hen it debuted in May 1999, Star Wars: Episode I—The Phantom Menace was perhaps the most anticipated film of the 20th century. And rightly so: Few films have ever so successfully captured the loyalty and imaginations of audiences as George Lucas' original Star Wars. After a 16-year hiatus, Lucas returned to the universe of the trilogy that made him famous, and gave us the first in a trilogy of prequels to the classic Star Wars stories.
There was no Luke Skywalker or Princess Leia in this installment; Episode I is before their time. But we do have a (comparatively) young Yoda, a pint-size Anakin Skywalker (who'd later grow up to become Darth Vader) and a green Jedi named Obi-Wan Kenobi. Add in the first appearances by the droid duo of R2-D2 and C-3PO, and Episode I planted the seeds to set up the second film in the trilogy, due out summer 2002—and to come full circle with the trilogy already lodged in our cultural consciousness.
Episode I is not eminently rewatchable in the same way that the classic, original Star Wars: Episode IV—A New Hope is. The story is at times choppy and flawed, the characters lack depth, the acting is merely adequate—and that's without getting into Jar Jar Binks. Nonetheless, the grand story of the young Queen Amidala (Portman) and her quest to save her peaceful world of Naboo from an invasion by the unsavory Trade Federation has an epic feel to it—thanks in no small part to the roles of Jedi Obi-Wan (McGregor) and Qui-Gon (Neeson). And the glimpse of a young and innocent Anakin is a stark contrast to what we know will come later.
Lucasfilm has taken a lot of heat from fans for not rushing to market with DVDs of the original trilogy—even with Phantom Menace, which was released on video in late 1999. But if Phantom Menace is any indication of why Lucasfilm is taking its time with the DVDs, it's proof that the DVDs will be worth the wait. This two-disc set is packed with tidbits and minutiae that will be of interest to dedicated fans and casual viewers alike.
Ultimate extras enhance Episode I
The first disc contains the widescreen version of the film, with several sound options (including the excellent Dolby 5.1 channel surround sound track, but not a DTS soundtrack). The quality of the encoding is excellent, and the images are incredibly sharp and crisp, with rich colors.
The informative and detailed running commentary track provides much insight and background into the making of the film, the composition of different shots and effects, and even explanations that expound on the story itself. The track includes thoughts by not just George Lucas, but also by producer Rick McCallum and production and effects folk like Ben Burtt, Rob Coleman, John Knoll, Dennis Muren and Scott Squires. Each person is identified by an on-screen caption, and, if you're using 5.1 channel sound, each can be heard at a
different position in the audio landscape, in effect making it feel as if you're in the middle of a roundtable discussion. If you play disc one in your computer's DVD-ROM drive, the disc will let you access an exclusive section on the starwars.com Web site that's designed for owners of the DVD.
The second disc features four separate sections, all but one of which delves deeper into the making of the film. The exception: a section with the film's teaser and theatrical trailers, TV spots and the music video for John Williams' "Duel of the Fates" (the music that plays during Darth Maul and Qui-Gon Jinn's confrontation on Naboo).
Most interesting on this disc is the Deleted Scenes and Documentaries section. From here, you can view a running documentary detailing the seven deleted scenes featured on this disc and why they were deleted; or you can access the individual scenes and commentaries. Several of the cut scenes—including a vastly extended pod-race sequence and an air-taxi scene that takes the viewer high above Coruscant—are actually reincorporated into the feature itself, and that's how the film is presented. Unlike other DVDs, there are no awkward branching moments in the course of the film; Lucas decided those elements should be reinstated for the DVD, and they are—end of story.
The behind-the-scenes documentary, titled The Beginning—The Making of Episode I, is perhaps the best reason to buy this DVD set. Over the course of the hour-long footage—which Lucasfilm commissioned from the earliest days of Episode I's production—we're afforded an unusually candid insider's perspective for witnessing the filmmaking process. Among the gems: watching the screen test for young Lloyd, and later seeing a frustrated Lucas talking Lloyd through a scene on the set. Factor in a handful of outtakes at the end and this documentary is a must-see for Star Wars fans.
Also on this disc is a section with five behind-the-scenes featurettes and the 12-part series of behind-the-scenes documentaries that were featured on the starwars.com Web site. The remaining segment of the disc features production photos, print ads and posters, as well as animatics with multi-angle storyboard views so viewers can switch between images and see how the scene (including the submarine sequence and the pod race) progressed from concept to filmed reality.
The only negative observation about this disc is the chapter organization: While it's handy to have the film broken down into 50 chapters—making it easy to jump to a favorite scene or sequence—only five chapters fit on a screen at a time, and the lengthy transitions between screens, while in keeping with the Star Wars universe, get tiring very quickly.
