Star Wars Episode I The Phantom Menace

Discuss Episodes 1-3 here.
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thepepgal
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Star Wars Episode I The Phantom Menace

Post by thepepgal »

It's the start that divides the fans. Here's the spot to chat about it.
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Zedekk
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Re: Star Wars Episode I The Phantom Menace

Post by Zedekk »

I have to say when I start thinking about this movie it brings back some nostalgia for me. It was the start of a great potential hope. Thanks to GL's proclivity with using CGI and exploring a different way of film making, it seemed to miss vital parts in storytelling.

I think the real problem this movie faces is not based on one flawed character, it's the problem of the director being pulled in two different directions. I watch it and see some of the Lucasian storytelling style elements in there. Long shots with characters posing and music crescendo in the background. And then the CGI "Let's- really-fix-it-in-post-production-because-there-are-so-many-things-that-we-can-do-now-a-days TECHNOLOGY!" These two forces were not reigned in to assist the director in telling his story, they ran rampant throughout.

I still enjoy parts of it, but I'm no longer allowed to watch it, because the wife refuses to let the children even know of its existence.
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Javen
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Re: Star Wars Episode I The Phantom Menace

Post by Javen »

I don't hate TPM, but I don't love it either. But there are many things that I feel could've been better. Jar Jar withstanding it's not the biggest problem.

I always felt that alot of TPM should've best been used as backstory, not the actual story. It maybe would have worked better of it had started when Anakin was way older. But at the same time you see the innocence of Anakin and his pull from the moment he leaves his mom and that is the tragedy. I love Ewen as Obi Wan and Liam and of course Maul shouldve've stuck around for EP II.
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thepepgal
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Re: Star Wars Episode I The Phantom Menace

Post by thepepgal »

I envision Star Wars as book. In 1977, GL gave us the middle of the book and the proceed to the end in eps 5 & 6 (at that time), Then 16 years later he gives us, Ep 1 which is the first few chapters. If you read novels, those chapters are usually where characters are established and aren't as thrilling as the finish. To me, this describe TPM perfectly so not enough action for what fans had become accustomed to.
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Rollafett
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Re: Star Wars Episode I The Phantom Menace

Post by Rollafett »

Let's get down to the only true issue with this film...ego. Lucas's ego got in his own way far too much with TPM. He despises writing and directing. Ok, so he decides to do both. Now, it is true that he offered the directing gig to others - Ron Howard among them - and was turned down flat it seemed mainly due to awesome responsibility that came with making a new SW film at that time. Ok, so he's stuck with directing, but why didn't he make sure that he had writing help? From everything I've ever read about the man, that's the one aspect of film-making he can't stand the most. And without a solid story, there's little hope of the film turning out good.

I still am a fan, but it's by far the weakest of all SW films, and Lucas could've made steps to prevent that.
"All right, look, there's only one "Return," okay, and it ain't "of the King," it's "of the Jedi."
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Master Magnus
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Re: Star Wars Episode I The Phantom Menace

Post by Master Magnus »

Rollafett wrote: July 1st, 2017, 6:09 pm Let's get down to the only true issue with this film...ego. Lucas's ego got in his own way far too much with TPM. He despises writing and directing. Ok, so he decides to do both. Now, it is true that he offered the directing gig to others - Ron Howard among them - and was turned down flat it seemed mainly due to awesome responsibility that came with making a new SW film at that time. Ok, so he's stuck with directing, but why didn't he make sure that he had writing help? From everything I've ever read about the man, that's the one aspect of film-making he can't stand the most. And without a solid story, there's little hope of the film turning out good.

I still am a fan, but it's by far the weakest of all SW films, and Lucas could've made steps to prevent that.
I agree that it's the weakest of the SW movies (shared with TFA in my book), but Lucas did try to solicit help writing the movie. He asked Lawrence Kasdan who turned him down., but he should've tried harder.
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Rollafett
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Re: Star Wars Episode I The Phantom Menace

Post by Rollafett »

First I've heard about that...interesting. And then quite a bit later Kasden is back in thick of it. I wonder why he turned it down back then? Was it to do with working with Lucas, or like with the directors who turned it down...not wanting the pressure.
"All right, look, there's only one "Return," okay, and it ain't "of the King," it's "of the Jedi."
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Darth Fool
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Re: Star Wars Episode I The Phantom Menace

Post by Darth Fool »

I found a quote from Kasdan in an old issue of Empire (#122) confirming he was asked:
When he asked me to write the new one, I turned him down. I can't wait to see it though. I'm like everyone else.
I think he said at some point he felt Star Wars should just be George's thing and that's why he said no... but I can't find anything confirming that so I may be mis-remembering.
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Master Magnus
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Re: Star Wars Episode I The Phantom Menace

Post by Master Magnus »

Darth Fool wrote: August 10th, 2017, 9:23 am I found a quote from Kasdan in an old issue of Empire (#122) confirming he was asked:
When he asked me to write the new one, I turned him down. I can't wait to see it though. I'm like everyone else.
I think he said at some point he felt Star Wars should just be George's thing and that's why he said no... but I can't find anything confirming that so I may be mis-remembering.
I don't think you do... I also remember reading something to that effect (but I think that was rather much later).

EDIT: It's mentioned on TPM's trivia page on IMDB but without any reference: IMDB

Oh, and apparently George asked Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard and Robert Zemeckis to direct TPM: Collider
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Master Magnus
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Re: Star Wars Episode I The Phantom Menace

Post by Master Magnus »

TPM has seen some reevaluation after the ST with some reviewers praising Lucas's worldbuilding (which the ST lacked). I got to admit that I've done so myself.
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