It's not just the original trilogy that was inspired a great deal by other movies, with The Phantom Menace being noticeably influenced by the epic Ben-Hur. The best example of this is in the pod racing sequence, which is clearly inspired by the chariots scene in Ben-Hur, and the climax of that - when the pods comes together - is a direct homage to the same moment in that movie, when the chariots lock wheels. A few other similarities have been noted, such as the pro-hatred speeches of the Emperor and Arrius, and some of the imagery of the Roman soldiers. Another epic referenced by the prequels is Lawrence of Arabia, with the visual style of that film greatly influencing Lucas, and paid particular homage in Attack Of The Clones in a scene with Anakin and Padme walking and talking on Naboo. Not only was it a similar scene to one in Arabia, but it was actually filmed at the same location, Plaza de España in Seville.
NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far.
A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.
