Star Wars Episode I personally: A Phantom Menace (typically abbreviated TPM by fans) is a number 1 chapter (however the for to become freed) in the popular six-a share Star Wars film series by George Lucas. Its release inside 1999 came almost Xvi years when a former film freed in the series, Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi.

A film's release was accompanied by extensive media coverage & high anticipation. Though badly standard by critics, it was pleasantly financially successful, grossing US$ 924.3 milliin worldwide on the budget of America$115 million. A Phantom Menace was a greatest grossing film of 1999, & a for greatest grossing film of 100%-period fallowing its release. These are a greatest grossing Star Wars film ever, while forgoing adjustment for inflation.

Plot summary

Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn. These are a month 32 BBY (or, 32 years before Episode IV), and a trade dispute between the Trade Federation and the planet of Naboo has led to a blockade of the planet. Chancellor Valorum of the Galactic Republic secretly sends two Jedi Knights, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn, to meet with Trade Federation Viceroy Nute Gunray to resolve the dispute. Unbeknown to a two, a Trade Federation is around league sustaining the mysterious Darth Sidious, who secretly orders Gunray to invade Naboo & put to death them Jedi upon their arrival. Qui-Gon & Obi-Wan escape a assassination attempt per Federation & flee to the surface of Naboo.

On the planet's surface, a Jedi meet local native friendless Jar Jar Binks, who will bring the two to an underwater Gungan settlement to escape the Trade Federation army. Meanwhile, a Trade Federation invades Naboo & captures their leader, Queen Amidala. A Jedi meet a Gungan leader, Boss Nass, & ask him to help the population of Naboo, however Nass refuses and sends the babies dispatch around a submarine. A Jedi, by owning Jar Jar Binks around towage, email a capital of Naboo & saving Queen Amidala from either a Trade Federation droid army. It depart for Coruscant, the Galactic Republic’s capital planet, to ask for support from either a Senate. The droid known as R2-D2 heroically repairs the Queen's spaceship when it narrowly escape an attack from either a Federation base ship.

Imputable a attack, still, the ship is forced to land on the godforsaken planet of Tatooine for repairs. Patch shopping for needful area, it befriend immature Anakin Skywalker, a knuckle down son, whose master is Watto, an alien junk dealer. Anakin is gifted using piloting & mechanics (he has built an about-complete droid known as C-3PO). Qui-Gon Jinn senses the hard presence of the Force in Anakin, and feels that he can be the Chosen Of these world health organization might fulfill a prophecy by bringing balance to the Inflict. By typing Anakin into a podrace, Qui-Gon orchestrates a gamble where the son (alone, since he was unable to include the youth's mother into a bargain) is freed from either slavery & it might win the required area for their ship. Anakin wins a race & joins a team when it head for Coruscant, in which Qui-Gon plans to search permission from either a Jedi Council to train him to be the Jedi. Meanwhile, Darth Sidious sends his prentice, Darth Maul, to kill them Jedi & capture a Queen. Sledgehammer appears even as a class action is allowing a planet, & fights Qui-Gon, world health organization so manages to escape on the ship.

In Coruscant, Qui-Gin Jinn informs a Jedi Council of the mysterious aggressor he found on Tatooine. Because of his mastery of a Jedi arts, a Council becomes caring that this could show the reappearance of the Sith, a long-no more religious choose world health organization followed a Dark Side of the Force. Qui-Gon likewise informs a Council astir Anakin, hoping that he may be trained as a Jedi. Fallowing researching a son & deliberating by using of these a second, a Council garbage, deeming him as well old for expert instruction based on data from Jedi Code. It is likewise caring due to their feel of what seems to become the clouded first & the hard presence of fear in the son. Meanwhile, Senator Palpatine (of Naboo) uses Queen Amidala's situation to his benefit by persuading her to call for the vote of no confidence in Chancellor Valorum so that he may make their way himself nominated when a fresh Chancellor. When doing soh, a Queen decides to go to to her residence planet to repel a invasion of her humans. She is frustrated per Senate's deliberation & want of action, & feels that per instance Palpatine is elected Chancellor it is as well late. Them Jedi accompany a Queen back to Naboo.

Queen Amidala, back around Naboo, forms an alliance by using a Gungan population, uniting inside battle against a Trade Federation. Nute Gunray is ordered by Darth Sidious to kill a Gungans & a Naboo when a Trade Federation prepares for battle. Fallowing very much scrap against a Federation's droid army, kill for the alliance seems at hand. All a same, triumph is won once immature Anakin Skywalker commandeers the fighter & destroys the Federation's droid command ship, giving a droid army useless. Meanwhile, Queen Amidala & her click fight their way back into a palace & capture Nute Gunray. At a equivalent period, Darth Maul has been engaging around combat sustaining them Jedi. He kills Qui-Gon Jinn. Obi-Wan fights Darth Maul sustaining raging anger, however Darth Maul near kills him whenever he pushes him to the shelf in the hole. Obi-Wan jumps higher & battles Darth Maul by using Qui-Gon's lightsaber, so slays Darth Maul, cutting him within half. Good prior to passing away, Qui-Gon instructs Obi-Wan to train Anakin to be the Jedi. Obi-Wan gives his word that he may train a son. A freshly elective Chancellor Palpatine arrives to congratulate Queen Amidala in her triumph, when Nute Gunray is sent to could have test for his crimes.

Senator Palpatine. When the battle, a Jedi Council list Obi-Wan a Jedi Knight. Kenobi conveys his master’s wish on Anakin Skywalker to Yoda, who reluctantly allows him to be Obi-Wan’s learner. Qui-Gon is cremated, & Mace Windu and Yoda agree that his death was from either a Sith. Because there are exclusively 2 Sith ever at any given period (an expert & an prentice), it suppose that there exists however some other a single out there.

A Phantom Menace closes using a big celebration of liberation from either the Trade Federation on the planet of Naboo. Queen Amidalthe presents a gift of appreciation & friendly relationship to Boss Nass.

Cast

|- | Liam Neeson || .... Qui-Gon Jinn |- | Ewan McGregor || .... Obi-Wan Kenobi |- | Natalie Portman || .... Padmé Amidala |- | Jake Lloyd || .... Anakin Skywalker |- | Pernilla August || .... Shmi Skywalker |- | Frank Oz || .... Yoda |- | Ian McDiarmid || .... Senator Palpatine |- | Oliver Ford Davies || .... Sio Bibble |- | Hugh Quarshie || .... Captain Panaka |- | Ahmed Best || .... Jar Jar Binks |- | Anthony Daniels || .... C-3P0 |- | Kenny Baker || .... R2-D2 |- | Terence Stamp || .... Chancellor Valorum |}

Filming
Dollars and cents of Menace was America$115 million. Motion-picture photography was primarily done at Leavesden Studios in England, with extra location shooting in the Tunisian desert and the Italian palace Palazzo Reale, Caserta. Cinematography began in June 26, 1997, and endwise September 30, 1997.

Unlike a latter 2 films in the series which were shot in digital video, most of this film was shot inside 35 mm, with two or three scenes shot around digital streaming.

Reaction
A Phantom Menace enjoyed (or even suffered from either) further media-created ballyhoo than any film within history, which mass produced Lucasfilm's mild $20 million ad blitz, by having a distinctive art of Star Wars series creative person Drew Struzan gracing a motion-picture show poster & more advertising, virtually unneeded because of a unprecedented interest amongst two fans & the wider community in the go to of one of the virtually all successful flick series ever. Even so, critical & fan reaction ranged from either restrained praise to straight-out derision.

A very much-hyped favorite results were innovational in their sheer scope (about 2,000 results shots) & in their quality & innovatiin, like co-starring computer graphics characters, totally computer-generated environments, & entire armies of characters existing simply on computer disk drive. Despite a amazing results, The Matrix captivated Academy Award voters, winning the ocular results Academy Award for 1999 over a Star Wars film. It was the foremost period a Star Wars film did non win that Oscar competition category. Several critics heavy criticized a counsel & a playacting of Portman & especially Jake Lloyd when a immature Anakin Skywalker. A select few aspects of the scripting were likewise criticized. Favorite venom was directed at a character of Jar Jar Binks, who numerous members of the older fan community regarded when strictly the selling chance like than the good character in the film. A idea that Anakin built C3PO was also look upon ludicrous.

Within terms of the overall story arc of the six-film series, it was also criticised for non existence the proper beginning. Despite this, Episode We was easy 1999's virtually all successful pic, earning $431.One million inside Northward Us & to a higher degree $493 million overseas, making a film a 2nd greatest grossing of a lot-instance worldwide when its number one release. Summer 1999 saw 45 flick open by using a newly film occupying a first position at the pack professional about weekly. a so-record eleven films grossed at least $100 million around the period of the year, whilst motion-picture fan spent $3 billion watching motion-picture show in theaters, a record at the instance.

Title
Inside direct contrast to a additional self-explanatory titles of the more films, the title, "The Phantom Menace", is ambiguous. These are commonly suggested that a title refers to Darth Sidious, Darth Maul, or a Sith in general. A title may too refer to the origin of Darth Sidious' name, which is the adjective 'insidious'. A Oxford English Dictionary gives the below definition:

''Good of chicanery or even even even even even plots; lying inside hold off or looking to entrap or ensnare; proceeding or operating secretly or subtly thus when does'nt to excite suspicion; dodgy, treacherous, deceitful, underhanded, artful, cunning, crafty, crafty. (Of souls & items.)''

Then a 'phantom' in the title of Episode We can be on to the Dark Lord of the Sith & ‘menace’ to the meaning of the title 'Sidious.' An additional conceivable meaning of a title occurs as subtle indication at the ultimate effect of the Saga--Anakin becomes Darth Vader. Or that Darth Maul was the menace, to come out & disappear while forgoing the trace.

a farther theory is depending upon a understanding that a telephone exchange menace of the moving picture, the Neimoidian dominated Trade Federation's blockade & invasion of Naboo, is itself nothing to a higher degree the phantom, a piece of political misdirection wrought by Darth Sidious when a portion of the intrigue designed to bring just about the ultimate triumph of the Sith. In that feel, a key effect of this moving-picture show is a elevation of Palpatine to the professional of Chancellor - an effect that would develop resulted experienced the Trade Federation's gambit succeeded or even failed. the keystone of the plot is the plight of the Naboo arousing a sympathy vote in the Senate. When the heroes come focused within combating a threat to Naboo, it is unaware pawns in a connivance of far greater scope.

Sources and inspirations
Patch Akira Kurosawa's The Hidden Fortress has often been seen as a source of inspiration for Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, The Phantom Menace's middle subdivisiin on Tatooine , with its series of non-unbloody bargaining & twists of risk, demonstrates a strongest correspondence to Japanese film in the Saga. Queen Amidala's throw off an invasive enemy & sitting as a handmaiden when camping a underclass in Tatooine as well echoes Kurosawa's film, especially inside its emphasis in social consciousness.

A pod race sequence around Tatooine appears heavy influenced, whenever does'nt upraised wholesale, from either a chariot race in Ben-Hur. More films belike to keep close at hand influenced a pod race come Nicholas Ray's Rebel Without a Cause, which featured actor James Dean, a unfair inspiration for the Anakin character, & John Frankenheimer's Grand Prix, which not sole features a Japanese actor Toshiro Mifune but also features camerawork treat Lucas himself.

Starting using this episode, a Star Wars Saga, especially a 1st 3 episodes & possibly sir thomas more especially the third chapter, Revenge of the Sith, deal heavy sustaining a character nature and severity of the mastermind typical to the multiple genres Lucas' work belongs to. A dual character of Palpatine/Darth Sidious is the mastermind of the Star Wars narrative, controling & manipulating a cases of a films, like a invasion of Naboo and the impeachment of Valorum, from either afar. This character has precedent inside infinite comedian books, pic & novels, however is especially around debt to the arch-villains of serial fiction & films of the early 20th century. Them virtually all relevant characters come Fantomas ("The Phantom") & Norbert Jacque's Dr. Mabuse, immortalized on screen by German director Fritz Lang. Lucwhen implicitly labels Palpatine, world health organizatiin rather Mabuse utilizes mind control & secret identities to shape cases on big political & economic scales, as a film's Phantom Menace, ligature him to the French villain.

Politically, this film can be a virtually all concretely complicated of all the Star Wars films in its information. Throughout a films there are various characters whose list & actions associate the two by using modern political numbers & movements. A title of the Trade Federation's greedy leader Nute Gunray can be seen as an amalgam of two controversial Republican politicians of the latter half of the 20th century-- Newt Gingrich and Ronald Reagan, both around their actual list & in information to Reagan's most famous film, Knute Rockne, All American, in which he plays "The Gipper".

the key political decisions in that film revolve in a impeachment of a chief executive-- Supreme Chancellor Valorum-- in order to elect a recently leader of stronger moral lesson-- eventual Emperor Palpatine-- echoing the tries of the Republicans to oust President Clinton from office in the late 1990's. A motivations of the Trade Federation in a film, moreover, revolve about their refusal to cooperate sustaining the Republic's revenue enhancement, ligature their economic politics each to the Reaganomics of the 1980's and the World Trade Organization, famously protested in Seattle, Washington in the year of the film's release. Too, these are in all probability that Lucas involved a satiric wordplay in Reagan's title when payback for the previous President's apply of key phrases from either Star Wars to rally support for his controversial Missile Defense System, which even gained a nickname of Lucas' heroic plan.

Trivia
Once Queen Amidala calls for the vote of there is no confidence, a class action of aliens that may be seen in the Galactic Senate resemble E.T.'s race from E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Besides seeable come the class action of Wookiees. First within 20+ years, a metal money was played by person differently Peter Mayhew. Noted characters from either a original Trilogy that make their 1st chronological appearance therein motion-picture show include C-3PO, Bib Fortuna, Jabba the Hutt, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Palpatine, R2-D2, Anakin Skywalker, and Yoda. The Greedo scene was shot but deleted from either a theatrical version of the film. A scene is involved among a deleted scenes on the DVD release. At a prevent of a credits, as a consequence the previous notes of "Anakin's Theme", Darth Vader can be heard breathing in a background when the screen is pitch black. Aside from either The Empire Strikes Back, this is the only Star Wars film where a final scene contains any form of dialogue or even monologue. Nevertheless, these are lone one word, uttered by Boss Nass: "Peace!" Liam Neeson was so avid to become in the film, he didn't bother reading a script. Neeson, yet, reportedly disliked working on the film it used to be that principal photography began. Neeson late mass produced derogatory remarks on working sustaining favorite results that were linked to this film, though it were actually directed at A Haunting, which was freed a equivalent season. A healthy of Watto's wings flapping occurs as whorled recording of healthy designer Ben Burtt opening and closing an umbrella. Darth Maul only blinks once, upright when he is sliced inside half by Obi-Wan. A word "lightsaber" is never used. After Anakin talks to Qui-Gon, he calls it a "laser sword." A film's working title was The Beginning. Jar Jar Binks has been heavily criticized by members of the Afro-Caribbean community for portraying isl& culture as a caricature of incompetence and clumsiness. As much as the turn of the millennium, a popular insult among Haitians was to call for the victim a "jar-jar." Natalie Portman had to miss the film's premiere to study for her high school final exams. "Phantom Menace" was the title of a villain in the Flash Gordon serials. A lightsaber duel between Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and Darth Maul took nearly the year to film. A opening title crawl utilizes a sentence "Two Jedi Knights," even though, technically, single one of the children (Qui-Gon) is a Knight. While Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan rescue Queen Amidala and company from either a battle droids, Qui-Gon Force pushes one of the droids, & the droid lets out a yell that sounds prefer "D'oh!" Prior to existence cast when Queen Amidala, Natalie Portman had never seen the original trilogy.

Novelization
The book version of the moving-picture show was written by Terry Brooks. It includes leash entire chapters of lesson created by Brooks & unique to the novel. A 1st both chapters of the book concern Anakin's next-to-previous Podrace & its aftermath, when the late chapter describes an encounter between Anakin & the hurt Tusken Raider in the desert.

Brooks met by using Lucas prior to writing a book & received his approval & counsel, including reference all about developments to came around Episodes Deuce & Tercet. This may be seen around such passages when a Tusken Raider scene, which ironically foreshadows a dying of Anakin's mother around Episode 2, & a passage initiate to Anakin's fight by using a Rodian toddler (Greedo), indicating that Anakin's anger derives from either his pain at Padmé's at hand departure (foreshadowing a plot of Episode Trio).

a novelisation is especially easily-known for a passage describing the history of the Sith. Based on data from Terry Brooks' memoir, Sometimes the Magic Works, Lucas spent an hour on a telephone with him discussing a history of the Jedi & the Sith. So, the information on this subject provided within Brooks' novelisation may be presumed to derive from either Lucas himself.

Brooks devotes an entire chapter of For instance a Magic Works to the writing of the Episode I personally novelisation, which was an extremely happy & fulfilling case for him.

DVD release
Star Wars Episode I personally: A Phantom Menace was freed around DVD in 2001, by owning certain scenes and other elements edited and added in by George Lucas that make the DVD a slightly different version from either its theatrical release. Nevertheless, a changes wreak a DVD release don't vary the plot of the film in any feel. A bit of scenes were modified, & a few scenes that were non finished per date of release were put in the film.