MVD Rewind Collection: Hardware Wars (1978) - Reviewed

Images courtesy of MVD Rewind Collection

From the moment George Lucas’ Star Wars or Episode 4: A New Hope began sweeping the global film marketplace as a bona fide original seismic blockbuster, variety shows and television programs including the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special did what they could to capitalize on the then-budding pop cultural phenomenon.  While Star Wars and its sequel films generated more than a few knockoffs like Starcrash and parody satires making fun of the film in a playful manner, eventually leading towards such fare as Mel Brooks’ Spaceballs, the very first official Star Wars parody is officially credited to The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo co-founder, writer and director Ernie Fosselius with the 1978 16mm short film Hardware Wars now in a new 2K restored limited-edition blu-ray collector’s set from MVD Rewind Collection.

 
Though running a mere thirteen minutes long, Hardware Wars is nevertheless a lovingly made parody that’s at once a shot-for-shot goof on the hit 1977 sci-fi venture with curious elements that would or would not later factor into the actual Star Wars movies themselves.  From the opening revised 20^th Century Fox logo to the use of common household items thrown through the vacuum of space including but not limited to a toaster and a steam iron used for ships, the short film with tongue firmly planted in cheek has a kind of Dr. Strangelove quality to the names and absurdity.  For instance, the names have been changed cleverly to things like Fluke Starbucker, Augie “Ben” Doggie, Ham Salad and Darph Nader.  Made for a mere $8,000, the film nevertheless somehow or another pulled in $1 million over years of residuals and revival screenings and a good number of the post-production talents involved went on to work in big Hollywood movies.
 
Ernie Fosselius himself who primarily worked in the parody subgenre wound up getting something of a career boost with Hardware Wars, going on to develop sound effects for everything from Amadeus to Ed Wood while later being hired by none other than Star Wars sound designer Ben Burtt to record voice work for Return of the Jedi, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Episode II – Attack of the Clones. 

For anyone who has seen Tim Burton’s Mars Attacks!, the ack-ack sounds the aliens make can be traced to Fosselius.  And last-but-not-least Fosselius contributed sound editing work to none other than Spaceballs!  Then you have effects artists John Allardice, Andy Lesniak, Glen David Miller and Fred Tepper, all of whom have gone on to major Hollywood productions including but not limited to Titanic, Man of Steel and even The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
 
MVD’s collectible blu-ray disc comes lovingly detailed and prepared with reversible VHS tailored sleeve-art, a Warner Brothers-styled VHS clamshell slipcover and a mini poster.  The disc itself is housed with numerous extras including several different variant cuts of Hardware Wars, an inspired Apocalypse Now parody entitled Porklips Now and Plan 9.1 from Outer Space goofing on a particular Ed Wood classic with puppets.  

An acquired taste that kicked the door open for the many numerous Star Wars parodies that show no sign of stopping, MVD’s disc is a real treat for fans in probably the definitive home video release of this inspired little-short film.  Not everyone will be as enamored with it as others (I sure wasn’t), but opinions aside the release is fabulous and MVD’s ongoing special ‘Rewind Collection’ rollout of titles designed to look like they’re being offered in older-fashioned retro packages is very clearly a boutique label to watch closely for.

--Andrew Kotwicki