I'm making it a goal to rewatch all the Star Wars movies in order every time a new numbered episode comes out. I stretch them out over the weeks leading up the new film, this year being The Last Jedi. So if I watch one a week starting two weeks ago I will finish Episode 7 the weekend before Episode 8 comes out. I also thought it would be a good time to write a blog post about each film. So I'm starting today with Episode I.
I remember Episode I came out right when I had got out of college and was starting my career. I knew NOTHING about the movie. Somehow I had missed all the hype at that point. I don't even remember seeing any commercials for it or anything. So I went into it pretty blind about the plot, characters, pretty much everything.
Don't get me wrong, the first movie I remember seeing at the theater as a kid was the first Star Wars movie in 1977 and was blown away. The theater and television landscape now is nothing like it was then. People were STARVED for sci-fi and fantasy back then. You were lucky if one GOOD scifi/fantasy movie came out every couple of YEARS. Pretty much you were reduced to waiting for the next Star Wars movie.
Like I said, I don't remember much of the hype for Episode I. I just remember going to see it with a friend and feeling emotionally detached from the movie even though I loved the franchise. At the time, it just didn't seem to have much context to me. Too many new characters, new worlds, new politics, etc. I didn't feel connected to anyone. I found myself not caring.
Funny thing is I remember there wasn't really much playing at the cinema that summer. I think The Mummy was the only other big movie going. I ended up seeing Phantom Menace something like 8 times at the theater, mainly for the pod racing and light saber fights.
So yeah, I didn't care much for the movie at first, but over the years it's grown on me. Probably has something to do with the other episodes and The Clone Wars cartoon making it resonate more with me.
Something about the movie that ALWAYS was able to reach me was the beautiful score by John Williams. To me, it was the last hurrah to his prime. His scores for all the Star Wars movies since this one have been phoned in and I find it hard to remember many melodies from Episodes 2&3.
To me, the English actors were the only thespians that excelled in the prequels. Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, and Ian McDiarmid all do great in Episode 1. Even Natalie Portman does a good job when she's ACTING English in the guise of Queen Amidala.
Watching this movie in 2017 as opposed to 1999, the CG looked a bit dated at first, but I gradually started to not notice it and began to enjoy the movie and didn't worry about the effects. Everything felt a bit more solid than in Episodes 2&3 and you didn't feel like the actors were in some green screen purgatory all the time.
Fans HATE the prequels and sadly, I don't really think they're worthy of all the negative feelings...well, at least not Episode I. To me, it was the CLOSEST in feeling and spirit of the original Star Wars. It was happy and free spirited and adventurous....before all the teenage angst and sturm und drang of the next two films.
Yes, and the HATED Jar Jar Binks. To me, he was just part of the ensemble. None of the characters really stood out from the others in this movie. Like the first Star Wars, it was more of a team pic. Funnily enough, my mom liked ONLY Episode I BECAUSE of Jar Jar!
I think the more time goes by and the original fans start to die off, the prequels might even become more popular than the original trilogy. I think new fans and young ones won't approach the prequels with as much hostility as old people. They'll merely see them as "oh, the first three were about Anakin, the second about Luke, and third about Rey". They'll just see them as one long stream, or might even dislike the originals because they're so old and hokey in their eyes.
If you haven't watched Phantom Menace in a while, give it a try, you might lessen a little bit of negative energy in the world when you realize it's a good movie.
Next up for me tonight: Attack of the Clones (I'm a week behind on my viewing schedule, I should be watching Revenge of the Sith).
My Grade: A-
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