That time 'The Matrix' ate 'The Phantom Menace' and George Lucas's lunch at the Oscars
The Wachowski brothers' cyberpunk-inspired opus swept 'Star Wars' back in 1999
Ray Park as Darth Maul in "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace"
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I wasn't much of an Oscar-watcher in 1999. I was naive enough to think, surely, "The Insider" would be a big winner that year. "Three Kings" would definitely get a few nominations. "Magnolia" would HAVE to be a Best Picture nominee. None of that happened, of course.
I never liked "Star Wars." Still don't. Not one single entry in the franchise. Look, fans, I respect your obsession, admiration and commitment. But they don't work for me. So when I lined up for "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace" on May 19, a high school senior soon to enter film school (and let me tell you, what a year to be a film school student), I wasn't too pumped or anything. I had a number of friends who were, surely, but even they -- some of them on their third and fourth viewing of the DAY -- were beginning to cool on it a bit when I finally got there to see it that afternoon.
Technically, the film was a marvel, of course. Particularly in the aural arena. I wasn't all that educated enough to get the minutiae of all this yet, but you get a sense. I was still "meh" on it on the whole, though. And the film seemed to come up short even more because it was opening in the shadow of the true early landmark of that year.
Andy and Larry Wachowski's "The Matrix" hit theaters in March of 1999 after a nebulous marketing campaign that still had me wondering what I was about to see when I went to the theater. Indeed, "What is the matrix?" remains one of the more fetching and curiosity-piquing campaigns building to a movie that I've seen. The movie was a burst of creativity, precisely the kind of thing I needed at that point in my progression, a dazzling, unique glimpse of dystopia.
Fast forward a year to March of 2000 and the annual Academy Awards. "The Matrix" found itself in direct competition with "The Phantom Menace" in three categories: Best Sound, Best Sound Effects Editing and Best Visual Effects. I was staunchly pro-"Matrix," but I really didn't expect it to take down a "Star Wars" film in those categories.
But it totally did. The cartoonish effects of George Lucas's dubious prequel were no match for the innovative work done on "The Matrix," and I still remember visual effects supervisor John Gaeta's acceptance speech to this day, when he offered what sounded like a subtle shot across Lucas's bow: "MVFX's Rob Bobo, thank you very much for putting all of your efforts behind innovation, behind the spirit of doing visual effects in service to a story." I think he even accentuated those last five words.
Not only that, but the film's audio qualities beat out names like Ben Burtt, Gary Rydstrom and Tom Johnson in the sound categories, which, tied to a Best Film Editing win, made for a clean sweep for the film. "Wow," I thought. "The Academy's pretty cool." (HA!)
A few years later the Wachowskis would learn the same thing Lucas did on his prequels, about losing the goodwill of your fans with crappy new installments of your franchise. But in that small window of 1999-2000, it was pretty sweet.
Nevertheless, "The Phantom Menace" is getting trucked out yet again this weekend to soak up some more dollars and line the ole' pockets one more time. I'll probably go see it, though, because I'm curious about the 3D post-conversion. But all of the pomp and circumstance surrounding the latest re-release got me thinking about that nifty night that saw a true underdog blockbuster kick Darth Lucas's teeth in.
Of course, "The Phantom Menace"'s bad Oscar luck was just a harbinger. 2002's "Attack of the Clones" only registered a visual effects nod as the sound branch couldn't be bothered with this stuff anymore. By the time "Revenge of the Sith" rolled around in 2005, even the visual effects guys were out, though the makeup branch did throw it a bone. Still, five nominations and zero wins stretched across the trilogy, compared to 17 and seven from the first (which lapped up three separate special achievement prizes along the way). Yikes.
But what does Lucas care? $430 million at the box office, baby.
But I don't want to end on a sour note, so let me promote a series Drew McWeeny has been doing over at Motion/Captured that is adorable and delightful. He took his son, Toshi, up to Skywalker Ranch a few weekends back for the film's junket, where the youngster had a blast with lightsaber battles and model making and got to meet Darth Maul. Hey, even I won't take that away from a kid with my ennui.
"Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace 3D" opens in theaters nationwide today.
For year-round entertainment news and awards season commentary follow @kristapley on Twitter. A look (in video) at some of his most iconic work Drew McWeeny surprises his son Toshiro with a trip to Skywalker Ranch to lear... A glimpse at the deleted scenes in the new Star Wars Collection
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February 10, 2012 at 4:30PM EST Reply to CommentI'm not ashamed to say I'm a pretty big Star Wars nerd. Though I was too young to see the Original Trilogy in theatres, I saw the rereleases multiple times, I stood outside Toys R Us at midnight waiting for the launch of The Phantom Menace merch, and I have a Yoda tattoo.
I guess I came into Episode I a bit differently from you Kris as I had already ran the film school gauntlet. But I had a similar reaction to yours, mostly indifference to Phantom Menace. I still watched it several times, just to confirm how boring it was (no doubt adding to the massive box office).
1999 was such an incredible year for cinema and it was fitting that Matrix would spank Star Wars at the Oscars. It's also interesting that The Lord of the Rings trilogy started principal photography in 1999. As one cherished nerd franchise died, another was born.
James
February 10, 2012 at 4:58PM EST Reply to CommentI was 11 when I first saw the Phantom of the Menace and I pretty indifferent towards it and when you're young to me its usually more of a "I love/hate it" attitude towards flicks. Of course now I don't like it at all.
Rob T.
February 10, 2012 at 5:08PM EST Reply to CommentNice reminiscence here. It's interesting to compare the fates of the "Star Wars" and "Matrix" movies at the "dramatic presentation" Hugo awards, honoring achievements in science fiction (and sometimes fantasy).
While the original three "Star Wars" movies were all landslide winners, not one of the prequels was even nominated. Neither of the "Matrix" sequels was nominated either, but the first movie was, and many fans expected in to win in a landslide.
However, as with the Oscars, the Hugos are awarded based on preference balloting. Thus, while The Matrix got a plurality of 1st-place votes, another film--Galaxy Quest, which started out poking fun at fannish obsession and wound up valorizing it--came up from behind with more 2nd- and 3rd-place votes and took the prize.
(The other three nominees were The Sixth Sense, Being John Malkovich and The Iron Giant, a respectable if eclectic slate. Perhaps Galaxy Quest was the only film that the constituencies of the others could agree upon.
That Werewolf Guy Oh come on, GALAXY QUEST is great! It has a script that serves perfectly as parody AND hommage, is hilarious but has a sense of real danger and lots of heart, is absolutely competent directed and has a cast that not just has not one weak link*, but offers in fact lots of scene stealers (Shaloub, Rockwell, Colantoni, even Justin Long is hilarious!) and even an(-other) Oscar worthy performance by Alan Rickman!
February 10, 2012 at 6:44PM ESTIt's the best genre comedy since GHOSTBUSTERS and I often refer to it as the 2nd best** movie of the 90's, just because I don't know many other movies, where all tiny pieces fit so perfectly together.
*even Tim Allen is great!
** I don't know what the best is, though. I just wanted to make room for a real masterpiece.
Rob T. I didn't say Galaxy Quest wasn't a GOOD movie. It's worth noting, however, that the valorization hidden within the parody may have been one of the elements that lead a majority of Hugo voters to place it ahead of The Matrix on their ballots. (The Oscars aren't necessarily the only awards that can be won by kissing up to the voters.)
February 11, 2012 at 2:07PM ESTRashad
February 10, 2012 at 5:20PM EST Reply to CommentDon't care if I'm alone, but I love The Matrix sequels. Revolutions especially. Top two of '03 for me, and much better than Return of The King.
Kristopher Tapley It's a good thing you don't care, then.
February 10, 2012 at 5:26PM ESTJLPatt That last sentence is a bit insane, but I actually like them too. More as action films than anything.
February 10, 2012 at 5:48PM EST
February 10, 2012 at 6:00PM ESTThe less said about Revolutions, the better.
Jeremy "Revolutions" was a huge letdown for me, but "Reloaded" was one of my favorite films of the past decade. It's a stunner.
February 10, 2012 at 6:25PM ESTNoel Murray at the A.V. Club has a nice piece defending the cinematic quality of the two sequels against their many detractors. It's worth a read. http://www.avclub.com/articles/defending-the-matrix-sequels,63648/
Rashad I used to feel the same way, but then I rewatched it all not to long ago, and Revolutions hit me on all levels. It's almost on par with the first for me. I love all 3 films, for not its action, but the risks it takes with its storytelling.
February 10, 2012 at 8:27PM ESTAndrej I was a teenager when I saw the Matrix sequels, and I thought Reloaded was so much better than the original. Fast forward a few years later, and after several rewatches of the original, I (jokingly) couldn't bring myself to recognize their existence as Matrix sequels.
February 11, 2012 at 8:53AM ESTSeriously though, they're not terribly bad on their own. But as part of the Matrix continuity, well... they're unnecessary.
DefRef
February 10, 2012 at 6:19PM EST Reply to CommentThere are signal moments when you realize that a writer is so intellectually vapid that you can safely ignore every bit of drivel that issues from their keyboard. In this vast yawn of sophistry, the deal-breaker wasn't dissing Star Wars in general (though that does indicate an advanced case of stupid), but this howler: "The cartoonish effects of George Lucas's dubious prequel were no match for the innovative work done on "The Matrix."
"Innovative"? What would that be? The wire-fu borrowed from Hong Kong wuxia films or the bullet time effect which was little more than an evolution of an effect seen in Gap ads a couple of years before? There was hardly anything revolutionary about The Matrix's effects and the losing streak ILM was on for a few years bespoke the petty politics of the Academy.
The irony of hating Jar Jar Binks is that no one bashes he for being a poor special effect, but an annoying character. If you believe that special effects aren't supposed to show as effects, then Phantom Menace far outstripped The Matrix's humble effects. Two words: Pod race. None of that is real, but it looks fine and is the most exciting sequence in the film that doesn't involve Ray Park.
Kristopher Tapley Now that you're done douching it up with your impressively breathless irritation at a harmless, not all that unique criticism of a terrible film (really, fella, it gets better), let me just say that the pod race looks like a cartoon.
February 10, 2012 at 7:20PM ESTKristopher Tapley "...the losing streak ILM was on for a few years bespoke the petty politics of the Academy."
February 10, 2012 at 7:22PM ESTThis shows sadly gross ignorance about how the Academy works. If you want to take umbrage with an effects body dissing ILM, then your "politics" claim would have some stroke. As it is, you seem to not grasp the fact that, with the Academy voting at large, something that niche within can't really rear its head.
That Werewolf Guy Well, the innovation of the Matrix FX IS pretty overrated. Especially the "bullet time" was based on something that Michel Gondry did years earlier in his music videos and commercials (and was even seen in the LOST IN SPACE movie). On the other hand I must say, that the movie is full of invisible effects, that are impossible to spot unless you see the making of. (Like Morpheus' mirrored sunglasses in some close-up's.)
February 10, 2012 at 7:30PM ESTBut I watched THE PHANTOM MENACE on 2 dimensional DVD on a 32" LCD TV yesterday though and must say that its FX do hold up very well most of the time. There are some weird differences in quality though. Jar Jar looks good, but Boss Nas or whatever the fat leader of the Gungan's is named, looks seriously cartoony. And the Podrace is awesome, but some of the drivers aren't. Interesting enough is that the worst FX in PHANTOM MENACE are the practical ones. There are some horrible Make Up jobs in this movie and there is a reason why most fans don't mind that on the Blu-Ray the Yoda puppet was replaced with a CGI one.
All in all I would say that MATRIX did deserve its FX Oscar, just because I can't remember one weak moment. Bashing the effect work of PHANTOM MENACE is seriously unfair, though.
Kristopher Tapley Let it be known that I never once mentioned bullet time in my piece. DefRef just chose to assume that's what I meant, because he had that meaty diss cooking in his brain when I had the gall to say anything against "Star Wars." Which is fine. I get it.
February 10, 2012 at 7:44PM ESTJar Jar looks great in The Phantom Menace, by the way. I mainly have issues with environments, high key, phony, just not at all an achievement, to me.
That Werewolf Guy In all fairness, the bullet time was the main attraction of the Matrix FX, so you can't talk about them and assume nobody is bringing this specific part of it up.
February 10, 2012 at 7:48PM ESTKristopher Tapley There are more tactful approaches than DefRef's, though, surely. In any case, I thought by following it up with a note about Gaeta's acceptance speech made it obvious I was talking about innovation in the story-serving department more than technically, but I guess not.
February 10, 2012 at 7:51PM EST/3rt
February 10, 2012 at 6:59PM EST Reply to CommentKris you didn't like anything in Empire Strikes Back?
Kristopher Tapley It has a more preferable tone, but I just don't like any of the films. Sorry to kick dust on the nostalgia of all-growns-up-now fanboys like DefRef above, who can't fathom such an opinion, but they don't register for me. At all. I find myself akin to Salacious Crumb, laughing my ass off at how bad it all is.
February 10, 2012 at 7:25PM ESTGuest Guesto That's just sad. It's one thing to not be madly in love with them but that sort of reaction I just plain don't get.
February 10, 2012 at 10:24PM ESTI cannot fathom not liking at least the original Star Wars on some level and still like, say Rise of the Apes.
It's sad.
Kristopher Tapley It's okay. Plenty to tide me over out there. Don't cry for me, Argentina.
February 10, 2012 at 11:52PM EST(And sorry, I mostly cringe at the first one.)
Guest Guesto
February 10, 2012 at 9:26PM EST Reply to CommentWhat I don't get is how Episode 3 found no representation at the Oscars outside of best make-up. If they can nominate Dreamworks Animation for 2 animated films why couldn't ILM get in for both War of the Worlds and Revenge of the Sith?
Guest Guesto
February 10, 2012 at 10:40PM EST Reply to Comment"The cartoonish effects of George Lucas's dubious prequel were no match for the innovative work done on "The Matrix,"
Honestly? I'd have given to the Matrix too. But what you are writting is utter bullshit. Let's get real here, you are clearly angry at the Star Wars franchise on some level and here you are totally taking a piss on something you don't like. I am not trying to offend you at all. That's just my assesement based on what you wrote. And you are not being fair.
Cartoony or not, there were some damn good effects (and only good better as the series went on) in it. And they were immersive, and created a real sense of open space. And creature work was very good for it's time. And Attack of the Clones had cgi effects that stayed with me.
And those "Cartoony" creature effects clearly influenced both Lord of the Rings and Avatar.
It's perfectly ok to prefer the Matrix. It's doesn't mean you have to make the other movie look bad to make it look good though.
And you want cartoony, The Matrix sequels were that more often. And I still enjoyed them and totally think they should have been nominated.
Kristopher Tapley Thanks for the diagnosis.
February 10, 2012 at 11:55PM ESTvva
February 10, 2012 at 10:41PM EST Reply to Comment"I'll probably go see it, though, because I'm curious about the 3D post-conversion." Uh huh. That line of thinking makes absolutely no sense especially if you were 'meh' on the film 12 years ago.
Kristopher Tapley It's an element of the business I cover and behooves me to investigate. What's so strange?
February 10, 2012 at 11:54PM ESTPahedi
February 10, 2012 at 10:59PM EST Reply to CommentSo this article was just about talking badly about Star Wars... Ok...
Kristopher Tapley I guess it was.
February 10, 2012 at 11:55PM ESTChris138
February 11, 2012 at 12:46AM EST Reply to CommentThe original three Star Wars movies are solid entertainments, but I don't really hold them to anything higher than that. As for the prequels, I thought Darth Maul was the best thing about Episode I, while Episode II was a total bore and Episode III had its moments.
matthias_zucker
February 11, 2012 at 8:20AM EST Reply to CommentTo each his own. Although I do wonder how anyone can't find something to like in Star Wars, at least the original films. But there are different tastes, so there's no use in debating that point.
What I find funny is how SW fans seem to treat Star Wars almost like a battered woman would her abusive husband. SW "fans" are shitting all over The Phantom Menace every chance they get - the Internet is full of documents to that effect. But once someone dares to compare the franchise (unfavorably) to another, they jump to its defense. Interesting.
I personally always enjoyed TPM. And I did enjoy it a little bit more a few days ago when I saw it in 3D. Not a spectacular use of the technology, but it does add an immersive quality to it.
Mark
February 11, 2012 at 6:50PM EST Reply to CommentYou have to remember that Kris was born in 1981, so he completely missed the Star Wars and Indiana Jones films on their original release.
Kristopher Tapley It's true! And something I always note. I recognize the power of having "been there."
February 11, 2012 at 7:10PM ESTMark Right, if you grew up with films that followed on the tails of the early Lucas and Spielberg films there's a reason why you might be less than impressed when you catch up with them. Star Wars fans are a curious bunch, they spend all their time attacking the series and it's creator but when somebody else dares to say a less than 100% positive comment on the series they all go apeshit.
February 12, 2012 at 12:34PM ESTJust out of curiosity Kris did you see the original trilogy for the first time on VHS?
Kristopher Tapley Truth is it was much later. I saw it in bits and pieces throughout the 80s but I don't think it was until the 1997 re-releases that I saw each one in full.
February 12, 2012 at 3:21PM EST