Author Topic: The Phantom Menace 10 years - revisiting the beginning of the prequel era
Moisdne 
Registered: May '09
22997_Ghosts ROTJ (DVD)
Date Posted: 5/16 2:06pm Subject: The Phantom Menace 10 years - revisiting the beginning of the prequel era
I was darth maul for halloween -and now that i think of it...so was everyone else that i know lol. Good times. chicken

 

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Sompeetalay  330 posts
Registered: Dec '99
14853_Anakin and Padme
Date Posted: 5/16 3:47pm Subject: The Phantom Menace 10 years - revisiting the beginning of the prequel era
How old were you at the time? What hopes did you have for the new Star Wars adventure?
I was 23 in 1999. I just hoped it would be a good movie, which it was. I followed every spoiler and had read all the spyreports / read all the books when the movie was released so I knew exactly what to expect.

And when it hit - how did you react?
It was a very hectic time for TeeKay-421, the Belgian Star Wars fanclub, of which I'm President and co-founder. Because the movie was only released in Belgium in October, we were two times in the picture. Belgian media had a lot of attention for TPM. Our fanclub had the highest amount of members we ever had right after TPM.

I saw it a couple of days after it was released in the US on the famous "Z" copy. Isaw the movie every day for a few weeks. When it was released in Belgium, I knew the script by heart happy

Looking back now - how do you feel about The Phantom Menace?
I still feel that TPM is an underestimated movie. It's very well made and the story is straightforward but still you'll need your attention to follow the many plotlines. And the title is the best title of all the SW movies. It works on many levels.

 

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TK-421-  51 posts
Registered: Apr '03
42498_Colbert & Jar Jar
Date Posted: 5/16 9:34pm Subject: The Phantom Menace 10 years - revisiting the beginning of the prequel era - Date Edited: 5/18 11:59am (1 edits total) Edited By: Strilo
obi-rob-kenobi4 posted:
and nothing I said was false or mean spirited ether.

Fans wouldn't have to be over protective if the thing we are fans of wasn't constantly under attack at just the mention of the PT. Its this that has forced us to be "sensitive" about what we say and hear being said.

I was 12 back when the movie was released and the only reason every single kid in my school even liked star wars was because of the huge, deep, action packed adventure that is TPM. If anything we were too busy wondering why the OT was so boring, had no jedi, no sith, had such stiff and slow action and was at times practically black & white. Im just saying.





Implying my post would some how make times hard is false,thinking the movie is ok and stating some facts is hardly Earth shattering.


That whole statement is **,it's an excuse sw zealots use so they can attack opinions they don't like.Nothings constantly under attack that;s just fan paranoia.Nothing forced you,you decided to be a tool on your own and continue to drive a wedge in the fan base.



Your to extreme in your views and to close to the material to give a fare review or recollection of events.

Strilo edit: Where to start. First, star out swearing, even abbreviated. Second, discuss the films not the fans, period. the posting back and forth between you and obi-rob-kenobi4 headed downhill and into bad territory because you both ignored the Fans/Films rule. Third, don't call other users tools. That's a flame.

 

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StarWarsIsMyLife  262 posts
Registered: Jul '04
6468_Blackhole
Date Posted: 5/17 4:07am Subject: The Phantom Menace 10 years - revisiting the beginning of the prequel era
The trend that I'm seeing with all these posts echoes what I thought earlier in this thread, which is that TPM most certainly delivered on the experience portion. For most of us, including myself, it was more than enough just to have a new Star Wars film. But it wasn't just the film. It was the hype surrounding it, the marketing. There was no other film more hyped than TPM and more well-marketed, in my opinion, than TPM.

Its rather ironic that Star Trek came out a week or so before the 10th anniversary of TPM. It got me thinking, Star Trek succeeded where TPM didn't. Yet I realize that even now, I would GLADLY take a bad Star Wars film over a good Stark Trek film any day of the week. If TPM was the beginning of the end for Star Wars, so be it. I'd gladly go see that movie again and go crazy all over again before I afforded Star Trek the same courtesy.

 

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obi-rob-kenobi4  1189 posts
Registered: Apr '07
14904_Speeder
Date Posted: 5/17 8:15am Subject: The Phantom Menace 10 years - revisiting the beginning of the prequel era - Date Edited: 5/18 12:01pm (2 edits total) Edited By: Strilo
TK-421- posted:
obi-rob-kenobi4 posted:
and nothing I said was false or mean spirited ether.

Fans wouldn't have to be over protective if the thing we are fans of wasn't constantly under attack at just the mention of the PT. Its this that has forced us to be "sensitive" about what we say and hear being said.

I was 12 back when the movie was released and the only reason every single kid in my school even liked star wars was because of the huge, deep, action packed adventure that is TPM. If anything we were too busy wondering why the OT was so boring, had no jedi, no sith, had such stiff and slow action and was at times practically black & white. Im just saying.





Implying my post would some how make times hard is false,thinking the movie is ok and stating some facts is hardly Earth shattering.


That whole statement is BS,it's an excuse sw zealots use so they can attack opinions they don't like.Nothings constantly under attack that;s just fan paranoia.Nothing forced you,you decided to be a tool on your own and continue to drive a wedge in the fan base.



Your to extreme in your views and to close to the material to give a fare review or recollection of events.






Don't try to tell me my own business. My recollection of events is just fine, for me a star wars movie was actually a happy event (image that! shock ). If anything your too hateful and bitter to give a fare review or recollection of events. I defend star wars when people ignorantly insult it so that somehow makes me a "tool driving a wedge in the fan base". HA! If anything its the hateful crowd that has been driving a wedge in the fan base since 1999. As a matter of fact they ARE the wedge.

Strilo edit: Discuss the films, not the fans who post here. If your comment is directed at a user or a group of users, just don't post it. It could lead to waters that are better left unsailed. Treat your fellow fans with respect, even if you disagree vehemently with them.

 

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Jedi Vince  504 posts
Registered: Aug '99
48281_Jaina Solo (50509)
Date Posted: 5/17 9:08am Subject: The Phantom Menace 10 years - revisiting the beginning of the prequel era
obi-rob-kenobi4 posted:
Don't try to tell me my own business. My recollection of events is just fine, for me a star wars movie was actually a happy event (image that! ). If anything your too hateful and bitter to give a fare review or recollection of events. I defend star wars when people ignorantly insult it so that somehow makes me a "tool driving a wedge in the fan base". HA! If anything its the hateful crowd that has been driving a wedge in the fan base since 1999. As a matter of fact they ARE the wedge.



Well said -- I feel the same way.

I remember that if you really liked The Phantom Menace -- or if you engaged in a discussion of the film from a positive position -- you were some sort of Lucas apologist.

So much of the film's criticism was extremely aggressive, and overly authoritative -- as if the film was horrible, and that was a fact. I really HATE to cite reviews or box office, but if you are to measure success of a film, I would say that around a $1 billion and mostly positive reviews puts the film in that category ... again, if one was so inclined to label a film in that manner.

For me, the entire Phantom Menace experience was positive -- even if I did waste too many keystrokes over the years defending my point of view. Besides a couple shaky performances, I thought it was well crafted, multi-layered, presented a fresh take on the mythos, and set up the next two films very well.

 

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anakin_girl  14958 posts
Title: Founding Member & Retired FF CR
Charlotte , NC

Registered: Oct '00
48285_Good Morning Galaxy
Date Posted: 5/17 9:30am Subject: The Phantom Menace 10 years - revisiting the beginning of the prequel era
Jedi Vince posted:


I remember that if you really liked The Phantom Menace -- or if you engaged in a discussion of the film from a positive position -- you were some sort of Lucas apologist.

So much of the film's criticism was extremely aggressive, and overly authoritative -- as if the film was horrible, and that was a fact. I really HATE to cite reviews or box office, but if you are to measure success of a film, I would say that around a $1 billion and mostly positive reviews puts the film in that category ... again, if one was so inclined to label a film in that manner.

For me, the entire Phantom Menace experience was positive -- even if I did waste too many keystrokes over the years defending my point of view. Besides a couple shaky performances, I thought it was well crafted, multi-layered, presented a fresh take on the mythos, and set up the next two films very well.


Well said. And I wasted quite a few keystrokes defending my POV as well.

I didn't pay that much attention to the reviews, but the film did make quite a bit of money--didn't it set a record? Jar-Jar might have been a little annoying but I thought the criticism of him was waaay over the top.

It was not the OT, the prequels were a different experience, but not bad, at least not in my opinion--people are entitled to like or dislike whatever they want, but I don't think anyone could say "This movie was bad/this movie was good and that's a fact."

I like the analogy of the new car vs the 70s classic car. That's pretty much my experience with the trilogies.

 

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obi-rob-kenobi4  1189 posts
Registered: Apr '07
14904_Speeder
Date Posted: 5/17 2:08pm Subject: The Phantom Menace 10 years - revisiting the beginning of the prequel era
anakin_girl said- "I like the analogy of the new car vs the 70s classic car. That's pretty much my experience with the trilogies."

Wow, thats actually a very good analogy.

 

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Phantom_Menace 
Registered: Apr '07
6134_Count Dooku
Date Posted: 5/17 2:20pm Subject: The Phantom Menace 10 years - revisiting the beginning of the prequel era
Is anyone else going to watch The Phantom Menace on May 19th to celebrate the 10th anniversary? I can't believe it's already been that long. Love this movie. I will never forget the first time I saw this film. Me and my friend did not sleep that night. We just talked about the movie all night long. That summer was awesome.

 

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tuskinraiderfromhell  196 posts
Registered: Dec '04
14558_Tusken Attacks Luke
Date Posted: 5/17 4:58pm Subject: The Phantom Menace 10 years - revisiting the beginning of the prequel era - Date Edited: 5/17 5:02pm (2 edits total) Edited By: tuskinraiderfromhell
Phantom_Menace posted:
Is anyone else going to watch The Phantom Menace on May 19th to celebrate the 10th anniversary? I can't believe it's already been that long. Love this movie. I will never forget the first time I saw this film. Me and my friend did not sleep that night. We just talked about the movie all night long. That summer was awesome.




I plan on watching TPM on the 19th. I'm going to blow the dust off the widescreen VHS, haven't watch that since the DVD came out, that way I can watch the original theatrical version, just like I did 8 times at the movies between May - Dec. 10 years ago! wink


I still have ALL my ticket stubs! grin

 

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StarWarsIsMyLife  262 posts
Registered: Jul '04
6468_Blackhole
Date Posted: 5/17 9:16pm Subject: The Phantom Menace 10 years - revisiting the beginning of the prequel era
tuskinraiderfromhell posted:
[quote=Phantom_Menace]
I still have ALL my ticket stubs! grin


You're not alone there! grin

 

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obi-rob-kenobi4  1189 posts
Registered: Apr '07
14904_Speeder
Date Posted: 5/17 9:21pm Subject: The Phantom Menace 10 years - revisiting the beginning of the prequel era
Sadly i LOST my TPM stubs cry beatup Even tho i cherished them somehow they still got lost. Thankfully i didnt make the same mistake with AOTC and ROTS, i got my IMAX and midnight showings of them in a nice frame on my wall nerd .

 

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"You call THIS a diplomatic solution?" "No, I call it aggressive negotiations."
so this is how liberty dies, with thunderous applause.....
who am I, where am I going? -Tony Soprano
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drg4  820 posts
Registered: Jul '05
24121_Padme
Date Posted: 5/17 9:29pm Subject: The Phantom Menace 10 years - revisiting the beginning of the prequel era
Phantom_Menace posted:
Is anyone else going to watch The Phantom Menace on May 19th to celebrate the 10th anniversary?


Yes, and afterwards, I'll be reading Lard Biscuit's infamous essays on said subject. It'll take me back.

 

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Jedi_Keiran_Halcyon  7517 posts
Registered: Dec '00
17824_Kieran Halcyon
Date Posted: 5/17 11:10pm Subject: The Phantom Menace 10 years - revisiting the beginning of the prequel era
I've no problem with people liking TPM. But what gets me is the depth of persecution complex on display here.

One of the ongoing threads of the last ten years is the ongoing efforts among some PT fans to find some way, any way, to rationalize other people's dislike for the PT as something other than an honest reaction. They respond to anyone who criticizes the PT by dismissing them as someone who doesn't understand it, or is out to get Lucas, or something.

The fact is, some people honestly like the PT and some honestly don't. There are jerks on both sides who like to mess with those on the other side, and if the persecution complex of PT loving was limited to those on the trolly fringe it wouldn't be a big deal. But what concerns me is when I see even the less-radical PT fans buying into the notion.

There are movies I love that are unpopular to like (ex. Star Trek: The Motion Picture, The Incredible Hulk, X-Men: The Last Stand), and there are movies I don't care for that are popular to rave about (ex. Pulp Fiction, Donnie Darko, Ratatouille). And you know what? That's FINE. When someone criticizes The Incredible Hulk, I don't dismiss them by saying they're 'out to get' director Louis Leterrier, or that they don't understand what the movie's about. I just accept that the movie doesn't work for them as well as it does for me.


Back on topic though, it's interesting to look back on those days. My personal TPM aftermath was one of hopeful disappointment. I thought TPM wasn't great, but I remained optimistic about the chances of Lucas taking stock of what worked for people and what didn't in TPM and improving the two remaining prequels based on that info.

 

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soundwave05 
Registered: Oct '04
Date Posted: 5/18 12:13am Subject: The Phantom Menace 10 years - revisiting the beginning of the prequel era - Date Edited: 5/18 12:18am (1 edits total) Edited By: soundwave05
It's ... interesting to look back. For starters it seems like just yesterday. I can remember that day very vividly. It was a wild experience at the theater. We were let in several hours early and people claimed their seats, some were playing board games in the aisles, others had brought giant beach ball and were bopping it around the theater to strangers. It was a great atmosphere. The theater had an arcade downstairs and people were playing the Star Wars Arcade (Sega) game among other games and the air hockey table was packed. Local TV camera crews were outside.

I've never had an experience like that for a movie.

As for the movie itself ... it's hard for me describe without saying I was heart broken by it (yes that may sound melodramatic but it's the only word I can think of that really describes how I felt). It was so ... flat, I almost couldn't believe it. The energy that was so sky high with the audience going into the screening was a quiet march to the parking lot outside afterwards. I saw it a couple of more times trying to "force" myself to like it, but I just couldn't do it.

So I have mixed emotions. It was a fun summer, it was a fun experience leading up to the movie, but the movie itself ... it still stings a little. Having seen it recently on TV I can't say any of the flaws I found with the film have really improved over time. I do think it probably is a tad better than Attack of the Clones for what that's worth.

 

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