Best viewing order

Someone on another forum I go to brought up an interesting discussion point recently; What's the best order to watch the six Star Wars movies?

For those few people on this planet who haven't actually seen ANY of the films yet, do you think they would get more out of the six films if they watched them in the correct timeline order, or in the order they were released?

I think the latter, mainly down to the effects.


(And apologies if this has been done before...I'm new here!)

 

Watch the saga in the order they were released. Scenes such as the Vader/Obi-Wan rematch, the Bespin duel,
and the removal of Vader's helmet won't have the same impact if viewed in chronological order.

 

no watch them like

ANH
ESB
ROTJ
PM
AOTC
ROTS

watch them in the order in which they were released, if you don't you will spoil the classic line "luke, i am your father"

 

I would honestly have to say 456123. Why? Because the story in the OT gets a bit ruined if you watch 123 first.

 

The best order for watching them for the first time is 456123.

The best order for watching them for their full emotional context is 142536.

 

Try watching them from 5 to 1, then 6.

Then it's kind of like those "artsy" movies presented in a reverse-chronological order, like Memento.

 

It is true that watching the movies in 123456 order will ruin the famous lines such as "Luke, I am your father", but if you want to get the full effect I think that it is good to watch them in the order that they came out, 456123. So basically I'm saying, let the viewer decide, Full effec or the straight-forward story line.

 

watch them in the order in which they were released, if you don't you will spoil the classic line "luke, i am your father"

It isn't that classic if you can't even say the line right (just kidding).

Here are the 3 ways I'm going to watch them.

1-6
4-6,1-3
4,5,1-3,6

I guess it really boils down to which point of view you want to expierence and new fans to expiernece. I used to be a firm believer in 4-6,1-3, but after watching ROTS, I have changed my thoughts about it.

 

1-6. I used to say 4, 5, 1-3, 6, but ROTS really changed it for me... The No, I am your Father really doesn't even compare to what happens in ROTS.

 

I agree, to a first time viewer that has no clue that Anakn turns, they will be blown away that he destroys all of his mentors and friends. I think I'll just get married and have two kids. I'll show one 1-6 and the other 4-6,1-3, that way they can both be suprised in different ways.

 

can someone arrange them in the proper order from the stories perspective (not by release date). pweeezeee tytyty ; )

 

456123 without doubt!

Episode 1 is complete rubbish, so after watching that, you wont want to watch the rest.

Atleast by watching 4,5 and 6 first, you will have the patience to see it through, with the sweet, sweet Episode 3 feast.

 

4,5,1,2,3,6

 

Episode One might not have been the best one of them, in fact it wasn't, by far, but it introduces new fans to the story line, Episode One is essential to the story line and mandatory to the series. Therefore, I don't think that it would discourage new viewers, especially after the Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Maul fight.

 

Well, considering they are numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, that seems to be the logical order to me.

After seeing them, I'd give just about anything to be able to become that hypotetical first time viewer that know nothing of the story and be able to watch them in true choronological order. I know some will take offense to this, but the little "surprise" in ESB is nothing compared to what happens in ROTS if you truly know nothing about what is coming. I'd love the chance to see ROTS without knowing what was coming.

Plus, when you watch them in order, there are extra "twists" when you get to the OT. Right away, Vader and Leia confront each other. They don't know who the other is, but the viewer now does. You would watch the movie waiting for them to figure it out, and they never do. That's called suspense, and from my experience, it really does make for an enjoyable movie.

 

You have got a good point there Darth Mace. And I apologize for the mistake that I made earlier in the quote of Darth Vader, I realize that is "I am your father" not "Luke, I am your father."

 

I honestly belive that Anakin becoming Darth Vader and him helping in killing off all of the Jedi is a much bigger shock than Vader revealing to Luke that he is his father. So I would say 1-6. But that's just my humble oppinion.

Edit: Not to mention that Chancellor Palpatine is Darth Sidious.

 

1-6

 

As much as I want to say that it should be viewed 1-6, I have to say 4-6 1-3. I watched the originals again and there are too many things that will be ruined or not as dramatic.
Examples.
-Yoda pulling the x-wing out of the swamp becomes less awe inspiring because of what he did in the PT.
-The AT-ATs arrival. Not as dramatic because we see similar vehicles in the PT.
-The Star Destroyer Crawls.
-I am your father. and others

But then again for those who never saw that movies there are cool plots that the OT ruins.
-Palpatine to the Emperor
-Anakin to Vader
-Jedi purge
-the whole Clone Wars

Now I don't know! Gah!

 

As much as I think that it should be viewed 4, 5 and then 6 then 1, 2, 3, I believe MORE that it should be watched in chronilogical order. My decision is made:
1:The Phantom Menace
2:Attack of the Clones
3:Revenge of the Sith
4:A New Hope
5:The Empire Strikes Back
And finally...
6:Return of the Jedi
And hey, if you want more there are always the books.

 

clarification for those of us who dont know the "almighty" 4,5,1-3,6 viewing order.

i.e. why is this the best way?

 

The best way to view the saga is to view the episodes in order from 1-6 because that is how Lucas wants future fans to view them and that's really how it makes sense to view them. Starting a saga in the middle just doesn't make sense anymore now that the prequels have been released.

 

ANH
ESB
RotJ
RotS

I watched the OT the other day. I still love it when Vader tells Luke "No, I am your Father" Still, great after all these years.