Episode 37: Star Wars Review, Episodes 1-3

Topic: Star Wars Review, Episodes 1-3

This week starts our first review of the Star Wars Movies.  This week, as we’re watching them in the intended order of 1-8, we’re watching the Prequel Trilogy, which came out in 1999-2005.  Fair Warning, Mom did not enjoy these movies, and we get to talk about it.

Ep 1: The Phantom Menace

1. Obiwan Kenobi & Qui GonJin are sent to Planet of Naboo regarding a blockade by the Trade Federation
2. Obiwan& Qui Gon meet Jar-jar Binks and rescue princess Padme’ Amadala from planet.
3. Their ship is damage and they land on Tatooine.
4. Quigon, Padme, and Jar Jar meet Anakin Skywalker and participate in a Pod Race for parts and Anakin’s ownership.
5. Quigon Fights Darth Maul before leaving Tatooine.
6. Everyone travels to Corusaunt, Padme tries to get Senate to intervene on her planet, while Quigon asks for Anakin to become a Jedi.  Council declines.
7. Everyone goes back to Naboo.  Jar Jar leads a Gungan army, while Padme goes to capture the trade federation representatives.  Anakin flies a star fighter, and Jedi fight sith.
8. Padme captures trade federation, Anakin blows up droid ship, Quigon dies, but Obiwan kills Darth Maul.
9. Anakin allowed to become a Jedi, New Chancellor for senate, Peace on Naboo.

Trivia-

• ·Ahmed Best played Jar Jar on set, but was later digitally removed in favor of Special Effects due to being easier and less costly.
• ·         Natalie Portman portrayed Queen Padme Amadala, Kira Knightely also portrays Padme Amadala
• ·         Liam Neeson was so eager to be in the film that he signed on without having read the script.
• ·         Natalie Portman (Queen Amidala) missed the premiere party in New York City because she had to go home to study for her high school final exams.
• ·         In 1997, a fierce sandstorm destroyed several of the Tatooine sets in the desert outside Tozeur, Tunisia. Filming resumed two days later. George Lucas considered this a good omen, as the same thing had happened during filming of Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977).

Ep 2: Attack of the Clones

1. Padme now senator, but trying to be assassinated.  Obiwan and Anakin sent to be bodyguards.
2. Obiwan finds a lead and decides to follow it, while Anakin and Padme retreat to Naboo for protection.
3. Obiwan learns of a Clone army that shouldn’t exist; Anakin and Padme make googly eyes at each other.
4. Obiwan fights with Jango Fett, and tracks him to a Droid factory planet.  Padme and Anakin go to Tatooine to rescue Anakin’s mom.
5. Obiwan capture by Droids and Count Dooku, so Padme and Aankin go to rescue, but they are also captured.
6. Jedi come to save Obiwan, Padme, and Anakin.
7. Obiwan and Anakin go to stop Count Doku, Anakin loses an hand, and Yoda saves them.
8. Start of Clone Wars

Trivia-

• ·         When Jango Fett gets into his ship after his fight with Obi-Wan, he bangs his head on the partially open door. This was intentional, and is a reference to a famous goof from Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977), where a stormtrooper accidentally bangs his head on a door.
• ·         During rehearsals and filming of Count Dooku's light-saber battle scenes, a small model of Yoda was used as a reference point for Sir Christopher Lee. The model, however, was slightly altered to have vampire fangs, to which Lee's amused response was "I will not comment on that. I didn't think you would do this to me, George!" The fangs were likely a joke at Lee's expense for his performance as Count Dracula in Horror of Dracula (1958) and several other Hammer Studios horror films.
• ·         With an estimated budget of $120 million, this was the most expensive Star Wars film until Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015), with an estimated budget of $200 million.

Ep 3: Revenge of the Sith

1. Obiwan and Anakin go to rescue Chancellor, kill Count Dooku.
2. Padme tells Anakin she’s pregnant, they’re married.
3. Chancellor Palpatine appoints Anakin to Jedi Council, but council does not give him rank of Master.  Anakin is meant to be agent of Chancellor but also for Jedi council.
4. Obiwan sent to find General Grievous, to which he defeats.
5. Palpatine tells Anakin he is a Sith and he can save Anakin’s Wife.  Anakin reports to council.
6. Council goes to Palpatine to arrest, but with Anakin’s help, kills the council members.  Anakin become Darth Vader.  Palpatine becomes Emperor.
7. Palpatine executes Order 66, killing all Jedi. Anakin goes to Jedi Temple and kills all Jedi.
8. Obiwan and Yoda return to Jedi temple to find in ruins, realizes Anakin has fallen to Dark Side.
9. Obiwan goes to Padme to learn of Anakin’s fate.  Obiwan follows Padme to fire planet.
10. Obiwan and Anakin fight on fire planet, Anakin loses other arm and legs, and catches on fire. Obiwan goes in to hiding.
11. Yoda goes to fight Palpatine, Palpatine wins, so Yoda goes in to hiding.
12. Obiwan and Yoda watch twins Luke & Leia be born.  Luke goes to tatooine with Obiwan, Leia goes to Alderan as adopted child.
13. Anakin puts on full Darth Vader suit.  Fade to construction of Death Star.

Trivia-

•   Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen trained for two months in fencing and fitness in preparation for their epic battle. As a result of their practice, the speed at which Kenobi and Vader engage the duel (in the completed movie) is the speed in which it was filmed, and was not digitally accelerated.
•   Liam Neeson has said that he recorded a cameo as Qui-Gon Jinn, which was to feature in a scene with Yoda, further explaining the concept of a Jedi communicating from beyond the grave. In the script, the dialogue (in which Qui-Gon is heard, not seen) appeared in the scene in which Yoda is meditating on the secret asteroid base, just before Bail Organa informs him of Obi-Wan's return with Padmé. The scene does not appear in the deleted scenes section of the DVD; however, an unfinished version was included in the Blu-ray release box set.
•  Chancellor Palpatine's strategy for maintaining power is known to political scientists, and is called Perpetual War. He comes to power through conflict with the Trade Federation, gains greater privileges through the Clone War, and solidifies his position through war on the Jedi.
• ·         Every clone trooper in the film is CGI. Not a single real clone costume or helmet was featured in the movie.