ST I don't remember Phantom Menace being as big as Force Awakens

This is more of a thread that poses a question to the older folks here...I was just a kid when TPM came out. I remember it being on Entertainment Tonight and some channels and the news coverage about the toys and waiting in lines for tickets.. But then I don't remember it being as big as this. The Force Awakens is literally everywhere I got.

I'm a massive Opie & Jim Norton fan, turn on the radio and they had an hour long segment on their movie theater experiences.

I go into stores, I see everyone wearing SW shirts. Merchandise is everywhere, but I'm sure it was like that with TPM.

I even read ppl FB posts about it - people who I never would have even suspected to go to a SW movie and yet write about it.

Was TPM this big ?!?!

 

The hype was far greater than TFA, I think. I guess Disney and Abrams played it safe with TFA. Seems to have worked.

 

So there was more hype with TPM - but when the movie hit , the hype and movie disappeared ? TFA still continues to be massive even after the hype.

 

There was more hype overall, but it proved to be a huge let down so we didn't see the legs that TFA has. Instead we saw shows ranging from the Simpsons to South Park lampooning the massive disappointment and outrage from the fan base.

 

Oh.. I thought the massive disappointment came years later when internet became so big.

 

TPM still didn't do badly.

 

Oh the hype for TPM was huge. The biggest media hype I have seen for any film ever. The hype for TFA was tame by comparison.

 

People trying to rewrite history again... TPM made a lot of money, all of the PT did. Regardless of the perceived reception people claim around here.

 

I believe Bowen had demos stated that TPM. Actually had legs and the negative reaction came later. Has TFA surpassed TPM in admissions? I wouldn't be surprised if it had or will.

 

might be because i was more caught up in that one but i recall TPM's hype train being way more massive than this one. at least, leading up to release.

 

Oh no, the hype for TPM was huge and there hasn't been a movie that has came close to it's hype. It was also received well when it came out by audiences, fans, and critics alike and had legs to keep making money weeks/months after release. The negativity really started after blowing up it's theatrical run.

 

TPM was massive, but expectations were deflated quickly. It didn't hold public consciousness for long at all. We're talking a big build-up and then... Well, a lot of jokes about Jar Jar, essays about racism, etc.

 

I was 16 back then and I remember the hype being similar. But then people saw the movie and it sucked. I think this time around a lot of people were cautious precisely because of the disappointment that followed TPM (I know I was). But then people saw TFA and it was awesome!

Edit: Now that I think about it more, I do think the hype for TPM was bigger.

 

The hype for TPM was larger, but there is a catch... the internet makes the hype for The Force Awakens FEEL bigger. There was no facebook when TPM came out, and hell... there was barely internet. Most of the hype came from TV and print media, which have a harder time conveying a sense of hype then does your twitter/facebook feed blowing up with Star Wars post 24/7.

I also love the rewriting of history from people that obviously weren't there, or want to drive a narrative that's simply not true. The reception of The Phantom Menace was, at worst, lukewarm back then. Obviously Jar Jar was a bit of a disaster with the built up hype... and the wooden acting was well discussed. However, the general consensus among fans (and critics I should add) was that while somewhat disappointing, the film was reasonably decent. I'll never forget going into the comic book shop where I use to buy Star Wars toys the Saturday after it came out and talking with all the hard core guys that went and saw it the night before at the theater down the street... most enjoyed it significantly, and none of them hated it. Again, the movies reception was mediocre but the narrative that the movie "sucked" did not come about until years later. I know, I was there....

 

I was 10 when TPM came out and I remember it being huge... I think the hype was much more pronounced- but the internet didn't cover as in depth as it does now. Somehow it was still massively widespread. It was the first movie I went to that had people dressing up as new characters and old characters.

 

Precisely. TPM was the most anticipated film of all time. The hype was insane. But the early reviews centered on Jar Jar. One he was terrible as a character and two many (I remember the Wall Steeet Journal specifically) said he was essentially a riff on a minstrel/racial caricature.

Throw in the director casting a terrible child actor as lead, poor writing, etc. (Anakin being born via immaculate conception? Really? You went there??), etc. and the film lost steam quickly.

 

1999 was the year where EVERYTHING had Maul´s face on it.
Right now, the amount of Kylo´s faces that I´ve seen it´s far below Maul´s.

 

I really think that the awesomeness of the Maul fight made the whole movie seem better. So it took a few more repeat viewings to realize that it was pretty much the only awesome thing in the movie. (At least that was the case for me)

 

I would agree with this, TPM felt like a more hyped film especially in terms of expectation. I think it helped as well that people who grew up with the originals in the 80's and 90's were still quite young and not far removed from them, it didn't really feel like "revivalism" so much as the potential for a story to carry on.

Honestly I tend to view a lot of the re writing of history as down to the prequel hate culture that's really kicked off in the last few years that on the net anyway has become almost as big a cultural thing as love of the originals was prior to them. Partly I think its a desire to simply view the prequels as always loathed but also I wonder if there isn't a bit of looking to disreguard the idea that expectations can actually have a big impact on initial response. If people wanted to love the prequels and so gave them a bit of an easy ride might the same be happening with TFA?

TFA is clearly a better film but honestly I think a lot of people had made up there minds about it well before release, this film had to be brilliant to justify all those years of Lucas hate.

 

The only rewriting of history going in is by those trying to make out the disappointment wasn't pretty much there from the onset. Bad buzz leaked from the first exhibitor screenings and never quite went away, although clearly many loved and liked the film. But to act as if it's reception was anything more than mixed is just not correct. TFA is getting the reception TPM would have been had TPM connected with critics and general audiences better. People absolutely wanted to love TPM. Clearly a lot did. But I believe more were underwhelmed.

 

Remember that TPM came out before any of the big franchises had their run. Before LOTR, spider man, X-men, etc. it literally has the market to itself. So that just made it that easier to hype. But it just stumbled out of the gate.

 

Well said. There's no rewrite of history. It just wasn't that well-received.

 

I think the only film where there has arguably been a reappraisal from its initial release is Clones, which in the UK at least received a "better than TPM" reception at first but now seems to be the pariah of the saga (deservedly IMO). Again, that's not to say Clones isn't loved by a great many fans who believe it is brilliant or that it's devoid of merit - I'm just talking general consensus.

Also, yes - I think apart from ROTS, the other two struggled to beat out other rivals either critically or commercially. TPM trumped at the BO but there was definitely a feeling the Matrix stole it's critical thunder. And Clones struggled against Spidey. Critically as well, and in terms of being well loved the LOTR and Potter films were probably ahead of the PT as well. TFA is a great start and statement of intent in wresting the franchise crown back.

To hold on to it episode 8 and the rest of the trilogy will have to move beyond the nostalgia remix element. I have no problem with that element beyond the Starkiller assault but I can see why others do and I don't think they'll get away with it twice.

But JJ has set up a brilliant platform for Rian. Critics and audiences are generally onboard with the new characters and excited to see where the story goes next and I have zero doubt Rian is ready to take the ST into much territory. I don't think 8 will have the BO success of TFA - but I can see it being a better film (and I love TFA).

 

TPM's hype was legendary. It was never-to-be-seen-again level hype. People were buying movie tickets just to see the trailer for it. It also had a music video that played to the "Duel of the Fates" track that was extremely popular and ran on MTV all the time. People camped outside certain theaters months in advance.

I don't personally remember an instant backlash against the film except an overall consensus that most people disliked Jar Jar. There were a LOT of SW fans that struggled with denial for awhile. We kept watching it hoping it would grow on us. Others genuinely loved it. It was definitely a big financial success but I think most will agree it owes its success to the OT and not its own merits.

 

To be honest the hype for The Phantom Menace held a lot of excitement and was everywhere. There was certainly a lot more TV advertising and marketing merchandise from Macdonalds, Pizza Hut etc etc. I think everyone was a more bit cautious about TFA after the PT disappointments although Disney seems to have taken a huge leap of faith in its promotion. Besides Disney promotion though as there been much more 3rd party activity? I haven't seen a single thing on TV, no SW specials in restaurants or anything like what was around for PM.

The Phantom Menace came out in a different age though and really was one of the first things that really broke the internet when the first trailer came out and it was in a time when widespread home internet was nothing compared to today. I reckon we had 30 people over at my place to watch it.

I do however wish I recall my old theforce.net account from those days....