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Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace

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Star Wars Episode I:
The Phantom Menace
Directed byGeorge Lucas
Written byGeorge Lucas
Produced byRick McCallum
George Lucas
StarringEwan McGregor
Natalie Portman
Liam Neeson
Jake Lloyd
Ian McDiarmid
CinematographyDavid Tattersall
Edited byBen Burtt
Music byJohn Williams
Distributed by20th Century Fox
Release dates
May 19, 1999 (USA)
Running time
133 min.
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$115,000,000

Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace is a 1999 science fantasy film written and directed by George Lucas. It was the fourth film to be released in the Star Wars saga, and the first in terms of internal chronology. Among fans, the title is commonly abbreviated as "TPM".

Two Jedi Knights are assigned as ambassadors to a trade dispute that is threatening the planet Naboo. When the situation turns violent, the Jedi, along with the planet's Queen, flee Naboo in an attempt to reach the capital world Coruscant in the hope of finding a peaceful end to the dispute. Along the way, the ship must stop for repairs on the planet Tatooine. It is there that the Jedi encounter a young slave boy who is unusually strong in the Force. When the group returns to Naboo, they realize that the situation is much worse than they thought—the evil Sith have returned.

The release of the film on May 19, 1999 came almost 16 years after the previous film in the series, Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. The release was accompanied by extensive media coverage and high anticipation. Despite mixed reviews by critics, it was extremely successful financially, grossing US$924.3 million worldwide. The Phantom Menace was the highest grossing film of 1999, and the fourth highest grossing film of all-time.

Production

George Lucas began writing the new Star Wars trilogy on November 1, 1994.[1] The screenplay for The Phantom Menace was adapted from Lucas' 15-page outline that was written in 1976. The early outline was originally designed to help Lucas track the character backstories and what events had taken place before the original trilogy.[1] While the working title for the film was The Beginning,[1] Lucas later revealed the true title to be The Phantom Menace; a title which, in contrast to the more self-explanatory titles of the other films, is ambiguous. It is commonly suggested that the title refers to Darth Sidious or the Sith in general. The title could also refer to the origin of Darth Sidious' name, which is the adjective "insidious". The Oxford English Dictionary gives the following definition:

"Full of wiles or plots; lying in wait or seeking to entrap or ensnare; proceeding or operating secretly or subtly so as not to excite suspicion; sly, treacherous, deceitful, underhand, artful, cunning, crafty, wily. (of persons and things.)"

In theory, the "phantom" in the film's title refers to the Dark Lord of the Sith, and "menace" refers to the meaning of the name "Sidious".[2] Another theory is based upon the understanding that the central menace of the movie, the Trade Federation's blockade and invasion of Naboo, is itself nothing more than a phantom, a piece of political misdirection designed by Darth Sidious — the true menace — to spark the ultimate victory of the Sith.[2] A third interpretation is that the title foreshadows Anakin's eventual transformation into Darth Vader. This was illustrated in a movie poster which showed young Anakin casting a shadow in the shape of Darth Vader. Within the story, few could have foreseen the monumental menace Anakin would eventually pose.[2]

Within three to four months of Lucas beginning the writing process, Doug Chiang and his design team started a two-year process of reviewing thousands of designs for the film.[3] Stunt coordinator Nick Gillard was recruited to create a new Jedi fighting style for the new trilogy. Gillard referred to the lightsaber battles being akin to a chess game "with every move being a check." Because of their short-range weapons, Gillard theorized that the Jedi would have had to develop a fighting style that merged every swordfighting style, such as kendo and samurai, with other swinging techniques, such as tennis and tree-chopping. While training Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor, Gillard would write a sequence to be an estimated sixty seconds in length, meant to be among five to six sequences per fight.[4] Lucas later referred to Jedi as being "negotiators", rather than high-casualty soldiers. The preference of hand-to-hand combat was implemented to give a more spiritual and intellectual role to the Jedi.[4]

File:Star wars episode one the phantom menace ver1.jpg
Teaser poster for The Phantom Menace that emphasizes Anakin's future.

Filming began June 26, 1997 and ended on September 30, 1997, primarily taking place at Leavesden Studios in England, with additional location shooting in the Tunisian desert for the Tatooine scenes and the Italian palace Palazzo Reale, Caserta for the Theed City Naboo Palace interior. The city of Mos Espa was built in the desert outside of Tozeur. The night following the third day of shooting in Tozeur, an unexpected sandstorm destroyed many sets and props. With a quick rescheduling to allow for repairs, production was able to leave Tunisia the exact day it had originally planned to.[5]

A previously unseen technological milestone came about when the mechanical R2-D2 refused to operate in the sand of the Tunisian desert. Nine R2-D2 models were created; seven could run in the sand or on the stage, one was for Kenny Baker to be dropped into, and one was a "pneumatic" R2 that was able to shift from two legs to three legs. During filming in Tunisia and on sets to replicate the environment, the standard model was prone to skidding off into strange directions and getting its motors locked up from the sand. Having confronted similar problems before, Lucas allowed two different companies, Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) and the production's British special effects department, to create their own versions of the perfect R2-D2. The finished product needed the ability to navigate deep sand, light sand, and door jambs. ILM's R2-D2 featured two wheelchair motors capable of pushing 440 pounds of weight. The British effects company produced a new foot and motor drive system, allowing R2 to drive over sand. The ILM version was primarily used on stage sets, whereas the British version was utilized in Tunisia.[6]

The special effects were groundbreaking in scope (roughly 2,000 effects shots) and in their quality and innovation, such as co-starring computer graphics characters, completely computer-generated environments, and armies of CGI droids. This was accomplished through advancing digital technology that gave Lucas unprecedented freedom in storytelling. Up until production of The Phantom Menace, many special effects within the film industry were accomplished by use of miniature models, matte paintings, and on-set visual effects, although other films had made extensive use of computer-generated imagery before. Visual effects supervisor John Knoll previewed 3,500 storyboards for the film, with Lucas accompanying him to explain what factors of the shots would be practical and what would be created through visual effects. Knoll later recounted that upon hearing the explanations of the storyboards, he was not aware of any way to accomplish what he had seen. The result was to mix original techniques with the newest digital techniques to make it difficult for the viewer to guess which technique was being used. New computer software was written by Knoll and his visual effects team to create certain shots of in the film. Another goal was to create computer-generated characters that could act seamlessly with live-action actors. While filming scenes with CGI characters, Lucas would block the characters using their corresponding voice actor on-set. The voice actors were then removed and the live-action actors would perform the same scene alone. A CGI character would later be added into the shot, completing the conversation.[7]

The budget of The Phantom Menace was US $115 million, which, after inflation adjustments, makes it the most expensive film in the prequel trilogy. Whereas the other two films in the trilogy were shot on digital video, all but two scenes of this film was shot on 35 mm film.

Synopsis

Template:Spoiler

File:Twojedi.jpg
Gas pours into the room in an assassination attempt on the lives of Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi.

The opening crawl reveals that a galactic trade dispute caused the Trade Federation to blockade the planet of Naboo in hopes of achieving a resolution. Chancellor Valorum of the Galactic Republic secretly sends two Jedi Knights — Qui-Gon Jinn and his padawan learner Obi-Wan Kenobi — to meet with the Trade Federation to resolve the dispute. Unbeknownst to them, the Trade Federation is in league with the mysterious Sith Lord Darth Sidious, who orders them to invade Naboo and kill the two Jedi. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan escape and flee to the surface of Naboo, where they meet local Gungan outcast Jar Jar Binks. As Jar Jar brings them to an underwater Gungan settlement, the Trade Federation captures Naboo's leader, Queen Amidala. Through a Jedi mind trick, Qui-Gon secures a submarine, which Obi-Wan, Jar Jar, and himself use to reach the capital of Naboo and rescue Queen Amidala and her escort. Afterward, they all depart for Coruscant, the Galactic Republic’s capital planet, to seek help from the Senate.

During the escape, the ship is attacked by the Federation blockade, forcing R2-D2, one of the ship's droids, to fix the shields. The attack damages the ship's hyperdrive, forcing the party to land on the desert planet of Tatooine for repairs. While searching for needed parts, Qui-Gon and a handmaiden named Padmé befriend young Anakin Skywalker, a nine-year-old human slave gifted in piloting and mechanics. Qui-Gon senses a strong presence of the Force in Anakin, and feels that he may be the Chosen One—an individual the Jedi believe will fulfill a prophecy by bringing balance to the Force. At Anakin's insistence, Qui-Gon enters Anakin into the Boonta Eve Podrace in a bid with Anakin's master, Watto, to gain the needed parts as well as Anakin's freedom. Anakin eludes several obstacles — including rival racer Sebulba — to win the race, gaining his freedom and bankrupting Watto. After hesitation, Anakin leaves his mother and his droid (C-3PO) behind on Tatooine to go with the Jedi.

As the group prepares to depart, they are attacked by the Sith apprentice Darth Maul, who battles Qui-Gon until the heroes escape. On Coruscant, Qui-Gon informs the Jedi Council of the mysterious, well-trained attacker. The Council becomes concerned that this may indicate the reappearance of the Sith, a religious order who followed the dark side of the Force. Qui-Gon also informs the Council about Anakin, hoping that he can be trained as a Jedi. After testing the boy, the Council refuses, worried that he is too old for training and that he harbors enough fear and anger to cloud his future. Meanwhile, Senator Palpatine of Naboo persuades Amidala to call a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Valorum. The vote removes Valorum from power and leads to Palpatine's nomination for the position, which Amidala considers too late to work. To stop the Federation invasion by herself, the Queen decides to return to Naboo with her security team, the two Jedi, R2-D2, Anakin, and Jar Jar.

File:Duelfates.jpg
Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi battle Darth Maul on Naboo.

On Naboo, Padmé reveals herself as Queen Amidala and forms an alliance with the Gungans for the battle against the Trade Federation. The Gungans march into battle to divert the Federation army away from the capital, allowing the others to infiltrate the palace and capture the Viceroy. Once inside the palace hangar, the Jedi free several Naboo pilots, who regain their starfighters and assault the Federation droid ship. As they make their way to the throne room, the infiltration team is confronted by Darth Maul. Qui-Gon and Obi Wan fight Maul, while the others take an alternate route. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan duel with the Sith Lord amongst the catwalks of a massive power-generating reactor core. Obi-Wan is briefly delayed, seperating him from Qui-Gon and Maul. Meanwhile, Queen Amidala and her forces fight their way into the palace and capture Nute Gunray. Anakin — inadvertently joining the dogfight in space — destroys the droid-control ship's reactor with proton torpedoes, which deactivates the droid army in the midst of taking Gungan prisoners. In the reactor core, Qui-Gon reengages Darth Maul singlehandedly, but is slain. Obi-Wan catches up and attacks Maul until he is forced over the edge of a deep ventillation shaft. While clinging to the ledge, Obi-Wan uses the Force to make a tremendous vertical leap, flipping over Maul while simultaneously recovering Qui-Gon's lightsaber and slicing the Sith Lord in half. With his final breath, Qui-Gon instructs Obi-Wan to train Anakin to become a Jedi.

In the aftermath, the newly elected Chancellor Palpatine congratulates Queen Amidala on her victory. Meanwhile, the Jedi Council promotes Obi-Wan to the level of Jedi Knight, and Yoda reluctantly accepts Obi-Wan's request to train Anakin as his padawan. During Qui-Gon's funeral, Mace Windu and Yoda agree that Qui-Gon was killed by the Sith. But because there are always two Sith at any given time (a master and an apprentice), they believe that another Sith still exists, although which one is uncertain. A large celebration is held on Naboo to celebrate Naboo's liberation and the newborn alliance between the Naboo and the Gungans.

Release

Template:Infobox movie certificates The Phantom Menace received enormous media-created hype, which made Lucasfilm's $20 million advertising campaign, with the distinctive artwork of Star Wars series artist Drew Struzan gracing the movie poster and other advertising, seem modest and almost unnecessary because of the unprecedented interest amongst both fans and the wider community in the franchises return. Few film studios released films in the same week as the release of The Phantom Menace, among the more couragous were Dreamworks and Universal Studios releasing The Love Letter and Notting Hill, respectively. The Love Letter resulted in a box-office flop, whereas Notting Hill faired rather well and followed The Phantom Menace closely in second place.[8] Challenger, Gray & Christmas of Chicago, a work-issues consulting firm, estimated that 2.2 million full-time employees did not appear for work to see the film, resulting in $293 million in lost productivity. The Wall Street Journal also reported that such a larger number of workers announced plans to view premiere screenings that many companies shut down on the premiere day.[9] Many fans began waiting outside cinema theaters as early as a month in advance of ticket sales.[10]

More theater lines appeared when it was announced that the film cinemas were not allowed to sell tickets in-advance until two weeks into release. This was done out of fear that family theater-goers would either be unable to receive tickets or would be forced to pay higher prices. Tickets were to instead be sold on a traditional first-come-first-serve basis.[11] However, after meetings with the National Association of Theater Owners, Lucasfilm agreed to allow advance ticket sales to be allowed on May 12, 1999 provided that there be a 12 ticket limit per one customer.[12] As a result however, some advance tickets were sold by "scalpers" as high as $100 apiece, which a distribution chief called "horrible" stating it was exactly what they wanted to avoid.[13] Daily Variety reported that the theater owners received strict instructions from Lucasfilm that the film could only play in the cinema's largest auditiorium for the first 8 to 12 weeks; no honor passes were allowed for the first 8 weeks and they were obligated to send their payments to distributor 20th Century Fox within seven days.[14]

Servers at the film's official website became gridlocked soon after the release of the first teaser trailer,[15] and many fans of the series paid full admission to see The Waterboy only to leave after the trailer had run. The same tradition followed months later when the theatrical trailer was featured in front of Wing Commander.[16] The theatrical trailer caused even more notable media-hype as it not only premiered in theaters, but was also screened at the ShoWest Convention in Las Vegas, and was aired on television on Entertainment Tonight and Access Hollywood.[17] An unusual marketing scheme occurred across the United Kingdom where the teaser trailer was released on December 2, 1998 and then pulled from theaters six weeks later.[18]

Despite worries over whether the film would be finished in time, Lucasfilm Ltd. pushed the release date from May 21, 1999 to May 19 two weeks prior to debut. May 19 marked the 22-year anniversary of the release of the original Star Wars film. At the ShoWest Convention, Lucas stated that the change was done to give the fans a "head-start" by allowing them to view it over the week and allowing families the chance to view on the weekends. In a nod toward his future with digital technology, Lucas stated that the film would be released on four digital projectors on June 18, 1999.[19] Eleven charity premieres were staged across the United States on May 16, 1999; receivings from the Los Angeles event were given to the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatrics AIDS Foundation with corporate packages available for $5,000-$25,000.[20] Other charity premieres included the Dallas premiere for Children's Medical Center, the Aubrey Fund for Pediatric Cancer Research at the Sloan-Kettering Hospital in New York, the Big Brother/Sister Assn. of the Philadelphia premiere, and the Children's National Medical Center in Washington D.C. A statement said that tickets were sold at $500 apiece and certain sections were set aside from disadvantaged children.[21]

Reaction

The Phantom Menace enjoyed mostly positive reviews (scoring 63% favorable rating among film critics).[22] Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave it three and a half stars, praising its visual effects and calling it "exhilarating".[23] Some aspects of the scripting were criticized. Much criticism was directed at the character of Jar Jar Binks, who many members of the older fan community regarded as purely a merchandising opportunity rather than a serious character in the film.[24] The idea that Anakin built C-3PO was also regarded by some as far fetched. In addition, the introduction of midichlorians (microscopic organisms that allow communication with the Force) in the film has been controversial. Those against it have seen it as a concept that negates the numinous quality of the Force.[25] On the other hand many fans and critics agree that the epic fight scene between Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Maul, showcasing astounding choreography and Ray Park's martial arts skills, is a high point of and one of the best lightsaber duels in the entire Star Wars saga.[26]

After the film's release, there was controversy over whether several alien characters reflected racial stereotypes, notably: the oafish, slow-witted Jar-Jar Binks had long droopy ears reminiscent of dreadlocks and spoke with what many perceived as a Caribbean patois (particularly Jamaican Creole);[27] the greedy and corrupt Neimodians of the Trade Federation spoke with Asian accents; and the unprincipled desert trader Watto fit the caricature of the Semitic peoples. Lucas has categorically denied all of these implications.[28]

The Phantom Menace was 1999's most successful movie, earning $431,088,301 in North America and $493,229,257 from overseas, bringing the worldwide total to $924,317,558 and making the film the second highest grossing of all-time worldwide after its first release. Additionally, The Phantom Menace ranks 5th on the all-time domestic and all-time worldwide box-office lists and 19th on the all-time domestic list when adjusted for inflation.[29]

Despite failing to live up to immensely high expectations, The Phantom Menace accumulated box office records. Its opening day earnings were $28,542,349 which was, at the time, the largest single day gross for a single movie, although it didn't manage to gain enough popularity to break the opening weekend record, then held by The Lost World: Jurassic Park. It wasn't until the 2001 film Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone was released that these numbers were greatly superceded.[30] The Phantom Menace went on to past the $100 million mark in a record 5 days, breaking the record set by Lost World by 24 hours (the current record has since been reduced to just 3 days). Maintaining, it reached the $200 million mark in just 13 days, easily beating the previous record held by Independence Day by 7 1/2 days. The film took only 28 days to accumulate $300 million, beating the Titanic record by a 16 day margin. However, the film never generated a large number of repeat viewers to continue on to all-time top status.[30]

The film was nominated for several academy awards; Ben Burtt and Tom Bellfort received the nomination for Best Sound Effects. John Knoll, Dennis Muren, Scott Squires, and Rob Coleman received the nomination for Best Visual Effects. Gary Rydstrom, Tom Johnson, Shawn Murphy, and John Midgley received the nomination for Best Sound. The Matrix captivated Academy Award voters, and became the first film to beat out a Star Wars film for the visual effects Academy Award. In contrast, the film received several Golden Raspberry, or Razzie, nominations. These included Worst Picture, Worst Director, Worst Screenplay, Worst Supporting Actor (Jake Lloyd), Worst Supporting Actress (Sofia Coppola), Worst Screen Couple (Jake Lloyd and Natalie Portman), and won the Worst Supporting Actor category with Jar Jar Binks actor Ahmed Best.[31]

Cast

File:TPM Cast.JPG
Most of the principal characters of The Phantom Menace, from left to right: Jar-Jar Binks (Ahmed Best), Padmé Amidala (Natalie Portman), Sabe (Keira Knightley), Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), Captain Panaka (Hugh Quarshie), Sio Bibble (Oliver Ford Davies), and Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson).
  • Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi. Qui-Gon's Jedi apprentice. Young and headstrong, he holds a high respect for Qui-Gon, but questions his motives at times.
  • Ahmed Best as Jar Jar Binks. A comical Gungan, exiled from his home but taken in by Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. He accompanies them in their adventures in the film.
  • Pernilla August as Shmi Skywalker. Anakin's loving mother, who wants the best for her son, and has to deal with the difficult challenge of letting her son go with the Jedi.
  • Kenny Baker as R2-D2. An astonishingly smart astromech droid, he saves Queen Amidala's ship when all other droids fail.
  • Andy Secombe as Watto. A junk dealer on Tatooine who owns Anakin and his mother as slaves.
  • Anthony Daniels as C-3PO. A protocol droid built by Anakin, he lacks a metal covering in this film, which R2-D2 calls "naked".
  • Frank Oz as Yoda. The leader of the Jedi Council, and is apprehensive about allowing Anakin to be trained.
  • Terence Stamp as Finis Valorum. The current Supreme Chancellor who tries to help Naboo by sending Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon to negotiate with Gunray.

Over 3000 young actors were auditioned for the role of Anakin Skywalker through North America, England, Ireland, Scotland, and Canada. Among them included child actors Michael Angarano, Justin Berfield and Haley Joel Osment.[32] The field was narrowed down to three actors, all of which were interviewed by Lucas and then screentested with Natalie Portman.[33]

Historical and cultural allusions

See also: Star Wars sources and analogues

Like previous Star Wars films, The Phantom Menace makes several references to both historical events and films that George Lucas viewed in his youth. The Star Wars movies often mix several selected concepts from different mythologies and religions together.[34]

File:Ben-Hur chariot race.jpg
The chariot race from William Wyler's Ben-Hur, on which the Podrace is heavily based

The podrace sequence on Tatooine was heavily influenced by the chariot race in Ben-Hur. A common criticism against the entire podrace sequence were the Indycar engine sound samples which were recognizable to many North Americans.[35]

Although Jedi Knights practice Zen and martial arts, they are also inspired by Samurai warriors. The name Qui-Gon, paraphrases the term Qi-Gong, which refers to a Chinese discipline involving meditation and martial arts. The words qi and 'chi are essentially the same term, referring to the energy thought to flow through all living things from the Tao, also being a description for the Force. These types of elements derive primarily from Eastern and Native American religions and myths.[34]

Many Christian and biblical references are made, such as the appearance of Darth Maul. Maul's design draws heavily from traditional depictions of the Judeo-Christian Devil, complete with red skin and horns.[34] The Star Wars film cycle features a similarly religious narrative with Anakin, a virgin birth messiah who is tempted out of fulfilling his duty as "The Chosen One" to destroy the Sith to save the life of his love, Padmé. In both cases, the love for whom the tempted messiah abandoned his responsibilities dies, and the messiah must eventually reclaim his destiny in self-sacrifice. The inspiration behind the story of the "virgin birth" parallels a concept developed by Joseph Campbell and his work on The Hero with a Thousand Faces, the same work that heavily influenced Lucas in his writing of the original Star Wars trilogy.[34]

An allusion to World War II occurs on Tatooine when Obi-Wan receives a radio broadcast from Naboo pleading for help. He warns the Queen and Captain Panaka not to reply to this message, never realizing that the Queen is an imposter. However, someone on the ship breaks radio silence, enabling Darth Maul to trace it. The person who sends this transmission is not seen nor heard from and is never revealed. This is a direct reference to the highly elaborate and secretive radio interception and decryption services employed by both England and Germany during the North Africa campaign and elsewhere.[36]

While Akira Kurosawa's The Hidden Fortress is seen as a source of inspiration for Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, The Phantom Menace's middle section on Tatooine — with its series of non-violent bargaining and twists of chance — demonstrates the strongest correspondence to Japanese film in the saga. Queen Amidala's escape from an invading enemy and posing as a handmaiden while visiting the lower classes on Tatooine also echoes Kurosawa's film, especially in its emphasis on social consciousness.[37]

References to the original trilogy

Main article: Star Wars prequel trilogy references to the original trilogy

The films of the prequel trilogy often feature events, dialogue, or moments that echo the original trilogy. Lucas has referred to the Star Wars saga as a poem that rhymes.[38] The most well known of which being the phrase "I have a bad feeling about this." which is stated by at least one character in each movie. It is one of the first lines in the film and is chronologically the first line spoken by Obi-Wan Kenobi in the films.

The Phantom Menace's references direct more towards A New Hope than any other film in the series. One such reference is born through the title itself; The Phantom Menace follows the same three-word formula seen previously only in A New Hope. Another example is located in the film itself; Nute Gunray can be seen shouting the line "Close the blast doors!", which resembles "Open the blast doors!", a line used by an Imperial stormtrooper in A New Hope. Additionally, both Anakin in The Phantom Menace, and his son Luke in A New Hope, manage to destroy an enemy battle station against overwhelming odds.

Soundtrack

Main article: Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (soundtrack)

The soundtrack for the film was released by Sony Classical on May 4, 1999. As with previous Star Wars installments, the music was composed and conducted by John Williams. He began recording the score with the London Voices and London Symphony Orchestra at Abbey Road Studios on February 10, 1999. A two-disk "Ultimate Edition" was released on November 14, 2000. The set features almost the entire score as it is heard in the film. While the original soundtrack released featured only 17 tracks, the Ultimate Edition featured 68 tracks. However the original soundtrack condensed the number of tracks by allowing multiple songs to play per most tracks.

The popular track "Duel of the Fates" is one of the few chorus pieces in Star Wars music. The chorus was introduced to gain a feeling of a religious temple-like tone for the film. The theme was later given a music video that is available on the DVD.[39]

Novelization

Main article: Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (novel)

A novelization of the film was written by Terry Brooks. Brooks met with Lucas before writing the book and received his approval and guidance, including information about developments to come in Episodes II and III. This is evident in the passage on Tusken Raiders (which foreshadows the death of Anakin's mother in Attack of the Clones), and in the events leading up to Anakin's fight with the Rodian child Greedo, which indicates that Anakin's anger derives from his anguish at Padmé's impending departure (foreshadowing the plot of Revenge of the Sith).

The novel includes three chapters of material created by Brooks solely for the novel. The first two chapters of the book concern Anakin's next-to-last Podrace and its aftermath, while a later chapter describes an encounter between Anakin and a wounded Tusken Raider in the desert. The novelization also features one of the first descriptions of the history of the Sith. According to Terry Brooks' memoir, Sometimes the Magic Works, Lucas spent an hour on the telephone with him discussing the history of the Jedi and the Sith. Therefore, the information on this subject provided in Brooks' novelization can be presumed to derive from Lucas. Brooks devotes an entire chapter of Sometimes the Magic Works to the writing of The Phantom Menace's novelization.

DVD release

Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace was released on DVD in 2001. It was the first Star Wars film to be officially released on DVD. The DVD version of the film had certain scenes and other elements edited and added in by George Lucas, making it slightly different from its theatrical release while keeping the plot identical. Some scenes were modified, and some scenes that were not finished by the date of release were added to the film.

The DVD features a commentary track by writer-director George Lucas, producer Rick McCallum, editor Ben Burtt, animation director Rob Coleman, and visual effects supervisors John Knoll, Dennis Muren, and Scott Squires. It includes seven deleted scenes completed specifically for the DVD, and The Beginning: Making Episode I, an hour-long documentary film culled from over 600 hours of footage, including an insider's look at Lucasfilm and ILM during the production. The viewer can access a multi-angle storyboard-to-animatic-to-film segment featuring the submarine and podrace lap 1 sequences. The DVD also includes two documentary sources, five featurettes exploring the storyline, design, costumes, visual effects, and fight sequences in the film, and an award-winning twelve-part web documentary series chronicling the production. A Duel of the Fates music video featuring John Williams was produced, as well. The final special features included are a never-before-seen production photo gallery with a special caption feature, theatrical posters and print campaigns from around the world, theatrical teaser and launch trailers, seven TV spots, Star Wars: Starfighter - The Making of a Game featurette from LucasArts, and a DVD-ROM weblink to exclusive Star Wars content.

References

  1. ^ a b c All I Need Is An Idea DVD Special Featurette, [2001]
  2. ^ a b c "Who is the Phantom Menace?". Star Wars Message Boards. 2002. Retrieved 2006-07-19.
  3. ^ Thousands of Things DVD Special Featurette, [2001]
  4. ^ a b Prime of the Jedi DVD Special Featurette, [2001]
  5. ^ It's Like War Now DVD Special Featurette, [2001]
  6. ^ Bad Droid Karma DVD Special Featurette, [2001]
  7. ^ Visual Effects DVD Special Featurette, [2001]
  8. ^ "Un-Menaced". IMDB. April 1, 1999. Retrieved 2006-07-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  9. ^ "May 19th: A "Cultural Holiday?"". IMDB. May 6, 1999. Retrieved 2006-07-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  10. ^ "When Will They Start Lining Up?". IMDB. March 8, 1999. Retrieved 2006-07-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  11. ^ "Forces Of Feet". IMDB. March 26, 1999. Retrieved 2006-07-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  12. ^ "The Wait Gets Shorter". IMDB. April 26, 1999. Retrieved 2006-07-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  13. ^ "Scalpers Cleaning Up On The Internet". IMDB. May 18, 1999. Retrieved 2006-07-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  14. ^ "Lucas Calls The Shots". IMDB. April 6, 1999. Retrieved 2006-07-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  15. ^ "Gridlock At Star Wars Site". IMDB. November 19, 1998. Retrieved 2006-07-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  16. ^ "Star Wars Hits Hollywood". IMDB. November 23, 1998. Retrieved 2006-07-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  17. ^ "Lucas: Fox Won't Use New Star Wars Trailer To Hype New Movie". IMDB. March 10, 1999. Retrieved 2006-07-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  18. ^ "Lucas Planning Unusual Star Wars Strategy In U.K." IMDB. December 2, 1998. Retrieved 2006-07-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  19. ^ "Not So Far Away". IMDB. March 11, 1999. Retrieved 2006-07-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  20. ^ "L.A. Premiere For Episode 1 Set". IMDB. March 25, 1999. Retrieved 2006-07-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  21. ^ "Kids Causes To Host Star Wars Debut". IMDB. April 15, 1999. Retrieved 2006-07-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  22. ^ "Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999)". Rotten Tomatoes. 1999. Retrieved 2006-06-29.
  23. ^ Ebert, Roger (May 17, 1999). "Star Wars -- Episode I: The Phantom Menace". rogerebert.com. Retrieved 2006-06-29. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  24. ^ "Jar Jar Binks... why he doesn't suck..." Nightly.Net. May 4, 2001. Retrieved 2006-07-25. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  25. ^ "EPISODE III Spoiler Pics..." Coming Soon! Boards. January 2, 2005. Retrieved 2006-07-25. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  26. ^ RidolFi, Kevin. "The Phantom Menace". Renaissance Online Magazine. Retrieved 2006-07-25. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  27. ^ Cadorette, Guylaine. "Jar Jar Less Conspicuous in "Clones"". Hollywood.com. Retrieved 2006-07-25. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  28. ^ "Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones". Smartania's Movie Reviews. Smartania. Retrieved 2006-07-25. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  29. ^ "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2006-07-25. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  30. ^ a b "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace". The Numbers. December 1, 2001. Retrieved 2006-07-25. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  31. ^ "Awards for Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace". IMDB. Retrieved 2006-07-25. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  32. ^ "Haley Joel Osment Biography". Tiscali.film & tv. Retrieved 2006-06-29.
  33. ^ 3000 Anakins DVD Special Featurette, [2001]
  34. ^ a b c d "The Gospel According to Lucas Part II". Vantage Point Magazine. Fall 1999. Retrieved 2006-07-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  35. ^ "Star Trek III - Revenge of the Sith? (Spoiler Pic)". Star Trek Episode 80: The Forum. Retrieved 2006-07-26.
  36. ^ "DECODING THE HIDDEN ALLEGORIES OF STAR WARS". The WSFA Journal. June 2004. Retrieved 2006-07-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  37. ^ "STAR WARS MADE MANY OF THE SAME MISTAKES AS GALACTICA". Retrieved 2006-07-24. {{cite web}}: line feed character in |title= at position 27 (help)
  38. ^ "The Beginning" Making Episode I Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace DVD documentary, [2001]
  39. ^ Movie Music DVD Special Featurette, [2001]
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