When Palpatine lands at Naboo at the end of the film, he's accompanied by guards dressed in blue. The guard's costumes are essentially the red Emperor's guards seen in Return of the Jedi (1983) without full face masks. A pod from the Discovery in 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) can be seen behind Qui-Gon in Watto's junkyard. Qui-Gon Jinn's communicator is a redecorated Sensor Excel Razor for Women. Jar Jar's antics during the climactic battle echo scenes from classic silent comedies. Ball rolling down hill after Jar Jar: Seven Chances (1925). Gun tied to foot firing: Navigator, The (1924). Hanging from gun turret: Girl Shy (1924) . Manny, the afterworld character from the LucasArts video game "Grim Fandango," appears in the audience cheering the pod race. When the droid control ship explodes, one large fragment is a model of the Millennium Falcon. Natalie Portman (Queen Amidala) missed the premiere party in New York because she had to go home to study for her high school final exams. The pseudonym used by the Queen, "Padme," is the Sanskrit word for "lotus." It is a common word in Buddhism. "Yoda" is also derived from the Sanskrit word for "warrior." The film contains no acting credit for the character of Darth Sidious. Star Wars Insider magazine publisher Dan Madsen is seen doing his bit as an extra grabbing the reins of a Ronto at the celebration scene. He's short and wearing a light green outfit. In a scene in the Skywalker home, George Lucas digitally altered Lloyd, Jake's eyes to look in a different direction momentarily. Ewan McGregor, who plays Obi-Wan Kenobi, is the nephew of Denis Lawson, who played Rebel pilot Wedge Antilles in Star Wars (1977). After the film's end credits finish rolling, the sound effect of Darth Vader's breathing can be heard. Queen Amidala protects herself by posing as one of her own underlings. The same ploy was used by the President of the United States in Superman II (1980) to conceal his identity from General Zod, played by Terence Stamp - who plays Chancellor Valorum in this film. The name of Nute Gunray is derived from former U.S. President Ronald Reagan (ray-gun -> gunray) and Knute Rockne, the football player depicted in the Ronald Reagan film, Knute Rockne, All American (1940). Queen Amidala's throne-room dress took eight weeks to design. In the final battle Jar Jar knocks over a battle droid with serial \ number 1138 on his back. George Lucas directed a film called THX 1138 (1970). During filming Ewan McGregor made lightsaber noises as he dueled (as have we all)! It was noted and corrected during filmmaking. Theatres receiving the first trailer and posters were warned in writing to return them to the distributor (Twentieth Century Fox) on time or risk not receiving further media, and possibly the film itself. This was done to attempt to prevent the "black-market" sale of the incredibly popular trailer. George Lucas reportedly wrote The Phantom Menace in the same binder of yellow ruled paper in which he wrote the original "Star Wars" as well as American Graffiti (1973). During the first week of the first trailer's release, many theatres reported up to 75% of their audiences paying full price for a movie, then walking out after the Star Wars: Episode I trailer was shown. In 1997, a fierce sandstorm destroyed several of the Tatooine sets in the desert ouside of Tozeur, Tunisia. Filming resumed two days later. George Lucas considered this a good omen, as the very same thing had happened during filming of the original Star Wars (1977). Neimoidian senator Lott Dod was named after two real-life US senators, Trent Lott (R-Mississippi) and Christopher Dodd (D-Conneticut). A group of aliens resembling E.T. (from E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)) can be seen in the Galactic Senate chamber shortly after Queen Amidala calls for a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Valorum. Natalie Portman's voice was digitally enhanced for distinguishing between Padme and Queen Amidala. Lucas has said that there is only one shot in the movie without computer generated graphics, but has left it to the fans to try to figure out which one that is. CAMEO(Rick McCallum): producer appears on the right in a floppy wide-brim hat when Queen Amidala meets Senator Palpatine. CAMEO(Ben Burtt): sound engineer appears to the left of Rick McCallum (with goatee). CAMEO(Sofia Coppola): as handmaiden Saché. During the End Credits, Jabba the Hutt is listed as "Himself" It lists the Visual Effects crew fuelled byt Michael Smith and Javva the Hut. There are two versions of the climactic finale where Darth Maul is killed by Obi-Wan Kenobi. In the original, he is seen falling down the reactor shaft, dead but in one piece. In the updated version (in general release), he is seen falling down the shaft in two pieces, cut in half at the torso. Apparently, original press screenings presented the first version, but the second version is what most people will see to make it clear that Maul is dead. Additionaly refrences Bravehart (1995)