The Art of Star Wars, Episode I - The Phantom Menace [Hardcover]

Jonathan Bresman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 7, 1999

More than twenty years ago, moviegoers thrilled to the stunning designs that were created for Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. Thus began a tradition of creative brilliance that now continues in Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace, as moviegoers are transported back to the beginning of the greatest space epic of our time.  And once again a team of artists has been assembled to create a new galaxy, with an array of visuals more striking than ever before.

Featuring conceptual illustrations, sequential art, and brilliant, fully-executed paintings, this lavish volume digs deep into the Lucasfilm archives, detailing Episode I's revolutionary use of traditional and high-tech media. Exploring the creative impulse behind all of the astonishing, masterfully crafted designs, inside you'll find

- Key action sequences, including the Podraces on Tatooine and the riveting ground and space battles
- Fascinating interviews and photos of the artists at work
- Magnificent paintings that capture the exotic environments of Naboo, Tatooine, and Corsucant
- The visual evolution of the battle droids, the Trade Federation ships, and such unforgettable new characters as Qui-Gon Jinn, Queen Amidala, and Jar Jar Binks
- A showcase of the best of the poster art for Episode I
And much more!

As the original Star Wars movie set new standards with its cutting-edge art and technology, this thrilling new chapter in the cinematic saga again transports us to the farthest regions of our imaginations.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Star Wars owes a lot to its details. George Lucas made his world so believable and compelling by getting all the little things right, whether it was a chip in Vader's helmet or the sand on a Stormtrooper's boots. Of course, this feat was no accident--extensive conceptual planning and design went into all the Star Wars movies, perhaps most so for Episode I: The Phantom Menace. This excellent "insider story" art book by Phantom Menace researcher Jonathan Bresman pulls together a wealth of these preliminary paintings, sketches, and computer animatics. Starting in early 1995, the Episode I art team sweated out nearly four years in a renovated attic at Skywalker Ranch, and Bresman's book gives an eye-popping account of their efforts, a sweeping survey of the movie's "evolutionary record," what Bresman calls "the unseen art that serves as the foundation for the film."

Divided into sections covering each of the movie's major locales (e.g., Theed, Coruscant, Otoh Gunga), The Art of Phantom Menace gives detailed illustrations of many of the creatures, structures, and vessels that made the final cut to film. But even more interesting are those that never left the sketchbook or hard drive--what fan wouldn't want to see a bulky, bipedal droideka or Padmé's horned, reptilian "swamp horse"? Call-outs alongside the art reveal the untold story behind many characters, like how Jedi Council member Yaddle really did begin as a sketch of a young Yoda, and how Jar Jar at one point had a wacky "dog" sidekick named Blarf. (Lucas and crew thankfully dodged that bullet.) --Paul Hughes

About the Author

While an undergraduate at Harvard, Jonathan Bresman spent his summers working at Skywalker Ranch as a production assistant on Radioland Murders, The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, and Star Wars: Episode I. During his senior year, Jon was asked to continue working on Episode I as a research consultant. Upon graduating in 1996, he returned to Skywalker Ranch, and since then has been involved with many aspects of the film's production--from conceptual design to principal photography to post-production. He currently resides in Berkeley, California.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Del Rey; 1st edition (September 7, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345431081
• ISBN-13: 978-0345431080
• Product Dimensions: 12.2 x 9.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #558,021 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Beware this is the 44 page excerpt book, December 30, 2006

By 

Tamara Littlejohn - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Art of Star Wars Episode I the Phantom Menace: An Excerpt from the Book (Paperback)

Sellers are using this page to sell a book that is actually titled: THE ART OF STAR WARS EPISODE I: an excerpt of the book written by Jonathan Bresman. The ISBN matches this work, which is only 44 pages in length and was given away with the purchase of a VHS version of the Phantom Menace. The way Amazon lists this book can be misleading because they refer to it as the paperback edition in the review which claims it is a massive volume with over 600 illustrations. They are actually referring to another edition of the book... the TRADE PAPERBACK EDITION. This error has caused me a lot of fuss with two of the used book traders here at Amazon. Know that you are not buying the 200+ page oversize work with this webpage.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Product of many sleepless nights?, January 11, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Art of Star Wars, Episode I - The Phantom Menace (Hardcover)

We can see the influence of Ralph McQuarrie, the artist most responsible for creating the "look" of the original Star Wars, in Doug Chiang's acrylic production paintings, from the use of color to the brush strokes to the dramatic perspectives. Doug Chiang didn't just take the baton from McQuarrie--he ran with it like crazy. This is a beautifully produced book which brings the Art Department of Episode One to the forefront. Organized by the locations of the movie--Naboo, Tatooine, Coruscant and the Trade Federation--this Star Wars book stresses illustrations and paintings over screen shots from the finished movie and prop photos. Those wanting to see close ups of Qui-Gon's light saber will have to look elsewhere. In that sense it is the Art Department's book rather than ILM's. That may disappoint those out there who want to see the "finished product" more than the "process of creation." But for aspiring artists and designers, this book is will serve as an inspiration. It also shows the amount of work that's necessary to become a professional in this field. Judging by the sheer volume of sketches and paintings represented by this book, it looks like Chiang didn't get much sleep during his years working at Skywalker Ranch on this movie.

17 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best of the series.They all should have been like this., November 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Art of Star Wars, Episode I - The Phantom Menace (Hardcover)

Hmmm. The reader from Coral Springs states that this book didn't have the range of artwork that the other "Art of Star Wars" books did. That's strange, because if you actually OPEN these books, you will see that (s)he is absolutely WRONG. This book is MUCH richer than the previous ones. The only explanation I can think of is that (s)he must have accidentally placed a review of the "Making of Episode I" here, instead of a review of the "Art of Episode I." (S)he also complains that the Star Wars Insider CD-ROM has more artwork on it. Well, of course it does! It's a CD-ROM! It has a lot of memory and you can put a lot of art on there! More art than can be put in a book! What a silly criticism! This is a FANTASTIC book! It actually tells you something about the artwork and the process that went into creating it. The previous books in the series should have been done this way! Hopefully Lucasfilm will do the remaining books in the series in a similar fashion. (Please, George?)