PT Best way to convince a random fan to like the prequels?

As someone that only likes the PT, I always suggest to people that are new to Star Wars is to give as much a chance before jumping down the rabbit hole of subjective opinions.

There is no wrong way to be a fan.

 

We certainly are. And we're a not-inconsiderable part of general SW fandom too. That's why it infuriated me to see how the press patted Kathleen Kennedy and JJ Abrams on the back (when Kennedy and Abrams weren't patting themselves on the back) for "making SW appeal to girls" or "making it safe for girls to like SW" with the purportedly "gutsy" choice of making the main protagonist of TFA female. 'Scuse me? I'm a girl, have been one all my life, and I loved SW from the first. And beyond that, what's with the implication that in order for girls to like a SW movie, or any movie for that matter, the main protagonist has to be female?

One sickening review said, "Finally, a female character in SW who does more than get pregnant and die!" 'Scuse me, again? Ever hear of a female SW character called Leia? She was invented by that horrible sexist pig, George Lucas. In fact, it's largely because of his invention of Leia that Rey (along with countless other tough, scrappy female characters in genre storytelling) are now so common. Unlike Kennedy and Abrams with Rey, Lucas took a genuine risk by making Leia tough and scrappy and mouthy, instead of passive window dressing like women in action/sci-fi films tended to be back then.

Also, Lucas is at least partly responsible for the creation of Rey. His treatments for the ST included a female character who was very much like Rey, only she was younger and had the placeholder name "Kira."

One more Also: Even if you don't like how Padmé's ultimate fate was written (and I don't, particularly), she does considerably more in the PT than just "get pregnant and die."

 

Padme was incredible character for 10001 reasons. To reduce her to this ( I mean the quoted by you) is abomination as one of the many they did in the marketing campaign for TFA. Also we have Shmi Skywalker, a remarkable female character, the essential mother, and this role was sooo absent in the OT. And in PT there is even a bad female character, Zam (oh, yes, captain Phasma wasn't something revolutionary). Anyway, to blame Lucas of sexism is just ridiculous. My point was that in PT the female presence is remarkable (including many female Jedi and senators).

 

So true! People tend to overlook characters like Shmi, and Beru, because they don't "kick butt." They're gentle, nurturing, maternal characters, which IMO is just as impressive as a super-skilled Jedi. There are actually quite a range of female characters in SW. In ROTJ we're introduced to Mon Mothma, who "kicks butt," not in the physical sense, but she's a strong, intelligent, dignified politician and the leader of the Rebellion.

 

Three words: Epic lightsaber battles.

 

Wait, did anyone really blame Lucas of sexism? If so, they don't even have to watch the movies, but rather only look at the behind the scenes "making of" documentaries where half of his employees are women. And Padme was a great character who deserves a lot more credit.

Also those racism accusations for episode 1 are freaking ridiculous and no different than me saying that Disney is racist for making an Asian guy good at martial arts in Rogue One.

 

^ Anyone who thinks episode 1 is racist needs to see Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

 

**** I think these movies are fantastic action films but wow was this a low bar.

 

Surely you can't convince anyone to like something. Your own mind tells you wether you like something or not.

"Watch this and I bet you'll really like it"

"We'll see. I'll make up my own mind thanks"

 

Show them The Hobbit movies and explain this is what a truly bad prequel trilogy looks like...

 

Hypnotize them.

 

Lol. The Hobbit trilogy was awful. To this day I haven't seen all of it. No interest whatsoever

 

I wouldn't try to convince them to like it, but appreciating them is necessary. Tell them you cant understand SW saga without them.
Honestly, it should probably not be called the "Prequel Trilogy"(thought I get why it is). GL made the decision to begin telling this tale at episode 4. But since when have the first three chapters of a book ever been called a prologue? LOL
If you started reading a book at chapter 4, undoubtedly you would be confused.
"First comes day. Then comes night...." I'd like to think that with the help of the third trilogy, there will be grow a greater appreciation for the entirety of this story.

 

Yeah I dont quite get it. I can understand 2 or 3 times but that is it. I saw Fellowship of the Ring 3 times even though I thought it was "meh" the first time. But I was desperate for some escapism and going into a movie theater for 3 hours was the best way to do it. And AOTC was still 5 months away. So I saw it two more times to try to discover what I was missing. Only saw TWO TOWERS once. I actually really liked ROTK on my first viewing so I saw it again, but the second time it was "meh". I was easily able to tell I did not like TFA the first time I saw it. I have not seen it again, and I will never see it again. (As mediocre as I found LOTR trilogy, I liked it far better than TFA) Granted, maybe its easier for me to ignore TFA than it is for prequel haters to ignore the PT. Lucas didnt make TFA - he wasnt involved in it and he didnt give it his blessing.

 

While I liked the Hobbit movies, I don‘t think this could be an argument at all, I mean the existing of a bad PT (as you think) doesn‘t make other PT better. And vice versa.

 

I don't think you can "make" someone like a movie, but I do think you may be able to persuade someone to see things as less binary. The choice isn't - or doesn't have to be - "Love them!" or "Hate them!". There is a LOT of room between those two polar opposites. I think you can make the case that there is a lot to like in the Prequels, while conceding that, for some, there are things, maybe many things, that don't quite work, which are off-putting, or which flat out crash and burn. I think you can also make the case that it helps to ask if the reaction one has is really one of comparing the Prequels to your expectations for the Prequels, or to how MUCH you liked the "originals". I've enjoyed the "worst" moments of the SW movies more than I;ve enjoyed the BEST moments of many other movies!

 

Watch the Clone Wars 2008 show. Even the most anti-PT purists will admit TCW gives a whole new light to the PT.

 

If they aren't somebody willing to put the effort in (not give up until you've made it from Ep.1 to Ep.6), then I'd say starting them with Ep.1 would be a huge mistake. The whole idea of Ep. 1 is that it is a movie of darkness and subterfuge hidden in what appears to be a good time, one dimensional movie. If the person has patience, they will hopefully by Ep. 3 realize they've been misdirected. That this wasn't just about defeating the bad guys. That the victory celebration at the end of Ep. 1 was actually nothing to celebrate. It gave the Republic something to cheerlead, when in fact that cheerleading is what sealed their doom.

But if you are totally new to the Star Wars universe, it could take you to the end of Ep. 3 to even realize you weren't watching the movie you thought you were. So you might give up, or worse, feel like you are being forced to watch Ep. 2 and 3, so you aren't really watching it as you should, but more as a homework assignment a friend assigned you. In other words, not really caring or paying attention and instead just trying to get it over so you can say "can't say I didn't try to like it."

But if you start with Ep. 4, you are already starting in dark times. And Ep. 5 expands it with the family soap opera aspect. If that doesn't hook you, then Star Wars just isn't your thing.

This was apparent to me when I took a non-SW fan friend to The Phantom Menace. Having so much background in SW, including a toy labeled Emperor Palpatine, I obviously realized I was seeing the beginning of the Emperor's rise to power. And the fact that he was doing it with a smile on his face made me even more interested in his arc than Anakin's. On the way out I asked him "Good, huh?" He told me it seemed like a pretty simple story with nothing going on. That they had a problem, and dealt with it. What was the point of seeing more? So I asked "You aren't enjoying the rise of Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine? You don't want to see how that ultimately comes to fruition?" He asked "Emperor? There was no emperor? It was just a bunch of laser fights." I then realized how little he knew of SW and that he completely missed the real story. The Phantom Menace. I gave him just enough info to appreciate there was more going on without spoiling the grand arc itself.

You have to get them that the story isn't about laser blasters and laser sword fights. That's just the setting. It is the story of:
How do people evil to the core get people to follow their lead?
How do people that are inherently good go bad?
Can they be saved? How?
Could they have avoided going bad? Was it biology or environment? Was it choice or destiny?

 

Trolling.

 

I think the prequels tell a great story and together with the OT they create a great 6 part masterpiece. I would anyone who is new to Star Wars or the prequels recommend to start with ROTS. It's got so many strong parts (liberty dies to thunderous applause; the battle on Mustaphar; the rebirth of Darth Vader; the connection to ANH; lots of drama that gets you invested and some of the best action in all Star Wars).

 

I think Episode III is the starting point. It works amazingly as a first impression film. ANH and TPM are a bit too slow to start off with and AOTC and Empire are mid chapter sooo.....

 

The funny thing about the prequels is I think they kind of tend to reflect back whatever mindset the viewer takes with them. If you come at them with a cynical, joyless attitude, you just won't really enjoy them. You kinda have to be open to the wackiness and weirdness of these movies, from strange bird-like robots that go "roger, roger" to a 1920's style slapstick character (who happens to be an amphibious alien with large floppy ears) to the unusual mashing together of different elements -- noir thriller with old-school romance, goofy general grievous with grand space opera tragedy.

I think it's easier than ever to be a cynic, and we tend to conflate cynicism with sophistication. But I think those who dismiss the prequels as inept abominations and nothing more are absolutely missing something. They are admittedly weird movies and perhaps not as warm or snappy as the OT, but as an adult I actually find them more re-watchable, and more creative, and more captivating, than much of the OT (though ANH remains as magical to me as ever). And they do a lot of things the OT never tries to, from the worldbuilding to the politics to the unusual structure of the trilogy that turns everything on its head and sees the bad guys triumphing so totally.

As for getting someone to like them, I don't think you really can. All I would say is maybe ask them to try re-watching them with fresh eyes and no expectations after a good five or ten years. That's what I did and I was kind of blown away. Another fun thing you can try is watching them in a foreign language -- that way they become even more like watching opera, except the emotion is conveyed not through singing but through the visuals and soundtrack, which are still as amazing as ever.

 

Don't watch the Plinkett reviews. Also, tell them to treat TPM like a political drama of trade negotiations.