The great Star Wars conundrum - what to do?

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What order should a Star Wars Newbie watch the films

  • In Episode order (I - VI)

    Votes: 13 19.4%
  • Start with original films (Episode IV - VI then prequels)

    Votes: 31 46.3%
  • Watch only the original 3 films and pretend episodes I - III never existed as they are poo

    Votes: 23 34.3%

  • Total voters
    67
My boy wants to see the Star Wars films.
This presents a very difficult problem.

Do I buy Episode I (first of the modern trilogy) first and watch the 6 films in order or do I get the original 1977 Star Wars (Episode IV) and watch the original 3 films before going back to the prequels?

What would you do?
Should I get out more?
 

Prawnster

Full Member
Jun 24, 2008
806
0
St. Helens
That really is a conundrum.

The new ones just don't have the magic of the originals. I think it's because there isn't a flawed human element in the Jedi. Han Solo did this to a tee in episodes IV-VI.

Having said that, Phantom Menace is geared towards young children and is good for getting them hooked straightaway. It certainly caught my little lad's imagination. He was probably five when he watched it and he's seven now and has seen them all. I suppose it depends how old your son is.

If you decide you want to start from A New Hope then don't worry about him not grasping the timeline. My lad watched them in all in chronological order but still didn't tie the whole story together until he'd seen them a few times. At his age he's more interested in space battles, lightsabers and aliens to care who is whoever's father/sister.

I've voted for Episode I just because it is really for children. Episode V is my favourite and I'm glad to say it's my son's too.
 
I've voted for Episode I just because it is really for children. Episode V is my favourite and I'm glad to say it's my son's too.

Ep. V is my favourite too - very dark!


My main issue with watching Episode I is having to put up with that bloody Jar Jar binks! When this film first came out a kid who lived near us insisted in talking like Jar Jar for months - I don't know if I can take the risk of that happening to my son!
 

johnboy

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Oct 2, 2003
2,258
5
Hamilton NZ
www.facebook.com
Skip episodes 1-3 ( although the opening battle in episode 3 is worth watching)

Children do not need to see or hear Jar Jar Binks...:D

Stick to 4-5 although cutting out the ewoks might be a good idea also...:)
 

Alexlebrit

Tenderfoot
Dec 22, 2009
90
0
France
Well us oldies all understood the timeline even though we watched Episodes IV-VI first, and they were written that way. In fact I'd suggest that knowing who grows up to be who is part of the fun of it, we want to know how Anakin becomes Vader and so we watch for clues in the newer episodes.

But fit your TV with a Jar Jar censor, just in case.
 

Draven

Native
Jul 8, 2006
1,530
6
34
Scotland
In Episode order. The thought of watching it in that order seems so alien to me that I just think it'd be kinda cool even though the first two are trash.

Personally though, the third is my favorite. It does lack some of the magic of the originals, but I think that they finally achieved something other than disappointment with modern tech and despite Anakin's unbelievable descent to the dark side, Hayden's acting was pretty good, much better than the second one. He and McGregor won it for me, Mark Hamill was much more obnoxious when playing a conflicted character!

Of course it could just be down to the epic dual in the end.
 

Biker

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
So I'm told :rolleyes: I do believe there is a lego cartoon version too


The lego versions are really funny, at least some of them, you have to be really familier with the films to get the full impact of the gags though.

For me I thought I'd give the films a replay while SWMBO was away for a couple of weeks and decided to view them in the sequence I saw them (starting at IV) Got through that film and thought how aged it looked, then reluctantly put in Empire strikes back and was surprised how much more I enjoyed it than when I first saw it. It was actually a lot better than I remembered. Jedi didn't get watched nor the first 3 prequels as I had work to do so I didn't reach my target. Ho hum. Totally agree with the opinion that the magic was lost in the prequels. It was information overload and how impressive the FX were.

I agree with Prawnster, a kid isn't going to follow along a convoluted storyline of who grows up into whom, he's going to want to see Bobba Fett bring a gun to a knife fight and things like that.

Have fun and when you get a chance check out those "Robot Chicken" Star Wars parodies on youtube. I laughed till it hurt.
 
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listenclear

Nomad
Aug 19, 2008
266
0
East lothian
Original 3 then the new ones.
Worked for me growing up and i think watching the new 3 first will detract from the magic of the best ones. I still enjoyed the newer ones (overall) but they are not a patch on star wars, empire and jedi trilogy.
 

Miyagi

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 6, 2008
2,298
5
South Queensferry
I watched the first 3 at the pictures.

Watching Star Wars on the big screen just blew me away.

When they came out on VHS I got them in a boxed set, then I had to get the digitally remastered ones when they came out.

I spent half of the remastered Star Wars asking myself "Was that bit in the original? Is that new etc" before rewinding and just enjoying.

The prequels may have better effects etc., but they just aren't as good.

May the Force be with you!!

Liam
 
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JonathanD

Ophiological Genius
Sep 3, 2004
12,809
1,479
Stourton,UK
Watch the originals first, without a doubt. If you watch the prequels first then there is no real surprise or shock at who the charcters turn out to be and you lose all the drama.
 

Biker

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Watch the originals first, without a doubt. If you watch the prequels first then there is no real surprise or shock at who the charcters turn out to be and you lose all the drama.

Good point, very good point in fact. Hadn't considered that angle, you take it for granted having seen them to death now, but someone seeing it for the first time it would have a much greater impact.
 
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Asa Samuel

Native
May 6, 2009
1,450
1
St Austell.
The original are the best so maybe watch them first, they don't need the other three. However, I like knowing the full story so if you are the same watch them first, if not then watch them after. Either way I still think you should watch them so you understand the story better.
 

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