Episode One 10th Anniversary in '09...

[thenammagazine]

See, I don't get all the TPM hate either. The action was considerably more intense than ANH. It not only had better villans, but better lightsaber fights, better effects, and (Sir Alec Guinness and Peter Cushing aside) a better and stronger cast. I'll be the first to admit things like Jar Jar Binks put a turd in the pool, but there was certainly enough chlorine to keep it safe. If not for nostalgia's sake, and if people were truly honest with themselves, I'm willing to bet they would dislike ANH the most. I remember as a kid loving the movie for what it was, agape in my naivete to all its SciFi glory, but later, struggling to stay awake until the Death Star attack.

EDIT: Here's a question to ask. To someone who's never seen either film, nor has any knowledge of the Star Wars universe, how would a release like ANH (in it's original form) compare to TPM?

 

[ProgMatinee]

I thought Phantom Menace was great. Much better than AOTC.

It could have been better, but so could ROTJ.

The pod race is wonderful as is the final Maul duel.

 

[DarkKnight2k4]

Wow 10 years...

Of the Prequels...

ROTS
TPM
AOTC

For me...

Mainly for Maul and the background.

I hated to love crap in AOTC... And the Whiney wimp that is Anakin... He seemed stronger in TPM.

 

[Mad Old Lu]

As a looong time SW fan, I was so optimistic for the Phantom Menace, especially because of the great trailer. I remember it was crushing and heart-breaking to see how it turned out. I always thought the look of David Lynch's Dune would have been perfect for the sequels. Lucas could have even copied the plot of Crouching Tiger and gotten a compelling story out of that. Imagine Qui-Gon played by Michelle Yeoh, and a young Obi Wan with a secret passion for his Jedi Master! And Anakin taking over the Jen role, being secretly trained as a Jedi by "Darth Sidious". Anakin steals one of their light sabers, and Qui-Gon and Obi are surprised by someone using the Force in such a remote planet!

And another thing, Anakin and his mother didn't seem to have such a terrible existence as "slaves"! I never had my own room growing up, and you're telling me slave families get their own apartment with their own rooms and a DINING ROOM?!?

 

[adambadadam]

Aside from an Ep1 Obi-Wan, I would want my "great rolling death balls"

Droidekas' were one of the coolest concepts to come out of the Prequels

 

[thenammagazine]

As a looong time SW fan, I was so optimistic for the Phantom Menace, especially because of the great trailer. I remember it was crushing and heart-breaking to see how it turned out. I always thought the look of David Lynch's Dune would have been perfect for the sequels. Lucas could have even copied the plot of Crouching Tiger and gotten a compelling story out of that. Imagine Qui-Gon played by Michelle Yeoh, and a young Obi Wan with a secret passion for his Jedi Master! And Anakin taking over the Jen role, being secretly trained as a Jedi by "Darth Sidious". Anakin steals one of their light sabers, and Qui-Gon and Obi are surprised by someone using the Force in such a remote planet!

And another thing, Anakin and his mother didn't seem to have such a terrible existence as "slaves"! I never had my own room growing up, and you're telling me slave families get their own apartment with their own rooms and a DINING ROOM?!?

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon's plot was about as original as Reservoir Dogs (Tarantino's near direct ripoff of the Hong Kong flick: City on Fire). If you've seen any Saturday Afternoon Gung Fu matinee, you've seen it's plot. And I don't even want to picture a romance between young Obi Wan and a bearded Michelle Yeoh...

While predictable, TPM wasn't meant to be "a surprise around every bend," but a fleshing out of the Anakin Skywalker story. Lucas clearly states this in several interviews as the original intent of the Star Wars films was to cover the rise and fall of Anakin Skywalker. We already know the ending.... I also found it interesting how he completely changed my emotions, watching ROTJ's funeral pyre scene. Before, I felt bad for Luke as it was more the loss of a great and heroic father he never knew. Now watching it you get the feeling that Anakin's tormented soul was finally laid to rest.

As for the slave deal, once upon a time before the Emancipation Proclamation, there were slaves here in the U.S. who lived in what were referred to as "slave quarters" which were actually different buildings than their owners. These quarters often had their own rooms and even family rooms and dining rooms. And believe it or not, there were some slave owners who actually treated their slaves pretty good. So that part of the story isn't too hard to believe.

 

[monkeydad16]

I'm probably about to get lynched for saying this, but I thought the Phantom Menace was a great movie and a great way to kick off the new trilogy. Granted, I do have problems with AOTC and ROTS, but this one has a good story and some great characters.

I still wonder though, why did Lucas kill off a great character like Darth Maul so early? Especially when we see hi replacement in AOTC.

 

[thenammagazine]

I still wonder though, why did Lucas kill off a great character like Darth Maul so early? Especially when we see hi replacement in AOTC.

I actually talked to Ray Park about this at WonderCon a few years ago. His reply was, "I was just too good. I had to die. I couldn't stick around to make the others look bad." I found it hard to argue.

Although that got me to thinking. WTF happened to Obi Wan's lightsaber skills?! They were at the peak of awesomeness in TPM. His skills bailed during AOTC to the level of being mediocre IF that, beaten by Dooku's sufi dancing saber strokes. Then completely inconsistent in ROTS. How could he beat Grevious wielding 4 lightsabers with the pinpoint accuracy of a droid, yet just prior, completely put to pasture by Dooku with a simple force push?! Then on Mustafar, he's about 2/3 to the TPM skill level for the end battle with Vader. As for ANH, he was just about as limp as Herbert the Pervert's portrayal of him in Blue Harvest.

 

[monkeydad16]

Agreed, Obi Wan's fight with Maul was the best duel in all of the films. Dooku's ownage of Obi Wan was pathetic.And as a big time Star Wars nerd it pains me to say this, but the battle in Episode IV was god awful.

I guess Ray Park does make a valid point, Maul was a bad, bad man.

 

[shocktrooper_au]

Agreed, Obi Wan's fight with Maul was the best duel in all of the films. Dooku's ownage of Obi Wan was pathetic.And as a big time Star Wars nerd it pains me to say this, but the battle in Episode IV was god awful.

I guess Ray Park does make a valid point, Maul was a bad, bad man.

"but the battle in Episode IV was god awful."


If we Stick your butt on a desert planet for 20yrs I don't think you'd you'd be able to trim you beard as well as old Ben...
That battle was what it was, an old man & a cripple fighting each other for the 1st time in 20yrs you'd be bound to be a bit stand-offish

but as the prequels get older, they are losing a lot of the appeal to me I was on board, but now I'm starting to separate the Pre's & the OT's and starting to imagine my own clone wars once more!

 

[Mad Old Lu]

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon's plot was about as original as Reservoir Dogs (Tarantino's near direct ripoff of the Hong Kong flick: City on Fire). If you've seen any Saturday Afternoon Gung Fu matinee, you've seen it's plot. And I don't even want to picture a romance between young Obi Wan and a bearded Michelle Yeoh...

While predictable, TPM wasn't meant to be "a surprise around every bend," but a fleshing out of the Anakin Skywalker story. Lucas clearly states this in several interviews as the original intent of the Star Wars films was to cover the rise and fall of Anakin Skywalker. We already know the ending.... I also found it interesting how he completely changed my emotions, watching ROTJ's funeral pyre scene. Before, I felt bad for Luke as it was more the loss of a great and heroic father he never knew. Now watching it you get the feeling that Anakin's tormented soul was finally laid to rest.

As for the slave deal, once upon a time before the Emancipation Proclamation, there were slaves here in the U.S. who lived in what were referred to as "slave quarters" which were actually different buildings than their owners. These quarters often had their own rooms and even family rooms and dining rooms. And believe it or not, there were some slave owners who actually treated their slaves pretty good. So that part of the story isn't too hard to believe.

True, the plot for Crouching Tiger is as old as time itself. But so was Ep IV's plot, and Lucas was clever enough for that one to use an established story to hang his vision on.

As far as the slave thing goes, sure you can make that argument, but for the sake of the movie, I don't think Lucas showed convincingly that Anakin's life was so awful that he was so desperate to be freed. Indy's Temple of Doom had children slaves in horrible conditions. Even Crouching Tiger, you felt why Jen wanted to leave her suppressed privileged life for a life of adventure. Instead, Anakin has to choose from a life of, yes, child labor, but go to a life without Mom and hard training--almost a different type of slavery.

Alright, that last part almost convinced me.

Anyway, Ep I has its moments. The Duel is still the best one.https://sideshowcollectors.com/forums/images/maul.gif

 

[Prime Clone]

Only things I think would have made it better were to have more of a focus on the actual threat Naboo was in. A blockade of Trade federation ships just didn't cut it. I know it's a Star Wars movie but maybe a few scenes intercut with Tatooine and Coruscant to show Naboo people getting killed or buildings on fire or just something other than Nute Gunray and Sio Bibble talking how they've been moved to camps.

Exactly, it lacked any sense of, er, menace. Plus the slaves' existence should have been harsher (though maybe Ani was favored because of his mechanical skills).

TPM had some great individual sequences in it, they just didn't hang together that well as a movie.

 

[thenammagazine]

True, the plot for Crouching Tiger is as old as time itself. But so was Ep IV's plot, and Lucas was clever enough for that one to use an established story to hang his vision on.

Uh...... as opposed to running a completely inconsistent storyline that would've made TPM entirely irrelevant?!

"but the battle in Episode IV was god awful."

If we Stick your butt on a desert planet for 20yrs I don't think you'd you'd be able to trim you beard as well as old Ben...
That battle was what it was, an old man & a cripple fighting each other for the 1st time in 20yrs you'd be bound to be a bit stand-offish

Dude, you're sooooo wrong about that. Jedi don't have ring rust, just absent mindedly inconsistent stunt coordinators. Yoda preferring discussion to sabers, hadn't ignited his lightsaber in many, MANY moons and yet at 900 was able to open a whole 6-pack of canned whoopass on Dooku who'd just beaten Obi Wan (who'd killed Maul) and Anakin at the same time!

 

[DarkKnight2k4]

I actually talked to Ray Park about this at WonderCon a few years ago. His reply was, "I was just too good. I had to die. I couldn't stick around to make the others look bad." I found it hard to argue.

He told me the same thing. LoL.

"but the battle in Episode IV was god awful."


If we Stick your butt on a desert planet for 20yrs I don't think you'd you'd be able to trim you beard as well as old Ben...
That battle was what it was, an old man & a cripple fighting each other for the 1st time in 20yrs you'd be bound to be a bit stand-offish

but as the prequels get older, they are losing a lot of the appeal to me I was on board, but now I'm starting to separate the Pre's & the OT's and starting to imagine my own clone wars once more!

LoL. This is exactly the way Lucas told it...

 

[cerealkeller]

Although that got me to thinking. WTF happened to Obi Wan's lightsaber skills?! They were at the peak of awesomeness in TPM. His skills bailed during AOTC to the level of being mediocre IF that, beaten by Dooku's sufi dancing saber strokes. Then completely inconsistent in ROTS. How could he beat Grevious wielding 4 lightsabers with the pinpoint accuracy of a droid, yet just prior, completely put to pasture by Dooku with a simple force push?! Then on Mustafar, he's about 2/3 to the TPM skill level for the end battle with Vader. As for ANH, he was just about as limp as Herbert the Pervert's portrayal of him in Blue Harvest.

That bothers me in AOTC more so than any movie. For me, AOTC big lightsaber duel was horrible. Obi-Wan gets taken out WAY too easy. If they could have gotten the piont across that Dooku trained Qui-Gon, Qui-Gon trained Obi-Wan so Dooku knew Obi-Wans moves before he did better it would have been far more impactful (is that even a word?) The thing I really hate in that duel is the way Obi-Wab gets hit on the shoulder and the leg and lays on the floor, fully aware but grimacing in pain. I wish Dooku would gave really taken him out, not killing obviously but perhaps part of the wall pinning him or something besides him laying on the ground in pain. Seemed very un-jedi like to me and takes away from how great and powerful Obi-Wan is.

 

[Darkseed]

Good point cerealkiller.

You just made me realize when Obi Wan's battles Dooku (twice) and Darth Vader he was beaten quickly and soundly......yet he faces Anakin and wholla. He is able to compete and defeat one of the strongest jedi / sith ever.

I get they were padawan and master but Anakin uses a different fighting method than Obi Wan. Obi Wan wouldn't have trained him in sabre skills.

Man I'm thinking way too hard on this one. I need to find an easier topic to discuss.

 

[monkeydad16]

"but the battle in Episode IV was god awful."


If we Stick your butt on a desert planet for 20yrs I don't think you'd you'd be able to trim you beard as well as old Ben...
That battle was what it was, an old man & a cripple fighting each other for the 1st time in 20yrs you'd be bound to be a bit stand-offish

but as the prequels get older, they are losing a lot of the appeal to me I was on board, but now I'm starting to separate the Pre's & the OT's and starting to imagine my own clone wars once more!

I think the Yoda fights with Dooku and Palapatine kind of debunk this idea. All three of the parties involved were technically geezers (no offense, geezers). Yet they all maintained a high level of whoop ass when it was time to fight.

I have read somewhere before that Lucas' original idea for Ben Kenobi was to be that of an old wizard. I wonder if that is why the fight comes across so lame? Then they had to switch styles once Luke was ready to fight Vader.

 

[Coorectghosting]

Lucas clearly states this in several interviews as the original intent of the Star Wars films was to cover the rise and fall of Anakin Skywalker.

The OT's main character was Luke all the way.

 

[Lord Aykroyd]

Guys common. The reason obi-wan vs vader was slow in Ep IV was because Obiwan was planning to get cut down. He took it slow to make sure Luke would be there to see it.

Sim. in V and VI the fights were << I-III because Vader didnt want to kill his son.



edit: Moreover in Ep IV Vader probably was playng it slow to make sure Obi-wan wasnt about to trick him - after all he did lose last time.

 

[Darth Madden]

Dude, you're sooooo wrong about that. Jedi don't have ring rust, just absent mindedly inconsistent stunt coordinators.

Or maybe when Lucas make ANH he didn't have the prequils in mind and decided thats how a geezer old hermit and a 75% machine would fight. Why do people always read more into Star Wars than is necessary.