Podtalk: Jeremy Coon & Steven Kozak for ‘A Disturbance in the Force’

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CHICAGO – A long time ago (1978) in an America far far away, the one and only showing of the “Star Wars Holiday Special” took place on CBS-TV. Infamously miscast and difficult to watch, the history of the show is chronicled in a new doc “A Disturbance in the Force,” co-directed by Jeremy Coon and Steven Kozak.

Rating: 5.0/5.0

In 1977, “Star Wars” became a cultural phenomenon that single-handedly revitalized a stagnant film industry, and forever changed how films were sold, made, and marketed. On November 17th, 1978, CBS aired the two-hour “Star Wars Holiday Special” and was watched by 13 million people. It never re-aired and is considered one of the worst shows to ever be broadcast on national TV. “A Disturbance in the Force” co-directors Jeremy Coon and Steve Kozak combine celebrity insight – including Seth Green, Donny Osmond and Kevin Smith – archival/participant interviews and broadcast history perspective to understand why this show was created.

Available for Digital Download on December 5, 2023 … Jeremy Coon (left inset) and Steven Kozak
Photo credit: Giant Pictures

The documentary is flat-out hilarious, and fascinating at the same time. Considering that the Star Wars universe is close to being a religion, this monumental misfire is infamous for its casting (a combination of the original Star Wars cast in their prime and old-timey sitcom stars like Golden Girl Beatrice Arthur and Honeymooner Art Carney) and terribly paced story. However, it later found an underground life, first on bootlegs initially, and then on YouTube and its digital ilk. Directors Coon and Kozak get this documentary absolutely right, and it’s a must see for Star Wars fans, fans of cheese and those interested in another movie/broadcast era, never to come again… it’s a triumph.

Jeremy Coon began his show business journey as executive producer and editor of the cult classic “Napoleon Dynamite” in 2004. His previous documentary, co-directed with Tim Skousen, was “Raiders! The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made” (2015). Steven Kozak is a broadcast researcher … his father was a variety show producer in the 1970s … and currently he is the Clearance Coordinator (finding and clearing archival video) for “Jimmy Kimmel LIVE!” and did the same job for “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.”

In an Podtalk interview with Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com, co-director Jeremy Coon for “A Disturbance in the Force” …

In an Podtalk interview with Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com, co-director Steven Kozak for “A Disturbance in the Force” …

Trailer, “A Disturbance in the Force” …

By PATRICK McDONALD Editor and Film Critic/Writer HollywoodChicago.com pat@hollywoodchicago.com