BBC NEWS | Special Report | 1999 | 05/99 | Star Wars | The Phantom Menace invades the UK

The Star Wars prequel finally opens in the UK this week. The Phantom Menace has already seen off all competition in the US and it is well on its way to earning more than any other film in history. Is it worth the hype? To decide for yourself, everything you need is here.

Love it or loathe it - there's definitely no escaping it now. Click above for our guide to any Star Wars conversation.

Review: The Phantom Plot
Entertainment Correspondent Tom Brook found The Phantom Menace sterile - and wonders where the story is.

Review: Not perfect - but a lot of fun
But fellow reviewer William Gallagher advises movie-goers to ignore the plot and enjoy the special effects.

George Lucas strikes back
Star Wars creator George Lucas tells the BBC's Newsnight how he believes fans on the Internet have helped whip up bad publicity for the film.

Scoring a Star Wars success
Oscar-winning composer John Williams talks about his work on the Star Wars movies - including The Phantom Menace.

The merry wives of Star Wars
Star Wars has legions of fans around the world - but what about the partners who have to share their obsession? BBC News Online spoke to one of them.

So you think you're a Star Wars fan...
The fans themselves speak about following George Lucas' sci-fi series.

Queuing for a film far, far away
Hundreds of those fans took to the streets of Los Angeles - to queue up for the film's US opening.

Star Wars games mania
Games based on The Phantom Menace have taken the UK software market by storm.

A sharper, clearer Star Wars
The team behind the new Star Wars film made history by using digital projectors for the main US premieres.