Episode 1
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace is a 1999 space opera 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. The film follows Jedi Knights Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi, who flee the planet Naboo with Queen Amidala in the hope of finding a peaceful end to a trade dispute. Along the way, the ship must stop for repairs on the planet Tatooine, where the Jedi encounter Anakin Skywalker, a young slave boy who is unusually strong with the Force. Meanwhile, they must contend with the mysterious return of the Sith.
The release of the film on May 19, 1999 came almost sixteen years after the previous film in the series, Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. Lucas began production when he felt special effects had advanced to the level of what he had envisioned for the film. Shooting took place during 1997 at various locations including Leavesden Film Studios and the Tunisian desert. The release was accompanied by extensive media coverage and great anticipation. Despite mixed reviews by critics, it grossed US$924.3 million worldwide,[1] and is the highest-grossing Star Wars film.
Plot
The Galactic Republic is in a period of decline, its bureaucracy bloated and corrupt, its economy deteriorating. In response to a taxation on trade routes, the greedy Trade Federation organizes a blockade of battleships around the small planet of Naboo. Hoping to resolve the matter, the Supreme Chancellor dispatches two Jedi, Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi, to negotiate with Trade Federation Viceroy Nute Gunray. Unbeknownst to them, the Trade Federation is in league with the evil Sith Lord Darth Sidious, who orders them to invade Naboo with an army of battle droids and kill the Jedi. Narrowly evading death, the two Jedi stow aboard landing crafts and escape to Naboo. There Qui-Gon saves local Gungan outcast Jar Jar Binks from being trampled by a Federation tank. Indebted to the Jedi, Jar Jar leads them to the underwater Gungan city of Otoh Gunga, where the Jedi unsuccessfully attempt to persuade the Gungans to help the people of Naboo, though they are able to obtain a transport to reach the city of Theed on the surface.
Queen Amidala of the Naboo is captured by the Federation droid invasion army, but is rescued by the Jedi. The Queen escapes Naboo with the Jedi on her personal starship, which is damaged on its way through the blockade surrounding the planet, forcing them to land on the nearby desert planet Tatooine for repairs. Qui-Gon ventures into the settlement of Mos Espa with Padmé, one of the Queen’s handmaidens, to a junk shop to purchase a new hyperdrive generator. There they meet a young slave child named Anakin Skywalker, who takes an immediate liking to Padmé. After spending time with Anakin and his mother, Qui-Gon senses a strong presence of the Force within him, and suspects he may be the Chosen One who will bring balance to the Force. Qui-Gon makes a bet with Anakin’s owner to enter him in a Podrace, and that if Anakin wins, he will be freed. With Qui-Gon’s guidance, Anakin manages to win the race and joins the group to be trained as a Jedi, though he is forced to leave his mother, who Qui-Gon was unable to release, behind. Before they leave, they are attacked by Darth Sidious’ apprentice, Darth Maul, who was dispatched to try and capture the Queen, though they manage to escape.
The Jedi escort the Queen to the Republic capital planet of Coruscant so she can plead her people’s case to the Galactic Senate. Qui-Gon, meanwhile, attempts to persuade the Jedi Council to train Anakin as a Jedi, though they refuse as Anakin is too old and has too many attachments, which would risk him turning to the dark side of the Force. Within the Senate, Senator Palpatine of Naboo convinces the Queen to move for a vote of no confidence in the Supreme Chancellor so they can vote for a new, stronger Chancellor who will help end the conflict. However, she grows frustrated with the lack of action by the Senate, and ultimately decides to return to Naboo with the Jedi.
Back on Naboo, Padmé reveals herself to be Queen Amidala, the other “Queen” having been a decoy for her own protection. The Queen convinces the Gungan people to form an alliance against the Trade Federation. While the comically inept Jar Jar leads his people in a battle against the droid army and the Queen moves in to capture Viceroy Gunray in Theed, Anakin commandeers a vacant starfighter and joins the dogfight against the Federation droid control ship in space, using his skills with the Force to destroy it and deactivate the entire droid army. The Jedi, meanwhile, encounter Darth Maul once more and engage him in a two-on-one lightsaber duel. Qui-Gon is mortally wounded in the battle, though Obi-Wan manages to fell the Sith once and for all. With his dying breaths, Qui-Gon tells Obi-Wan to train Anakin. Senator Palpatine is elected as the new Supreme Chancellor, Viceroy Gunray is sent to stand trial for his crimes, and the Jedi Council reluctantly allows Anakin to become Obi-Wan’s apprentice. At a grand ceremony, Queen Amidala presents a gift of appreciation and friendship to the Gungan people.
[edit] Cast
* Liam Neeson as Qui-Gon Jinn: A Jedi Master and mentor to Obi-Wan. When he discovers Anakin, he insists that the boy be trained as a Jedi, despite the protests of the council.
* Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi: Qui-Gon’s young Jedi apprentice. He holds Qui-Gon in high regard, but questions his motives at times.
* Natalie Portman as Queen Padmé Amidala: The young queen of Naboo at 14 years of age, Amidala hopes to protect her planet from a blockade brought on by the Trade Federation.
* Jake Lloyd as Anakin Skywalker: A 9-year-old slave boy from Tatooine. He is discovered to have a higher midi-chlorian count than any Jedi, and is therefore exceptionally gifted in the Force.
* Ian McDiarmid as Senator Palpatine / Darth Sidious: The Senator of Naboo, who grows concerned about Naboo’s blockade and defends his position in the Senate.
* Ahmed Best as Jar Jar Binks: A clumsy Gungan, exiled from his home but taken in by Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. He accompanies them throughout the film.
* Pernilla August as Shmi Skywalker: Anakin’s mother. She is concerned for her son’s future, and lets him leave with the Jedi.
* Anthony Daniels as C-3PO: A protocol droid built by Anakin, he lacks a metal covering in this film, which R2-D2 refers to as being “naked”.
* Kenny Baker as R2-D2: An astromech droid, notable for saving Queen Amidala’s ship when all other droids fail.
* Ray Park as Darth Maul: A young Zabrak Sith apprentice to Darth Sidious who uses a double-bladed lightsaber. He was voiced by Peter Serafinowicz.
* Silas Carson as Nute Gunray: The Viceroy of the Trade Federation who leads the invasion of Naboo and tries to force Queen Amidala to sign a treaty to legitimise the occupation. Carson also portrays three minor characters: Jedi Master Ki-Adi-Mundi, Trade Federation Senator Lott Dod, and an ill-fated pilot.
* Hugh Quarshie as Captain Panaka: a bodyguard of Queen Amidala who is a security guard at Theed Palace.
* Andy Secombe as Watto: A junk dealer on Tatooine who owns Anakin and his mother as slaves.
* Lewis MacLeod as Sebulba: An aggressive, scheming Podracer and rival of Anakin.
* Frank Oz voices Yoda: The leader of the Jedi Council who is apprehensive about allowing Anakin to be trained.
* Samuel L. Jackson as Mace Windu: A member of the Jedi Council who also opposes the idea of training Anakin.
* Terence Stamp as Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum: The current Chancellor who commissions Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon to negotiate with the Trade Federation Viceroy.
* Brian Blessed voices Boss Nass: The leader of the Gungan tribe who allies with the Naboo and defeats the Trade Federation.
* Greg Proops as Fode and Beed, the two headed announcer of the Boonta’s Eve Race.
* Keira Knightley as Sabe: Queen Amidala’s body double and decoy.
More than 3,000 young actors auditioned for the role of Anakin Skywalker through North America and the United Kingdom.[2] They included child actors Michael Angarano, Justin Berfield, and Haley Joel Osment.[3] The field narrowed to three actors, all of whom were interviewed by Lucas and then screen-tested with Natalie Portman.[2]
[edit] Production
George Lucas began writing the new Star Wars trilogy on November 1, 1994.[4] The screenplay for Star Wars 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.[4] While the working title for the film was The Beginning,[4] Lucas later revealed the true title to be The Phantom Menace; a nod to Senator Palpatine’s true nature as seemingly good and just in public, but in private a manipulative Sith Lord.
The lightsaber battles are influenced by kendo and kenjutsu.
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.[5] Stunt coordinator Nick Gillard was recruited to create a new Jedi fighting style for the new trilogy. Gillard referred to the lightsaber battles as 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 other kenjutsu styles, with other swinging techniques, such as tennis swings and tree-chopping. While training Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor, Gillard would write a sequence to be an estimated 60 seconds in length, meant to be among five to six sequences per fight.[6] 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.[6]
Filming began on June 26, 1997 and ended on September 30 of that year, primarily taking place at Leavesden Film Studios in England, with additional location shooting in the Tunisian desert for the Tatooine scenes and the Italian Caserta Palace for the Theed City Naboo Palace interior.[7] The city of Mos Espa was built in the desert outside Tozeur. On 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 on the exact day originally planned.[8]
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 to three legs. During filming in Tunisia and on sets to replicate the environment, the standard model was prone to skidding off in strange directions and having its motors lock up from the sand. Having confronted similar problems before, Lucas allowed two 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 to navigate deep sand, light sand, and door jambs. ILM’s R2-D2 featured two wheelchair motors capable of pushing 440 pounds (198 kilograms) 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 used in Tunisia.[9]
Up until the production of Star Wars, many special effects in the film industry were achieved by the use of miniature models, matte paintings, and on-set visual effects, although other films had made extensive use of computer-generated imagery (CGI). 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 on hearing the explanations of the storyboards, he was unaware 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 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.[10]
[edit] Release
As well as Lucasfilm’s $20 million advertising campaign[11]—with the distinctive artwork of Star Wars series artist Drew Struzan gracing the movie poster and other advertising—the release of the first new Star Wars film in 16 years was accompanied by a considerable amount of hype. Few film studios released films during the same week as the release of The Phantom Menace; among the more courageous were DreamWorks and Universal Studios, with the releases of The Love Letter and Notting Hill respectively. [12]The Love Letter resulted in a box-office flop, whereas Notting Hill fared rather well and followed The Phantom Menace closely in second place.[13]Challenger, Gray & Christmas of Chicago, a work-issues consulting firm, estimated that 2.2 million full-time employees did not appear for work to attend the film, resulting in $293 million in lost productivity. According to The Wall Street Journal, so many workers announced plans to view premiere screenings that many companies shut down on the opening day.[14] Queue areas formed outside cinema theaters over a month in advance of ticket sales.[15]
More theater lines appeared when it was announced that the film cinemas were not allowed to sell tickets in advance until two weeks into the 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 instead to be sold on a traditional first-come-first-serve basis.[16] However, after meetings with the National Association of Theatre Owners, Lucasfilm agreed to allow advance ticket sales on May 12, 1999, provided that there be a 12-ticket limit per customer.[17] 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.[18] Daily Variety reported that theater owners received strict instructions from Lucasfilm that the film could only play in the cinema’s largest auditorium for the first 8–12 weeks; no honor passes were allowed for the first eight weeks, and they were obligated to send their payments to distributor 20th Century Fox within seven days.[19] Servers at the film’s official website became gridlocked soon after the release of the first teaser trailer,[20] and there were even reports that people were paying full admission at theaters just to see the trailer.[21] The theatrical trailer caused even more notable media hype, because it not only premiered in theaters, but screened at the ShoWest Convention in Las Vegas,[22] and was aired on Entertainment Tonight and Access Hollywood.[23] An unusual marketing scheme was pursued across the United Kingdom, where the teaser trailer was released on December 2, 1998 and then pulled from theaters six weeks later.[24]
Despite worries about whether the film would be finished in time, two weeks before its theatrical release Lucasfilm pushed the release date up from May 21, 1999 to May 19, 1999. At the ShoWest Convention, Lucas stated that the change was 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.[25] Eleven charity premieres were staged across the United States on May 16, 1999; receipts from the Los Angeles event were given to the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation with corporate packages available for $5,000–$25,000.[26] 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 that certain sections were set aside for disadvantaged children.[27]
[edit] Home video
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace was released on VHS on April 4, 2000, in two different versions, a standard pan-and-scan and a Collector’s Edition widescreen. In its first two days of availability, the regular version sold 4.5 million copies and the limited edition, 500,000. [28] Later it became the first Star Wars film to be officially released on DVD, in October 2001. The DVD version of the film had certain scenes and other elements edited and inserted by George Lucas, making it slightly different from its theatrical release while retaining an identical plot. Some scenes were modified, and some that were unfinished by the date of release were added to the film. The DVD features a commentary track by 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 drawn from more than 600 hours of footage, including an insider’s look at Lucasfilm and ILM during the production. The Widescreen version of the DVD also bears the tagline; “Every Saga has a Beginning” on the top-front of the cover. The DVD became the fastest selling DVD ever in the US, with 2.2 million copies were sold in its first week after release.[29]
It was also released on LaserDisc in Japan, several months before it was available on DVD in the US. There has never been an American LaserDisc version of the film.[30]
The DVD version was re-released in a prequel trilogy box set on November 4, 2008.[31] Currently, The Phantom Menace is the only Star Wars movie with visible film grain. Originally, Episode IV, V, and VI had visible film grain, but was removed in the 2004 DVD release. Episode II and III were shot digitally, so no film grain is present. Since Episode I was not shot digitally, it is present with visible film grain and was never removed (the film grain is most noticeable on all Tatooine scenes).
[edit] Reception
The Phantom Menace received mixed reviews from film critics and fans. It has a “fresh” rating from Rotten Tomatoes of 63 percent with an average rating of 6/10 (39 percent when filtered to include only professional critics).[32] Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave it three and a half stars (out of four), praising its visual effects and calling it “exhilarating”.[33] Some aspects of the scripting were criticized. Much criticism was directed at the character of Jar Jar Binks, who was regarded by many members of the older fan community as purely a merchandising opportunity rather than a serious character in the film.[34][35][36] In defense of the character, George Lucas stated that the Star Wars films are also for children and that the original trilogy also drew similar criticism from fans over the characters R2-D2, C-3PO, and Yoda. He also criticized the American media for using fan opinions from the Internet as a reliable source for their news stories.[37] In 2002, with the release of Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, McGregor said that the film slightly lacked in some of the “humor and color” of the forthcoming Episodes. He felt as a result of bearing the weight of setting up the entire saga, it seemed “kind of flat”.[38]
On the other hand, many fans and critics agree that the lightsaber duel between Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Maul — showcasing high-flying choreography and Ray Park’s martial arts skills — is a high point, and one of the best lightsaber duels in the entire Star Wars saga.[39] Nevertheless Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace was rated by Entertainment Weekly as one of the “The 25 Worst Sequels Ever Made”.[40] James Berardinelli was later to note “The Phantom Menace was probably the most overhyped motion picture of the last decade (if not longer), and its reputation suffered as a result of its inability to satisfy unreasonable expectations.” [41]
The introduction of midi-chlorians (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 spiritual quality of the Force. Film historian Daniel Dinello notes, “Anathema to Star Wars fanatics who thought they reduced the Force to a kind of viral infection, midi-chlorians provide a biological interface, the link between physical bodies and spiritual energy.”[42] Religion expert John D. Caputo adds, “In the ‘Gospel according to Lucas’ a world is conjured up in which the intractable oppositions that have tormented religious thinkers for centuries are reconciled. … The gifts that the Jedi masters enjoy have a perfectly plausible scientific basis, even if its ways are mysterious: their bodily cells have a heavier than usual concentration of ‘midi-chlorians.’”[43]
After the release of the film, 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);[44] the greedy and corrupt Neimoidians of the Trade Federation spoke with Asian accents; and the unprincipled desert trader Watto is interpreted by some as a Fagin-esque Jewish stereotype. Lucas has categorically denied all of these implications; however, animator Rob Coleman admitted that he viewed footage of Alec Guinness as Fagin in Oliver Twist to inspire his animators in creating Watto
