Every one of these could make the movie shine a little dimmer than it might have but, put together, they just make an imperfect movie - and do not explain the true loss of something essential that is perceived by almost everyone who saw Phantom Menace.Īmong Lucas' influences for Star Wars were the writings and teachings of Professor Joseph Campbell of Sarah Lawrence University.
In fact, these small flaws shine through and make the series that much more real - like the stormtrooper who whacks his head on the door in the original. A dedicated fan base can and will justify a lot of things, often overlooking small flaws as long as a thing is canon. Which brings the last point: They hype shouldn't have destroyed the movie, it should have saved it. Likewise, even if he HAD sold out there should have remained enough of the original carryover to shine through. After all, while people lose their vision, Lucus had planned and plotted Episode 1 from the beginning. Still others say that the hype of the movie, the buildup over several years - really over the two decades since the first series - could not possibly have been lived up to.Īll of these are fair reasons, but none of them can really explain why Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, turned out the way it did.
Others say that he sold out, that he became too commercially oriented. Some say that George Lucas lost his youthful edge, lost his vision. People say Episode I of the Star Wars Saga was a failure, artistically, for many different reasons.