Star Wars: From the beginning? or in the order that I watched them?

[ouch]

The Family Guy blackout tales are better than the prequels.

(I don't want anyone to throw rocks at me, so I won't say that they're also better than the originals. But they are.)

 

[commanderkeen]

I feel like I,II, and III are easier to stomach if you are immersed into the Star Wars universe with the IV, V and VI movies first. Kids would probably like them either way.

I find it hilarious that the best Star Wars (Empire) is the only one not directed by Lucas. I can only imagine if Lucas would have let Spielberg direct one of the originals what it would have been. Think Indiana Jones Temple of Doom level of directing set in the Star Wars world, awesome.

 

[VULPES]

For a definitive answer may I suggest you send an e-mail to [email protected] He is a very good friend of mine, check out the website http://www.jedinews.co.uk

 

[MoJoe]

Original trilogy first. Otherwise, it kills the Darth Vader is Luke's father in Empire. Plus, New Hope and Empire are the best of the franchise. The last thing you want to do is to kill their interest after the terrible second trilogy.

 

[Nils]

I wasn't aware there were more than 3 Star Wars movies...

That's because there aren't.

 

[otto76]

The first three from the late 70's and early 80's were wonderful stories. The three "prequels" were shadows of the earlier movies. IMO George Lucas diminished the franchise with the additional 3 movies.

...and since that wasn't quite enough he went on to ruin Indiana Jones as well!

I would also start with the originals and ignore the prequels. If I had started with the prequels I would have probably lost interest in the entire series.

 

[Doc4]

Watch the original three with them. You can find the unenhanced versions if you look hard enough.

Wait until they really love the films.

Then tell them that there are three more ... but they are really bad ... and they shouldn't watch them. The kids will, of course, not heed your warning, and pester you incessantly to watch the other three. Eventually, after much nagging, you will relent and let them watch the prequels. Eventually, you will make the point ... "see? the prequels are crap. You should have listened to me!"

Eventually they will learn.

It will be too late to save them from the tragedy that is the decline of the Star Wars franchise ... but it will save them from greater tragedy years later when you utter the sentence "... and they also made a third movie, with the director's daughter Sophia in it even, but ..."

 

[MarkBenecewicz]

You could probably make a killing converting them to DVD and selling them as the original un-messed with versions of the movie. I know several people who would buy them.

I really hate how they had to take random characters and remake them using CGI (like Jaba in IV when he's talking to Solo on the Death Star).

The DVD release that came with the "Special Edition" movies also had a 'bonus disc' that included the unadulterated original release. Oddly enough, those are the ones that get the most use in this household.

 

[Arcadies]

I'd do IV, V & VI and ignore the prequels.

+1

 

[BurkDarkpatches]

Look to the dark side of the Net for DVD copies of the laser disc issues. They seem to be the best versions of the original trilogy. The "original" versions issued by Lucasfilm were non-anamorphic, if I remember correctly.

I recently watched the recent trilogy. The only versions I'll watch are a fan edit by a guy called ADigitalMan. He does his best to cut out the stuff that's irritating. What I learned from watching them again:
- The Phantom Menace: A great movie. I think we get hung up on a few bad points (Jake Lloyd, Jar Jar, "roger, roger", Padme/queen switcheroo, etc) and it blinds us to the virtues and experience of the movie, which I find interesting and exciting.
-Attack of the Clones: No amount of editing can make this a great movie. It is a little more bearable with the lovey-dovey scenes edited.
-Revenge of the Sith: Man, some people get wound up about Anakin, but I think the actor shows real presence. The person I can't stand in this movie and the previous one is ObiWan. Whiny and annoying. Required the least edits, I think. Lessoned by my inability to buy Anakin's descent to the dark side and his relationship with Padme.

Check them out, if you can. There are probably other, better fan edits out there nowadays.

Steve

 

[stobes21]

You could probably make a killing converting them to DVD and selling them as the original un-messed with versions of the movie. I know several people who would buy them.

I really hate how they had to take random characters and remake them using CGI (like Jaba in IV when he's talking to Solo on the Death Star).

To be fair the Jabba thing (I thought it was on Tatooine, but whatev) was in the original script for IV and they actually shot the scene with Jabba as a human. But Lucas didn't like it and cut the scene from the movie. Obviously by Return of the Jedi they portrayed Jabba as a giant slug creature. So with CGI Lucas added the original scene back in, but with a CGI Jabba instead of the original actor. So unlike some of the other changes he made (like making Greedo shoot first) I don't actually think that was was a big deal. Unfortunately the CGI now looks dated and crappy, but the scene itself isn't a problem in my mind.

 

[maxman]

I also say ignore the newer ones.
go with the originals first. Then they can watch how the franchise hit the toilet with the new ones.
You can teach them a lesson on how sometimes people ruin a good thing because of money.

 

[aceinyerface]

IV, V, VI then the others.

You know what's crazy? The special effects in IV, V and VI are far less dated than those in the prequels. Watch the Death Star raid at the end of IV. It totally holds up. It looks like real space ships attacking a real space station. Sames goes for Jurassic Park. The tyrannosaurus in the first film looks so much better than dinosaurs in recent films. I have no idea how directors aren't seeing this.

There is something about the actual creation and use of a physical model that just cannot yet be replicated by CGI.

Maybe it is the way the light plays upon it. It is just more "real".

The same goes for costumes vs CGI creatures. Movies like Fifth Element, Galaxy Quest, and Hitchhikers Guide along with the first 3 Star Wars movies have creatures that are more organic and real than movies like the last 3, err... first 3, err... damn you Lucas... and shave that beard!

 

[Jawaburger]

Something else I just remembered is that I don't actually own I, II, and III. In fact, I have only IV, V, and VI ... on VHS !!! Believe it or not. And my old, old VCR still works. Ah, the boys can just wear them all out!

Yes, start with the VHS tapes. That was how they were originally released in the theaters. If you have a blu-ray player and a decent TV it is very worth it to check out the blu-rays, they do look fantastic even with the changes. I personally would watch the original 3, then watch all the box set all the way through. It is a nice way to see the changes and enhancements Luca$ made to the originals.

 

[EvilGobi]

The DVD release that came with the "Special Edition" movies also had a 'bonus disc' that included the unadulterated original release. Oddly enough, those are the ones that get the most use in this household.

+1 on the non-anamorphic-ness. I'd almost rather watch my well loved vhs versions.

 

[mattymatt]

My vote is for the order they were released!!! I own the non Special edition ones..I like them better the way they were when they first came out.

 

[EvilGobi]

Oh, I totally forgot that I meant to say 4-6 then maybe 1-3

 

[CGW409]

4,5 and 6 first,it's just responsible parenting .
And make sure they understand that Han did shoot first.

 

[Obiwan]

What's this Star Wars you speak of?


Ignore prequels, raise them the right way.

 

[EricAT]

4,5 and 6 first,it's just responsible parenting .
And make sure they understand that Han did shoot first.

Of course Han shot first, when someone has a gun in your face you have two options and Han chose to live.

I am sooo tired of the endless tweaks, mods, 'enhancements' etc that this series has gone through. Now to top it off they are re-releasing episode I in 3-D, of course it will make money because despite the economy not enough people have the good sense to stop paying for this crap.
Not to spoil it for anyone but the worst part of the prequels is in episode III when after Anikin kills Mace Wendu in fair combat he is all upset and asks 'what have I done' the next logical step after that moral crisis of killing a trained Jedi? Go to the jedi daycare and kill 50+ kids under 12. Makes no sense at all.