The Beginning: The Making of Star Wars Episode I
2001·Documentary·1h 6m
7.1
★
The entire process of making Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999) is shown here in this documentary. From pre-production through post-production, we get to see visual effects meetings, John Williams' music sessions, and even the storm that wiped out the pod-racers & props.
Directed by Jon Shenk
making of
IMDB
N/A
Cast
George Lucas
Self
Jake Lloyd
Self
Steven Spielberg
Self
Ewan McGregor
Self
Ahmed Best
Self
Rick McCallum
Self
Pernilla August
Self
Ray Park
Self
Ian McDiarmid
Self
Liam Neeson
Self
John Fensom
Self
Frank Oz
Self
Crew
Jon Shenk
Director
Jon Shenk
Director of Photography
Popular Reviews
27 reviews
William Shatner 2.0
7.0★ · 05/18/26
"Jar Jar is the key"
- George Lucas
- George Lucas
"Jar Jar is the key"
- George Lucas
- George Lucas
APPRO
magic in the air
magic in the air
Micah
8.5★ · 05/02/25
You’re kidding me. They still can’t format the documentary properly. It was filmed in the 16:9 aspect ratio originally, but it’s in the 4:3 aspect ratio. So there’s black bars on the top and bottom of the frame and on each side. Poor Jake Lloyd. They said the budget was 50 million then I looked at Wikipedia and saw 115 million lol. I couldn’t imagine just sitting at an empty desk writing The Attack Of The Clones on a yellow notepad and a pencil. Like that just seems insane to me. Funny enough this “documentary” is almost better than the actual movie lmao.
You’re kidding me. They still can’t format the documentary properly. It was filmed in the 16:9 aspect ratio originally, but it’s in the 4:3 aspect ratio. So there’s black bars on the top and bottom of the frame and on each side. Poor Jake Lloyd. They said the budget was 50 million then I looked at Wikipedia and saw 115 million lol. I couldn’t imagine just sitting at an empty desk writing The Attack Of The Clones on a yellow notepad and a pencil. Like that just seems insane to me. Funny enough this “documentary” is almost better than the actual movie lmao.
Jake
10.0★ · 04/03/24
I think this is my favourite making-of documentary. When I was quite young I watched it and didn’t quite gather exactly what was happening in it, but it contributed to my ambitions of become a filmmaker from a very young age.
And now when I watch it I still get the feelings I did when I was younger, but now I get the hilarious twist when they first watch what the fuck they just made, and when you hear Lucas admit he may have gone too far in certain parts, it’s truly just the cherry on top of what’s already a perfect perfect documentary.
Cannot recommend this highly enough, it’s pure magic
And now when I watch it I still get the feelings I did when I was younger, but now I get the hilarious twist when they first watch what the fuck they just made, and when you hear Lucas admit he may have gone too far in certain parts, it’s truly just the cherry on top of what’s already a perfect perfect documentary.
Cannot recommend this highly enough, it’s pure magic
I think this is my favourite making-of documentary. When I was quite young I watched it and didn’t quite gather exactly what was happening in it, but it contributed to my ambitions of become a filmmaker from a very young age.
And now when I watch it I still get the feelings I did when I was younger, but now I get the hilarious twist when they first watch what the fuck they just made, and when you hear Lucas admit he may have gone too far in certain parts, it’s truly just the cherry on top of what’s already a perfect perfect documentary.
Cannot recommend this highly enough, it’s pure magic
And now when I watch it I still get the feelings I did when I was younger, but now I get the hilarious twist when they first watch what the fuck they just made, and when you hear Lucas admit he may have gone too far in certain parts, it’s truly just the cherry on top of what’s already a perfect perfect documentary.
Cannot recommend this highly enough, it’s pure magic
Santi
8.5★ · 02/29/24
This is so fucking cool and bat shit insane at the same time. To see early Jar Jar tests, George Lucas asking the visual effects team to revolutionize their industry in real time, watch Ewan McGregor & Liam Neeson lightsaber training, see the co-editors want to commit suicide every single day, AND JOHN WILLIAMS COMPOSE DUAL OF THE FATES?? Banger.
This is so fucking cool and bat shit insane at the same time. To see early Jar Jar tests, George Lucas asking the visual effects team to revolutionize their industry in real time, watch Ewan McGregor & Liam Neeson lightsaber training, see the co-editors want to commit suicide every single day, AND JOHN WILLIAMS COMPOSE DUAL OF THE FATES?? Banger.