Watch Hardware Wars

Hardware Wars is a satirical short film that parodies George Lucas's 1977 blockbuster Star Wars. It was released in 1978 and quickly became a cult classic. The film was directed by Ernie Fosselius and produced by Michael Wiese. It features a cast of mostly unknown actors, including Frank Robertson, Scott Mathews, and Jeff Hale. The film is set in a galaxy far, far away and begins with a crawl of text that mimics the opening of Star Wars. The crawl sets up the story: In a time of intergalactic turmoil, a brave group of rebel fighters must face off against the evil space villain Darph Nader, who plans to destroy the universe with his ultimate weapon, the "Space-It" laser.

The main character in the film is Fluke Starbucker, a scruffy-looking nerf herder who bears a striking resemblance to Luke Skywalker. Fluke is joined by his faithful droids, Arty Deco and Ham Salad, who are clearly inspired by R2-D2 and C-3PO. Together, the trio sets off on a mission to stop Darph Nader.

The rest of the film follows Fluke and his crew as they navigate a series of absurd and comical obstacles. Along the way, they encounter a number of other characters, including a giant amoeba named "Fidgit" and a Princess Leia-esque character named "Ham Salad" who is kidnapped by Darph Nader.

One of the most memorable scenes in the film is a parody of the famous Star Wars cantina scene. In Hardware Wars, the cantina is inhabited by a variety of bizarre creatures, including a "waffle iron" and a "coffee maker" that are clearly made of household appliances.

The film is full of low-budget special effects that are intentionally cheesy and over the top. For example, the film's version of the Millennium Falcon is a toaster with wings, and the lightsabers are replaced by "flashbulbs."

The humor in Hardware Wars is largely based on parody and self-awareness. The film doesn't take itself too seriously and has a self-awareness that is meant to poke fun at the conventions of science fiction filmmaking. The film also features a number of tongue-in-cheek references to popular culture at the time, such as the tagline "May the Farce be with you."

Overall, Hardware Wars is a fun and lighthearted parody of the Star Wars franchise. It's a testament to how a low-budget film can capture the imagination of audiences and become a cult classic. While it may not have the same production value as the films it parodies, it's clear that the filmmakers had a lot of fun making it, and that joy is infectious. If you're a fan of science fiction or just enjoy a good laugh, Hardware Wars is well worth checking out.

Hardware Wars is a 1978 comedy with a runtime of 13 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.9.