Wow, it's been almost 10 years now since "Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace " has been released. It's hard to believe. I remember the first time I heard Lucas had decided to make another Star Wars movie. It was August 1995, I was 22 had been married for one year at that point , going on my fifteenth now, at that time I only had I kid, now I have three, I just purchased the Remastered THX Star Wars trilogy VHS box set I watched the interviews on them and went through the roof! I couldn't believe what I just heard, not only where we getting special edition version of Episode's VI-IV but three brand new movies! The next couple of years I followed their progress the best I could, at that time the only info I had was Star Wars Insider, my excitement grew and grew. Then I saw the first images from the set of TPM, my heart sank, what was I looking at? It didn't look like Star Wars, later I found out the sets and customs I had seen where actually back ground pieces on Naboo, ironically Naboo is now my FAVORITE Star Wars environment, I started getting a bad feeling about it. Until the November issue of Star Wars Insider came out, on the cover was my first look at the Battle Droids, love the design, as I looked through the pages I saw pictures of Tusken Raiders, I LOVE Tusken Riders! I started getting excited again! But, I was still a bit apprehensive. When the film finally came out I wasn't sure how I'd feel about, I didn't run and see it right away I waited ten days after it's release which was my birthday 5/29. I was hoping it would be as good as Jedi, personally I like TPM MUCH more than ROTJ, at that time I was spoiler free, except when I bought the sound track "Qui-Gon's Noble End" come on! Couldn't they name it someone else? And some ignoramus whom I use to work with told me Darth Maul died!

So the lights went down I found myself in pure bliss, even though I went there with a critical attitude, I do regret doing that, and I was waiting for two of my new favorite character's to die, I left the theater on a high. I didn't know what I felt, part of me didn't want to like it, but I did. I know I couldn't get the film out of my mind. It was my birthday, so when I got home my wife gave me my presents, it was the novelization and a few figures, I loved them! Still have them too. It was a couple days later that I went back to see the film, I couldn't get it out of my mind, in fact I still can't, from that point on I totally fell in love with it. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE TPM!

Ten years on, and TPM just gets better and better every time I watch it!

I've been on a real nostalgia kick for TPM lately. I've been looking through the Art of and making of book, reading old Star Wars Insiders, watching extras from the DVD and Star Wars.com and of course watching the film itself. I've been immersing myself with everything Phantom Menace. I just can't believe it's been ten years already. I can't get enough of it. I REALLY hope Lucasfilm does something VERY special for TPM on it's 10th anniversary!

Thank you George for following your vision and giving us the masterpiece that is Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace!!!!!