Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (Movie)

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Genre: Sci-Fi Movies
Director: George Lucas
Theatrical Release: May 19, 99 NA

Producer: Fox
Length: 133 min
Theme(s): Alternate Reality, Dark Fantasy, Sci-Fi (Futuristic)

Also on: Book

9.0

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Release Dates NA May 19, 99 EU Jul 16, 99 JP Jul 10, 99 AU Jun 3, 99

CDS and 157 others own Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace

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CAGarber Feb 05, 12 4:08am

Blu Ray #StarWarsEpisode1ThePhantomMenace

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Shadow of Death Dec 27, 11 7:15am

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x Hazel Eyes x Jul 26, 11 8:34pm

I don't know why, I just like Star Wars! #StarWarsEpisode1ThePhantomMenace

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Millet Jul 12, 09 3:48pm

Way way acceptable. Way acceptable. #StarWarsEpisode1ThePhantomMenace

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BaronAxis2009 Dec 11, 08 12:48pm

My favorite because it has Quai-Gon Jinn in it #StarWarsEpisode1ThePhantomMenace

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ok :/ #StarWarsEpisode1ThePhantomMenace

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8.0

Kiddie flick

George Lucas said that he wanted to wait until computers caught up with his...

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At long last, the saga truly begins...

After about 22 years the Star Wars saga finally really began with Episode 1, The...

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VHS #StarWarsEpisode1ThePhantomMenace

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Story

"I have a bad feeling about this," says the young Obi-Wan Kenobi (played by Ewan McGregor) in Star Wars: Episode I, The Phantom Menace as he steps off a spaceship and into the most anticipated cinematic event... well, ever. He might as well be speaking for the legions of fans of the original episodes in the Star Wars saga who can't help but secretly ask themselves: Sure, this is Star Wars, but is it my Star Wars? The original elevated moviegoers' expectations so high that it would have been impossible for any subsequent film to meet them. And as with all the Star Wars movies, The Phantom Menace features inexplicable plot twists, a fistful of loose threads, and some cheek-chewing dialogue. Han Solo's swagger is sorely missed, as is the pervading menace of heavy-breather Darth Vader. There is still way too much quasi-mystical mumbo jumbo, and some of what was fresh about Star Wars 22 years earlier feels formulaic. Yet there's much to admire. The special effects are stupendous; three worlds are populated with a mélange of creatures, flora, and horizons rendered in absolute detail. The action and battle scenes are breathtaking in their complexity. And one particular sequence of the film--the adrenaline-infused pod race through the Tatooine desert--makes the chariot race in Ben-Hur look like a Sunday stroll through the park.

Among the host of new characters, there are a few familiar walk-ons. We witness the first meeting between R2-D2 and C-3PO, Jabba the Hutt looks younger and slimmer (but not young and slim), and Yoda is as crabby as ever. Natalie Portman's stately Queen Amidala sports hairdos that make Princess Leia look dowdy and wields a mean laser. We never bond with Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson), and Obi-Wan's day is yet to come. Jar Jar Binks, a cross between a Muppet, a frog, and a hippie, provides many of the movie's lighter moments, while Sith Lord Darth Maul is a formidable force. Baby-faced Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd) looks too young and innocent to command the powers of the Force or wield a lightsaber (much less transmute into the future Darth Vader), but his boyish exuberance wins over skeptics.

Near the end of the movie, Palpatine, the new leader of the Republic, may be speaking for fans eagerly awaiting Episode II when he pats young Anakin on the head and says, "We will watch your career with great interest." Indeed! --Tod Nelson

DVD Features

THX-Certified
Disc One:
Commentary by George Lucas, Rick McCallum, Ben Burtt, Rob Coleman, John Knoll, Dennis Muren and Scott Squires
Disc Two:
Exclusive Deleted Scenes Documentary features seven new sequences completed just for this DVD release, including extended Podrace scenes
All-New Hour-Long Documentary Film culled from over 600 hours of footage, "The Beginning" takes you where few people have been before -- inside Lucasfilm and ILM during the production of Episode I
Multi-Angle Storyboard-To-Animatic-To-Film Segment featuring the Submarine and Podrace Lap 1 sequences
Five Featurettes Explore The Phantom Menace's Storyline, Design, Costumes, Visual Effects and Fight Scenes
Award-Winning Twelve-Part Web Documentary Series That Chronicles The Production Of Episode 1
"Duel Of The Fates" Music Video Featuring John Williams
Never-Before-Seen Production Photo Gallery with Special Caption Feature
Theatrical Posters and Print Campaign From Around The World
Theatrical Teaser and Launch Trailers, Plus Seven TV Spots
"Star Wars: Starfighter - The Making Of A Game" Featurette from LucasArts
DVD-ROM Weblink To Exclusive Star Wars Content

Cast

Liam Neeson	Qui-Gon Jinn
Ewan McGregor	Obi-Wan Kenobi
Natalie Portman	Queen Padmé Amidala
Jake Lloyd	Anakin Skywalker
Pernilla August	Shmi Skywalker
Frank Oz	Yoda (voice)
Ian McDiarmid	Senator Palpatine
Oliver Ford Davies	Gov. Sio Bibble
Ray Park	Darth Maul
Hugh Quarshie	Capt. Panaka
Ahmed Best	Jar Jar Binks (voice)
Anthony Daniels	C-3PO
Kenny Baker	R2-D2
Terence Stamp	Supreme Chancellor Valorum
Brian Blessed	Boss Nass (voice)
Andrew Secombe	Watto
Lewis Macleod	Sebulba (voice)
Steve Speirs	Capt. Tarpals
Silas Carson	Viceroy Nute Gunray/Ki-Adi-Mundi/Lott Dodd/Radiant VII Pilot
Ralph Brown	Ric Olié
Celia Imrie	Fighter Pilot Bravo 5
Benedict Taylor	Fighter Pilot Bravo 2
Karol Cristina da Silva	Rabé
Clarence Smith	FIghter Pilot Bravo 3
Samuel L. Jackson	Mace Windu
Dominic West	Palace Guard
Liz Wilson	Eirtaé (as Friday 'Liz' Wilson)
Candice Orwell	Yané
Sofia Coppola	Saché
Keira Knightley	Sabé
Bronagh Gallagher	Radiant VII captain
John Fensom	TC-14
Greg Proops	Beed (voice)
Scott Capurro	Fode (voice)
Margaret Towner	Jira
Dhruv Chanchani	Kitster
Oliver Walpole	Seek
Katie Lucas	Amee (as Jenna Green)
Megan Udall	Melee
Hassani Shapi	Eeth Koth
Gin Clarke	Adi Gallia (as Gin)
Khan Bonfils	Saesee Tiin
Michelle Taylor	Yarael Poof
Michaela Cottrell	Even Piell
Dipika O'Neill Joti	Depa Billaba
Phil Eason	Yaddle
Mark Coulier	Aks Moe
Lindsay Duncan	TC-14 (voice)
Peter Serafinowicz	Darth Maul (voice)
James Taylor	Rune Haako (voice)
Chris Sanders	Daultay Dofine (voice)
Toby Longworth	Sen. Lott Dodd/Gragra (voice)
Marc Silk	Aks Moe (voice)
Amanda Lucas	Tey How/Diva Funquita (voice) (as Tyger)
Richard Armitage	Naboo Fighter Pilot (uncredited)
Don Bies	Pod Race Mechanic (uncredited)
Trisha Biggar	Orn Free Taa's Aide (uncredited)
Jerome Blake	Rune Haako/Mas Amedda/Oppo Rancisis/Orn Free Taa (uncredited)
Michonne Bourriague	Aurra Sing (uncredited)
Ben Burtt	Naboo Courier (uncredited)
Doug Chiang	Flag Bearer (uncredited)
Rob Coleman	Pod Race Spectator in Jabba's Private Box (uncredited)
Roman Coppola	Senate Guard (uncredited)
Matt Daniel-Baker	Naboo Foot Soldier (uncredited)
Russell Darling	Naboo Royal Security Guard (uncredited)
Warwick Davis	Wald/Pod Race Spectator/Mos Espa Citizen (uncredited)
C. Michael Easton	Pod Race Spectator (uncredited)
Ned Gorman	Naboo Citizen (uncredited)
Joss Gower	Naboo Fighter Pilot (uncredited)
Raymond Griffiths	GONK Droid (uncredited)
Nathan Hamil	Pod Race Spectator/Naboo Palace Guard (uncredited)
Tim Harrington	Naboo Security Guard (uncredited)
Jack Haye	Pod Race Spectator in Jabba's Private Box (uncredited)
Nifa Hindes	Ann Gella (uncredited)
Nishan Hindes	Tann Gella (uncredited)
Alexi Kaye Campbell	Naboo Guard (uncredited)
John Knoll	Lt. Rya Kirsch (Bravo 4)/Flag Bearer (uncredited)
Kamay Lau	Sei Taria-Senator's Aide (uncredited)
Dan Madsen	Kaadu Handler (uncredited)
Iain McCaig	Orn Free Taa's Aide (uncredited)
Rick McCallum	Naboo Courier (uncredited)
João Costa Menezes	Naboo Fighter Pilot (uncredited)
Taylor Murphy	Battle Droid (uncredited)
Jeff Olson	Pod Race Spectator in Jabba's Private Box (uncredited)
Lorne Peterson	Mos Espa Citizen (uncredited)
Alan Ruscoe	Plo Koon/Bib Fortuna/Daultay Dofine (uncredited)
Steve Sansweet	Naboo Courier (uncredited)
Make Sawa	Naboo Royal Guard (uncredited)
Christian J. Simpson	Lt. Gavyn Sykes-Bravo 6 (uncredited)
Paul Martin Smith	Naboo Courier (uncredited)
Scott Squires	Naboo Speeder Driver (uncredited)
Tom Sylla	Battle Droid (voice) (uncredited)
Bilil Tlusty	Chokk, Jabba's Bodyguard (uncredited)
Danny Wagner	Mawhonic (uncredited)
Matthew Wood	Bib Fortuna/Ody Mandrell (uncredited) (voice)