On May 19, 1999, Episode I – The Phantom Menace was released to theaters. This was a grand day for Star Wars fans everywhere in the world.
Then, the fallout began. Thoughts of how George Lucas stole their childhood memories of Star Wars and replaced it with this stinking pile of poodoo came across the minds of a lot of people.
I, was not one of those people.
I remember going to the theater with the Bayshore boys and catching this flick and just being amazed at the opening crawl of a new Star Wars film. How was this even possible? How could a film excite me in such a way? Wait…this is a NEW film! All of this excitement lasted the entire movie for me.
I never had a problem with Jar Jar Binks, I never had a problem with how it was a film geared for kids. I mean, what do we expect? I started out watching Star Wars film on MCTV on a Saturday afternoon wondering what the heck this movie was with a guy riding some giant camel in the snow of Kapuskasing? Oh, wait, did he just cut open that thing with a lazer sword? What the heck is this?
Then I remember going to Dad’s friend Ernie’s place and while they partied it up, I sat in the living room and spied a collection of movies and realized that the same lazer sword I spied on television matched the same on the box of this movie. I popped it in and fell in love.
To watch The Phantom Menace over and over and over again, did not bother me one bit. It continued the magic for me. Now, will I admit that there are better Star Wars films than The Phantom Menace? Sure, of course. I definitely enjoyed Eps II and III a lot more. I think George Lucas tweaked the films because of the backlash which made the further prequels better. Without The Phantom Menace, we wouldn’t have the awesomeness which is Episode III.
It’s ten years later…wow, what a ride. Star Wars is bigger than ever, with a new trilogy to watch, an animated series, and a live action TV series coming out. I will admit that the Star Wars bug has left my body after many years and I can go months without thinking about it. I’m not saying that I don’t love everything to do with Star Wars, but at the same time, I have other priorities in my life.
So faithful viewers…thoughts on The Phantom Menace?
2 replies on “The Phantom Menace – Ten Years Later”
I was just saying to Ferda yesterday that I want to watch this film again. I had no idea it had been 10 years since it came out, but after watching Fan Boys the other week like you, watching this gem is on my to do list.
Some other movie or show or something was talking about this movie a lot too, can’t remember now..
Ryan… you know i love you… but there was nothing awesome about Episode 3. That was one of the worst cinematic pieces of garbage I have ever seen. Take off the Star Wars blinders man! 🙂
P.S. – Episode One also sucked. Google the Patton Oswald bit about Episode 1.