Phantom Menace Trailer

I hope no one minds me starting a thread for this, but I have a question that is driving me crazy.

I remember enjoying the very fist trailer for The Phantom Menace immensely. I couldn’t wait for the movie. I remember it starting with the Gungans in the fog, the droid troop transports slowly coming over the hills with their distinct sound, then a close of up Amidala looking out a window. It ended with just a quick look at Darth Maul as he ignited the 2nd blade of his lightsaber.

I’ve been looking all over the internet this morning to find that trailer and I do not see it anywhere. All of the trailers I’m finding show far more that we got to see initially, I feel certain of it.

I’m starting to think I’m crazy. Does anyone else remember a different version of the trailer? I know I saw it first online and in those days I was only able to see it in a little window, not the full monitor, but I also saw it on TV later. I thought I would just come here and ask. If no one here remembers, then maybe I’m in the Matrix or something.

Are you sure it wasn’t a TV spot? Because the first trailer that starts with the gungans is everywhere online.

I’ve looked at trailers, teasers and tv spots on youtube, and it’s none of those. Could the one they released online earlier be different? I think it was in quicktime? Maybe that’s why it isn’t around anymore?

As you can see from this old archive of starwars .com, the first teaser released in November 1998: https://web.archive.org/web/20061224050901oe_/http://www.starwars.com/episode-i/release/trailer/archive.html

And here’s the direct .mov link to it (you can download and watch with vlc): https://web.archive.org/web/20061225164218oe_/http://www.starwars.com/episode-i/release/trailer/mov/menace00.mov

It looks the same as the teasers uploaded to youtube.

I feel like Obi-Wan looking for Kamino. I know there is another trailer. I remember it distinctly. I don’t know why it isn’t on youtube. There’s got to be someone else out there who remembers it.

I’m confused, because it seems to me like the linked trailer is exactly what you’re describing in your OP, but then you say that’s not it…?

It’s definitely the same first teaser that I scrutinized for days on end as a 9 year old on my parents’ shitty dialup connection.

I don’t remember any trailer ending with Darth Maul’s second blade igniting.

I downloaded and saved all of the (US) online trailers from 1998-1999, but they’re on a hard drive at home and I won’t be able to get to them until the weekend. Will definitely check!

Obvious question: have you checked the TV spots from the DVD box set? I don’t remember if they’re the same as the “tone poem”/tv spots or if there are others.

You’re memory is mixing up two different trailers. The initial teaser and the 2nd full length trailer. The 2nd trailer has the opening shot of the droid troop ships coming over the hill.

Unless there was a tv spot that mixed those images your remembering the 2nd full trailer.

All of the trailers seem to be showing so much more that I don’t remember being in the first teaser I saw. Sounds like I have some sort of false memory, since no one else remembers it. Let me go take some Omega-3.

Are you sure you aren’t just remembering a fan-edited trailer?