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Info About The First Instalment Of This Great SpaceSaga:
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace is a 1999 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. It is the fourth film to be released in the Star Wars saga, as the first of a three-part prequel to the original Star Wars trilogy, as well as the first film in the saga in terms of story chronology. The Phantom Menace was also Lucas' first production as a film director after a 22-year hiatus following the original Star Wars film, and only his fourth overall.
The film follows the Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi, who escort and protect Queen Amidala in traveling from the planet Naboo to the planet Coruscant in the hope of finding a peaceful end to a large-scale interplanetary trade dispute. The film also features a young Anakin Skywalker before he became a Jedi, introduced as a young slave boy who seems to be unusually strong with nascent powers of The Force, and must contend with the mysterious return of the Sith.
Lucas began production of this motion picture after he had concluded that the science of movie special effects had advanced to the level of what he wanted for his fourth film in the saga. Its filming took place during 1997 (started on June 26, 1997) at various locations including Leavesden Film Studios and the Tunisian desert. Its special effects included extensive use of computer-generated imagery (CGI), with some of its characters and its settings being completely computerized and not existing at all in the real world.
The Phantom Menace premiered in theaters on May 19, 1999, sixteen years after the 1983 premiere of the previous Star Wars film, Return of the Jedi. The film's premiere was accompanied by considerable hype, extensive media coverage and great anticipation, due to the large cultural following its predecessors had created. Despite mixed reviews by critics, who tended to praise the visuals and action sequences but criticize the writing, characterization and acting, it grossed $924.3 million worldwide during its initial run in theaters, making it the Star Wars film with the highest gross-income (unadjusted for inflation). A 3D reissue was released in February 2012, which has earned an additional $102.7 million at the box office, bringing the film's overall worldwide total to over $1 billion,[2] returning the film to the top ten highest grossing films of all time, however some months later it would bumped out of the top 10 by The Dark Knight Rises.
The film was followed by two additional sequels: Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones in 2002, and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith in 2005.
Plot
The Galactic Republic is in a period of decline. In response to a taxation on trade routes, the Trade Federation organizes a blockade of battleships around the planet of Naboo. Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum (Terrence Stamp) dispatches two Jedi Knights, Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) and his Jedi apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), to negotiate with Trade Federation Viceroy Nute Gunray (Silas Carson) in hopes of resolving the issue. However, the Sith Lord Darth Sidious orders the Viceroy to kill the Jedi and invade Naboo with an army of battle droids. The two Jedi escape the attempt on their lives by stowing aboard landing craft and escaping to Naboo. There, Qui-Gon saves Gungan outcast Jar Jar Binks (voiced by Ahmed Best) from being crushed by a Federation tank. Indebted to the Jedi, Jar Jar leads them to the underwater Gungan city of Otoh Gunga; there, 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 Capital city of Theed on the surface.
The leader of Naboo, Queen Amidala (Natalie Portman), is captured by the Federation 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 Tatooine, a nearby desert planet, for repairs. Qui-Gon ventures into the settlement of Mos Espa with Jar Jar and the astromech droid R2-D2 to a junk shop to purchase a new hyperdrive generator. The queen allows Padmé, a handmaiden, to journey along with them. There, they meet a slave child named Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd), a pilot and engineer who has created his own protocol droid, C-3PO. After spending time with Anakin, Qui-Gon senses a strong presence of the Force within the boy, and suspects he may be the "Chosen One" of Jedi prophecy who will bring balance to the Force. Qui-Gon makes a bet with Anakin's owner, Watto (voiced by Andy Secombe), to enter him in a podracing tournament; if Anakin wins, he will be freed. Anakin manages to win the race and joins the group to be trained as a Jedi, but he is forced to leave his mother Shmi (Pernilla August) behind, as Qui-Gon was unable to arrange for her release. They are attacked by Darth Sidious' apprentice, Darth Maul (played by Ray Park and voiced by Peter Serafinowicz), who was dispatched to capture the Queen.
Having escaped the attack, the Jedi escort the Queen to the Republic's capital planet of Coruscant so she can plead her people's case to the Galactic Senate. Qui-Gon asks the Jedi Council to train Anakin as a Jedi, but is rejected. Meanwhile, Senator Palpatine of Naboo convinces the Queen to make a motion of no confidence in Valorum in attempt to vote for a stronger Chancellor who will help end the conflict. She pushes such a vote, but grows frustrated with the lack of action by the Galactic Senate, ultimately deciding to return to Naboo with the Jedi.
Back on Naboo, Padmé reveals herself to be the real Queen Amidala, the other "Queen" (Keira Knightly) having been a decoy. Padmé convinces the Gungans to form an alliance against the Trade Federation. While Jar Jar leads his people in a battle against the droid army, the Queen tries to capture Gunray in Theed, Anakin pilots a vacant starfighter and joins the fight against the Federation droid control ship in space and destroys the ship, deactivating the droid army down on Naboo. Meanwhile, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon encounter Darth Maul once more and engage him in a lightsaber fight. Maul mortally wounds Qui-Gon, but is defeated by Obi-Wan; Qui-Gon's dying request is for Obi-Wan to train Anakin. Palpatine is elected as the new Supreme Chancellor of the Republic, the Federation Viceroy is sent to stand trial for his crimes, Obi-Wan is bestowed the rank of Jedi Knight, and the Jedi Council accepts Anakin as Obi-Wan's apprentice. However, the Jedi are still mystified by the recent reemergence of the Sith, and even at Qui-Gon's funeral they're left to wonder if Darth Maul was a Sith master or merely a master's apprentice. At a festive ceremony, Padmé presents a gift of appreciation and friendship to the Gungans. During a Post-credit scene a blank screen is shown with Darth Vader's iconic breathing, reminding the viewers of the fate of young Anakin Skywalker.
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. Lucas originally envisioned an American actor in the role, but cast Neeson, who is Irish, because he considered Neeson to have great skills and presence, describing him as a "master actor, who the other actors will look up to, who has got the qualities of strength that the character demands."[3]
- Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi: Qui-Gon's young Jedi Padawan apprentice. He holds Qui-Gon in high regard, but questions his motives at times. McGregor prepared for the role by watching Alec Guinness, who portrayed the elderly Obi-Wan, in both the original Star Wars trilogy and Guinness' early work.[3]
- Natalie Portman as Queen Padmé Amidala: The young queen of Naboo at 16 years of age, Amidala hopes to protect her planet from a blockade brought on by the Trade Federation. Over 200 actresses were auditioned for the role,[4] with production notes stating that "The role required a young woman who could be believable as the ruler of that planet, but at the same time be vulnerable and open." Portman was chosen especially for her performances in The Professional (1994) and Beautiful Girls (1996), which impressed Lucas.[3] He stated, "I was looking for someone who was young, strong, along the lines of Leia [and] Natalie embodied all those traits and more."[3] The actress was unfamiliar with Star Wars prior to being cast,[3] but was enthused over being cast as the Queen of Naboo, a character she expected to become a role model: "It was wonderful playing a young queen with so much power. I think it will be good for young women to see a strong woman of action who is also smart and a leader."[5]
- Jake Lloyd as Anakin Skywalker an eleven year old who dreams to became a Jedi like Kenobi and Jinn.
- Ian McDiarmid as Palpatine/Darth Sidious: The Senator of Naboo, who is eventually elected Chancellor of the Republic. McDiarmid was surprised when Lucas approached him 16 years after Return of the Jedi to reprise the role of Palpatine, because he had assumed that a younger actor would play the part in the prequel films.[6]
- Ahmed Best as the voice of 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. Best was hired after Gurland saw him on a Stomp performance in San Francisco,[7] and originally was just going to provide motion capturing, but after offering to also voice the character, was accepted. He wandered in the set in a foam-and-latex suit and headpiece to provide reference for the actors, with his filmed performance later replaced by the computer-generated character.[8] Best frequently improvised movements to make Jar Jar as clumsy and comedic as possible.[7]
- Pernilla August as Shmi Skywalker: Anakin's mother. She is concerned for her son's future, and lets him leave with the Jedi. August, a veteran of Swedish cinema, was chosen after auditioning with Liam Neeson, although she was afraid of not being chosen due to her accent.[8]
- Ray Park as Darth Maul: A Zabrak Sith apprentice to Darth Sidious who uses a double-bladed lightsaber. A martial arts champion with experience in gymnastics and swordfighting, Park was originally only a member of the stunt crew,[7] and stunt coordinator Nick Gillard filmed Park to demonstrate how he envisioned the lightsaber battles. Lucas and McCallum were so impressed with the test tape that they gave Park the role of Maul. His voice was considered "too squeaky", leading it to be dubbed over.[8] He was voiced by Peter Serafinowicz.
- Anthony Daniels voices C-3PO: A protocol droid built by Anakin, he lacks a metal covering in this film, which R2-D2 refers to as being "naked". A puppeteer – dressed in a color close to the one seen in the background, similar to the Japanese puppet theater Bunraku, so he could be erased during post-production – manipulated a skeletal C-3PO figure attached to his front, while Daniels read his lines off-camera.[7][9]
- Kenny Baker as R2-D2: An astromech droid, notable for saving Queen Amidala's ship when all other droids fail. Before the production of The Phantom Menace started, fans campaigned on the Internet to retain Baker as R2, to which Lucas replied that the actor would remain. Baker is used for scenes where R2 bends forwards and backwards and wobble from side to side, while actual robots and a digital replica are used otherwise (see Effects, below).[10]
- 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 legitimize the occupation. Carson also portrays three minor characters: Jedi Master Ki-Adi-Mundi, Trade Federation Senator Lott Dod, and an ill-fated pilot (which was the role Carson originally auditioned for).[11] Carson got the role because another actor was uncomfortable with the costumes used by the Trade Federation characters – which were hot, exerted a lot of pressure on the bearer, and took about 15 minutes to apply. The Thai accent used by the character was chosen after Lucas and McCallum listened to various languages to pick how the Neimodians would speak.[12]
- Hugh Quarshie as Captain Panaka: Queen Amidala's chief of security at Theed Palace. Quarshie accepted the part for considering it "a good career move" and a production that would be fun to make.[13]
- Andy Secombe voices Watto: A junk dealer on Tatooine who owns Anakin and his mother as slaves. With a design that was an amalgalm of various rejected ideas, Watto's expressions were based on video footage of Secombe doing the voice acting, photos of animation supervisor Rob Coleman imitating the character, and modeler Steve Alpin saying Watto's lines to the mirror.[14]
- Lewis MacLeod voices Sebulba: An aggressive, scheming Podracer and rival of Anakin. Sebulba's design was described by Lucas as "a spider crossed with an orangutan crossed with a sloth",[15] with a camel-like face, and clothing inspired by medieval armor.[16]
- Frank Oz as the voice of Yoda: The centuries old leader of the Jedi Council who is apprehensive about allowing Anakin to be trained. Yoda was mostly portrayed as a puppet designed by Nick Dudman, based on Stuart Freeborn's original design, with Oz controlling the mouth and other parts controlled by the puppeteers using remote controls.[8] A computer-generated Yoda is featured in two distant shots and Warwick Davis portrays him in the scene in which Obi-Wan becomes a Jedi Knight.[17]
- Samuel L. Jackson as Mace Windu: A member of the Jedi Council who also opposes the idea of training Anakin. After Jackson expressed interest in appearing in a Star Wars film, he was approached by cast director Robin Gurland to play Windu.[7]
- Terence Stamp as Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum: The current Chancellor who commissions Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon to negotiate with the Trade Federation Viceroy. Lucas described the character as a "good man but he's beleaguered – a bit like [Bill] Clinton".[18]
- Brian Blessed voices Boss Nass: The leader of the Gungan tribe who allies with the Naboo and defeats the Trade Federation. Blessed originally auditioned for Sio Bibble, the Governor of Naboo,[19] for which he was considered "too loud".[20] Blessed described Nass as a "reluctant hero",[20] and a fun role to play.[21]
- Greg Proops and Scott Capurro voice Fode and Beed, the two headed announcer of the Boonta's Eve Race. The actors were filmed wearing make-up and blue bodysuits, so their heads would be joined in a computer-generated body. The visual effects crew did not like the original results, and ended up crafting Fode and Beed as an entirely computer generated alien.[22]
- Keira Knightley as Sabé: Queen Amidala's body double and decoy. The role was originally going to be filled by a stand-in, until casting director Robin Gurland came across Knightley, who bore a striking resemblance to Natalie Portman. Knightley's role was kept quiet by The Phantom Menace's marketing department in order to heighten the surprise of there being a decoy Queen when the film was released. The Queen's costumes were specifically designed to hide any height and shape differences between Knightley and Portman, so much so that Portman's mother could not distinguish between the two on set.[23]
Release
The release of the first new Star Wars film in 16 years was
accompanied by a considerable amount of hype.[48] Few film studios
released films during the same week as the release of The Phantom Menace;
among them were DreamWorks and
Universal
Studios, with the releases of The Love Letter (on May 21) and
Notting
Hill (on May 28), respectively.[49] The Love
Letter resulted in a box-office flop, whereas Notting Hill fared
rather well and followed The Phantom Menace closely in second place.[50] 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 that many companies shut down on the
opening day.[51] Queue areas formed outside cinema
theaters over a month in advance of ticket sales.[52]
More theater lines appeared when it was announced that 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 be either unable to receive tickets or forced to pay higher prices. Tickets were instead to be sold on a traditional first-come-first-served basis.[53] 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 twelve-ticket limit per customer.[54] 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.[55] 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.[56]
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 it on the weekends. Foreshadowing his future conversion to digital cinematography, Lucas stated that the film would be released on four digital projectors on June 18, 1999.[57] Eleven charity premieres were staged across the United States on May 16, 1999; receipts from the Los Angeles event were donated to the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation with corporate packages available for $5,000–$25,000.[58] 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 Association 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.[59]
3D re-release
In September 2010, it was announced that all six films in the series will be stereo-converted to 3D. They are being released in episode order, beginning with The Phantom Menace, which was released in 3D to cinemas in February 2012.[78] The conversion was supervised by Industrial Light & Magic and produced by Prime Focus.[79]
George Lucas stated that the 3D conversion was "just a conversion" of the Blu-ray release of the film in 2011 and no additional changes were made.[80] The only confirmed change is to Anakin's magnetic wand during the podrace scene where the tip was sharpened to more accurately fit the 2D photography to the new 3D image.[81]
Reception
Critical reception
The Phantom Menace received mixed reviews from film critics. As of the film's re-release in 3D during March 2012, the film holds a 57% "Rotten" rating on the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, with an average rating of 5.8/10, based on 186 reviews,[82] It also has a score of 51/100 ("mixed or average reviews") on Metacritic based on 36 reviews. On both sites, it is the lowest rated film in the Star Wars film series. Many aspects of the scripting were criticized, especially the character of Jar Jar Binks, who was regarded by many members of the older fan community as toyetic — purely a merchandising opportunity rather than a serious character in the film.[83][84][85] Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times described Binks as "a major miscue, a comic-relief character who's frankly not funny." [86] George Lucas criticized the American media for using fan opinions from the Internet as a reliable source for their news stories.[87] In 2002, with the release of Attack of the Clones, Ewan McGregor said that in retrospect The Phantom Menace slightly lacked some of the "humor and colour" of the forthcoming prequels. He felt as a result of bearing the weight of setting up the entire saga, it seemed "kind of flat."[88] One critic observed that, "Perhaps the absolute creative freedom director George Lucas enjoyed while dreaming up the flick's 'comic' relief – with no studio execs and not many an independently minded actor involved – is a path to the dark side." [89]
Conversely, Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun Times gave it three and a half out of four stars, calling it "an astonishing achievement in imaginative filmmaking," and stating that "Lucas tells a good story." Ebert also commented that it was perfectly fine for the characters being a bit less compelling, seeing that they were just being introduced, and hypothetically entreating filmmakers to "give me transparent underwater cities and vast hollow senatorial spheres any day."[90] Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly gave the film a B grade and complimented Liam Neeson's performance and the action scenes.[91] However, in another Entertainment Weekly review of the film, Marc Bernardin gave the film a C-, calling it "haplessly plotted, horribly written, and juvenile."[92]
Susan Wloszczyna of USA Today thought the movie did "plenty right," praising the characters of Darth Maul and Watto.[93] David Cornelius of efilmcritic.com remarked that the better moments of the film "don't merely balance out the weaker ones – they topple them."[94] Colin Kennedy of Empire said that despite problems with pacing and writing "there is still much pleasure to be had watching our full-blown Jedi guides in action", praising the visuals and Liam Neeson's performance, and considering the duel between Darth Maul and the Jedi "the saga's very best lightsaber battle".[95]
The Phantom Menace was ranked by Entertainment Weekly as one of "The 25 Worst Sequels Ever Made".[96] Similarly, Comcast ranked the film among the worst film sequels of all time.[97] James Berardinelli would later 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."[98] William Arnold, of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, agreed that the massive hype of the film caused much of the negative reaction, saying "it built expectations that can't possibly be matched and scuttled (the) element of storytelling surprise." However, he also felt that the film was "well made and entertaining" and believed it was much better than similar box office fare released around that year, such as The Mummy and The Matrix.[99]
The introduction of midi-chlorians (microscopic organisms mediate use of the Force) in the film has been controversial among fans. 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."[100] 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.'"[101]
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);[102] the greedy and corrupt Neimoidians of the Trade Federation spoke with East Asian accents; and the unprincipled desert trader Watto has been interpreted as a Fagin-esque Jewish stereotype. Lucas has categorically denied all of these implications;[83] however, animator Rob Coleman admitted that he viewed footage of Alec Guinness as Fagin in Oliver Twist to inspire his animators in creating Watto.[103] Jar Jar Binks was described by one critic as "Servile and cowardly...a black minstrel-ish stereotype on par with Stepin Fetchit."[89] Michael Eric Dyson, professor of African-American studies at Georgetown University, observed that the entire Gungan people seem oddly suggestive of a primitive African tribe: "The leader of Jar Jar's tribe is a fat, bumbling buffoon with a rumbling voice, and he seems to be a caricature of a stereotypical African tribal chieftain."[104]
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 from George Lucas' youth. The
Star Wars movies typically mix several selected concepts from different
mythologies together.[122]
The Jedi practice Zen-like meditation and martial arts, as did the ancient Japanese Samurai warriors. The name "Qui-Gon" adapts the term Qigong, which refers to a Chinese discipline involving meditation and cultivating the flow of the vital energy called "Chi" or "Qi" for healing, health and combat. The words ki (Japanese) and Ch'i (Chinese) are translations of the Indian term "Prana", referring to the energy thought to flow through all living things from the source of all chi (or power) which is "The Way" or "The Tao" in Chinese philosophy. In Taoist philosophy, from The Way is born the two opposing but complementary aspects of reality or nature, yin and yang. Unlike Chinese philosophy, where yin and yang are not moral qualities, the ancient Persian philosophy of Zurvanism taught that the dualism of dark and light forces are locked in eternal battle while at the same time being two sides (or evolutes) of the same "Force", the force of time itself (Zurvan): the prime mover. These elements derive primarily from Eastern and Iranian religions and myths.[122]
There are many references to Christian mythology in the film, such as the appearance of Darth Maul, whose design draws heavily from traditional depictions of the Christian Devil, complete with red skin and horns.[122] The Star Wars film cycle features a similar religious narrative involving Anakin Skywalker, the "chosen one" conceived of a virgin birth, who is tempted to join the Sith. His fall from grace seemingly prevents him from fulfilling his destiny as the "chosen one" – the individual prophesied to bring balance to the Force. 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's outline.[122]
Japanese film such as Akira Kurosawa's The Hidden Fortress was a source of inspiration for the original Star Wars film, and scholars point out that The Phantom Menace was likewise influenced by Japanese culture. Film historians Geoff King and Tanya Krzywinska assert, "The costume and make-up designs ... favour a mixture of the gothic and the oriental over anything very futuristic. The gothic is most strongly apparent in Darth Maul's demonic horns and the red and black make-up mask that borrows from the facial designs found in depictions of Japanese demons." King and Krzywinska note that "Qui-Gon's pony tail and Obi-Wan's position of apprentice further encourage a reading in terms of the Samurai tradition." Finally, "Amidala, in keeping with her status and character, has a number of highly formal outfits ... to go with hair sculpted into a curve that frames make-up of a Japanese cast."[123]
The design of Queen Amidala's personal spaceship is based on the actual US strategic reconnaissance airplane Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird.[citation needed]
Above Extracts Taken From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_Episode_I:_The_Phantom_Menace
More Info: http://www.starwars.com/explore/the-movies/episode-i/ - http://www.starwars.com/explore/the-movies/episode-i-3d/#5 - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120915/
More theater lines appeared when it was announced that 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 be either unable to receive tickets or forced to pay higher prices. Tickets were instead to be sold on a traditional first-come-first-served basis.[53] 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 twelve-ticket limit per customer.[54] 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.[55] 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.[56]
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 it on the weekends. Foreshadowing his future conversion to digital cinematography, Lucas stated that the film would be released on four digital projectors on June 18, 1999.[57] Eleven charity premieres were staged across the United States on May 16, 1999; receipts from the Los Angeles event were donated to the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation with corporate packages available for $5,000–$25,000.[58] 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 Association 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.[59]
3D re-release
In September 2010, it was announced that all six films in the series will be stereo-converted to 3D. They are being released in episode order, beginning with The Phantom Menace, which was released in 3D to cinemas in February 2012.[78] The conversion was supervised by Industrial Light & Magic and produced by Prime Focus.[79]
George Lucas stated that the 3D conversion was "just a conversion" of the Blu-ray release of the film in 2011 and no additional changes were made.[80] The only confirmed change is to Anakin's magnetic wand during the podrace scene where the tip was sharpened to more accurately fit the 2D photography to the new 3D image.[81]
Reception
Critical reception
The Phantom Menace received mixed reviews from film critics. As of the film's re-release in 3D during March 2012, the film holds a 57% "Rotten" rating on the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, with an average rating of 5.8/10, based on 186 reviews,[82] It also has a score of 51/100 ("mixed or average reviews") on Metacritic based on 36 reviews. On both sites, it is the lowest rated film in the Star Wars film series. Many aspects of the scripting were criticized, especially the character of Jar Jar Binks, who was regarded by many members of the older fan community as toyetic — purely a merchandising opportunity rather than a serious character in the film.[83][84][85] Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times described Binks as "a major miscue, a comic-relief character who's frankly not funny." [86] George Lucas criticized the American media for using fan opinions from the Internet as a reliable source for their news stories.[87] In 2002, with the release of Attack of the Clones, Ewan McGregor said that in retrospect The Phantom Menace slightly lacked some of the "humor and colour" of the forthcoming prequels. He felt as a result of bearing the weight of setting up the entire saga, it seemed "kind of flat."[88] One critic observed that, "Perhaps the absolute creative freedom director George Lucas enjoyed while dreaming up the flick's 'comic' relief – with no studio execs and not many an independently minded actor involved – is a path to the dark side." [89]
Conversely, Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun Times gave it three and a half out of four stars, calling it "an astonishing achievement in imaginative filmmaking," and stating that "Lucas tells a good story." Ebert also commented that it was perfectly fine for the characters being a bit less compelling, seeing that they were just being introduced, and hypothetically entreating filmmakers to "give me transparent underwater cities and vast hollow senatorial spheres any day."[90] Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly gave the film a B grade and complimented Liam Neeson's performance and the action scenes.[91] However, in another Entertainment Weekly review of the film, Marc Bernardin gave the film a C-, calling it "haplessly plotted, horribly written, and juvenile."[92]
Susan Wloszczyna of USA Today thought the movie did "plenty right," praising the characters of Darth Maul and Watto.[93] David Cornelius of efilmcritic.com remarked that the better moments of the film "don't merely balance out the weaker ones – they topple them."[94] Colin Kennedy of Empire said that despite problems with pacing and writing "there is still much pleasure to be had watching our full-blown Jedi guides in action", praising the visuals and Liam Neeson's performance, and considering the duel between Darth Maul and the Jedi "the saga's very best lightsaber battle".[95]
The Phantom Menace was ranked by Entertainment Weekly as one of "The 25 Worst Sequels Ever Made".[96] Similarly, Comcast ranked the film among the worst film sequels of all time.[97] James Berardinelli would later 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."[98] William Arnold, of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, agreed that the massive hype of the film caused much of the negative reaction, saying "it built expectations that can't possibly be matched and scuttled (the) element of storytelling surprise." However, he also felt that the film was "well made and entertaining" and believed it was much better than similar box office fare released around that year, such as The Mummy and The Matrix.[99]
The introduction of midi-chlorians (microscopic organisms mediate use of the Force) in the film has been controversial among fans. 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."[100] 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.'"[101]
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);[102] the greedy and corrupt Neimoidians of the Trade Federation spoke with East Asian accents; and the unprincipled desert trader Watto has been interpreted as a Fagin-esque Jewish stereotype. Lucas has categorically denied all of these implications;[83] however, animator Rob Coleman admitted that he viewed footage of Alec Guinness as Fagin in Oliver Twist to inspire his animators in creating Watto.[103] Jar Jar Binks was described by one critic as "Servile and cowardly...a black minstrel-ish stereotype on par with Stepin Fetchit."[89] Michael Eric Dyson, professor of African-American studies at Georgetown University, observed that the entire Gungan people seem oddly suggestive of a primitive African tribe: "The leader of Jar Jar's tribe is a fat, bumbling buffoon with a rumbling voice, and he seems to be a caricature of a stereotypical African tribal chieftain."[104]
Historical and cultural allusions
See also: Star Wars sources and analogues
The Jedi practice Zen-like meditation and martial arts, as did the ancient Japanese Samurai warriors. The name "Qui-Gon" adapts the term Qigong, which refers to a Chinese discipline involving meditation and cultivating the flow of the vital energy called "Chi" or "Qi" for healing, health and combat. The words ki (Japanese) and Ch'i (Chinese) are translations of the Indian term "Prana", referring to the energy thought to flow through all living things from the source of all chi (or power) which is "The Way" or "The Tao" in Chinese philosophy. In Taoist philosophy, from The Way is born the two opposing but complementary aspects of reality or nature, yin and yang. Unlike Chinese philosophy, where yin and yang are not moral qualities, the ancient Persian philosophy of Zurvanism taught that the dualism of dark and light forces are locked in eternal battle while at the same time being two sides (or evolutes) of the same "Force", the force of time itself (Zurvan): the prime mover. These elements derive primarily from Eastern and Iranian religions and myths.[122]
There are many references to Christian mythology in the film, such as the appearance of Darth Maul, whose design draws heavily from traditional depictions of the Christian Devil, complete with red skin and horns.[122] The Star Wars film cycle features a similar religious narrative involving Anakin Skywalker, the "chosen one" conceived of a virgin birth, who is tempted to join the Sith. His fall from grace seemingly prevents him from fulfilling his destiny as the "chosen one" – the individual prophesied to bring balance to the Force. 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's outline.[122]
Japanese film such as Akira Kurosawa's The Hidden Fortress was a source of inspiration for the original Star Wars film, and scholars point out that The Phantom Menace was likewise influenced by Japanese culture. Film historians Geoff King and Tanya Krzywinska assert, "The costume and make-up designs ... favour a mixture of the gothic and the oriental over anything very futuristic. The gothic is most strongly apparent in Darth Maul's demonic horns and the red and black make-up mask that borrows from the facial designs found in depictions of Japanese demons." King and Krzywinska note that "Qui-Gon's pony tail and Obi-Wan's position of apprentice further encourage a reading in terms of the Samurai tradition." Finally, "Amidala, in keeping with her status and character, has a number of highly formal outfits ... to go with hair sculpted into a curve that frames make-up of a Japanese cast."[123]
The design of Queen Amidala's personal spaceship is based on the actual US strategic reconnaissance airplane Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird.[citation needed]
Above Extracts Taken From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_Episode_I:_The_Phantom_Menace
More Info: http://www.starwars.com/explore/the-movies/episode-i/ - http://www.starwars.com/explore/the-movies/episode-i-3d/#5 - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120915/
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