Below is an excerpt from a 1998 Hollywood Reporter column recounting the scene.

Nov. 19, 1998 - "Menace" II society:

If Tuesday's attendance figures for The Siege at Westwood's Mann Village theater are any indication, "eagerly anticipated" probably doesn't do justice to 20th Century Fox's Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace. A sneak preview of the Star Wars trailer, which ran at the Mann Village before and after The Siege, not only drew a near-hysterical reaction from the crowd, it also boosted the Denzel Washington starrer's attendance by 1,147%. According to Mann execs, 2,007 people Tuesday paid to see The Siege, compared with some 175 people a day earlier. The trailer played on 756 screens in 26 states as well as Canada, primarily in conjunction with Universal's Meet Joe Black and Buena Vista's The Waterboy. Although Star Wars won't be released until May 21, the trailer will go wide Friday. — THR column edited by Stephen Galloway.



Episode I Teaser Trailer on Disney Video