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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Saga Watching the Star Wars Saga Eps I-VI for the first time

Discussion in 'Star Wars Saga In-Depth' started by Darth_Articulate, Dec 5, 2012.

  1. Kev Snowmane

    Kev Snowmane Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Jan 1, 2013
    I will always be a supporter of "production order" (IV,V,VI,I,II,III).

    Watching them sequentially just curb stomps all over the big reveals in Empire and Jedi. It also drains the symbolic resonance from scenes like "Shroud of the Dark Side/Birth of the Empire" in AOTC and the final scenes of ROTS.
     
  2. Darth_Articulate

    Darth_Articulate Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2012
    Sigh. I was hoping this wouldn't turn into a thread about what the best order is for viewing the saga. There are literally thousands of threads about that in hundreds of chat rooms across the Internet. Try to keep the topic to 1-6 experiences please
     
  3. PiettsHat

    PiettsHat Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 1, 2011
    To get this thread back on track...

    I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but one of the things I really appreciated was that Lucas made C3PO and R2D2 prominent characters in the PT. I know a lot of people think that they were shoe-horned in, but I honestly feel that they're pretty key to the transition from ROTS to ANH. They're the characters we spend the most time with in the first 10-15 minutes of ANH and it really helps to bridge the gap from parents to children. Almost like the droids are passing the torch.

    I also think it's pretty cool that the first important character (droids notwithstanding) that we see and hear speak in ANH is Anakin as Vader. I've always been rather fond of that minor detail.
     
  4. oierem

    oierem Jedi Grand Master star 4

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    Mar 18, 2009
    Yeah, the very beginning of ANH seems to deal with issues directly tied to the previous episode (Tantive IV, the droids, Leia (adoptive daughter of Bail Organa), and Anakin/Vader); after the opening sequence, the droids are sent down to the planet and a new storyline is presented organically and slowly begins to take shape, setting the new trilogy.

    It's a tough one, because watching I-VI makes episode IV (and in a way V) somewhat superfluous to the "main" narrative that was presented in the early episodes (Anakin's journey, Palpatine's revenge). After episode III, a new situation has to be established, new characters introduced and the audience has to accept that they're now the new protagonists of the story. The droids work well as a binding element, IMO.
     
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  5. Count Yubnub

    Count Yubnub Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Oct 1, 2012
    I agree. What also helps to set up the new narrative (after the catastrophe ending of ROTS) is the relatively slow pace of the beginning of ANH. Perhaps counter-intuitive, but it works.
     
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  6. janstett

    janstett Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    May 29, 2004
    This describes my Indian friend... He is a huge Austin Powers fan and laughs about almost all the humor in the movie but he doesn't even understand the many Star Wars references that are in the film for what they are -- Dr. Evil tells Austin "I am your father", the "Death Star" joke, he doesn't understand the context.
     
  7. Ambervikings91

    Ambervikings91 Jedi Knight star 3

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    Dec 1, 2012
    Its a very different experience, i've introduced several people to star wars, the cool thing is the big reveal of anakin changing to darth vader in ep 3!
     
  8. Jerran Tankarri

    Jerran Tankarri Jedi Padawan

    Registered:
    Jan 9, 2013
    I'm planning on introducing SW to my friend in the Machete order. 4,5,2,3,6. To me this is the best order, because after 5 (best movie of all time) you are left with so many questions, and 2 and 3 serve as a flashback to answer them. Also, 6 feels much more satisfying after the buildup of 5 other films because they are no longer two separate stories - Luke and Anakin. They become one and both stories conclude in an epic manner with Luke's resistance to the dark side and Vader's redemption in 6. Also, after seeing how dark Anakin is in 3, you are even more nervous at the beginning of 6 with Lukes dark robes, slight arrogance, and force choking. It's also a great reveal to see that Leia is Luke's sister at the end of 3!

    He can watch 1 after if he wants, but 1 doesn't fit this order too well because its more of a prelude. And hey, I'l let him enjoy the Saga without Jar Jar and midichlorians until he decides to watch it!
     
  9. DarthSidiousVader

    DarthSidiousVader Jedi Youngling

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    Jan 8, 2013
    I'm a SW virgin and am waiting on my complete blu ray saga to arrive tomorrow or Friday hopefully, but I am thinking or watching it I-VI but will probably watch it in the order it was originally released.
     
  10. Echo-07

    Echo-07 Jedi Master star 4

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    Nov 9, 2012
    My 5 yo niece just watched the PT with us back in early November. We're about to have a PT marathon after the Playoffs and she can't wait.
     
  11. Mata2010

    Mata2010 Jedi Knight star 1

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    Jan 2, 2013
    I have wondered how SW virgins react to seeing 1-6 in chronological order because I am almost tempted to show my husband (SW virgin who was born in 1983! I couldn't believe it myself! He's Venezuelan and I kept asking him "Who is Darth Vader??? Who is Luke Skywalker???" and he kept telling me he doesn't know them or any relation between the two, which leaves me in absolute disbelief because western culture is not unfounded in Venezuela...) 4-6 then 1-3, just to see the reaction to the "No, I am your father" scene...but after reading your post, I think it would be interesting to see this reaction, since he's probably seen Darth Vader friggin' everywhere he goes but doesn't make the connection between him and Anakin. So, this should be interesting to see and experience. I'm waiting for our tax refund so we can buy a surround sound system and the blu ray saga, because I can't wait for him to be fully blown away by it. He loves the Back to the Future series and Fast and the Furious series, loves Liam Neeson in "Taken", etc... so I am hoping the SW saga will go up as a favorite on his list!!! That way, my husband can be my SW buddy!!! lol :-B
     
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  12. Ambervikings91

    Ambervikings91 Jedi Knight star 3

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    Dec 1, 2012
    Correct there is no "I am your father" shocker but anakin changing into Vader replaces that and it still is a cool moment to see look finally find out in ep 5
     
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  13. Darth_Articulate

    Darth_Articulate Jedi Grand Master star 4

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    Nov 1, 2012
    So which order did you watch it in? If you watched it I-VI, I'd be VERY interested to know your thoughts
     
  14. Darth_Articulate

    Darth_Articulate Jedi Grand Master star 4

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    Nov 1, 2012
    I hope you show it to him I-VI so you can post his reactions :). If you do, it might be wise to warn him that I & II are generally considered the weakest of the series, so he won't give up if he doesn't like them
     
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  15. Count Yubnub

    Count Yubnub Force Ghost star 5

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    Oct 1, 2012
    Or, you could let him make up his own mind. There's a thought.
     
  16. Darth_Articulate

    Darth_Articulate Jedi Grand Master star 4

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    Nov 1, 2012
    Of course! I'm in no way advocating telling him what to think. I'm just saying that if he's made aware that he's statistically unlikely to enjoy I & II as much as the others, then in the event that he doesn't enjoy them, he'll be less apt to give up. It's just an insurance policy.
     
  17. Count Yubnub

    Count Yubnub Force Ghost star 5

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    Oct 1, 2012
    ...then you bias him.

    If you really want that "insurance policy," you could tell him afterward.
     
  18. Darth_Articulate

    Darth_Articulate Jedi Grand Master star 4

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    Nov 1, 2012
    Depends what you mean. If you mean you color his opinion of the movies before they begin, that's basically saying he's unable to formulate his own opinion, which is absurd. If you mean that you set up expectations in him, then yes, that's the point. The lower the expectation, the less likely he'll be disappointed, and the easier it will be to watch the whole thing.
     
  19. Darth_Monkey_Boy

    Darth_Monkey_Boy Jedi Knight

    Registered:
    Oct 11, 2008
    This was the face my 9-year-old son made when Palpy revealed he was Sidious to Anakin AND when Anakin sliced off the hand of Mace Windu. A double whammy, if you will. Watched 'em I-VI with him not too long ago, and he was floored by these 2 scenes. When we reached "TESB", he was very concerned about Luke's reaction to the news, and he felt very bad for him. It's as I've always said, if you are invested in the characters, it doesn't matter if you already know Luke's parentage because you still feel his pain when he learns the truth. I mean, how can people who've already seen the movie still enjoy that moment after they already knew it was coming? Simple. It's because Mark acted his behindus off in that scene!
     
  20. Count Yubnub

    Count Yubnub Force Ghost star 5

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    Oct 1, 2012
    That's not how biases work.
     
  21. Ambervikings91

    Ambervikings91 Jedi Knight star 3

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    Dec 1, 2012
    awesome
     
  22. Darth_Articulate

    Darth_Articulate Jedi Grand Master star 4

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    Nov 1, 2012
    Could you elaborate?
     
  23. Count Yubnub

    Count Yubnub Force Ghost star 5

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    Oct 1, 2012

    Assuming the kid isn't someone "special" and is the same as the rest of us, he's going to have the same cognitive biases the rest of us have. Here's a list of such biases:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cognitive_biases

    In this case, when people perceive a majority perception or opinion (or majority of their peers), they have a tendency to adjust their own attitude to more closely match that of the perceived majority opinion:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conformity
    This is a mostly nonconscious process that people don't really have much control over--or much insight into, for that matter. It's well researched, discussed in every introductory psych textbook, and we pretty much all display it in one way or another.

    Anyway, back to topic...
     
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  24. Darth_Articulate

    Darth_Articulate Jedi Grand Master star 4

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    Nov 1, 2012
    When I watch movies WITH people, THEIR reactions and attitudes become part of that experience and affect my opinion/experience of the film.

    I doubt this conformity bias applies to watching movies WITHOUT the actual majority in the room, however, for the simple fact that there are movies that everyone hates which I love and vice versa. Does that mean I'm not susceptible to conformity bias? I doubt it. I think it just means that the experience of movie watching has intrinsic subjective value that eliminates the need for other's opinions.

    Expectations are already set high for the saga by the enthusiasm attendant with the marathon. Lowering expectations for the first two can only increase the chance of enjoyment.
     
  25. Mata2010

    Mata2010 Jedi Knight star 1

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    Jan 2, 2013
    I've debated about telling him 1 and 2 aren't so great. I think 1 is going to be boring for him, although I think he'll enjoy the podrace in all the glory of surround sound. 2, I think he'll be bored by the love story (though, I admit, I enjoy it somewhat). I think 3 is when he'll actually get into the story and be interested. 4, 5, and 6 will be a peice of cake. Although the downgrading of technology will be sort of odd for him I think. I'm just going to explain it away as..."Oh, that's because the Empire has all the money now. The Rebel Alliance has to work with what they've got..." or something to the nature. lol. We shall see.