Star Wars - In What Order?

[AndyC]

My wife and I were recently discussing family planning, and this got me thinking about the movies and books I will someday share with these hypothetical kids. An interesting question came up. These kids will have an advantage of starting fresh, never having seen any of the movies. Besides being able to pretend a lot of sequels never happened, it offers interesting possibilities in introducing them to Star Wars.

On the one hand, they can see the movies in the order they were produced. This allows them the surprises of discovering the relationships between the characters, and that many of the coincidences are not. It also means seeing Star Wars, the most significant, first.

On the other hand, watching them in chronological order allows for a lot more surprises. Sure, the newer trilogy takes for granted that the viewers already know some basic information, but it also has the disadvantage of the viewer knowing ultimate fate of all of the major characters. Imagine not having a clue what is going to happen next. Most of the little first-trilogy references thrown in for fans would work as foreshadowing.

The drawback would be in seeing chapters IV to VI knowing who everybody is from the beginning.

It seems to me, there are more or less equal pros and cons to either order.

Any thoughts on this?



Post Edited (08-28-03 10:33)

[dean]

you still need to remember how mentally scarring it could be to watch the 'first' two Star Wars movies[ep 1+2]  which were not too bad, but cannot ever be compared to IV V + VI

they pale in comparison, though the action is admittedly better in I + II

hopefully, if you ever do have kids, the third will be released and provide us with a nice even six films to compare, maybe that film will give you extra reason to show them in chronological order.  

the only drawback with this is that the kid will be probably dissapointed in the original trilogy, because they are used to all the cool effects and swordfights etc.  

its unfortunate that many of todays youth will become very superficial in that sense: big effects means better movie.  

but i'm sure the spawn of AndyC will have an appreciation for the crappy B movies in life, and will love them all regardless!

:P

[AndyC]

dean wrote:

> but i'm sure the spawn of AndyC will have an appreciation for
> the crappy B movies in life, and will love them all regardless!

You're quite right. I'm planning to teach my kids to appreciate things for what they are. They're going to see their fair share of black and white movies from an early age - as it fits in between school, sports, art, music and church.

[raj]

dean wrote:


> the only drawback with this is that the kid will be probably
> dissapointed in the original trilogy, because they are used to
> all the cool effects and swordfights etc.  

That to me is the real drawback, the original FX, groundbreaking at the time, now seem quaint.  

I would rather see Darth Vader's descent to the darkside and then redemption, than the way I have seen it.  Plus, you can always tell the kids to stick with the movies, they get better.

[Fearless Freep]

its unfortunate that many of todays youth will become very superficial in that sense: big effects means better movie.

My kids get a steady diet of stuff from varying generations.  From the old "Godzilla" movies to "Them" to 'Spaced Invaders" to "Star Wars"  They love them all.  I think what kids enjoy is a result of what you raise them on.

[Dave:Blackeye15]

Do 1,2,4,5,6 so the BIG SPECIAL EFFECTS ones can be done first, then get to the GOOD stuff yeah hahaha.

-the first rule of fat club-

[George]

I think you should show them in the order they were released.  The effects get better as they go and I'm sure the drop off from 3 to 4 will be huge.  I would always go in order of release.  Two great examples of this......Raiders of the Lost Ark and Temple of Stinky Doom and Dumb and Dumber and Dumb and Dumberer.   Both "prequels" are no nearly as good as the originals.

[Tranquil Featherman]

First of all, Mr. Lucas's little trick of vomiting the FIRST 3, "Last" is a F**K UP in and of itself. It's like sitting in a field with a 16 year old, pot smoking moron trying to figure out the Universe. In other words, it's a bunch of HOOEY!!!!

And YES people, I hate George Lucas JUST as much as I hate Steven "Steal-Burg" AND Peter "Rip-off" Jackson!!!!

[Fearless Freep]

Thank you for that enlightening, edifying, and totally pertinant contribution to the matter at hand

[Paul Hotbranch]

See them in the order they were made.

[Scott]

I think Lucas could have just made only 4, 5, and 6. They told enough of the story to make us greatly wonder about the past of all the characters. To actually show the first episodes is to add the unnecessary. Then you have all that CGI to drag it down even further.

It was the twist of story line that kept us fasinated over the years of the first three films.

Well, I guess Lucas is making more money, so why not I suppose.

[F-Freep]

Then you have all that CGI to drag it down even further.

I don't think the CG dragged it down, I think the effects were excellent, both the obvious  places and the subtle

What I think drags the first two movies down is that they don't have the same string chemistry between the primary characters like Han, Luke, and Leia had.  Also, while the story is a lot more in depth, it's not as well written in the details.  The more I think about it, the more I think that the Jedi Council is pretty clueless and the fact that Anakin turns to the Dark Side is of no suprise.  I wish the characters and their motivations could be stronger

[NEC]

While, I'm a fan of 4-6, I'm more of a fan of how they were made. Ever since I've been about 4 or 5 I've been obsessed with how movies are made and behind the scenes 'magic'. In some ways I can understand why Guiness loathed Star Wars; my favorite role of his is Mr. Dorrit in Little Dorrit anyway. I really could have done without the prequels (although I did like some of the actors in their roles), but I for some weird reason I'm looking foward to 3.

Andy - I highly recommend that you allow your kids to watch a highly diverse range of movies. When I was a young child in the late '70s - early '80s this allowed me to see actors in different roles, and to  realize that that's what they were, just actors. I would even correct other kids that called actors by their characters' names. I also recommend that when they hit kindergarten age, or maybe even before, that you show them documentaries on how their favorite movies are made. IMHO, they'll respect the filmmakers and actors more and about all the hard work that goes into making movies.



Post Edited (08-28-03 21:59)

[Chadzilla]

Whichever one he or she wants to watch first, let him or her start there.  There's really no need to watch them in sequence.

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Either that or resort to 80s classic - Goonies...

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