Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace

Theatrical Release Date: 1999 05 19 (USA) / 2012 02 10 (USA - 3D)

UPC: 024543023913

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Summary: In 1977, George Lucas released Star Wars, the ultimate sci-fi popcorn flick-turned-pop-culture myth machine. It quickly became the biggest money-making film of all time and changed the shape of the film industry. After two successful sequels (1980's The Empire Strikes Back and 1983's Return of the Jedi) that extended the story of the first film, Lucas took some time off to produce movies for others, with mixed success. In 1999, Lucas returned to the Star Wars saga with a new approach -- instead of picking up where Return of the Jedi left off, Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace would be the first of a trilogy of stories to trace what happened in the intergalactic saga before the first film began. Here, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) is a young apprentice Jedi knight under the tutelage of Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson); Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd), who will later father Luke Skywalker and become known as Darth Vader, is just a nine-year-old boy. When the Trade Federation cuts off all routes to the planet Naboo, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are assigned to settle the matter, but when they arrive on Naboo they are brought to Amidala (Natalie Portman), the Naboo queen, by a friendly but opportunistic Gungan named Jar Jar. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan plan to escort Amidala to a meeting of Republic leaders in Coruscant, but trouble with their spacecraft strands them on the planet Tatooine, where Qui-Gon meets Anakin, the slave of a scrap dealer. Qui-Gon is soon convinced that the boy could be the leader the Jedis have been searching for, and he begins bargaining for his freedom and teaching the boy the lessons of the Force. The supporting cast includes Pernilla August as Anakin's mother, Terence Stamp as Chancellor Valorum, and Samuel L. Jackson as Jedi master Mace Windu. Jackson told a reporter before The Phantom Menace's release that the best part about doing the film was that he got to say "May the Force be with you" onscreen. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Category: Science Fiction

Awards: Best Sound – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Sound – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Sound – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Sound – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Sound Effects Editing – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Sound Effects Editing – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Visual Effects – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Visual Effects – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Visual Effects – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Visual Effects – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace

Format: Digital Video Disc (DVD)

Release Date: 08/02/2007

Cast and Crew: Greg Proops  Actor 
Kenny Baker  Actor 
Anthony Daniels  Actor 
Keira Knightley  Actor 
George Lucas  Director 
George Lucas  Executive Producer 
George Lucas  Screenwriter 
Rick McCallum  Producer 
John Williams  Composer (Music Score) 
Ewan McGregor  Actor 
Liam Neeson  Actor 
Natalie Portman  Actor 
Jake Lloyd  Actor 
Pernilla August  Actor 
Frank Oz  Actor 
Ian McDiarmid  Actor 
Oliver Ford Davies  Actor 
Hugh Quarshie  Actor 
Ahmed Best  Actor 
Samuel L. Jackson  Actor 
Ray Park  Actor 
Ralph Brown  Actor 
Terence Stamp  Actor 
Brian Blessed  Actor 
Sofia Coppola  Actor 

Country: USA