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The Phantom Menace - anyone want to chat about TPM?

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It sucks the least of all the prequels. I’ll absolutely never watch AOTC or ROTS again, but it’s not outside the realm of possibility that I could almost watch TPM again in the future.

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Honestly, its not even the worst of the whole saga.

May 25, 1977

The day that changed the world

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I like it a lot, and wish there was a version publicly available that would do it’s visuals justice. I’d probably have to say it’s one of the weaker Lucas films, I love the Prequels as much as the originals, but this one is definitely lower than some of those.

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I personally wouldn’t say I like the prequels more than OT, but they are definitely better then Disney’s trilogy.

May 25, 1977

The day that changed the world

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Might I add, TPM also has a lot of historically moments in terms of movie technology and home video. TPM was one of the first movies to be (almost) fully CGI, TPM introduced us to the first interactive CGI character, and TPM also introduced Star Wars to DVD.

May 25, 1977

The day that changed the world

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RUKUSBUILD3 said:

I personally wouldn’t say I like the prequels more than OT, but they are definitely better then Disney’s trilogy.

I think the dream of a visionary will always be better than the sludge made by a corporate machine. It’s movie making by committee.

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Anyone own TPH on Video CD? I’m fondly interested in that topic particularly?

May 25, 1977

The day that changed the world

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RUKUSBUILD3 said:

TPM was one of the first movies to be (almost) fully CGI

Absolutely not true. It was shot on celluloid and made extensive use of practical effects and models, though you wouldn’t know it from the god-awful home-video transfers it’s received.

TV’s Frink said:

I would put this in my sig if I weren’t so lazy.

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I know. That’s why I said “almost”. But, most of the visual effects were CGI except mainly the spaceship/control station scenes. The spaceship from the negotiations scene was defiantly an old school model explosion (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fd6sbCi4qgA). As was the scene near the end when Anakin Skywalker blew up the Control Ship and Yoda (before the release of the DVD) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFcWCpxynuA) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uz8RgJ_9lwc). Also, the DVD releases for TPM aren’t particularly that bad compared to other home video releases. It’s much better then the VCD and possibly better then the VHS in some aspects. Though, the Laserdisc release will always be the better way to watch the original theatrical version of TPM.

May 25, 1977

The day that changed the world

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Oh, I thought this may be an interesting thread on TPM itself. Though going on posts made in here by the OP wants to bash on other Star Wars films to attempt to make TPM seem better? So no thanks.

The Phantom Menace on VCD was pretty good for the time - I still have both my old imports of it somewhere.

50 Cent is just an imposter

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At its best, a vague attempt to bring classic slave revolt and Roman Empire style tales to a new audience. With some ground breaking visual effects/special effects. But that’s only window dressing for a movie; since at its worst it’s just embarrassing, incompetent and lacking any kind of dramatic energy. The merit that it “feels like a movie” next to the other prequels damning with faint praise. But what else is new.

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I think there is more than 2 imports for TPM on VCD. Which one’s do you have?

May 25, 1977

The day that changed the world

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I disagree totally. TPM is definitely not as bad compared to Disney’s installment. But I have my reasons.

May 25, 1977

The day that changed the world

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Rukus, what’s the point of this thread? We’ve more than discussed Phantom in several threads over the years (and still do). Likewise, there’s no shortage of discussions currently ongoing where people can vent or praise the Disney films.

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RUKUSBUILD3 said:

I disagree totally. TPM is definitely not as bad compared to Disney’s installment.

Every single Disney film is better (even the TROS shit storm).

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I’ve never understood the argument over which trilogy is better. The prequels and sequels are so different that it seems like comparing an apple to an airplane.

The OT: A timeless classic, beloved by multiple generations. There are a few plot holes, but they are outweighed by the amazing emotional moments.
The prequels: Controversial when they came out, hated a few years later, loved by the people who grew up with them. They expand the universe in many ways, but the dialogue leaves much to be desired.
The sequels: Very controversial, the subject of much fiery debate. They are very professionally made and entertaining to watch, but they fail to expand the universe, they undo the accomplishments of the OT heroes only to redo them with Rey, and they have many plot holes and leaps of logic.

The prequels and sequels are good and bad in their own ways, but in my opinion the prequels are better than the sequels.

My preferred Skywalker Saga experience:
I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX

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As someone who grew up with the prequels and can still watch and enjoy them any day of the week, I get why so many young people praise and defend them. If they were your introduction to the franchise, it makes sense that you’d have a nostalgic attachment. I do too, but I also can’t deny the many, many aspects of the films that simply do not work. They all pretty much suck to varying degrees. I wish I could say they didn’t, but they do. Like I said, I still enjoy them, but I can acknowledge that they’re simply not very good movies. And that’s okay.

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DominicCobb said:

As someone who grew up with the prequels and can still watch and enjoy them any day of the week, I get why so many young people praise and defend them. If they were your introduction to the franchise, it makes sense that you’d have a nostalgic attachment. I do too, but I also can’t deny the many, many aspects of the films that simply do not work. They all pretty much suck to varying degrees. I wish I could say they didn’t, but they do. Like I said, I still enjoy them, but I can acknowledge that they’re simply not very good movies. And that’s okay.

I feel the same way. The prequels were my introduction to the franchise, and I feel like a lot of the good parts of those movies are being overlooked, but I also agree that they have a lot of bad parts.

My preferred Skywalker Saga experience:
I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX

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StarkillerAG said:

DominicCobb said:

As someone who grew up with the prequels and can still watch and enjoy them any day of the week, I get why so many young people praise and defend them. If they were your introduction to the franchise, it makes sense that you’d have a nostalgic attachment. I do too, but I also can’t deny the many, many aspects of the films that simply do not work. They all pretty much suck to varying degrees. I wish I could say they didn’t, but they do. Like I said, I still enjoy them, but I can acknowledge that they’re simply not very good movies. And that’s okay.

I feel the same way. The prequels were my introduction to the franchise, and I feel like a lot of the good parts of those movies are being overlooked, but I also agree that they have a lot of bad parts.

I think the tide has officially turned. About ten years ago, you couldn’t find nearly anyone who’d admit to anything good at all about the prequels. Now it’s the opposite, where it seems like many people refuse to accept their poor qualities.