How Queen Amidala Influenced Fashion

Vanity Fair posted on its web site how various films have influenced fashion.  Along with TFA is a nod to the prequels, especially Padmé Amidala’s influence on the runways of our galaxy:

Asian themes and dip-dyed fabrics were big on the runway and in street style in the early 2000s, and headdresses continued to appear on runways even as Amidala’s costumes became more toned-down in the sequels. Amidala–esque styles walked down the 1999 fall couture show for Dior, as well as the 1999 spring Comme des Garcons ready-to-wear show.”

Naboo News quoted the entire TPM part of the article here

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Star Words AOTC Part 2

Matril’s look at AOTC’s memorable lines continues with another line early in the film:

Mace isn’t lying or hiding his true nature. Jedi really are peacekeepers; that is the foundation of their creed. Remember Yoda’s lesson to Luke in Episode V? “A Jedi uses his powers for knowledge and defense. Never for attack.” So when Mace and Yoda and all the other Jedi take on the role of soldiers, they are essentially betraying the essence of who the Jedi are. Their downfall is practically inevitable after that.

 

An Old But Interesting Look At AOTC’s Opening Scenes

Cryogenic linked in the comments of the previous post to this fascinating look at the first 90 seconds of AOTC.  It was posted 10 years ago and I guess he wasn’t too crazy about TPM but it still is worth a read:

My minute and a half is about up now, but the rest of the scene continues the theme of deception and duplicity. It also caps the decoy storyline that was central to The Phantom Menace. Next to its visual imagination, the iconic success of Star Wars rests on its rigorous but inventive structuring: Lucas often begins and ends familiar stories in unpredictable ways. The belated death of Padme’s double exemplifies this Star Wars principle. For instance, Revenge of the Sith begins with what could have been the climax of Clones--much like the opening forty minutes of Return of the Jedi could have provided a more upbeat ending to The Empire Strikes Back. Each act of the two halves (which wrap around like Moebius strips) corresponds to its counterpart: Menace/Hope, Attack/Strikes Back, Revenge/Return.

To think this was long before the Ring Theory.

Star Words AOTC Part 1

Here’s the first installment of Matril’s look at the significant lines of AOTC:

Now, on its own this line carries a sort of dark humor. We all know that a character should never, ever say there was no danger after all, because that’s the surest way to bring calamity upon your head. Dramatic irony being what it is, the worst possible thing is always going to happen right after you let your guard down. So, we’re all kind of groaning as Captain Typho says it.

But I think the line goes deeper. It’s an indication of where this movie is going to take us. Don’t get comfortable. Don’t assume you’ve figured it all out, because just when you think you have, you’re going to have the rug pulled out from under you. This film, particularly Obi-Wan’s storyline, is going to take us through reveal after reversal after reveal. From Zam to Jango to Kamino to the first mention of “Tyrannus” to Geonosis to Dooku to the Separatists…and then, after you might think everything’s finally explained, we end up going back to Geonosis with Dooku — who turns out to be Tyrannus — who was working for Darth Sidious all along.

 

Video: What If Anakin Went To Utapau

I haven’t highlighted The Prequels Channel on YouTube (though I have it under the blogroll links) because it posts videos very frequently.  But I thought I’d highlight this “what if” video:

On Comments

I try very hard to make SWPAS into something other than a cesspool and for the most part, it isn’t.

However, working on this site for almost 10 years has shown me that prequel haters and bashers aren’t the only problem I’ve had to worry about.  In fact, they have been less and less of an issue except for a big flare up on the FB page around the time TFA came out.   What I’ve noticed over the past couple of years have been some aggressive visitors to the site who seem to want to use it as their soapbox for their agenda (easier and less time consuming I suppose than starting one’s own blog, podcast, or channel).  They’ve been disrespectful to me and to other visitors and when I call them on it, they get hostile.  I’ve had to ban a few from commenting and some will do things like come up with socks or change their IPs to get around moderation.  This behavior is unacceptable.  I catch anyone doing that, they are done commenting here, period.

I’m also done with feeling like a babysitter.  I’m not a social worker or a mental health specialist.  If the situation doesn’t change I may close SWPAS to comments sometime in the near future.

Darth Vader #1 Out Today

Marvel’s new Darth Vader miniseries has kicked off with today’s release of the first issue.

If you’re looking for the variant cover with Padmé and a bunch of dead clone troopers, I was told it’s 1/50. So unless your store ordered over 50 copies of it or it somehow lucked out into getting one, you’re going to have to hit the secondary market. On eBay it’s $70.

For You Dungeons & Dragons Fans

Found on /r/prequelmemes….Anakin is every D&D alignment system rolled into one:

Flip Flop Between Vader and Anakin

Havaianas–Brazilian purveyors of patterned flip flops–has a Star Wars line and LadyJediScientist spotted this style featuring Vader on one foot and Anakin on the other. Available only in men’s sizes (sorry gals unless you have size 10+ feet). Yours for $26.00.

15 Years of AOTC: My 10 Favorite Collectibles & Tie-Ins

What’s a Star Wars film without brand new merchandise? Not nearly as much was made for AOTC as was for TPM, something I found frustrating when I went to look for new t-shirts at the time. While they were light on the tees and there was no fast food tie-in, there were still plenty of goodies hoping to drain my bank account.

10. Frito-Lay Buckets Target Exclusive

I wasn’t able to find a photo and mine is in storage, but Target had these colorful lidded buckets that had photos from all of the existing films including AOTC. Inside the buckets were snack-sized bags of chips, Cheetos, and Fritos. Even in my pre-weight loss state I was not about to eat all of those snacks myself, so I brought the bags to work, waited until about 10-11 a.m., dumped them in the break room, and sent out an e-mail. Problem solved.

9. AOTC Mini Puzzles

These little suckers were around 99 cents at Wal-Mart and each had poster art of various characters. They were so cheap and so small, I bought the whole set.

8. Star Wars Attack of the Clones Visual Dictionary

Your quick and dirty guide to everything in the movie with colorful photographs, helpful descriptions, and details that may or may not be canon anymore.

7. Star Wars Celebration II T-Shirt

It took over two hours to buy this shirt and the exclusive Jorg Sacul action figure from the Celebration store. Some things never change! Again, no picture but it was blue with the Celebration II logo on the front and on the back a split image of Darth Vader and Anakin, with the convention dates and location (Indianapolis). A few months later I was walking through a Marshalls when a kid saw my shirt and went nuts. Heh heh.

6. SH Figuarts Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Padmé

I don’t have all of these yet but I love what I’ve seen so far! The Japanese make the best Star Wars stuff.

5. Anakin Skywalker Lightsaber (Master Replicas)

Not the kiddie plastic version, but the cool light up collectible version that went for a pretty penny. But I got a good deal on mine from FAO Schwarz when it was closing at Tysons Galleria.

4. Padmé Amidala Paper Doll Book

I loved the TPM Queen Amidala Paper Doll book, so I snapped this one up in a hurry. Sadly they didn’t do one for ROTS.

3. Gentle Giant Mini Busts

Gentle Giant was a new licensee and its first gig was making mini busts of the film’s Big Three, using a new 3D modeling technology that required parking the actors in a booth and having their features scanned.

2. Senator Theater Exclusive T-Shirt and Ticket

The Senator Theater in Baltimore, MD used to make special posters, tickets, and t-shirts to celebrate a new movie release. I went up to Baltimore for a showing of AOTC that summer and of course bought the shirt, featuring Anakin/Vader looming over the theater with “Episode II” on the marquee and Yoda working the ticket booth.

1. Anakin and Padmé Wedding Action Figures

Officially known as Secret Wedding Anakin and Secret Wedding Padmé and sold separately (you’re cruel, Hasbro), they seemed ready more for love than anything else. Basically a wedding cake topper for fangirls, it doesn’t have the most awesome sculpting and it can be tricky to get Anakin to stand, but I love an action figure set devoted to a ‘ship. Plus if you look up Padmé’s skirt, you can see her underwear and a garter belt. It’s canon.