Synopsis:
My take on The Phantom Menace. It's pretty conservative story wise, but very active with regards to pacing and tone. I tried to use the same principles for editing that The Phantom Editor used for 'Attack of the Phantom' (but not the original phantom edit) and that I later used for my Return of the Jedi edit. An emphasis has been made on improved pacing and tone, as well as seamlessness and wanting it to feel like it could have been the original film.
Intentions:
There are many great edits of The Phantom Menace out there, and I drew inspiration from many of them. I just felt like I had my own unique take on the presentation of this film.
Change List:
I didn't keep a detailed cutlist and there was way too many to keep track of, but in general and highlights:
-Dialog is often trimmed to get to the point and be snappier
-Pacing and momentum sped up and heightened
-You never see Gungan City
-You never see Anakin's friends. They all sucked anyway except that one kid. I can't remember his name it started with a K. This was more cut for pacing
-Removed the entire subplot of whether or not Anakin's podracer will work or not and having to get it ready. There's already enough subplot and exposition going on, we don't need another. He said he built it, it's built, there's a brief shot of him tinkering with it while Qui-Gon talks to Shmi on the porch. It's made clear that it malfunctions because of Sebulba's sabotage prior to the race
-No midichlorians. Master, what are midichlorians? Nobody knows
-Not really a ton of other specific things, just tightening and pacing and such. If you've liked my other edits you know what to expect.
Additional Notes:
I tried to give it the tone and pacing of the original films, but without being ruthless. It is faster, but I was conscious to not make it TOO fast and feel chopped up. Jar-jar is reduced, but is still there enough that his presence makes sense. Dialog is slightly quicker and snappier as is the overall speed of the movie but it was carefully done.
Special Thanks:
Chainsawash for creating the blu ray sleeve
Hal9000, octoroxx, and Q2 whose edits were an inspiration on me for making this and were a resource to look to for inspiration if I had trouble tackling a cut I wanted to make.