Sources: Wikidata · OpenAlex · Library of Congress. The record of the motion picture, not an assessment of this cell.
FILM NOTES
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace arrived in 1999 as Lucasfilm's return to a galaxy far, far away after sixteen years away from theaters. Released by 20th Century Fox, it reignited the franchise for a new generation and reintroduced audiences to the prequel era, exploring the origins of Darth Vader and the fall of the Old Republic. Its release was one of the most anticipated cinematic events of the decade, cementing its place in film history regardless of critical reception, and its imagery remains sought after by collectors of vintage genre cinema.
This cell carries the name Sith Infiltrator, the sleek starship associated with Darth Maul's pursuit through the film, a vessel whose stealth capabilities and connection to the Sith underline its menace within the story. Owning a strip tied to this ship means holding a piece of the film's darker machinery, the hardware of hidden evil moving unseen through the galaxy. For collectors, this represents a tangible link to the prequel trilogy's introduction of the Sith as a resurgent threat, a name recognized instantly by fans of the saga's mythology and design.
This original motion picture film element has been examined and authenticated by Crown Grading in partnership with National Film Vault, and encapsulated for archival preservation.
Why so little survivesRelease prints were leased to theaters, not sold. When the run ended they went back to the distributor to be destroyed, and most were. What collectors hold today came from the prints that escaped that order, and no new 35mm prints of these films are being struck.
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