PERFORMANCE PERSPECTIVES

"STAR WARS - the Phantom Menace"
FINDING THE ENEMY

It is interesting to examine "The Phantom Menace" George Lucas's return to the Star Wars saga. He is of course telling the story backwards. Here he is going back to create the text for elements which previously were probably part of the sub-text and certainly part of the pre-history of the original stories. So it is not surprising that as the writer he has fallen into the trap of creating exposition rather than story. It seems George became so pre-occupied with setting the scene that he was unable to do anything else. He certainly seems to have ignored the simplicity that made the first three films so successful.

The Original Star Wars
Memory says that the opening scenes of "Star Wars, The New Hope" (the first Star Wars film to be produced) established a young Luke Skywalker whose world was shattered when the people who love him were destroyed by what was obviously "an evil force". The fight between good and evil began at the beginning. And so did the expectation that the fight against evil would be a hard one. Even though this first event of the film is incidental to the main 'through line' of the plot it quickly leads to the discovery of Princess Leia's "pre-recorded plea for help" and thus the story is engagingly and efficiently set upon it's way.

The end confirmed our hopes that 'good' will ultimately triumph and that all was well in this world. A simple well structured story.

Unclear Beginning
It is interesting to reflect that after one viewing of "The Phantom Menace" it is difficult to remember the opening scene. In fact it is just as difficult to describe the story.

But how does all this effect the actor?

If focus and clarity is a quality we seek from performers then there is not much of it here. LIAM NEESON appears to be walking through this role. Or perhaps as there is no clear dramatic purpose in the majority of the scenes it is possible that the only practical choice for the actor was to stay safe and not commit to anything. Except for the very end EWEN MCGREGOR also seems similarly inert. It is hard for the audience to identify with these two Jedi knights.

But where does the source of the problem lie?

Most likely the problem originates in the script. If the script lacks a sense of purpose then it is often hard for the actor to find one.

So did the director help?

One wonders how much rehearsal time was spent creating a persona for the two "Jedi Knights"? Was any thought given to a relationship/journey between these two characters who carry the bulk of the initial expositional scenes. Their relationship remains static throughout. If the actors and director had created some relationship development between these two characters, despite the fact that it wasn't actually in the script, then the actors would have had a sense of place and some room to move.

Yoda (FRANK OZ) is one of the few characters who feels fully rounded, operates in a dramatic, believable world and with whom one can feel an endearing empathy. The other exceptions are the villains who are the more centred, dramatic and complex characters. (Maybe it's easier to find your place in a story if your character is a baddie.)

On the other hand it may be that these performance difficulties relate to 'special effects films' where actors are often working in a sterile environment.

Ultimately however, it would seem that the real 'Phantom Menace' is a purposeless script.

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