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| | | PORT PERRY "WEEKEND STAR" FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 2000-9 iia 4 TT -- LL BN BE BN BN J SCREENING Hilily ® ©9000 0 'By John Foote THE PHANTOM MENACE (Yee) On video April 4 THE SIXTH SENSE (Lede Levri¥) Now .on video One of the most disappointing movie events of last year, Star Wars - The Phantom Menace was placed in the unenviable posi- tion of never being able to live up to the hype surrounding the film. I remember see- ing theatres in Los Angeles with time clocks set up, counting down the months, weeks, days, hours, minutes, and seconds until the release of the film, which came to audiences last May. When the picture was finally released, audiences kind of groaned it was not as good as they had hoped, but how could it have possibly. been? The only thing that would have pleased fans would have been a ride on the Death Star or a real encounter with Obi-Wan Kanobi. Despite weak reviews, The Phantom Menace quickly became the highest money maker of 1999, grossing in excess of $700 million, of which only a pittance goes to the studio handling the distribution, Fox 2000. - The rest of that cash lines the already over- stuffed pockets of George Lucas, a quiet lit- tle genius who has revolutionized the entire movie industry with both his films and the technology created to make them. Lucas exploded in the 70s as a director with American Graffiti (1973), a bittersweet look at youth in the early 60s. What is astounding about the picture is that it still, after all these years, seems familiar. Why? Lucas created a film based on his experiences as a teenager growing up in Modesto, California, but the reason the film has such a strong impact on audiences is because each and every one of us knew the people in the film in our high school days. We all knew someone like John Milner, the 20-year-old who cannot lose touch with his youth, or Terry the Toad, the brainy little geek who wants only to belong. His second film of the decade, Star Wars (1977), became a pop culture phenomenon, won seven Academy Awards, and was the highest grossing film of all time. Further to that, the advancements in visual effects was astounding, and the fact the storyline was simplistic yet moving helped make the film an appealing experience to movie goers of all ages. Two enormously popular sequels fol- lowed. The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and The Return of the Jedi (1983) were both Oscar winners, and brilliant additions to the trilogy. Ironically, Lucas did not direct either of the sequels, though his hand is present in every frame. The Phantom Menace is a prequel to the first three films, taking place 40 to 50 years before the events of Star Wars took place. Lucas has already made it clear the film is the first of three pictures exploring Annakin Skywalker's journey to the dark side of the force, and his ascension to being the master of galactic evil, Darth Vader. Though not the daring masterpiece BameRrs \ Coming to video: The Star Wars saga continues Ewen McGregor is among the stars who almost shine in the Star Wars prequel, to be released on video Tuesday. everyone anticipated it to be, The Phantom Menace is a terrific entertainment, obvious- ly the set-up film for the next two. What | found perplexing about the picture was the imbalance in direction from Lucas. Here is a film maker who gave us indelible characters in his previous films, but here in The Phantom Menace, there is a decided lack of character in any of the major performances. In fact, despite the swashbuckling hero- ics and magnificent light saber battles, the film lacks heart. it was precisely that quality that made the first three films the master- works that they were, and precisely what makes this one rather ordinary. I have a theory. In the 70s, Lucas directed actors. After 1977 he chose not to direct for 22 years, focusing on producing, creating visual effect breakthroughs at Skywalker Ranch, and run- ning his visual effect house, Industrial Light and Magic. His advancements in the field of film sciences have earned him the Irving Thalberg Award, and the respect of the entire industry. Perhaps this acclaim and research came with a steep price, because for all the effort, The Phantom Menace is an effects film lack- ing in the very human elements that made Star Wars the classic it is. Lucas seems obsessed with getting every digital effect Please turn to page 12 Sr Tr tation where possible. 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