PT Subtle (and Not-So-Subtle) Comedy in TPM

Share some of your favourite moments and configurations; wherever they are and whatever they may be.

One that always makes me chuckle for some reason:

QUI-GON: My droid has a read-out of what I need.

WATTO: Errrrggggghhh...

Jar-Jar making a face at Qui-Gon's back after Qui-Gon tells him not to touch anything.

Anakin telling Sebulba off at the pod race.

Qui-Gon: It sounds like bait to establish a connection trace.
Obi-Wan: I know right?

Amidala: Jar-Jar.
Jar-Jar: Meesa, your highness?
Amidala: Yes, yousa.

The backchat version.

Also, to get serious for a moment, besides it being a tick of Watto's, I wonder if his response to Qui-Gon's remark is also a sexual reference on Lucas' part? I mean, if you believe the movies are radically subversive, all the way through, none of the lines are as straightforward as they appear (then again -- they are!). A defining trait of the Jedi is that they are mutually self-restrictive: celibate. So, when Watto goes "errrrgh" to a direct statement by Qui-Gon, about his little robot helper having a read-out of "what" he "needs", it sounds, to me, like Lucas spoofing what Qui-Gon thinks he needs versus what he might actually need. I mean, if you go back to Lucas' first feature film, THX, the damn title is a lispy homophone of "sex", and it's sexual activity between roommates that is implicitly prohibited, and, to a large degree, physiologically and psychologically precluded (via drugs and mental distraction). And TPM is, from a certain point of view, the Star Wars film you could say is closest to THX. TPM is also the Star Wars film that seems to consciously employ the greatest level of irony its dialogue. Just some fun speculation.

Subtle? The whole movie was a joke, wasn't it?

(Joke! Joke! That was a joke! Please don't hate me. It was too good a set up for me to ignore. Peace, brothers. )

The scene with Shmi and Qui-Gon made me chuckle the other day.

QUI-GON: You should be proud of your son. He gives without any thought of reward.
SHMI: Well he knows nothing of greed. He has a-
QUI-GON: Cut the crap, lady. He's a superhero.

"What's this?"

"A local."


Why is this not recognized as the one of the indelible exchanges in the series? Perfect timing and delivery.

Agreed 100%

A good amount of the jar-jar stuff in TPM was handled very well imo That is just one example.

QUI-GON : These Federation types are cowards. The negotiations will be short....do you smell gas?

Palpatine: You... could call for a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Valorum.

Not sure if it qualifies as comedy, but Daultay Dofine just generally being weird.

Queen Amidala's sudden eyebrow rise, after Jar Jar reminds her of the grand army the Gungans have, looks like she just got slapped in the face, or she wants to slap herself on her forehead.

Humor, and pretty good humor, is there throughout the movie. And at times I think it's to provide a contrast with our mostly serious-minded protagonists-- with the exception of Anakin and Qui-Gon, most of the human main characters are all rather grim, straight-laced personalities, focusing mostly on their jobs and not really taking the time to smell the flowers, so to speak. Jar Jar, Watto, most of the aliens-- they all seem to be enjoying themselves a bit more. Qui-Gon opens up as a character mostly when he's interacting with those creatures, adopting more formal patterns (though visibly forced) with his peers. When humans do have little humorous moments, they're rather cynical and condescending-- "Why do I sense we've picked up another pathetic life form?".

Anyway, a bit that always makes me laugh as a self-aware SW moment-- "There's too many of them!" "It won't be a problem."

I like...

QUI-GON: I'm taking these people to Coruscant.
DROID: Where are you taking them?
QUI-GON: To Coruscant.
DROID: Coruscant...uhh...that doesn't compute...uhh... you're under arrest!
*Sabers ignite*

Love that Qui-Gon just tells him where he's going.

I always liked the podracer's reaction to Sebulba throwing a wrench in his engines.

"Rarrrrrrggghhh?"

LOL

Queen Amidala's outfit, especially her fruit by the foot strip on her lip.

Ugh, that makes me cringe. One of several lines of absurd redundant dialog.

Another being when before the battle with Maul he tells Anakin to hide and stay there -- twice.

Is that just the, when outside 'find a safe place to hide and stay there' 'sure' 'stay there' and then again when he says to stay in the fighter before Maul appears?

I see no issue there if so, as Anakin had said hey wait for me, and the battle was over in that area.

Oh wait, I forgot the Ani find cover, quick. Ignore me

"You were right about one thing, Master: the negotiations were short."

I still say that when I screw something up or other similar circumstances.

"Oh, I don't care what universe you're from, THAT'S GOTTA HURT!"