Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace effort after a 22-year hiatus following "Star Wars" in 1977. "The Phantom Menace" was released in theaters on May 19, 1999, almost 16 years after the premiere of the previous "Star Wars" film, "Return of the Jedi". The film's premiere was extensively covered by media and was greatly anticipated because of the large cultural following the "Star Wars" saga had cultivated. It received mixed reviews; critics praised the visuals, action sequences, John Williams' musical score and some of the performances, but criticized the screenplay, characterization, and Ahmed Best and Jake Lloyd's performances (as Jar Jar Binks and Anakin Skywalker respectively).
Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (soundtrack) Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (soundtrack) The soundtrack to was released by Sony Classical on April 23, 2002. The music was composed and conducted by John Williams, and performed by the London Symphony Orchestra and London Voices. Shawn Murphy recorded and mixed the score. Peter Myles and Kenneth Wannberg served as music editors. Williams himself produced the recording sessions. Four different album covers were featured with Anakin and Padme, Jango Fett, Yoda, and the theatrical poster. For a limited time, the CD shipped with a bonus CD-ROM featuring a PC screensaver and a total of four