A Thousand Stars: Episode I, Part 35

[matril]

Padmé Amidala's plan to thwart her enemy's expectations is working. A massive army gathering on the plains? Better direct all their attention on that. The Federation leaders are terrified, Darth Maul is wary. Darth Sidious is ruthless. With his famous line to wipe them out...all of them, we transition to the Gungan's battle preparations.


The transition of Maul's face overlooking the field was chilling enough, but this takes it to a whole other level. Sidious looms over the entire battle, coolly commanding a total extermination. In my Star Words entry I already explored the multiple meanings of his phrase. The imagery here further emphasizes Sidious's dominance and duplicitous nature. Note how he is ultimately consumed by fog. Remember how fog and mist serve as visual motifs in these films? Evoking an air of mystery, uncertainty or menace? Well, here's the phantom menace himself.


Interestingly, this image of the army emerging from the fog (so striking and evocative that it was included in the original trailer) hints at their hidden nature as well -- a diversion, to draw the Federation's attention away from the true attack on the palace. Curious that the cut from Sidious to the army could draw an association between the two -- because Sidious's alter-ego is also a diversion to draw attention away from his true intent to conquer the galaxy. Whew. That's a whole lot of meaning in a few seconds of screen time. These movies are brilliant.

Next time, another iconic trailer-worthy image....

Comments

[krpalmer]

I'd thought your previous post about one particular scene-transition wipe interesting, and felt kind of bad when I couldn't articulate my thoughts to the point of offering you a comment before "it seemed too late to." Having it pointed out a rather similar wipe follows in short order grabbed my attention, though, and I suppose i've said this much already. Maybe it helps encourage thoughts of "there are things in all of these movies to be noticed beyond the moment to moment." I suppose I also tend to be conscious that "the army emerging from the fog isn't just a moment from the trailer; it's the moment that opens the trailer."