PT Calling all Phantom fanatics! (Back in theaters May 3rd!)

I love the ambition of it.

I love that GL told the story of the slow descent of a democracy into a tyrannical regime juxtaposed with the story of an innocent kid growing up to be a horrific villian, and tackled those themes in the context of a fictional universe that had previously just been about a group of underdog good guys fighting against an evil empire. I love that he allowed the story to build slowly, but still put the seeds for everything that was to come right in the first episode; that he had the guts to start the story of the fall of Darth Vader with a nine year old kid leaving home, because that really is where it all started.
I love that he took on this challenging material with really experimental film making techniques that were completely unproven; making movies that no one really knew how to make, but making them anyway.

I love that he was willing to give TPM and the other prequels a tone that was almost the polar opposite of what had been so successful before, and populate them with characters who were so different than the lead characters from the original trilogy.

I love that he made the slow scheming of the Sith something the audience had to actually piece together themselves, even though the cost of that was taking one of the greatest assets of the franchise, the villains, and keeping them offscreen for large stretches of time.

And of course I love the amazing amazing amazing design work that made TPM look like nothing I'd ever seen, but somehow still familiar.

Ultimately, I love that GL gave us something that NO ONE was expecting.

I get that the prequels don't have the universal appeal of the OrigTrig. I get why people don't like them. It was much more challenging material to begin with, so even if the films had been executed flawlessly, I don't think the PT would have been as embraced as the OT ... and the PT was not executed flawlessly. Some of those experiments didn't work. But that's experimentation for you. Personally, I see those flaws in the context of everything GL was trying to do, and I forgive them. They're brilliantly flawed. I love them, warts and all.

 

There is no reason. I watch it, I love it.
I can't explain.

 

Whoah, I had exactly the same experience. Been doing saga marathon and thought I'd never enjoyed TPM more. I feel like I've finally let go of my pre-PT expectations (kid Anakin, etc.). I do agree there should have been more Obi-Wan - I just wanted more scenes with Anakin and Padme. Unlike the OT, there're fewer scenes of the big three of the PT together (most of them in AOTC). So maybe it could use a tighter editing but overall I don't have any significant issues with the movie (AOTC is more flawed, IMO, but I still love it).

There're a few scenes that are even more powerful now: Anakin leaving his mother, his scenes with Padme and Qui-Gon. Some people think TPM is not necessary for the saga but I disagree completely. TPM is where Anakin sets on a path to being a Jedi and a Sith and Palpatine become the leader of the Republic.It shows the folly of the Jedi and corruption of the Senate. Obi-Wan's disagreement with Qui-Gon foreshadows the master/apprentice conflict and Anakin's conflict with the Council with Obi-Wan being caught in the middle again. And, of course, Yoda's classic "fear leads to anger..." shows he probably knows what's going to happen but is unable to convince others.

If you think about it, it's the only Star Wars movie where Palpatine is still not in charge for most of screen time. Once he is, it's basically over for the Republic and pretty much for Anakin, too, since he's there to watch over his career with great interest

 

I don't really consider it my favorite SW movie, but since I struggle to separate any of the six in quality you might call it a shared favorite.

What I enjoy the most is the innocence. There is a quest and a mission, but it's not hugely important. You sense the Jedi are in reasonable control of it. This movie dedicates itself to introduction and world building. The scenes on Tattooine are especially good, giving the film time to breathe. Really breathe. Just watching Qui Gon and Padme walk into Mos Espa (?) is a joy to watch. You know nothing much happens, and that's what is great about. You can just enjoy one of the most classic locales in the SW Universe.

Then you have the fantastic mythology. Every scene involving talk about the Jedi and the Sith are a peach. I can watch the Jedi Council scene with Anakin over and over again and just rejoice in the facial reactions to this boy from the seasoned Jedi Masters. They know, we all know, this is the start of something special.

Lastly the action. ANH gave us one action set piece at the end, ESB gave us two, ROTJ gave us three and this one gives us four. And every one of them are shot and edited better than the last. Should be a mess but instead it flows with perfect naturalism. The duel with Darth Maul is everything you could have wished for, and more. When the movie is over there are two prevailing feelings. One is wanting to watch it again, the other is wanting to watch AOTC to see the continuation of the great story just laid out.

 

Alright, Shmi!

 

ESB
TPM
ROTJ
ANH
ROTS
ATOC

First time I've rated the films in a long while. It's changed. Star Wars has actually lost a notch or two (a new hope), and TPM has risen, but both are only upon the most granular of technicalities.

To only speak of TPM henceforth:

"Be mindful of the Living Force, young padawan." (Ep 1, act 1, scene 1) If this advice were heeded throughout the entire saga, well, everything would have been a **** load easier.

The curve of this flick is drawn upon this very statement, and I submit that the PT as a whole hinges upon it.

Medichlorians, gungans, battle droids, stupid jedi, immature adults, and GL himself can't undermine it, and graduate upon that very curve.

It is that important to the story.

If u don't understand, someone else will be sure to fill the gap, I'm sure.


Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

 

Oh, yes.

That admonition is really an epigraph for the entire series.

A lot of people missed it, though.

 

My 2nd favorite after ANH. Blows TAF out of the water.

 

While not my favorite in the saga, TPM still has a lot of things going for it. My favorite aspect of it though is just the visuals. It feels very unique and the art design is stunning IMO. The Gungan city is still one of the most imagetive places in the saga. Plus the music is most impressive.

 

i find ROTS The best Prequel Just love how the story progresses the Lightsaber Fights were really good and Padme and Anakins Love story

 

I hadn't seen TPM in a great while until recently, I will confess, but not out of any intense dislike for it. It just didn't pop into my mind much. Recently we have been revisiting the PT over and over though, because my older son is finally old enough for Star Wars and he is loving the prequels (except for ROTS, which he is too young to watch all of anyways AND it makes him burst into tears every time because he is obsessed with TCW and it absolutely crushes his little heart to watch Obi-Wan and Anakin fight. It's so sweet and sad. I digress.) As a result, I've seen TPM almost as many times in the last month as I'd seen it in my entire life before this, and I have to say, it is so, so much better than I remembered and infinitely better than popular opinion makes it out to be.

Little Anakin is actually very sweet, to me. Maybe it's because I'm twice as old as I was when I first saw it, or because I am a mom of two precocious little blonde boys now myself, but his role in this was so much more endearing than I remembered. I love the brightness of the color palette Lucas used for this film; so sunny and vibrant. The costumes! Oh my Lord. Worth the price of admission alone. You get a glimpse of what everything in the universe looked like when things were "good", knowing it's all going to go to hell soon enough. It's a much better film than I think I ever gave it credit for. That, and now that I'm in my 30s, it gives me a moment to revisit the absolute and total life-threatening crush I had on Ewan McGregor when I was 14 and first saw this in the theatres, hahaha.

 

Big fan of TPM here. Nice to be in an area where others feel the same way! Of course it was the first one I ever saw in theatres. I was about 9 when it came out. A good friend of mine and I will often quote this and the rest of the prequels. Often comically.

My girlfriend watched Episode I and II with me during my marathon week leading, and I was damn near quoting all of Episode I to her delight.

 

Logged in for the first time in eight months because I wanted to say - you nailed it.

 

I didn't get into SW properly until ROTS but the costumes of TPM left such an impact on me as a kid seeing all the promotional material.
Queen Amidala. Oh my.
I looked at her, and I just immediately connected. She wore so much red! (My favorite color.) the fabrics, the details, the makeup... She took my breath away.

I feel no shame in admitting that I think Padmé is a fashion icon!

I'm hoping to acquire the Dressing a Galaxy book by Trisha Biggar soon, can not wait to dive into it and read all about Padme's wardrobe and all the fancy Neimoidian robes

My favorite SW film balances between ROTS and ROTJ most of the time, but there is something about TPM that always pull me back. I think it's the warmness, the color palette, the innocence, the design, Queen Amidala, and the Neimoidians.

 

I think the saga does get a lot of love in general for its costuming (I mean, Vader alone is basically the most recognizable villain costuming choice of all time,) but I sometimes feel like even with all its accolades, it *still* doesn't get enough recognition.

All the robes, wild headpieces, the crazy hairstyles, gowns, the tall boots. Beautiful fabrics and textures. Those bright whites and earth tones, jewel tones, that vivid almost traffic-cone orange on the rebel pilots to deep, dark reds and blacks. Everyone seriously *always* looks fabulous and/or memorable. Padme is really the pinnacle of what they did costume-wise; she looks fantastic, and in TPM her outfits are something truly special and different.

...I didn't even realize I had such a strong opinion on this until now, hahaha.

 

It was a sin that Trisha didn't get an oscar for any of those films. There was nothing to touch it save LOTR.
Sound design, music, FX - so many things to love about these films snubbed because they coudn't get passed Lucas.

 

TPM has some great costumes. Ive always been a fan of the trade federations tunics. They look great.

 

It's not my favorite Star Wars film, but it's probably the one I hold closest to my heart.

Whenever I think of Star Wars, the first image that comes to my mind is this film.

Maybe it's because it was the the first film of the saga I watched and It has always had a tremendous impact on me.

Or maybe it's because it's an absolutely BRILLIANT movie that doesn't get the credit it so deserves.

 

I'm so glad I have a place I can go to talk positively about the Prequels...personally, I love them and, in some ways, they are better than the originals...I'm almost 40, so I grew up at the height of Star Wars' popularity, so I have a special place in my heart for the OT...but, the prequels make watching the OT better in my opinion...

 

El Jedi Colombiano Or maybe it's because it's an absolutely BRILLIANT movie that doesn't get the credit it so deserves.

Form a certain point of view it is. Ironically in this talk of retro and re-hash and 'bringing the spririt back', the fact is that the TPM was a film out of it's time because Lucas started again as if it was 1986. Of course he updated his techniques to include the latest digital technology - but that's about it. Remember it was up against The Matrix that was the kind of 'techno' zietgiest of the time, yet TPM is shamelessly full of puppets and animatronics and a kids flying spaceships like The Last Starfighter or something.

I don't know what prevents people seeing that, I really don't.

ManlyEwok - welcome, similarly I grew up on the first, butalso enjoyed the second. They felt the same to me. Before I went into TPM I thought, well imagine EVERYTHING in the OT, yes Ewoks, mouse droids and 'cheese' as well, shaken up in a bottle.

 

If it wasn't for TPM and the PT I wouldn't, and many others wouldn't be fans of Star Wars. I was too young to see it in theaters (I was 2) but I've seen it countless times. The PT and TCW really got me into Star Wars. TPM really sets the stage for the PT and the saga as a whole.

 

TPM has the best saber fight ever. No other duel in the other 6 movies can beat the Qui Gon & Obi Wan x Maul.

 

I don't know what I can say on this thread I haven't already ranted about on older threads.

Phantom Menace is severely underrated. I swap between this film and ROTS as my fave of the PT.

The saga as a six-movie epic just doesn't work as well without it, I would suggest people who skip it entirely need to reassess why they are watching in the first place.

Much of the symbolism and tragedy is strengthened by TPM. Lucas was showing off some grand mythical storytelling here, it frustrates me to see most of it's viewers range from luke-warm feelings to complete hate. Sigh.

 

It's not my favorite but it's an entertaining movie. My main gripe is Anakin's role in the Battle of Naboo and his dialogue during that scene.

 

I take it that after the OT, most fans wanted to see the Clone Wars, Obi-Wan vs Anakin and Vader in his suit killing a bunch of the Jedi. George, however, wanted to make TPM as a beginning of the saga and it was even marketed as such (as opposed to TFA which was supposed to be a continuation of the story but ended up being more of a reboot/reset).