What is the Phantom Edit??

I've read storys about it on TFN, and heard that is was a fans rendering of EP1 without all the cuts, its his version of the way he thought it should have been. Now my question is, did he use actual footage from Episode 1?? Or did he redo the whole movie and add stuff in?

Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

I downloaded it once and the file was a bunch of clips from episode 2 with dual of the fates in the background.

 

"The Phantom Edit" is a re-edit of "The Phantom Menace". Basically, the person responsible for the edit, aka "The Phantom Editor", liked the movie, but felt it could be improved upon just by making a few cuts here and there. He mostly cut out unnecessary scenes with Jar-Jar, whiny Ani, and those weird podracer-announcer-guys, not to mention a few gratuitous special effects sequences (i.e. the "there's always a bigger fish" sequence).

Personally, I think "The Phantom Edit" is an improvement upon the original. It's a pity "The Phantom Editor" will never release a DVD quality version. I do know he made one for himself, but it would probably be a legal fiasco if he ever released it to the public.

And if you happen to find a copy of the edit floating around, be sure to write down "The Phantom Editor"'s email address and drop him a note. He actually responds. ^_^

--t.toe

EDIT: changed "whiny Ani" from "baby Ani"

 

What was that quote?
It's very generous of George to let us play in his backyard, but I don't think he'd appreciate us going into his living room and redecorating.

 

So, you're telling me you like "The Phantom Menace" just the way it is? I think "The Phantom Edit" continues along the same lines as the "Special Editions" of the original Star Wars Trilogy. The only difference is that "The Phantom Edit" improves on the original, whereas the "Special Editions"... well... I believe there's a recent South Park that discusses this very issue. Check out the "Free Hat" episode.

--t.toe

EDIT: Some poor grammar.

 

Hmph. I"m surprised this thread hasn't been locked yet.

Anything resembling promotion of the Phantom Edit is generally locked up within hours.

 

I actually found that the phantom edit was a lesser version of the real thing, I agree where some cuts could be made, but some cuts he made were unnesserary and made the movie feel rushed, which it already has a tendency to move from scene to scene too quickly in my opinion. The deleted fish sequence was a good idea, but the sequencing of the federation ship scene and th other surrounding scenes could have been more organized.

The problem with deleting so much of the jar jar stuff (like him or not) is that it makes his signifigants during the end battle seem like it comes out of nowhere since he has almost no dialogue in this version.

Still the craftsmanship should be noted becuase the edits themselves are quite seemless considering he only had the finished product to work with. Its just that in my opinion the flaws in TPM (though I do like it as a whole) cannot be fixed with subtration but rather addition. Cutting won't strengthen the bond between Obi-wan and Anakin or make Maul feel like a more defined villan, or age Anakin 7 years. But thats just my take on it, I would have liked to have seen the second fish sequence removed and the waterfall scene reinserted, but thats strictly personal preference.

As for what I'd do differently you need only click the link below. (Another shameless script plug brought to you by Rebel Scumb)

 

What is the Phantom Edit??

An infringement of copyright.

So, you're telling me you like "The Phantom Menace" just the way it is?

I do. Well, if they put in some more of the lightsaber fight they originally shot I wouldn't complain, but other than that.

I think "The Phantom Edit" continues along the same lines as the "Special Editions" of the original Star Wars Trilogy. The only difference is that "The Phantom Edit" improves on the original

Actually, no. The only difference is that the Special Editions are official changes that George Lucas himself wanted made to the film that helped him tell the story the way he wanted to tell it, whereas the Phantom Edit is some bozo's attempt to control the Star Wars universe and make it the way he (and, I have to admit, other so called fans) thinks it "should" have been because he can't control the fact that Greedo now shoots first. For all we know, the changes made in the "Phantom Edit" will make it incompatible with Episode III, and the rest of the saga when viewed as a whole.

They aren't our movies. They're George Lucas' movies, and if he wants Vader's vocabulary to consist of little but "Yippee" in his early years, so be it.

Mak a fan film. That's your movie. You can edit it however you want. Enjoy the official films or not, but don't presume to know better than their creator.

M. Scott

 

I can see your point but to me its a blurrly line between fanfilm and phantom edit. fanfilms are copyright infingement to, GL even said he didnt mind the PE until they tried to make money off of it. In any event it doesnt diminsh or discredit the original in anyway, nobody would ever msitake it for the real thing, it will never be mass distributed. To me the problem with intellectual property laws is that there's no way to define them, if he had made the phantom edit on his own and kept it would that hve been wrong? Its maybe not the most creative expression of ones gift with the avid, but its not wrong. I dunno where i stand on this, I use to agree 150% with what you said, but now I realize it doesnt really matter, its not hurting anyone, its just some one expressing a different point of view, and i think it its of great compliment to GL that his films garner so much attention. They've transcended the perameters of normal media and become soemthing people not only watch but want to be a part of.

I think of it as a "What if?" scenario, like the old marvel comic, this is the way it did happen, but what if? There's a whole realm of fanfilm potential in the 'what ifs' of SW. What if Luke had turned to the darkside and Leia was forced to bring him and the emperor down? What if Han had never returned at the end of ANH to help Luke? What if Anakin had defied the emperor and had raised Luke himself? What if Qui-gon survived TPM and it was Obi-wan who was killed? What if Obi-wan agreed to join Dooku and fight the republic? Instead of dark jedi's fighting sith, I'd like to see some of these ideas expressed as fanfilms. Even my own take on the prequels is based around a basic 'what if'. what if the jedi had not gone to help naboo? what if the federation triumphed and 10 years later Obi-wan and qui-gon journedyed to occupied Naboo with bail Organa and met jar jar and Padme under much different circumstances?

Its all a matter of opinion really on what is copying and what is not, but strictly speaking its no more illegal then making Broken Allegiance (which I relaly enjoyed) which takes place during the OT and features Vader in a prominet role.

 

Hmph. I"m surprised this thread hasn't been locked yet.

Anything resembling promotion of the Phantom Edit is generally locked up within hours.

I'm NOT Promoting IT! I was just asking what it was.

 

And I wasn't directing the comment toward *you*, was I, Sparky?

 

Everyone play nice.

EDIT: In fact, everyone play somewhere else. The question was answered pretty early on so this thread has served it's purpose