One thing struck me the other day. Often, supporters of the PT say, correctly, that when SW came out in 1977 it too got its share of negative press as. The argument goes, that the OT too faced similar criticism as the PT, and that some critics bemoaned weak script and acting, just like we do for the PT. All of this is true.

However, there is one very big difference. It didn't take long for general view of the original SW 1977 film to change radically. Less than one year, in fact. It ended up being nominated for six academy awards (including best picture and best supporting actor), and winning six of them. It quickly became heralded rather universally as a classic, important film. That is, it recovered from its initial criticisms very, very quickly, certainly within a year or two.

By contrast, it has been 11 YEARS since the Phantom Menace came out, and its reputation only continues to worsen. By any objective measure, as far as its status as a major motion picture is concerned, it has already lost the test of time.

People of all ages - even people who don't like SW - can reel off a half dozen icons, or quotes from SW... it not only revised movie-making, it impacted our culture. But even saga fans are hard-pressed to recall a single memorable line from any of the prequels (except in jest some of the bad ones). Not a single icon, or even so much as a tiny remnant of the PT can be found anywhere in our lives.

I would like to add that I still enjoy TPM. I even watch it now and then. The lightsaber duel and accompanying music is thrilling. But I'm perplexed as to how anyone with objective reasoning skills could put it in the same class as SW, ESB, or even ROTJ.