THE 'PHANTOM' AT TWENTY: SYMBIONT OBSERVATIONS!

Addressing the Gungan council.

Though treated with polite respect, the Jedi are unable to convince the Gungan people, led by the suspicious Boss Nass, to help their human co-inhabitants above surface. Jar Jar Binks remains in trouble from a prior incident, but having owed a life debt, alongside some friendly 'persuasion' from Qui-Gon Jinn, will also travel with the Jedi back to Theed.

The notion of symbiosis between lifeforms large and small in the story is introduced here. This was a concept that clearly interested Lucas when scripting EPISODE I, part of an overall fascination he's always had in the natural world and anthropology since his U.S.C. days. The idea of an underwater civilisation in the saga was an idea originally thought of by Lucas in 1977, in the very early development of The Empire Strikes Back.

Introducing Boss Nass.

"He's got a deep sense of humour, a hero but very menacing. He's greatly respected by the Jedi. But be careful, you don't want to fool with him."

"In this huge studio with klaxons going off, George (Lucas) silenced hundreds of people and then put his face four inches from mine and quietly explained my character eye-to-eye. For me time stood still."

Brian Blessed on becoming Boss Nass - Empire magazine - August 1999

"Brian Blessed brought so much to the character, we hardly needed other references for Boss Nass."

Rob Coleman (Animation Director) - The Making of Star Wars Episode One book - 1999

Ready to depart Otoh Gunga.

"I don't think Ewan had ever seen a blue screen in his life, and Liam (Neeson) certainly hadn't, nor Natalie (Portman)."

Rick McCallum - Empire magazine - 1999

"The first couple of weeks it was very difficult to get into that way of working (against blue screen with things that weren't there). Sometimes you'd be rehearsing with an actor and sometimes not. You'd see a model of what the creature you're doing the scene with will be like - and then everything is taken away."

Ewan McGregor - Online interview - 1999

THE 'PHANTOM' AT TWENTY: A SWIM TO OTOH GUNGA!

A new and unique underwater civilisation awaits our Jedi heroes, following their Naboo native friend Jar Jar Binks to the deep depths of temporary safety within his bubble environment home of Otoh Gunga. A memorable visual moment from EPISODE I, accompanied by equally memorable music from John Williams.

"Otoh Gunga was hard to envision because it was a totally alien world. But even so, George always emphasised that the designs, no matter how alien or outlandish, had to be based on reality. In order for the audience to relate to them, they had to have some tie to our culture and history. The danger in designing an alien society- for which we inventing a history and culture- was that it would be too fanciful and too unreal. Art nouveau has a very distinctive and organic look; and once I had that idea to lock onto, the city became much simpler to design."

Doug Chiang- The Making of EPISODE I book - 1999

CLASSIC IMAGE: A SYMBIOTIC DANGER!

Meeting with the ruling elders of Otoh Gunga, Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn listens carefully as his Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi outlines the dangers ahead from the invading Trade Federation to all the peoples of Naboo, in a scene from EPISODE I; a film whose storytelling roots are deeply concentrated on the nature of symbiosis in all things.

CLASSIC IMAGE: SEAQUEST: NABOO!

Their destination the unknown dangers of the Naboo planet's core, Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and their hapless and helpless new friend in Jar Jar Binks depart Oto Gunga in a native sub, in this lovely effects shot from EPISODE I.

CLASSIC IMAGE: A RISING CURRENT...

For years they've kept themselves to themselves in the face of the human presence residing in the dry lands of Naboo, but now the arrival of two Jedi in their underwater city of Otoh Gunga will surely change things immeasurably for the Gungan peoples, in an early scene, and another visually stunning moment, from EPISODE I.

CLASSIC IMAGE: (UN)WELCOME HOME!

Bringing his two new Jedi friends to the hauntingly beautiful underwater realm of Otoh Gunga, gangly exile Jar Jar Binks faces a hostile welcome from his fellow Gungans, in this early scene from EPISODE I.