Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (1999) | Sci-Fi Saturdays

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Does it deserve the title as the most overhyped film of the decade?

The Phantom Menace was probably the most eagerly anticipated film of all time when it debuted in 1999. It returned to the Star Wars galaxy, presenting a backstory for the events presented in the original trilogy and made prequels a more acceptable storytelling form. The film also set new precedents in filmmaking, just as Lucas had done with his previous films, which changed every aspect of film creation from production through projection.

First Impressions

This trailer broke records–and gummed up slow networks–upon its release. As the first new Star Wars film in 16 years, it features everything Star Wars fans would be looking for: strange planets and creatures, lightsaber fights, space battles, R2-D2 and a surprisingly naked C-3PO, as well as the first meeting between Obi-Wan Kenobi and the boy who would become Darth Vader, Anakin Skywalker. Return to the beginning of the Star Wars Saga, with Episode I–The Phantom Menace.

Presented below is the trailer for the film.

The Fiction of The Film

With the dispute of taxes on outlying trade routes, the planet of Naboo has been blockaded by the greedy Trade Federation. Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) and Jedi Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) are dispatched by the Chancellor of the Republic to bring a swift resolution. The Trade Federation attempts to kill them before landing their armies on the planet below. The Jedi make their way planetside and run into a local humanoid alien named Jar Jar Binks (Ahmed Best), a Gungan, eventually finding their way to the capital city where Queen Amidala (Natalie Portman) and her entourage have been captured.

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan free the Queen from the battle droids guarding her and escape in her chromium plated starship. They attempt to make their way to Coruscant, the capital of the Republic, but the hyperdrive on the ship is damaged by the Trade Federation causing them to make a pitstop on the remote planet of Tatooine in order to make repairs. The desert planet offers them little in the way of resources but they manage to find one dealer with the necessary parts. Unfortunately, Watto (Andy Secombe) does not accept the Jedi’s Republic money.

Watto’s young slave Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd) suggests that Qui-Gon can support him in an upcoming podrace event, where the Jedi could win the necessary parts from the junk dealer. Qui-Gon senses something great in this young 9 year-old boy, especially as the only human that has competed in a podrace, and makes an additional wager for the boy’s freedom. As they prepare for the race, Padmé–one of the Queen’s handmaiden’s (and secretly the Queen in disguise)–is shocked to learn that Anakin has never actually finished one of these podraces. After several setbacks on race day, Anakin manages to win the event, beating out the alien Sebulba.

Anakin says goodbye to his mother (Pernilla August), who is both happy and sad that her son will see a better life. He goes with Qui-Gon, excited to see the galaxy with hopes to become a Jedi as well. The group narrowly avoids a black clad Sith warrior, Darth Maul (Ray Park, voiced by Peter Serafinowicz), as they blast off towards Coruscant. At the city-planet, they meet Chancellor Valorum (Terrence Stamp), and Amidala visits with Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid), the Senator from Naboo, who counsels her on the best political way to deal with the Senate.

Qui-Gon presents his concerns on the Sith return to the Jedi Council. Yoda (Frank Oz) and Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson) do not believe the Sith could have returned without their knowledge. He also lets them know about Anakin, whom he believes to be the Chosen one; a being that will bring balance to the Force. Anakin is tested, but deemed too old to be accepted as a Jedi, until Qui-Gon says he will train the boy, with or without the council’s permission. He also recommends Obi-Wan for full knighthood. Meanwhile at the Senate, Amidala’s pleas for aid against the Trade Federation blockade fall on deaf ears and she calls for a vote of “no confidence” on the Chancellor.

A hooded shadowy figure, Darth Sidious, suggests the Trade Federation attack the Naboo city. The Queen returns home and asks the leader of the Gungans for help in defending the planet they share. A ground battle between the Gungans and the battle droid army begins, while Naboo pilots take to the sky to knock out the droid control ship. Young Anakin becomes stuck in a ship, but manages to fly it and fire a lucky torpedo blast that destroys the control ship, deactivating the droids planetside. In the reactors of the city, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan have a lightsaber fight with Maul, who kills Qui-Gon. Obi-Wan manages to get the upper hand, and slices the Sith in two. The film ends with the funeral pyre of Qui-Gon and a celebration of the victory over the Trade Federation. Obi-Wan becomes Anakin’s new master, as Mace and Yoda wonder if they killed the Sith master or apprentice.

“At last we will reveal ourselves to the Jedi. At last we will have revenge.” – Darth Maul

History in the Making

At some point in the mid-1990s creator George Lucas decided he wanted to make some updates to the original Star Wars films (A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, & Return of the Jedi). Thus, in 1997 the Special Editions were released which added deleted scenes to the films, coupled with digital updates to the effects, tweaks to the dialogue, and some additional new footage. This was all his experiment to see if the current visual effects tools were up to his standards. Reception was positive and so he decided to move forward with making his Prequel Trilogy of Episodes I, II, & III–beginning with The Phantom Menace.

The Phantom Menace was the first new Star Wars film in 16 years (not counting the two made-for-television Ewoks films from 1984 and 1985), as well as being the first film that George Lucas had directed in a whopping 22 years. His last credited directorial film was 1977s A New Hope, even though he worked closely with the directors on both Empire and Jedi. It also represented the culmination of dozens of stories surrounding the production and evolution of the original trilogy. Lucas was often quoted that he had a much larger story for the Star Wars Saga that he had to whittle down when making his 1977 film. Eventually he retitled this film Episode IV, and continued the story of Luke through two other films. Lucas spoke of anywhere from six to nine total story ideas that encompassed a larger narrative which he had plans for. Fans that were paying attention had some idea what might have come before the opening exchange between Princess Leia and Darth Vader.

Besides hints from the original three films, that reveal Darth Vader “killed” Anakin Skywalker as well as some backstory on the Golden Age of the Jedi Knights, the Prologue to the novelization of Star Wars (purportedly written by George Lucas, but later revealed as having been ghost written by Alan Dean Foster) spoke of Senator Palpatine who had himself elected to President of the Republic and declared himself Emperor. Palpatine and other politicians and bureaucrats extinguished the Jedi Knights and ruled with an iron fist, except for a small group of Rebels. This is noted as being from “the First Saga, Journal of the Whills.” There were many that believed if Lucas was to create anything prior to A New Hope, this would be part of it. And while the plot of The Phantom Menace was much more than the brief snippet above, it’s eerily similar to the text written in 1976, which revealed insight into Lucas’ original draft.

Genre-fication

No one can deny the cultural impact that Star Wars had on society and filmmakers. It revitalized the sci-fi genre, spawning dozens of immediate copycats and look-alikes (like Battle Beyond the Stars, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, and Battlestar Galactica). The Phantom Menace hit theaters during a revitalization of the genre, when films like Starship Troopers and The Matrix were enamoring audiences, and sci-fi television series were flourishing—and being converted into theatrical features with The X-Files and Lost in Space. Audiences were no longer naive towards filmmaking and unaccustomed to amazing spectacles. The landscape of film had been forever changed, and The Phantom Menace dropped right back in to remind viewers what they had been missing. From the complex space battles, the energetic lightsaber fights, and fast ships and racers, George Lucas brought a new wonderment back to the screens.

Fan expectations for this release were immeasurable, and there were certain expectations of a film that was set 30 years before the Original Trilogy. The Phantom Menace would set the wheels in motion, giving audiences an idea of where the new trilogy was headed. Prequels were not a new concept, but they were definitely something that was not a popular medium. From a plot perspective, they have a difficult task in creating an engaging story due to the fact that audiences know what comes next. There are very specific things that must happen at the conclusion of the new saga, such as Anakin turning towards the Dark Side, and other characters being put into position for their “introduction” in later films. Lucas proved that he could still tell the story of the Fall of Anakin Skywalker in a way that resonates with the themes and ideas put forth in the Original Trilogy, while engaging the audience with new characters and character arcs.

What fan of Star Wars didn’t get a kick of seeing the re-introduction of Artoo-Detoo or See-Threepio? How about the first meeting between Anakin and Obi-Wan? It didn’t go like many imagined, which is both good and bad. The Phantom Menace had all the earmarks of a classic Star Wars film, including strange planets, hundreds of aliens and robots, lightsaber battles, and dogfights in space. Borrowing from himself, Lucas took elements from his original films and changed them slightly. His reasoning being that the same theme or motif repeats itself through the Saga, resonating in different ways at different times. This film had a young slave boy on Tatooine join the call for adventure, just as a young moisture farmer from Tatooine had done in the first film. The fact that they are father and son creates another layer of meaning. The battles were similar, yet different. The epic pod race harkened back to the speeder bike pursuit in the forests of Endor. While familiar phrases (“I have a bad feeling about this”) found their way into new situations. There was no denying that this was a Star Wars film. But why did it not feel like Star Wars to some?

Societal Commentary

For the prequels, Lucas reimagined the hero’s journey by upending the classical structure of Joseph Campbell’s monomyth. As imagined by Campbell, the journey of the protagonist spins through various cycles and trials, having ups and downs, before landing in a place that is superior to where they started. For Luke Skywalker, this farm boy of humble beginnings journeys light years away to become a hero of the Rebellion, having overcome obstacles to destroy the first Death Star. His overall journey would take him further in order to realize his place in the galaxy, and discover a father he didn’t know he had, in order to redeem the villain and again, save the galaxy. Anakin’s journey in the prequels is similar, as he does end up in a superior place. Unfortunately that end point is as an enforcer for a murderous despot that wants to rule the galaxy with an iron fist. Anakin is that iron fist. The Phantom Menace was a necessary tale, echoing the themes and elements of A New Hope, in order to set up the fall of the character that would become Darth Vader sometime later in the Saga. Some fans may have resisted the narrative as being skewed too much towards a younger audience, forgetting their own introductions to the films as young people. However, The Phantom Menace is not a film aimed squarely at children.

Political undertones and themes have always been present in the Star Wars films. The original films dealt with a rebellious faction attempting to overthrow a despotic and fascist government. Students of history will recall that these themes, specifically some elements of Return of the Jedi, with the Ewoks overthrowing the Empire, were fueled by real-world interpretations of the Vietnam war and other political upheavals in the 1970s. When telling a story about the birth of this dictatorship, is there any doubt that politics would have a place in the narrative? From the opening crawl indicating that taxation of trade routes have been disputed through the machinations of Palpatine as he convinces Amidala to call for a vote of no confidence in the Chancellor, the political tone rises from a background element to take center stage. These darker and decidedly more adult themes might go over children’s heads, but are included as a warning on how political systems, such as the Empire of the Original Trilogy rise. Lucas, himself a student of history, saw the signs of the unrest that was brewing in America from the 80s and 90s and utilized the rise of Palpatine in order to depict some of the demagoguery he was seeing. There’s still much of this film, and the trilogy as a whole, where viewers must read between the lines. Palpatine has an almost preternatural ability to create strife in order to move individuals to make decisions long before they are even aware of the issue. His manipulations are truly the “phantom menace” of the title.

With Palpatine apparently playing both sides of the field, as hooded menace Darth Sidious and beleaguered Senator Palpatine, Lucas sets up the idea of duality as a common theme in this film. This kindly, grandfatherly man is introduced as the puppet master behind the rise of the Empire, which would be shown in greater detail in the following two films. At this time his machinations are only apparent to audiences (at least those that were paying attention), being unseen by the characters of the film. But he was not the only character that had a duplicitous nature. Amidala was also playing two sides. Introduced as the Queen of Naboo, she also takes time to masquerade as one of her own handmaidens in order to experience life outside the protection of the castle. While the Jedi do not appear to be fooled by this deceit, it does allow her to see unfiltered reactions that she would be unaware of from her throne. The theme of duality and symbiosis also extend to the worlds of The Phantom Menace. The Gungans and the Naboo are said to be in harmony with each other, just as the midichlorians (microscopic organisms that allow sentient beings to interact with the Force) inhabit the bloodstream of the Jedi. In fact, every system, character, and element in the film is closely tied into every other one. The disruption and change in one element, however minor, creates ripples that will transition the galaxy from peace to war within years.

The Science in The Fiction

As much as a new Star Wars film was heralded as a return to greatness by audiences and fans alike, Lucas definitely did not rest on the laurels of his previous accomplishments. It would have been easy to create a film that looked more like the originals. George had probably earned that good will. But instead he chose to continue to push the envelope of storytelling, special effects, and filmmaking in general. Where the original films created a new way to tell stories, using technological tools and advancements from Lucasfilm, so did these new films herald a new technological age, pushing film into new realms.

The visual effects advancements that The Phantom Menace ushered in are probably the biggest and most widely known contributions. Within the last 10 years, computer generated effects, specifically from Industrial Light and Magic (ILM), went from creating a realistic water-based pseudopod (in James Cameron’s The Abyss), through a humanoid character with the T-1000 (in Cameron’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day), realistic dinosaurs in Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park, and finally to creating a fully realized digital actor with Jar Jar Binks, and others. Even with the amount of digital characters that have been created for film and television in the last 24 years, it’s interesting to see how much the early character work of The Phantom Menace still stands up in viewings today. The tools were an evolution over tens of years and dozens of movies. Lucas pushed the envelope at the time to further evolve these tools in order to support a story he had been carrying in his head for decades.

Less well known than the visual effects, is the way that The Phantom Menace evolved the behind-the-scenes process of filmmaking. Starting in the pre-production phase, films often make use of storyboards; thumbnail drawings that indicate camera position and action in order to present the vision of a scene (usually action moments) to the various departments. These were something that was utilized on the original Star Wars films, and many others. For Episode I, Lucas had a team design low-res digital animations of suitably complex moments, including the podrace. Known now as PreViz, short for pre-visualizations, creators can create the actual shot they intend to capture with motion, camera moves, and rudimentary effects to even more closely communicate the vision to others. Interestingly, Lucas even had a rudimentary PreViz setup during A New Hope, where he cut together existing airplane dogfight footage in order to communicate how the Death Star battle should evolve and feel.

But advancements came not only in pre-production, but in production and editing as well. The Phantom Menace was the first major theatrical release to utilize digital cameras. With the sheer volume of footage that needed to be shot and scanned into a computer for digital imaging, shooting on a digital camera saved the production a large amount of time. Much of the second unit and effects imagery was shot this way, with the first unit still shooting on film. But the night time sequence of Qui-Gon testing Anakin’s blood for midichlorians was some of the first digital footage to make it into film. The editing of the film also utilized computers and advancements that not many productions were taking advantage of in 1999. Most film is edited in a linear fashion, by cutting strips of celluloid and pasting them one after another in order. With the volume of digital work, Lucas chose to embrace the non-linear editing systems, prevalent today on home computers even, allowing for a quicker turnaround of shots. The digital revolution did not stop at the editing suite, as the film was one of the first to be exhibited in digital formats as well. All these advancements are still in use today, having evolved over the last two decades. And without the high-profile utilization by George Lucas, they might not be as prevalent as they are today.

The Final Frontier

The hype over the release of this film cannot be overstated. When fans heard that there was a teaser trailer attached to a less-than-stellar film called Meet Joe Black, they flocked to buy full price tickets for that film–leaving after the trailer, without watching the movie. The trailer showed up on the official Star Wars website as a QuickTime movie that was only a few megabytes in size. Fans spent minutes, and sometimes hours, using their dial-up internet connections to be able to download and view the small promise of wonders to come. It yielded over one million views in 24 hours and became the most downloaded trailer for the time, causing server outages as fans dissected every frame for clues about the upcoming film.

With a new Star Wars film, that meant new marketing of products. Hasbro (previously Kenner) had already begun gearing up on the toy front, having revitalized the action figure line in 1995. But besides the toys, games, and other things geared towards younger audiences (and adult collectors), The Phantom Menace has tie-ins with PepsiCo and their restaurants (Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and KFC), as well as a full line of soda cans from Pepsi, Mountain Dew, and their offshoots. There are dozens of depictions of the characters in various forms, especially Darth Maul and Jar Jar Binks. The most bizarre being the Episode I Jar Jar lollipop which was an indication of the breadth and depth of the marketing.

This was also the last Star Wars film to be released on VHS and the first film of the Saga to be released on DVD. Lucas’ constant attention to detail forced him to continue altering this film as he had done with the Special Editions, long after its release. Most notably the DVD release had an extended podrace sequence, showcasing all three laps, rather than the truncated one of the original release. Later, after the successful recreation of a digital Yoda character for Attack of the Clones, Lucas would replace the inadequate puppet of Yoda with a fully realized digital version, tying the three Prequels together with this redesigned character. Fans knew that there would be at least two more Prequel films (in 2002 and 2005) but might have assumed this would, again, be the end of the galaxy far, far away. But fear not. A decade after the last Prequel, a little Mouse would reopen the Kingdom of Star Wars for an entirely new generation.

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