Fluke Starbucker (Scott Mathews) must learn to master the power of “The Farce” with help from Artie Deco, 4-Q-2 (Frank Robertson), Princess Anne-Droid (Cindy Furgatch), Ham Salad (Bob Knickerbocker), and the rest of the Red Eye Knights.

In 1978 writer / director Ernie Fosselius (former member of “The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo”) created the very first “Star Wars” parody, HARDWARE WARS. Complete with cardboard sets and visible wires (holding up ships which were various household appliances), the film was shot over four days with a budget of around $8,000. Now, nearly 50 years later, the original version of this classic short that George Lucas called his “favorite Star Wars parody” (in a 1999 interview on the UK’s The Big Breakfast TV show) has been restored in High Definition for a whole new generation of cult movie fans to discover!

For thoughts on Hardware Wars, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required:

Video Quality

Hardware Wars debuts on Blu-Ray via the MVD Rewind Collection with a 1080p transfer which is sourced from a 2K scan and restoration of a 16mm Reversal Release print conducted by Vinegar Syndrome earlier this year. This new master improves upon the older 2012 HD master approved by director Ernie Fosselius which was originally going to be the main feature of this disc and can still be found as a supplemental feature. The team at Vinegar Syndrome prepared the new master with the intent of keeping it as close to the original look of the film at the time it was created, which means they left some of the damage that has been part of the experience since the beginning.

This title has a ceiling for how good it can look, but we can safely say it looks about as terrific as one would hope for it to look without changing the shabby nature of the film. This transfer maintains a pleasing amount of thick, organic film grain that does not appear to have been digitally tweaked or robbed of its texture in the slightest. There are the expected nicks and scratches, but it’s part of the experience. The transfer reveals some favorable detail in the homebrewed production design and within the texture of costumes. The palette is faithfully suffused as it captures the intended hues. The highlights are pretty stable with no digital noise popping up. Black levels are decent with a fair amount of depth and only sporadic banding. This is a satisfying representation of a short film that may have not been expected to get such a caring release.

Audio Quality

MVD Entertainment brings us this new Blu-Ray with an LPCM 2.0 track in both stereo and mono that holds up decently given the source. The mono track is the original audio of the feature, and the stereo track is updated with enhanced special effects and other tweaks. We are grateful to have both tracks as options for artistic purity. The voiceover narration and dubbing come through well with not much in the way of weakness. The music does not break up when it comes to fidelity as it flows through. Individual elements do not get swallowed up by competing elements. Environmental effects are somewhat delineated within the space, but some details become a bit muddled. Age-related wear and tear is kept to a minimum, but it is to be expected with this title. MVD Entertainment has done a noble job here. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided on this disc.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: This release provides a commentary track from Writer/Director Ernie Fosselius in which he discusses some of the “symbolism” and unexpected influence, how the film came to be, how they achieved certain shots, and more. This track has a meta aspect, including an internal monologue that humorously showcases his insecurities.

Hardware Wars 2012 HD Master (12:54): An option to watch the older master provided to MVD before the fresh remaster for those who feel this fares best with more damage.

Hardware Wars Director’s Cut (10:16): A standard definition presentation of a version with ruined takes and other moments that ruin the illusion of the filmmaking process.

Hardware Wars Foreign Version (11:15): A standard definition presentation of yet another version of the special.

1978 Creature Features Interview: A six-minute interview with Writer/Director Ernie Fosselius who presents himself as a “laughologist” who talks up his unique profession along with some merchandise he has created for Hardware Wars.

Hardware Wars Saves Christmas: A six-minute video that repurposes the main feature as a cheerful holiday tale.

Hardware Wars Prequel Featurette: A five-and-a-half-minute piece that takes us to “Antiques Sideshow” to judge whether or not a found film canister holds any value.

Awards Reel: A minute-long video that announces some of the accolades the film has garnered over the years.

Porklips Now: A 22-minute standard definition parody of Apocalypse Now from 1980.

Plan 9.1 From Outer Space: A 21-minute standard definition parody of Plan 9 From Outer Space from 2009 made with puppets.

Trailers: This disc provides the minute-and-a-half-long trailer for Hardware Wars. The disc also features trailers for other MVD releases including Ghoulies, Ghoulies 2, Swamp Thing, and The Man From Earth.

Poster: A fold-out poster of the cover art is included in the case.

Final Thoughts

Hardware Wars is going to be a title many consumers approach with uncertainty, mostly due to the fact that it is less than 15 minutes long. Yet, if you can divorce yourself from the raw minutes of entertainment for the primary feature, you will be treated to the original Star Wars parody that is filled with wit and reverence for the property. Yes, many of these jokes have been duplicated by others over the years, but there is still a great amount of charm included here. Plus, the special features, such as two additional short film parodies, go a long way toward making this a feature-length value proposition. MVD Entertainment has offered up a Blu-Ray with a great A/V presentation and some exceptional special features. We appreciate that something like this can make it to Blu-Ray thanks to a company that cares, and fans who have been waiting for it will be rewarded. Recommended

Hardware Wars will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray on May 7, 2024.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: MVD Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.