The Phantom Edit is a
fan editA fan edit is a version of a film modified by a viewer, that removes, reorders, or adds material in order to create a new interpretation of the source material...
of the movie
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom MenaceStar Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace is a 1999 space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. It was the fourth film to be released in the Star Wars saga and the first in terms of internal chronology. It was also Lucas' first film as a director in 22 years, and only his fourth overall...
, removing elements of the original film that were widely criticized. The purpose of the edit, according to creator
Mike J. NicholsMike J. Nichols is an American film editor who was living in Santa Clarita, California, and was originally from Illinois.Nichols has become a cult hero of sorts as "The Phantom Editor" who created a re-cut of George Lucas' Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace known as The Phantom Edit...
, was to make a much stronger version of
The Phantom Menace based on the previous execution and philosophies of film storytelling and editing of
George LucasGeorge Walton Lucas, Jr. is an American film producer, screenwriter, director and chairman of Lucasfilm Ltd. He is best known for being the creator of the epic sci-fi franchise Star Wars and joint creator of the archaeologist-adventurer character Indiana Jones...
.
The Phantom Edit was the first unauthorized re-edit of
The Phantom Menace to receive major publicity and acclaim for making the film appreciably better, and although many other re-editing attempts followed, the original
Phantom Edit is still highly regarded as a successful exercise of professional and artistic narrative film editing.
Changes
The changes include:
- re-editing nearly all scenes featuring Jar Jar Binks
Jar Jar Binks is a fictional character from the Star Wars films The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith, and Star Wars: The Clone Wars. His primary role was to provide comic relief. Jar Jar was voiced by Ahmed Best. He is almost completely computer generated...
and removing some of what he dubs 'Jar Jar Antics.'
- removing or re-editing most Battle Droid
Battle Droids are a fictional, robotic combat unit used in the Star Wars Universe. Though developed earlier, battle droids served as frontline units in the Trade Federation Army and for the Confederacy of Independent Systems during the Clone Wars era. They were mass produced on Confederate planets...
dialogue
- limiting redundant exposition throughout the film
- trimming reiteration of the politics
- re-arranged shots and scenes to match original trilogy presentation style
- removing "Yippee" and "Oops" from young Anakin's
Anakin Skywalker is a central character in the Star Wars saga. He is the main protagonist of the prequel trilogy, which follows his rise as a vessel of The Force, his fall to the dark side, and his ultimate redemption. In the prequel films, Anakin is a Jedi Padawan, and later a Jedi Knight of...
dialogue in order to make him a stronger character
- removing dialogue that specifies the nature of Midichlorians as a biological basis for Force sensitivity.
It was originally circulated to studios in Hollywood in 2000 and 2001, and was followed by worldwide media attention in magazines, television, and especially the
InternetThe Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standardized Internet Protocol Suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
.
Rumor attributed
The Phantom Edit to Kevin Smith, probably because he edits his own films and his films frequently refer to the Star Wars mythos. Smith admitted to having seen the re-edit but denied that he was the editor. The editor was revealed to be
Mike J. NicholsMike J. Nichols is an American film editor who was living in Santa Clarita, California, and was originally from Illinois.Nichols has become a cult hero of sorts as "The Phantom Editor" who created a re-cut of George Lucas' Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace known as The Phantom Edit...
of
Santa Clarita, CaliforniaSanta Clarita is the fourth largest city in Los Angeles County, California, United States and the twenty-sixth largest city in the State of California. The California Department of Finance estimated the city population as of January 1, 2009 at 177,150. Including unincorporated areas of the Santa...
in the September 7, 2001 edition of the
Washington Post.
Illegally available on VHS, DVD and later via BitTorrent, the DVD contains two deleted scenes and a commentary track by the editor as well as a few easter eggs. The DVD version has also been relabeled as Episode I.II, has a slightly different podrace from the VHS version, and contains more extensive editing to individual images and sounds that have not been entirely cut.
Reviews
Critics and filmmakers have commented on the original Phantom Edit, in most cases providing the approval and recognition which furthered the fan edit movement.
"Smart editing to say the least." — Kevin Smith, Film Director (
ClerksClerks is a American comedy film written and directed by Kevin Smith, who also appears in the film as Silent Bob. Starring Brian O'Halloran as Dante Hicks and Jeff Anderson as Randal Graves, it presents a day in the lives of two store clerks and their acquaintances. Clerks was the first of Smith's...
,
MallratsMallrats is a 1995 film written and directed by Kevin Smith. It is the second to be set in Smith's "View Askewniverse" series of interlocking films set mostly in New Jersey, although the movie was filmed in the Eden Prairie Center, which is located in Minnesota...
,
Chasing AmyChasing Amy is a 1997 romantic comedy film written and directed by Kevin Smith. It is the third film in the View Askewniverse series. The film focuses on two comic book artists: Holden McNeil , a heterosexual male, and Alyssa Jones , a lesbian-identified woman.The movie contains frank sexual...
)
"...Materialized from out of nowhere was a good film that had been hidden inside the disappointing original one." —
Daniel KrausDaniel Kraus is a German football goalkeeper who plays for FC Carl Zeiss Jena II.-References:*...
,
Salon.comSalon.com, part of Salon Media Group , often just called Salon, is an online magazine, with content updated each weekday. American liberal politics is its major focus, but it covers a range of issues. Reviews and articles about music, books and films are also a prominent feature of the site....
(November 5, 2001)
"[Done by] someone with a gift for editing!" — Michael Wilmington,
Chicago TribuneThe Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company...
Film Critic (June 18, 2001)
Attack of the Phantom
The Phantom EditorMike J. Nichols is an American film editor who was living in Santa Clarita, California, and was originally from Illinois.Nichols has become a cult hero of sorts as "The Phantom Editor" who created a re-cut of George Lucas' Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace known as The Phantom Edit...
followed up his edits of
Episode I with an edit of
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the ClonesStar Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones is a 2002 space opera film directed by George Lucas and written by Lucas and Jonathan Hales. It is the fifth film to be released in the Star Wars saga and the second in terms of internal chronology....
, for the stated purpose of not just providing easy criticism of
Episode II, but to do the harder work of demonstrating why he thinks his edit is better.
Called
Star Wars Episode II.I: Attack of the Phantom, the DVD contains a re-edited version based on a DVD release of
Episode II in surround sound, with a commentary track. At points during the commentary, the viewer has the option to interrupt the movie to view in more detail some of the things that the editor is talking about.
External links
- Mystery of Star Wars phantom edit, BBC News Article, Thursday, June 7, 2001
- All Things Considered, an NPR story, 'Star Wars' - The Phantom Edit, Robert Siegel talks with Andrew Rodgers from Zap2it.com, July 16, 2001
- "The Phantom Edit", a Salon.com article by Daniel Kraus, November 5, 2001
- Hollywood Goes Digital, Like It Or Not, a PBS Article by Charles C. Mann, November 22, 2001
- "The Phantom Editor Strikes Again", Joshua Griffin's April 29, 2005 review of Episode II.I: Attack of the Phantom, on TheForce.net fan site
- "Attack of the Phantom", Wookieepedia page about this edit