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Why I love Star Wars: Episode I
Oct. 18th, 2014 12:38 pmAnd here we have the much-maligned first prequel episode. I'm pretty sure after all that build-up and anticipation, it would have been impossible to meet anyone's expectations completely. But I'm not going to dwell on other people's complaints. I've seen this movie probably about 50 times, 10 in the theater (we had a super-cheap theater at college that had showings of the film several months after its initial release - there's no way I could have afforded it otherwise). I was always a Star Wars fanatic, but this movie and the promise of more launched me into new levels of crazed fandom.
By sheer coincidence, my own life kind of mirrored the events of the prequels. In 1999 I started college, leaving home with mingled excitement and trepidation just like Anakin (though thankfully several years older, which explains why I didn't turn to the Dark Side ;) In 2002 I got married just like Anakin and Padmé (except we didn't have to hide it from our family and friends) and in 2005 Emma was born, bringing our family to four just like the Skywalker family (with the slight difference that no one went nuts and joined the side of evil, leaving the rest of us to die or go into hiding). Okay, maybe it's kind of a stretch. Whatever, it resonated with me.
I like that Anakin is an innocent little kid. It sets up his downfall much more subtly than if he were a punk who liked shoplifting and pushing old ladies. Why would we care about Anakin's downfall if he started out bad? And the fact that he's at such a vulnerable age explains a lot. He's old enough to have formed a powerful bond with his mother, but young enough that he's not really ready to be separated from her. Because of his huge potential and the possibility that he's the Chosen One, Qui-Gon thinks it's worth it to make an exception. And maybe he's right. But the situation is so far from ideal. And I know that child actors can have uneven performances, but there's some moments from Jake Lloyd that, I think, are pitch-perfect. When he says goodbye to his mother, it gets me every time.
Qui-Gon is an intriguing character. He's not a cynical scoundrel like Han; he's very principled and determined to do the right thing. But he's a maverick. He doesn't follow the establishment just because it's the establishment. He goes his own way, whatever the consequences. I've often thought that while Luke Skywalker is an avatar for young George Lucas, Qui-Gon is an apt older version of Lucas. The establishment acknowledges him as accomplished and impressive in his field, but just can't figure out why he won't conform. And it's very telling that Qui-Gon doesn't survive the movie. His way is not a safe one. It stands as a warning to the Jedi Council in their complacency, so certain that the Sith were extinct. If they had been more vigilant, tragedy could have been averted.
It also sets up why Anakin finds himself apprenticed to Obi-Wan, an inexperienced Jedi who was only just a Padawan himself, who might have a teensy bit of jealousy that Qui-Gon was ready to dump Obi-Wan to start training the supposed Chosen One, whose training of Anakin is born more of loyalty to Qui-Gon's dying wishes than any attachment to Anakin himself. It sets into place all their troubled dynamic, and though Qui-Gon does not appear directly in subsequent episodes, his influence colors a great deal of the storyline.
I really do like the title. It's evocative of the cheesy, over-the-top titles of the old serials. Phantom and menace were both very commonly used terms. And it's quite accurate of what's going on in the story. There's some kind of menace and everyone knows it, but they can't quite pinpoint it. They keep getting fooled by distractions - Darth Maul is an imposing foe, but no one seems to recognize he's just a puppet. The Trade Federation is really a front for a far more devious enemy. Everything is shrouded in shadow, and the true evil isn't defeated at all - he's standing right there at the victory celebration, having just attained a major step in his plot to take over the galaxy! The parade music is in fact a cheerful, bouncy, major key riff on the Emperor's theme. Oh, the delicious irony.
The podracing sequence, I acknowledge, goes on a little long, particularly the extended cut on the DVD release. However, as a symbol it provides a great bit of foreshadowing regarding the arc of Anakin's character. Sebulba's sabotage gives him a late start through no fault of his own, just like his birth into slavery impedes his training as a Jedi. But then, thanks to his extraordinary skills, he zooms forward and begins to surpass everyone else. Things are looking pretty good until something goes wrong, and he has to make repairs mid-race. The increasing pressure of his Jedi training will begin to wear on him, forcing him to reevaluate his choices and priorities. He even gets a little trouble from the Tusken Raiders, which is, ahem, quite horrifyingly important in the next film. And then he gets snagged on Sebulba's racer, trapped by his enemy, like he will be trapped by Palpatine. But just before the race's end, he manages to pull free.
Since this is a prequel, released after the original story but taking place earlier in the narrative, they can have some fun with hints of future events. Some are funny, like Threepio saying they'll never get him onto one of those dreadful starships, and some are heartbreaking, like Anakin's "No one can kill a Jedi" or his first meeting with Obi-Wan. The first time we saw Episode I, we watched Episode IV the very next day, and Obi-Wan and Vader's meeting on the Death Star was fraught with so much more meaning. Sob.
Now we must come to Jar Jar. I like Jar Jar. I know why he's hated with so much vitriol. He has an obnoxious voice and lots of slapstick associated with him. Also, he's kind of what we all fear we might be - a panicky, graceless fool. Well, I have the feeling that if I were put in the sort of perilous situations found in Star Wars films, I'd end up behaving a lot more like Jar Jar than anyone else. Honestly, it surprises me how much energy people waste on hating Jar Jar, fifteen years after the fact. Just let it go! And maybe give him just a little bit of credit as a technological advancement, if nothing else - some years before Gollum got his big break, Jar Jar was already a fully realized, highly convincing CGI character. For all the complaints about him, people don't seem to complain that he looks fake. Their loathing is so powerful, in fact, you'd think they were talking about a real person. And making-of accounts indicate that Ahmed Best was much appreciated by the cast and crew for keeping them entertained during the grueling filming in Tunisia. I like to see that side of Jar Jar rather than focusing on the hate.
Anyway, Jar Jar is part of an ongoing theme in the prequels, particularly Episode I. Symbiants (Qui-Gon's trademark word referring to symbiosis), life forms working together for mutual advantage. This is very much in keeping with the concept of the Force, but it's especially true of Qui-Gon's creed. Even most of the characters of the movie are dismissive of and annoyed by Jar Jar, but Qui-Gon doesn't dismiss anyone. "This Gungan may be of use to us" he says early on, and though it takes some time for this to come true, his words are truly prophetic. Without Jar Jar, the Queen could never have formulated her plan to take back Naboo. The two peoples have lived apart, spurning each other and therefore denying themselves the strength that comes from mutual support. When they finally form an alliance, they become powerful enough to regain their freedom from the Federation. Obi-Wan, as Qui-Gon's student, knows this truth as well: "What happens to one of you must affect the other." They tried to live separately, thinking they'd be better off, but it almost led to their destruction. And I just love that the one to bring their peoples back together is Jar Jar, the exile, rejected by his own people and an outcast among the humans. Yet he is the only one uniquely qualified to bridge the gap between Gungan and Naboo. Maybe his clumsiness, the cause of his exile, was the best thing that could have happened. The Force works in mysterious ways. ;)
This theme, of course, also includes the oft-reviled midichlorians, which never bothered me. They're hardly a scientific explanation - little beings inside your body that speak to you in some metaphysical, ethereal way? Sounds about as mystic as you can get. And it gives a tangible way to indicate Anakin's potential, plus a sort of mystery about his inexplicable conception. I don't know. It just works for me. The Force was always about the connectedness of living things. Life creates it, right? And symbiosis is the essence of the good side. The dark side, in contrast, is parasitic.
Now I must mention the costumes, the glorious, insanely awesome costumes. They really embrace the whole concept of Star Wars as a sort of way-ancient-history period drama, rather than super-futuristic sci-fi. Every time I see a film that tries to make the costumes look futuristic, I can tell that in less than a decade it's going to look incredibly cheesy and dated. But going the historical route - taking cues from various cultures and time periods - is much smarter and so much more evocative. It's rather absurd, of course, just how many costume changes Queen Amidala has, but it makes me chuckle when they're stranded on Tatooine trying to scrounge up money for repairs and Obi-Wan mentions the queen's wardrobe as something they might sell. It's clear that on Naboo, the ceremonial trappings of royalty are considered crucial for maintaining the queen's authority and, probably, her safety.
I don't think anyone was fooled that Padmé and Queen Amidala weren't one in the same, but that dichotomy makes some nice symbolism about the two sides of her character which will come into play in the next film. Meanwhile, I like her childhood friendship with Anakin. It's nice to have a relationship start out with a simple and innocent foundation, even if it's a little bit of a stretch to see Padmé as a fourteen-year-old. One of my favorite scenes is their conversation on the ship, when they both gain some comfort in acknowledging the other's sadness.
I love it. And for me, the worst part of Episode I was that I had to wait three years for the next installment. Now I just pop in the next episode whenever I want. Hooray! :)
By sheer coincidence, my own life kind of mirrored the events of the prequels. In 1999 I started college, leaving home with mingled excitement and trepidation just like Anakin (though thankfully several years older, which explains why I didn't turn to the Dark Side ;) In 2002 I got married just like Anakin and Padmé (except we didn't have to hide it from our family and friends) and in 2005 Emma was born, bringing our family to four just like the Skywalker family (with the slight difference that no one went nuts and joined the side of evil, leaving the rest of us to die or go into hiding). Okay, maybe it's kind of a stretch. Whatever, it resonated with me.
I like that Anakin is an innocent little kid. It sets up his downfall much more subtly than if he were a punk who liked shoplifting and pushing old ladies. Why would we care about Anakin's downfall if he started out bad? And the fact that he's at such a vulnerable age explains a lot. He's old enough to have formed a powerful bond with his mother, but young enough that he's not really ready to be separated from her. Because of his huge potential and the possibility that he's the Chosen One, Qui-Gon thinks it's worth it to make an exception. And maybe he's right. But the situation is so far from ideal. And I know that child actors can have uneven performances, but there's some moments from Jake Lloyd that, I think, are pitch-perfect. When he says goodbye to his mother, it gets me every time.
Qui-Gon is an intriguing character. He's not a cynical scoundrel like Han; he's very principled and determined to do the right thing. But he's a maverick. He doesn't follow the establishment just because it's the establishment. He goes his own way, whatever the consequences. I've often thought that while Luke Skywalker is an avatar for young George Lucas, Qui-Gon is an apt older version of Lucas. The establishment acknowledges him as accomplished and impressive in his field, but just can't figure out why he won't conform. And it's very telling that Qui-Gon doesn't survive the movie. His way is not a safe one. It stands as a warning to the Jedi Council in their complacency, so certain that the Sith were extinct. If they had been more vigilant, tragedy could have been averted.
It also sets up why Anakin finds himself apprenticed to Obi-Wan, an inexperienced Jedi who was only just a Padawan himself, who might have a teensy bit of jealousy that Qui-Gon was ready to dump Obi-Wan to start training the supposed Chosen One, whose training of Anakin is born more of loyalty to Qui-Gon's dying wishes than any attachment to Anakin himself. It sets into place all their troubled dynamic, and though Qui-Gon does not appear directly in subsequent episodes, his influence colors a great deal of the storyline.
I really do like the title. It's evocative of the cheesy, over-the-top titles of the old serials. Phantom and menace were both very commonly used terms. And it's quite accurate of what's going on in the story. There's some kind of menace and everyone knows it, but they can't quite pinpoint it. They keep getting fooled by distractions - Darth Maul is an imposing foe, but no one seems to recognize he's just a puppet. The Trade Federation is really a front for a far more devious enemy. Everything is shrouded in shadow, and the true evil isn't defeated at all - he's standing right there at the victory celebration, having just attained a major step in his plot to take over the galaxy! The parade music is in fact a cheerful, bouncy, major key riff on the Emperor's theme. Oh, the delicious irony.
The podracing sequence, I acknowledge, goes on a little long, particularly the extended cut on the DVD release. However, as a symbol it provides a great bit of foreshadowing regarding the arc of Anakin's character. Sebulba's sabotage gives him a late start through no fault of his own, just like his birth into slavery impedes his training as a Jedi. But then, thanks to his extraordinary skills, he zooms forward and begins to surpass everyone else. Things are looking pretty good until something goes wrong, and he has to make repairs mid-race. The increasing pressure of his Jedi training will begin to wear on him, forcing him to reevaluate his choices and priorities. He even gets a little trouble from the Tusken Raiders, which is, ahem, quite horrifyingly important in the next film. And then he gets snagged on Sebulba's racer, trapped by his enemy, like he will be trapped by Palpatine. But just before the race's end, he manages to pull free.
Since this is a prequel, released after the original story but taking place earlier in the narrative, they can have some fun with hints of future events. Some are funny, like Threepio saying they'll never get him onto one of those dreadful starships, and some are heartbreaking, like Anakin's "No one can kill a Jedi" or his first meeting with Obi-Wan. The first time we saw Episode I, we watched Episode IV the very next day, and Obi-Wan and Vader's meeting on the Death Star was fraught with so much more meaning. Sob.
Now we must come to Jar Jar. I like Jar Jar. I know why he's hated with so much vitriol. He has an obnoxious voice and lots of slapstick associated with him. Also, he's kind of what we all fear we might be - a panicky, graceless fool. Well, I have the feeling that if I were put in the sort of perilous situations found in Star Wars films, I'd end up behaving a lot more like Jar Jar than anyone else. Honestly, it surprises me how much energy people waste on hating Jar Jar, fifteen years after the fact. Just let it go! And maybe give him just a little bit of credit as a technological advancement, if nothing else - some years before Gollum got his big break, Jar Jar was already a fully realized, highly convincing CGI character. For all the complaints about him, people don't seem to complain that he looks fake. Their loathing is so powerful, in fact, you'd think they were talking about a real person. And making-of accounts indicate that Ahmed Best was much appreciated by the cast and crew for keeping them entertained during the grueling filming in Tunisia. I like to see that side of Jar Jar rather than focusing on the hate.
Anyway, Jar Jar is part of an ongoing theme in the prequels, particularly Episode I. Symbiants (Qui-Gon's trademark word referring to symbiosis), life forms working together for mutual advantage. This is very much in keeping with the concept of the Force, but it's especially true of Qui-Gon's creed. Even most of the characters of the movie are dismissive of and annoyed by Jar Jar, but Qui-Gon doesn't dismiss anyone. "This Gungan may be of use to us" he says early on, and though it takes some time for this to come true, his words are truly prophetic. Without Jar Jar, the Queen could never have formulated her plan to take back Naboo. The two peoples have lived apart, spurning each other and therefore denying themselves the strength that comes from mutual support. When they finally form an alliance, they become powerful enough to regain their freedom from the Federation. Obi-Wan, as Qui-Gon's student, knows this truth as well: "What happens to one of you must affect the other." They tried to live separately, thinking they'd be better off, but it almost led to their destruction. And I just love that the one to bring their peoples back together is Jar Jar, the exile, rejected by his own people and an outcast among the humans. Yet he is the only one uniquely qualified to bridge the gap between Gungan and Naboo. Maybe his clumsiness, the cause of his exile, was the best thing that could have happened. The Force works in mysterious ways. ;)
This theme, of course, also includes the oft-reviled midichlorians, which never bothered me. They're hardly a scientific explanation - little beings inside your body that speak to you in some metaphysical, ethereal way? Sounds about as mystic as you can get. And it gives a tangible way to indicate Anakin's potential, plus a sort of mystery about his inexplicable conception. I don't know. It just works for me. The Force was always about the connectedness of living things. Life creates it, right? And symbiosis is the essence of the good side. The dark side, in contrast, is parasitic.
Now I must mention the costumes, the glorious, insanely awesome costumes. They really embrace the whole concept of Star Wars as a sort of way-ancient-history period drama, rather than super-futuristic sci-fi. Every time I see a film that tries to make the costumes look futuristic, I can tell that in less than a decade it's going to look incredibly cheesy and dated. But going the historical route - taking cues from various cultures and time periods - is much smarter and so much more evocative. It's rather absurd, of course, just how many costume changes Queen Amidala has, but it makes me chuckle when they're stranded on Tatooine trying to scrounge up money for repairs and Obi-Wan mentions the queen's wardrobe as something they might sell. It's clear that on Naboo, the ceremonial trappings of royalty are considered crucial for maintaining the queen's authority and, probably, her safety.
I don't think anyone was fooled that Padmé and Queen Amidala weren't one in the same, but that dichotomy makes some nice symbolism about the two sides of her character which will come into play in the next film. Meanwhile, I like her childhood friendship with Anakin. It's nice to have a relationship start out with a simple and innocent foundation, even if it's a little bit of a stretch to see Padmé as a fourteen-year-old. One of my favorite scenes is their conversation on the ship, when they both gain some comfort in acknowledging the other's sadness.
I love it. And for me, the worst part of Episode I was that I had to wait three years for the next installment. Now I just pop in the next episode whenever I want. Hooray! :)
