Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
by Patricia C. Wrede
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Scholastic, Lucas Books (New York): 1999. Trade paperback: 179 pages. ISBN-10: 0-590-01089-1 Suggested retail price: $5.99 (US) Tags: movie adaptation; Politics; Science Fiction; space; Youth Tactical strength: [6/10] |
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I expect movie novelizations to stand alone, but Wrede's novelization of George Lucas's screenplay assumes you already know the Star Wars universe before you begin the book. For example, instead of describing Yoda as a short, bulbous, swamp-green creature, she merely says "Master Yoda's long ears twitched" (121). As a novelization of The Phantom Menace, Wrede's text fails; but as a companion text -- one that augments the film, but cannot stand alone -- it succeeds.
Wrede's Phantom Menace covers the majority of the film's plot, and includes several scenes cut from the film. For example, when Anakin meets Amidalia (in disguise as Padme), he declares, "I'm going to marry you." This and several other small details give veracity to Qui-gon later saying that Anakin has special powers, which feels unfounded in the film.
Wrede also supplements the plot with the character's thoughts. Thus, you understand Anakin's disappointment when the Jedi council rejects him and learn that a desire to impress Amidalia motivates him. If Lucas included these thoughts in the script, then either he did a poor job directing the actors to exhibit those thoughts, or the actors lacked the ability to demonstrate such nonverbal expressions. (At least in the case of Liam Neeson, I must conclude the fault lies with the director.) If Lucas did not include such descriptions in the script, then Wrede deserves commendation for making cardboard characters a little more human. Of course, anyone old enough to care about most of these details will probably read Terry Brooks's novelization, not Wrede's.
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