National Film Vault

FILM NOTES

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace was released by 20th Century Fox in May 1999, marking George Lucas's return to the director's chair after more than two decades. The long-anticipated prequel drew enormous global audiences and introduced a new generation to the saga, while its production pushed digital filmmaking and visual effects into territory the industry had not previously explored.

This cell captures Obi-Wan Kenobi locked in combat with Darth Maul within the Theed Generator Complex, their blades meeting in one of the most kinetically charged sequences in the film. Three consecutive frames from a single shot preserve the continuous motion of the duel, offering a rare sense of movement across the strip.