Any positive TPM video reviews out there?

We all know the negative ones, but I'm just wondering if anyone has taken the time to explain how they liked Episode 1 (or any prequel, for that matter)?

 

One thing I've noticed is that when someone does defend it online, this defense is usually prefaced with some sort of almost apologetic disclaimer. It's pretty sad, really.

 

This is neither TPM nor a video review, but it is very positive and I remember it being a thoughtfully written article:

http://www.brightlightsfilm.com/38/clones1.php

 

I've been working on a video entitled "50 Reasons to Love The Phantom Menace!" if that counts.

 

What happened to that Lard Biscuit fellow? If he's any more photogenic than his moniker suggests, that's your prime candidate.

 

I've written long essays on both TPM and AOTC. They're not video, of course, but they are what they are.

 

I like the Jinn character and portrayal.

The Jedi Temple and council concept was very interesting.

Seeing Kenobi as a padawan, and watching Ewan's portrayal of a young Sir Alec, was a real blast.

And learning how Palpatine rose in status as a normal, and (in)sidious galactic senator -- priceless!

But the best thing, hands down . . . Maul!!!!

 

Great! Can't wait to see it.

--MissPadme

 

I agree with MissPadme, it should be interesting.

 

Another title I've been working on is "50 Reasons The Phantom Menace Was A Badass Movie!" But I can't decide. I got the idea when me and my friends after a break from Star Wars watched some of The Phantom Menace on my computer and we looked at eachother and were like ".....This is a ******g badass movie!" Even though we liked it when we were little, we were amazed at how much better it seemed. The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones started most of my Star Wars trip as a kid and they brought me back to it.

One of my other loose tributes to The Phantom Menace(and Darth Maul, The PT, & Kenobi) was this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWOPrOjmvVM

I even met Gritsada who helped with the design and sculpting of Kashyyyk and Felucia in Episode 3 at a convention this month. We ended up talking about what we liked about The Phantom Menace in general. So Phantom Menace does get some love.

Sorry for the shameless self promotion here. I just love the prequels!

 

I'll third that!

 

tpm was the first star wars movie i ever saw in theatres.. in fact the first one i was even alive to see in theatres lol, i was 8 at the time and i remember going to the grocery stores shopping with my grandma and seeing all the huge STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE SAGA BEGINS posters and standups absolutely everywhere lol. i remember collecting all the pepsi cans with star wars characters on them and how excited i was when i heard my mom calling to me from the living room one day saying come quick look at the tv and it was the first teaser trailer for episode I ive ever seen i was in complete awe and begged my parents to take me when it came out..

so the night it finally came out on opening night we went to pizza hut and they had a whole bunch of star wars episode 1 themed things and i still have a cup from there with a boss nass lid lol, when we finally went to see it in theatres i was so happy and thought it was the best thing in the world, ever since then star wars has been an enormous part of my life from collecting, reading, playing, watching and attending celebrations i was in love ever since then.

episode II was during a hard time for me my parents had just split up and i was going through a hard time and because of the circumstances and my age i sadly didnt have the honor of seeing it in theatres, however i bought it the day it came out on vhs. episode III now by this time i was about 13 or 14 and could grasp the full story of star wars and by this time i was fully immersed in every star wars game for ps2 that was out lol, i also knew how to use the internet quite well by this time so i knew exactly when rots was coming out and i had my parents purchase tickets a long time ahead for the best theatre where i currently live (cineplex silver city) and we went along with all my friends and family who i insisted all came lol, at the theatre i had never seen either such a huge fanbase for a movie or as many advertisments, there was people in darth vader and stormtrooper costumes, probably 50 people in jedi costumes with lightsabers etc etc and the line was all the way through the entire parking lot, it was the most awesome thing i had ever seen and i would have taken pictures if i had a camera and was older (and now i kill myself for not doing so lol).

in short the ot has been the biggest part of my life to date and i believe always will be, altho i watched the ot years before i even saw episode 1 in theatres and have always loved it, i was a bit too young to actually understand it at all, but now the prequals are just as good and as important to me as any original trilogy episode, i love them every bit as much and i have absolutely no idea why anyone wouldnt, nuff said

 

This article is fantastic. As are both of Jedi_Ford_Prefect's articles.

 

Yes, Jedi Ford Prefect, those are exquisite essays. (Although I disagree with your quibble regarding the decision to set Anakin's confession in the Lars' garage, as it manages to cast a pall over Luke's grousing for adventure. The poor kid hasn't a clue as to the scars ?the call? can inflict...not until TESB, anyway.)

 

Roger Ebert's review of Episode 1 was by far the most positive review I can remember. He gave it 3.5 stars of 4, while most other popular critics were giving it lukewarm reviews at best. As for a video review... I also remember that during Episode 1's release, he devoted a complete show to Star Wars, where he did his video review of Episode 1(same ideas and comments as his written review), interviewed George Lucas, and showed older clips from when him and Gene Siskel reviewed the original movies. I have this show on tape somewhere. One of these days, I'll get around to finding it and putting it on youtube. But anyway, here's the written review:

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19990517/REVIEWS/905170301/1023

 

Stories about having a good time watching TPM when it came out are infinitely more interesting than all those "I tried to enjoy it... indeed I tried to force myself to like it but something was off... something wasn't right. And then the child - the child inside of me - died a little that day..." stories.

 

When i hear stuff like that. In my head I'm like "No, you liked it, but you were afraid you were disrespecting the originals by liking it more than one or more of them by doing so."

The Phantom Menace is actually my favorite in the Saga. I had seen the Originals before TPM and loved them and still love them. I don't think I'm disrespecting the legacy of the original films by liking a prequel more than all of them.

 

I'm 37 grew up with the OT, I was four in 1977. When I first heard about the PT I was pumped, excited. But as time went on, I started to waver, their was apart of me that didn't want to like them, I guess I was "afraid I was disrespecting the originals" I let my Star Wars Insider subscription run out and I waited a week and half to go see it. When I finally went, I had a critical attitude looking for things NOT to like....but, this is what happened: May 1999 C.E.- "The Phantom Menace" WOW! The audience went ape s-(well you know the rest) every time I saw it. I couldn't get it out of my head, I read the novel 3 times (after I seen the film) that summer, as well as the screenplay. Man I love this film, and the more I see it the more I love it. Qui-Gon, Darth Maul and Watto three of my top ten favorite characters. 8 times between May and Dec. of '99, and every time I seen it the crowd cheered, and at the end erupted in applauds. It was cool, very cool. For me I didn't want to see a rehash of ANH, and what I got was a new twist to and old universe. I was pleasantly surprised by the out come, of all three prequels. Over all, I find the story and character's of PT to be FAR more interesting! But hey, I LOVE them all!


P.S. Sith-Spitter01, I love this: "What do I say to PT haters: At Least My Stormtroopers Know How to SHOOT!!"

 

You have no idea how much that has played a part in this whole anti-PT business. I wrote once an essay on the four main reasons why fans who dislike the PT dislike the PT. One reason was there were people pre-disposed to disliking them in part because they didn't want these movies to displace the ones they grew up with. They felt they were being "disloyal" to the first set of SW movies if they liked the new ones too much. How do I know this? I ran a fanzine in the 1990s and in the months prior to TPM's release, I got letters from readers saying just that. Stuff like, "Well, the new ones might be good, but I'll never love them like the first ones!"

As far as I'm concerned, I'm loyal to Star Wars as a whole. It was never a contest between the two trilogies. I was just glad they got made and I lived long enough to see them. Honoring the prequels is honoring its legacy. I love the SW saga and I love Clone Wars .

--MissPadme

 

I love the whole saga, too.

I really dig The Clone Wars as well. I can't get over how good it is. I wish they were showing it in theaters, like an actual serial! Wouldn't that rock?

 

As always MissPadme, elegantly stated!

 

Why do we even make a distinction between the "Prequel Trilogy" and the "Original Trilogy?" Is there even a need to think of them as separate trilogies anymore?

 

No, there isn't!

To me the notion of trilogies doesn't exist. I only use the, PT-OT, when I'm online dealing with bashers, their narrow minds can't comprehend the idea of a saga.

There is only the Star Wars saga! Six films, one story!

Thank you George!

 

THE BEST REVIEW OF THE PHANTOM MENACE EVER!!!!!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mq0EPH59J8&NR=1


Red Letter Media ain't got **** on my man here!

Strilo edit: Please star swear words completely out.