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The new Star Wars
"prequel" Episode I The Phantom Menace takes
audiences on a journey to the beginnings of the Star Wars
saga. The original Star Wars trilogy (Episodes IV, V, and
VI) told the story of Luke Skywalker, a young farmboy who
became a hero in the struggle to overthrow an evil empire
and had to confront one of the Empire's staunchest
henchmen, Darth Vader, who held the terrible secret of
his father's fate. The new Star Wars trilogy goes back in
time a full generation to tell the story of Anakin
Skywalker, the innocent boy who will one day become the
dreaded Darth Vader.  
THE STORY
In Episode I, Luke Skywalker's father is just a hopeful
9-year-old boy named Anakin, who knows nothing of his
eventual fate as a Dark Lord in years to come. In this
earlier time, Obi-Wan Kenobi is a determined young Jedi
Knight. Qui-Gon Jinn is Obi-Wan's venerable Jedi master,
trying to teach the Jedi way to his apprentice as their
world begins to unravel in political turmoil. Episode I
takes audiences through extraordinary realms and
adventures, from the desert planet of Tatooine to the
galactic capital world of Coruscant (with its Jedi
Temple), the green world of Naboo, and beyond. Familiar
Star Wars characters Yoda, R2-D2, C-3PO, and Jabba the
Hutt are along for the ride. This first chapter in the
Star Wars saga follows young Anakin Skywalker's journey
as he pursues his dreams and confronts his fears in the
midst of a galaxy in crisis.
 
PRODUCTION
Star Wars: Episode I is the fourth movie released in the
Star Wars saga, but it is the very first chapter of the
overall story. Episodes IV, V and VI are the films
familiar as Star Wars: A New Hope, The Empire Strikes
Back, and Return of the Jedi. George Lucas returns as
both writer and director for the first time since the
original Star Wars movie over 20 years ago. Lucas and
producer Rick McCallum have taken their production team
to England, Italy and Tunisia in order to bring the
Episode I script to life. The shooting schedule included
just 65 days of principal photography. The Episode I Art
Department, headed by Concept Designer Doug Chiang, has
produced a new world of exotic designs which become film
realities by a variety of technical means: models,
mechanical creatures, and completely digital effects.
John Williams returned to compose the score of Episode I,
and the sound designs were once more created by Star Wars
veteran Ben Burtt.
EPISODE I was shot at Leavesden Studios in England in the
summer of 1997. Post-production was completed at
Skywalker Ranch and Industrial Light & Magic in Marin
County, California. Episode I The Phantom Menace was
released in the United States on May 19, 1999.
CAST
Episode I's cast features a mix of new and familiar
faces. Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor play Qui-Gon Jinn
and Obi-Wan Kenobi, noble Jedi Knights at the height of
their powers. Natalie Portman plays a young queen, and
Jake Lloyd brings to life an even younger Anakin
Skywalker, whose mother Shmi is played by Pernilla
August. Ian McDiarmid returns to his role as the
mysterious Senator Palpatine, who will one day become the
dreaded Emperor Palpatine. On the other side of the
Force, Samuel L. Jackson puts on the robes of Mace Windu,
an influential Jedi Master. Frank Oz also returns to
perform once again as the venerable Jedi sage Yoda.
MORE INFORMATION
The official Star Wars Web site offers plenty of
information about the new movie. The Episode I home page
can take you to snapshots from the film, information
about cast, crew, the production, a special documentary
on the making of Episode I, interactive features, and
much more. We hope you'll enjoy exploring our
presentation of material on Episode I and the entire Star
Wars saga.
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Enzo Ferrari
was born in Modena on February 18 1898. Forced to leave
school when his father died, he started work as a turning
instructor in the Modena Fire Brigade'workshop. Having
served in World War I he found work as a test driver in
Turin in late 1918. He then moved to CMN (Costruzioni
Meccaniche Nazionali) in Milan to work as a racing car
driver and test driver.
His racing debut came in the 1919 Parma-Berceto race and
he entered the Targa Florio that same year. In 1920, he
moved to Alfa Romeo establishing a relationship that
lasted two decades and a career that took him from test
driver to race driver to sales assistant and finally to
the post of Director of the Alfa Racing Division until
November 1939.
In 1929 he founded the Scuderia Ferrari in Modena, with
the prime purpose of organising racing for its members.
That was the start of an intensive involvement in motor
racing which led to the creation of an official team and
ultimately transformed the Scuderia into an
engineering-racing division of Alfa Romeo, taking over
the racing function entirely in 1933. In 1940 the
Scuderia abandoned the Alfa Romeo connection and
transformed itself into an independent company "Auto
Avio Costruzioni Ferrari" which worked for the
national aviation company in Rome, for Piaggio and for
RIV.
In 1943, during World War II, the Ferrari workshop moved
from Modena to Maranello and began making powered
grinding machines for ball bearings. The workshop was
bombed out in 1944 and rebuilt in 1946 the year in which
it started designing and building the very first Ferrari.
In 1960 the business was turned into a joint stock
company in which FIAT became a 50-50 partner in 1969.
(FIAT became the majority shareholder in 1988).
In 1963 Enzo Ferrari built his Istituto Professionale per
l'Industria e l'Artigianato, a training school in
Maranello. In 1972 he built the Fiorano test track.
 
Enzo Ferrari was given the Italian award of Cavaliere for
sporting merit in 1924 and went on to receive further
honours from the nation: Commendatore in 1927, Cavaliere
del Lavoro in 1952. In 1960 he received an honorary
degree in mechanical engineering from Bologna University.
In 1988 Modena University gave him in Physics. He was
awarded the Hammerskjold Prize by the UN in 1962, the
Columbus Prize in 1965, the Gold Medal from the Italian
School of Art and Culture in 1970, the De Gasperi Award
in 1987.
Under his leadership (1947-88) Ferrari won over 5,000
races all over the world and earned 25 world titles.
Enzo Ferrari died in Modena on August 14 1988.
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