BOOTLEGGER'S DRIVE-IN SATURDAY NIGHT: SNOW CREATURE & THE PHANTOM PLANET

Directors: George Lucas

Cast: Ian McDiarmid, Anthony Daniels, Natalie Portman, Ewan McGregor, Frank Oz, Pernilla August, Liam Neeson, Jake Lloyd, Kenny Baker

Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace is a 1999 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas in his first directorial effort since the original Star Wars, released in 1977. Produced by Lucasfilm and distributed by 20th Century Fox, it is the fourth film in the Star Wars film series, the first film of the prequel trilogy and the first chronological chapter of the "Skywalker Saga". The film stars Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Jake Lloyd, Ahmed Best, Ian McDiarmid, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Pernilla August, and Frank Oz. It is set 32 years before the original trilogy (13 years before the formation of the Galactic Empire), during the era of the Galactic Republic. The film follows Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi as they try to protect Padmé Amidala of Naboo in her mission to resolve an interplanetary trade dispute. They also confront the mysterious return of the Sith with the Force-sensitive young slave Anakin Skywalker joining their efforts. Following the release of Return of the Jedi (1983), talks of a follow-up were proposed, but Lucas was not motivated to return to the franchise. During the hiatus, the backstories he created for the characters, particularly Anakin's, sparked interest in him to develop a prequel trilogy during the 1990s. After he determined that computer-generated imagery (CGI) had advanced to the level he wanted for the prequel trilogy's visual effects, Lucas began writing The Phantom Menace in 1993, and production began in 1994. Filming started in June 1997—at locations at Leavesden Film Studios, at the Royal Palace of Caserta in Italy and the Tunisian desert—and ended in September. The Phantom Menace was released in theaters on May 19, 1999, almost 16 years after the premiere of Return of the Jedi. The film's premiere was extensively covered by media and was widely anticipated because of the large cultural following the Star Wars saga had cultivated. Upon its release, The Phantom Menace received mixed reviews from critics. While the visual effects and action sequences were praised, criticism was largely focused on its exposition and characters—particularly Jar Jar Binks. The film was a box-office success and broke numerous records. It grossed $924 million worldwide during its initial theatrical run, becoming the highest-grossing film of 1999, the second-highest-grossing film of all-time, and the third-highest in North America (behind Titanic and Star Wars), as well as the highest-grossing Star Wars film at the time (not factoring in inflation). The film has been re-released several times, including a 2012 3D reissue which brought its overall worldwide gross to over $1 billion. Attack of the Clones (2002) and Revenge of the Sith (2005) followed The Phantom Menace, rounding out the Star Wars prequel trilogy.

A COMPLETE DVD. Features a custom menu with either poster art or a still photo from one of the movies and drive-in style audio. Burning this DVD is really easy: Download the zipped folder, open it, and extract the VIDEO TS folder. Grab a blank DVD and burn the VIDEO TS folder, that's the easiest way. I've also uploaded the files outside the .zip so they can be viewed here on this site. This DVD features SNOW CREATURE & THE PHANTOM PLANET, with previews and intermission reels. Enjoy the show!