25 years ago… I became a fan all over again

 

25 years ago … A young 21-year-old sat in the theater 27 times to watch this movie. That 21-year-old was me and yes I went to see the Phantom Menace 27 times. I had been a long time since Star Wars had been in theaters, and I was obsessed.

I had learned everything about the movie I had the official visual encyclopedias in hardback editions, I had bought every magazine about it, and I could quote the movie line for line by the fourth time of seeing the movie. 

I had been very hesitant to place my faith in a new Star Wars, and I just had to see it in theater. The first time I saw it, I was awe struck. Liam Neeson was perfect as Qui-gon Jinn, Ewan McGregor was my ideal as Obi-Wan Kenobi. But what sealed the deal for me was Darth Maul. Dual Lightsabres, Horns on his head, And a man of few words. The Sith came fully loaded and they convinced me that maybe I wasn’t the Jedi that I thought I could be since I was a little girl, maybe I was a Sith.

The only bad part for me was Jar Jar, and even that I could stomach in small doses.

To me at that time, the movie was perfection and I couldn’t hear anything bad about it. And to this day I still tear up when I’m sitting there. I cry when that crawl starts and it says the Phantom Menace because I remember what it felt like 25 years ago, to be so excited to see Star Wars once again in the theater. 

I’m actually crying as I type this because I’ve missed that feeling so much. Theaters aren’t what they used to be. They were a whole lot better back in those days. I haven’t been to theater in years because I don’t like it anymore. People have killed my love of the theater and movies that way. The last movie I actually saw in theaters I believe was an avengers movie and it was before the pandemic.

So it’s with a sad and nostalgic heart that I say happy anniversary to Star Wars the Phantom Menace. 25 years ago, you made a girl very happy and gave her a reason to dream again, so thank you very much and may the force be with you always.