Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
<p><i><b>Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace</b></i> is a <a title="1999 in film" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1999_in_film">1999</a>
<a title="Science fantasy" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_fantasy">science fantasy</a>
<a title="Film" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film">film</a> written and directed by <a title="George Lucas" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Lucas">George Lucas</a>. It was the fourth film to be released in the <i><a title="Star Wars" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars">Star Wars</a></i> saga, and the first in terms of <a title="Dates in Star Wars" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dates_in_Star_Wars">internal chronology</a>. Among fans, the title is commonly abbreviated as "<b>TPM</b>".<sup class="reference" id="_ref-0"><a title="" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_Episode_I:_The_Phantom_Menace#_note-0">[1]</a></sup></p><p>The film begins as two <a title="Jedi" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jedi">Jedi Knights</a> are assigned as ambassadors to a trade dispute that is threatening the planet <a title="Naboo" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naboo">Naboo</a>. When the situation turns violent, the Jedi, along with <a title="Padmé Amidala" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Padmé_Amidala">Padmé Amidala</a>, the planet's queen, flee Naboo in an attempt to reach the capital world <a title="Coruscant" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coruscant">Coruscant</a> in the hope of finding a peaceful end to the dispute. Along the way, the ship must stop for repairs on the planet <a title="Tatooine" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tatooine">Tatooine</a>. It is there that the Jedi encounter <a title="Anakin Skywalker" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anakin_Skywalker">Anakin Skywalker</a>, a young slave boy who is unusually strong in <a title="The Force (Star Wars)" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Force_(Star_Wars)">the Force</a>. When the group returns to Naboo, they realize that the situation is much worse than they thought—the evil <a title="Sith" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sith">Sith</a> have returned.</p><p>The release of the film on <a title="May 19" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_19">May 19</a>, <a title="1999" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1999">1999</a> came almost 16 years after the previous film in the series, <i><a title="Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_Episode_VI:_Return_of_the_Jedi">Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi</a></i>. The release was accompanied by extensive media coverage and great anticipation. Despite mixed reviews by critics, it grossed <a title="United States dollar" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_dollar">US$</a>924.3 million worldwide.</p>[attach]6064[/attach]<br/>
