[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)

I've never watched a Star Wars film on May the fourth before and i didn't mean to last night. However as i searched for something to watch, everything blended into one (I'm sure we've all had one of those times when selecting a movie) so i thought f*cki it i'll watch a Star Wars movie.

It's not that long since i watched Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back on dvd in unf*cked with glory so they were out. Return of the Jedi's unf*cked with dvd still sits in the to-watch pile and i wasn't wasting that on a Monday night. I saw Solo twice last year as well as Rogue One again so they were out too. Of the 'New Skywalker' trilogy i only have The Force Awakens. The second film was terrible and doubt i'll ever see the new one.

So The Phantom Menace it was.

Yes, it's still only half decent but the final showdown between the two Jedi and Darth Maul is cinematic brilliance, complemented by John Williams stirring Duel of the Fates theme. Had Williams been born in the nineteenth century and come up with the Star Wars theme, The Imperial March, Duel of the Fates, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Superman and Jurassic Park i'm convinced he'd be acknowledged in the same light as Strauss, Beethoven, Shostakovich and Mozart.

Anyway, after sitting through Jar Jar and the interminable Jake Loyd and once again not being able to tell the difference between Natalie Portman and Keira Knightley, i think next May the fourth i'll just have an early night instead.