play multiple videos in a grid layout, but only if launched from the command line. I’ve used it before but it has been quite a while and I don’t seem to have bookmarked the how-to that I used.

If you meant playing the videos sequentially, VLC can play an entire directory, and you could either name the files with sequential numeric prefixes, or create a playlist file to specify the order

I meant sequentially, the thing is with VLC there is a quarter-second gap between each video.

I can’t say I have any experience with it, but MPV might handle that as well if queued up from the command line.

I started on the shots of Kashyk and here is what I did with them.

A New Hope

The Star Wars Holiday Special

My remaster (uncropped)

My remaster (cropped)

Any thoughts?

zman said:

I can’t say I have any experience with it, but MPV might handle that as well if queued up from the command line.

How do you que up from the command line?

Darth telly said:

zman said:

I can’t say I have any experience with it, but MPV might handle that as well if queued up from the command line.

How do you que up from the command line?

Here’s what I found in regards to playing files in a specific order. I haven’t tested it to ensure there won’t be a gap between files though.

https://github.com/mpv-player/mpv/issues/4184#issuecomment-466781988

Your preview shot looks great!

Updated the what I need section of the opening post.

zman said:

Darth telly said:

zman said:

I can’t say I have any experience with it, but MPV might handle that as well if queued up from the command line.

How do you que up from the command line?

Here’s what I found in regards to playing files in a specific order. I haven’t tested it to ensure there won’t be a gap between files though.

https://github.com/mpv-player/mpv/issues/4184#issuecomment-466781988

Your preview shot looks great!

Thanks.

I can Easily clean up simple damage, but I have no clue where to start with fighting the frizzies. Would someone be willing to fix frizzies up?