Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace Parent Guide

• Package type: Keep case
• Aspect ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 2.35:1
• DVD encoding: Region 1
• Available audio tracks: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround), Spanish (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround).
• Available subtitles: English.
• THX Certified

• Commentary by George Lucas and numerous other crewmembers
• Deleted scenes documentary with 7 never before seen sequences completed for the DVD release
• One hour documentary culled from over 600 hours of footage
• Storyboard to animatic to film segment
• Five featurettes highlighting the storyline, design, costumes, visual effects, and fight sequences
• John Williams music video—Duel Of The Fates
• Production photo gallery
• International theatrical posters
• Theatrical teaser and launch trailers, seven TV spots
• Featurette: Making of the Sony Playstation 2 game by LucasArts—Star Wars Starfighter

With the entertainment world embracing the powerful DVD format over the past few years, there’s been a noticeable void in the thousands of DVD titles: Star Wars. With multiple releases of all four Star Wars episodes on VHS, it took until October 16, 2001, before the fabled space legend would find its way to the futuristic silver disc.

Following so much anticipation (shortly after the VHS release over a year ago, fans began petitions calling on George Lucas to deliver the disc), the market almost demands this to be one of the highest quality DVD releases to date… and it is.

A two-disc collection selling for a very reasonable $24, this DVD release is stuffed tighter than Queen Amidala’s hairdo.

Disc One contains completely animated chapter menus along with a commentary by Lucas and others that you can listen to while viewing the movie… the latter of which is also included. And compared to VHS quality, this DVD print is like seeing Episode 1 all over again. Finally, there are links to the Star Wars official web site, along with links especially for “DVD Owners.” (Unfortunately, we were unable to connect to the latter selection—perhaps due to our office’s computer firewall).

On Disc Two, fans will discover one of most informative “making of” documentaries put to DVD. Unlike so many others, which come across as cheap marketing hoopla, this is a true documentary that even forgoes the voiceover announcer. With honest remarks from creators beginning months before initial shooting begins, and working through the film’s four year production, this title could be worth the cost of the disc alone.

Other offerings on Disc Two include an interesting music video that is cut to a piece from the film’s dramatic score, a thorough explanation of “animatics” (the ability to rough out special effects in 3D animation) and how they assist the creative process—again samples are included from various parts of the film allowing you to see the application, a beautiful production photo gallery, theatrical posters of the movie from around the world, TV spots, and various promotional trailers. Only a short clip about Star Wars Starfighter—LucasArts’ Playstation 2 video game offering—comes across as more advertisement than information.

Toss in a half dozen more documentary featurettes dealing with everything from costumes to fight scenes, along with other short clips originally published on the Star Wars web site during the making of Episode 1, and you’ll find yourself sitting in your viewing pod for over six hours—and that’s if you don’t watch the movie.