The Visual Dictionary of Star Wars, Episode I - The Phantom Menace (Hardcover)

by David Reynolds (Author)
Key Phrases: supreme chancellor, central control computer, pit droids, Trade Federation, Jar Jar, Mos Espa (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
No matter what you thought of Phantom Menace, you just have to love its visual effects and props. Episode I was absolutely radiant with special effects, making use of some 2,000 of them, dwarfing that of previous Star Wars installments and even the CGI-happy Titanic with its now-paltry 500. And the low-tech effects, the physical props of Star Wars, have always been unbelievably detailed, from Luke's scuffed-up speeder to Vader's slightly dinged-up helmet (don't pretend you didn't notice). Phantom Menace continues this tradition proudly, whether it's with Amidala's baroque headgear or the intricately machined (and deadly) armament on a droideka.

A page-turning droolfest, Episode I: The Visual Dictionary stops the film and zooms in on all this eye candy. As he did with the first trilogy in Star Wars: The Visual Dictionary, author-archaeologist David West Reynolds once again elucidates and itemizes with glee, combining witty, pseudo-scholarly prose with clear movie stills and excellent closeup photos of actual props and characters. Every personality and group of note gets its due in this well-labeled, picture-packed book, from the Jedi High Council to the podrace crowd to the sea monsters of Naboo. Craving a closer look at Maul's double lightsaber? Wish you could tell a Neimoidian's rank by the hat on its head? Need some ideas for filling out your podracer toolkit? This is the book for you. --Paul Hughes

From Booklist
Similar in size and concept to Reynold's Star Wars: The Visual Dictionary (1998), which covers the movie series up to that point, this large-format volume will appeal to those who can't get enough of Star Wars: Episode I as well as those who are still trying to understand what they saw. Each double-page spread introduces one main character or group of characters and includes several extremely crisp photographs (movie stills and posed photos) surrounded by captions and paragraphs of information. Taking a deadpan approach, archaeologist Reynolds never mentions movies or actors, he simply reports on creatures and events, explaining history, technology, anthropology, and politics in a galaxy far, far away, and perhaps helping fans to figure out what the heck was going on there long, long ago. Carolyn Phelan

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: DK CHILDREN (May 26, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789447010
• ISBN-13: 978-0789447012
• Product Dimensions: 12.1 x 10.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #118,035 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #3 in	Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Media > Star Wars > Reference
  #3 in	Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Media > Star Wars > Episode 1
  #51 in	Books > Children's Books > Reference & Nonfiction > Dictionaries

• This is item 1 in The Star Wars Visual Dictionary Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A visual treat for Star Wars fans, February 23, 2002

By	Michael J. Mazza (Pittsburgh, PA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

"Star Wars, Episode I: The Visual Dictionary" combines text by David West Reynolds with a wealth of excellent full-color photographs. Rather than rely on shots from the film, the book primarily uses still shots that appear to have been purposefully taken for a project like this. This was, in my opinion, a wise choice, since I have noticed that the photos in other movie tie-in books can sometimes be a bit murky. The photos here are crisp and colorful, and really allow you to analyze and enjoy the details.

The text comes in the form of easy-to-digest nuggets. The book covers characters, ships, weapons, clothing, robots, animals, and other elements from the movie. The text offers intriguing little tidbits of info about the SW universe (although I imagine that more devoted fans may argue about how "canonical" this info is).

A nice aspect of the book is the fact that barely glimpsed elements in the film are given loving attention here. For example, you can "meet" the members of the Jedi Council more intimately. I liked the comparative size chart of Naboo sea monsters. And the fashion-oriented will have a great time exploring the ornate costumes worn by Queen Amidala and others. Overall, this book is a lot of fun.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars DK Strikes Back!, June 18, 2002

By	James (Maryland, USA) - See all my reviews

The Dorling-Kindersley Visual Dictionaries are all top-notch products, fascinating not only for children, but for adults, as well. The STAR WARS, EPISODE I addition to this line does not disappoint, with page after page of wonderful, detailed photographs of the people, things and places featured in the film. Everything, from lightsabers to battle droids to Darth Maul, is examined closely and exhaustively labeled.

The fun doesn't stop with the photographs, however. Written in close concert with Lucasfilm, the book provides greater insight into the film by providing information about even minor characters with little screen time. As a result, the next time readers watch EPISODE I, they'll find themselves recalling these tidbits, and enjoying the movie even more than they did before.

Readers, adults and children alike, will find this Visual Dictionary a delight, and it will rarely stay on the shelf. Fun to read cover-to-cover, or just to leaf through, the book is an excellent addition to any STAR WARS fan's collection, and comes very close to being a must-have.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good information, excellent photos, flimsy binding., December 5, 2004

By	Erin Ptacek "any old fool" (Oak Park, Illinois) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Bought this book along with Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, also by David Reynolds. The pages are falling out of both books. I've had this problem with a few DK books, even the children's books. The older DK books are more sturdy. I give this item only 3 stars, and only because of the content. A book with missing pages doesn't get 5 stars.