THE 'PHANTOM' AT TWENTY: SUPREMACY ON CUE!

As additional material/re-shoots for EPISODE I continues at Leavesden Studios in early 1999, Ian McDiarmid returns to film a new near-finale scene of the newly elected Supreme Chancellor Palpatine's arrival on Naboo, added to hint at the future father-figure 'friendship' he will have with young Anakin by the time of EPISODE II.

On the ship's ramp following Palpatine and his blue armoured senate guards are the Jedi Council members. Samuel L. Jackson was not available for the new scene, as part of the Order's arrival on Naboo, so instead an unknown extra filled in for him all too noticeably! Yoda was played by a proud Warwick Davis, in a special mask and costume, for a walking shot that never made the final cut, of which no behind the scenes stills have so far been released of this moment.

"We will watch your career with great interest!"

THE 'PHANTOM' AT TWENTY: CHANGING POLITICAL TIDES...

Palpatine's rise to Chancellor nominate and the Queen's steadfast determination to return to Naboo are the key story beats about to be filmed at Leavesden for EPISODE I, as Lucas confers with Natalie Portman and Ian McDiarmid, whilst Hugh Quarshie stays close by his scene position mark.

"George (Lucas) worked with me a lot on my acting, which surprised me because people warned me (that he doesn't actually direct all that much). I don't know where people get that idea.

Although he's a very technical director and he knows that stuff, George has a very widespread talent as a director. He can do everything. He's also really cool about making strong women characters. I don't think he does it consciously. He's the kind of guy who views women as equals and really makes them strong characters in his movies. I was thrilled to get to be the real smart and in-control one, and to kick some butt at the day's end, too."

Natalie Portman - Starlog magazine (1999)

THE 'PHANTOM' AT TWENTY: A SHOCKING TURN OF EVENTS...

As Palpatine 'persuades' Queen Amidala to initiate a vote of no confidence against Chancellor Valorum, due to his seeming lack of power, influence and apathy in their continuing crisis, amidst the packed and angry stadium of senators, the visibly stunned leader, flanked by aides Mas Amedda (Jerome Blake) and Sei Taria (Kamay Lau), returns to his senate podium seat, soon realising (in an ultimately deleted moment) that his old friend Palpatine has betrayed him.

A decisive moment for evil as the political events of EPISODE I play out.

"George (Lucas) was looking for something visually interesting and dynamic for the senate chamber scene, so we pulled the unused idea of the flying platforms from Tatooine, put them on Coruscant, and refined the designs to make them look big, bowl-shaped enclosures."

Doug Chiang - The Making of EPISODE I book - 1999

THE 'PHANTOM' AT TWENTY: THE FINER POINTS OF DIPLOMACY! DELETED SCENE

Palaptine activates the senate pod to address the galactic representatives in a deleted moment.

Escorted to her pod in the Galactic Senate audience chamber, Queen Amidala watches as her ambassador for Naboo in the kindly but pushy Senator Palpatine prepares to enter the ongoing conversations concerning the blockade of their world. Naboo is the tinder to Galactic War in much the same way that Poland was to our own real-life events during World War II.

Entering their senate pod in an earlier deleted moment.

"In terms of (remembering) the actual sequences (filmed), there's the scene in the Senate that stands out. It was one of the last sequences completed by the digital guys at ILM. Filming it was extraordinary. We had a vast expanse of blue, and the senators, the representatives of the various planets, were in pods that rose and moved in (when it was their turn to speak). There was one pod that we all shared at different time. It certainly rose, but it didn't move (around, although) it revolved. Natalie and I were at the top of this pod, revolving around. She had on this very huge headdress and we were both doing our best to keep ourselves steady while being accurate over our lines. And somebody said, 'Oh, by the way, we're here.'"

"That was amusing, as it was hard to focus on anyone or anything else. There were two angel cams going in the opposite direction of the turning pod. I was trying not to step on Natalie's dress and she was trying to look composed and regal. We knew that this would all be on screen soon enough and we had to make sure there was not even a flicker in our eyes that betrayed the work involved. It had to look real and in the moment. People may say, 'Surrender to technology,' or 'There's nothing for the actor,' but ultimately the camera was on me and Natalie and we had to act. We had to make it believable. You may have all these sets and people, but it's all just to make it possible to believe that this moment between the characters in this setting is actually happening."

Ian McDiarmid - Starlog magazine - 1999

More on the deleted scene likely cut for time (seen in the above two images) - a shame, as Ian McDiarmid is so deliciously evil in such political scenes:

Palpatine: If the Federation moves to defer the motion, Your Majesty, I beg of you to ask for a resolution to end this congressional senate.

Amidala: I wish I had your confidence in this, Senator.

Palpatine: You must force a new election for Supreme Chancellor... I promise you that there are many who will support us... it is our best chance... Your Majesty, our only chance.

Amidala: You truly believe Chancellor Valorum will not bring our motion to a vote?

Palpatine: He is distracted... he is afraid. He will be of no help.

Iain McCaig's striking design for Padme's senate costume, with looming droid camera. 

"The outfits are so beautiful. (Costume Designer) Trisha Biggar did one of the most amazing jobs ever. Concept artist Iain McCaig drew pictures for Trisha and she made them a reality. The costumes are one of the most special parts of the movie. I wasn't the happiest of people having to wear the senate costume with the big hairpiece, however. The outfits were made so that they could be easily taken on and off, because if you have to go to the bathroom at some point during the day, you can't spend five hours for a bathroom break. The hair and make-up usually took about two, two-and-a-half hours, but the costumes took 15 minutes."

Natalie Portman - Starlog magazine - 2000

Posed image used for international magazines promotion.

THE 'PHANTOM' AT TWENTY: ENTER, SENATOR PALPATINE!

Seemingly concerned for the well-being of his Queen and her people with the situation on the cut-off, blockaded Naboo, and one seemingly hopeless in resolution - part of a Republic whose politics is mired in corruption and the inability to pursue justice, Senator Palpatine's manipulative presence in the events of EPISODE I is skilfully written and played. If anyone knew better, we'd think that the senator himself might have had a hand in the crisis now playing out. Heaven forbid!

Back in the saga fifteen years on from filming his memorable scenes as the diabolically evil Emperor in Return of the Jedi, Scottish actor Ian McDiarmid, always a favourite of George Lucas, gets a chance to flex his Shakespearean-esque acting muscles as the deceitful puppet master Palpatine, at a time before the character became the legendary disfigured baddie of the Classic Trilogy.

"The great thing about playing him is that it's clear in EPISODEs I and II that he's a hypocrite, a hypocritical politician, so that's what you play."

Ian McDiarmid - Empire Magazine - 2005

https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/star-wars-archive-ian-mcdiarmid-interview/

CLASSIC IMAGE: TO WIN SUPPORT!

On Coruscant, within an immense senate arena that should be a beacon of hope but actually proves a mist of confusion, squabbling and personal agendas, Queen Amidala pleads her case for the survival of Naboo and its captured people, in an important scene from EPISODE I.

CLASSIC IMAGE: A TIME OF POLITICAL CRISIS!

Being all too far, far away from the galactic events taking place with the Naboo blockade initiated by the greedy Trade Federation's Nute Gunray, Coruscant's Chancellor Valorum and Senator Palpatine are keen to meet and discuss the building hostile situation with Queen Amidala's newly arrived fugitive party, in this elegantly framed, scene-setting moment from EPISODE I, and our first proper look at the man who will soon become Emperor.

DELETED SCENE: INTO THE ARENA OF POLITICS!

Flanked by the seemingly wise Senator Palpatine and loyal Captain Panaka, Queen Amidala prepares to enter her senate pod and later address the other political delegates, in a scene on Coruscant cut from EPISODE I.

Costumes behind the scenes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWOoL3wch1I

CLASSIC IMAGE: VIP SEATING!

Set within the vast Senate Audience Chamber, STAR WARS fans watching EPISODE I would get their first taste of intergalactic politics and the machinations of later Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, with the film's middle part providing some important signs and portents linked to the future fate of the soon outmanoeuvred Jedi and the internal destruction of the Old Republic.

CLASSIC IMAGE: A WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING...

Senator Palpatine of Naboo is all smiles now that he's on the brink of becoming Supreme Chancellor of the Republic, in a memorable plotline from EPISODE I, where Ian McDiarmid's inhabiting of the part is as noteworthy as ever...

Check out Scott Weller's short story, Opposing Forces, set on Naboo after the events of EPISODE I, as Palpatine (and Darth Sidious) witness the "body" of Darth Maul:
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B80ITjM31EVRSlJybElyQjl5S00/edit?usp=sharing

CLASSIC IMAGE: CIVILITY GONE, POLITICS LOST

No longer comfortable with the turn of events that have unfolded within the political environs of Coruscant, Queen Amidala makes preparations to return to her captured people on Naboo, watched by a surprised Senator Palpatine, in this decisive scene from EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE set within the intriguing environs of Palpatine's office-note the creepy headless statue on the right!

BEHIND THE SCENES: CORUSCANT DEBARKATION

At Leavesden Studios in Summer 1997, the EPISODE ONE crew film the landing of the Royal Cruiser carrying the fugitive Naboo Queen and her Jedi protectors to Coruscant, watched by Senator Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) and the arriving Supreme Chancellor's blue costumed Royal Guards: one of the earliest scenes to be filmed for the movie involving the entire main cast.