What order to watch the movies in?

Well considering that ANH didn't have a number 4 on it till years later meaning that the numbers mean absolutely nothing,I would obviously go with the cinematic release order,call me crazy.

 

Star Wars

The Empire Strikes Back

Return of the Jedi

The Phantom Re-Edit

Attack of the Clones

Ep. III

The OT is, in my humble opinion, a better story and introduction to the SW universe. The PT is filler material.

 

I second that

 

good thoughts

 

If I met someone who hasn't seen SW at all (or if I have kids, who knows?) this is what i recommend...

-ANH first. It is by far the better introduction into the SW universe.

-Then TPM. We have a little flashback about Luke's father, Anakin, who was briefly mentioned in ANH.

-AOTC next. The flashbacks continue, and we get a glimpse of this 'Clone Wars' that Kenobi mentioned.

-Enough flasbacks, onto ESB. Once the 'I am your father' part hits them, then there'll be questions asked about how Anakin in those 'flashbacks' could have been Vader. Ah, lets answer those questions...

-One last flashback: Episode 3!

-Once all questions are answered, we now move to the finale, ROTJ!

Heh heh, that's how I'm gonna view it, and that's what I'm gonna recommend to people who haven't watched SW.

 

I think you have to start with the OT and then work your way to the PT. TPM does not explain what the Force is, who the Jedi are, etc., but just assumes that the viewer knows those things. It's pretty confusing to someone who has never seen Star Wars before.

Plus, I think that the OT has a lot of dramatic tension and real camaraderie between the actors which is missing from the PT, so I would prefer to start with the films I consider better.

 

I totally agree with Dark_Lady_Mara. Those are the exact reason I'd want my kids to see the OT before the PT. -Sky

 

I'd also have to go with the correct order:
I-The Phantom Menace
II-Attack Of The Clones
III-?
IV-A New Hope
V-The Empire Strikes Back
VI-Return Of The Jedi

 

Curious way of ordering movies, Lurking_Around.

But, after all, I'm with those who say that episodes 4-5-6 should be seen before 1-2-3.

For some different reasons.One of them has been already said by Dark Lady Mara

TPM does not explain what the Force is, who the Jedi are, etc., but just assumes that the viewer knows those things. It's pretty confusing to someone who has never seen Star Wars before.


Then, the missing surprises, not just the "I am your father" thing, or that "Leia is my sister"...

There are lots of little details: for example, who would not see as odd and stupid to find Yoda in ESB acting like a crazy fool?
They will remember how they saw him in the New Trilogy,so wise, so magnificent...

And,of course, when Luke recognizes him as the Jedi Master Yoda, everyone would say: "what a discoverment you've made, guy!"

If you have seen it in the order they appeared on the big screen, then is not a bad idea to see them from episode one to six, and experience what's the feeling

 

i will watch them in numerical order.

 

Does anyone care about the way GL wanted them to be watched? The person who wrote "Well considering that ANH didn't have a number 4 on it till years later meaning that the numbers mean absolutely nothing,I would obviously go with the cinematic release order,call me crazy." is wrong, the real reason GL didn't name ANH ep. 4 was because he didn't expect to finish the story, it is the only SW movie that is self seficient. When it did so well, GL decided to make the sequals and retitle it ep. 4. One the commentary to episode 1, he talks about how each movie is actually just part of a really big movie. So GL wants us to watch it in numerical order, so I will.

 

ignore me

 

4,5,6,1,2,3 for me. That's the way I remember, and it'll always be that way for me.

GO 'CLONES!

 

I would say to watch them trilogy first, then the sequel movies. I was reading the posts that said, "That way it doesn't ruin the surprise." In my opinion, I think that it does. I think that there is more mystery the way i would like to watch it and then there is a huge surprise pretty much all the way through the Sepuel movies. You might not agree but that's what I think.

 

Hmmm...

OT 1st= surprises kept. Better introduction. Order made in.

PT 1st= more dramatic to watch all in order, ie better than surprises. Intros from the begginning. Order intended to be viewed in.

4, 1, 2, 5, 3, 6. surprises kept. Keeps better intro. most dramatic, ie slowly reveals everything leading up to ROTJ and last revelations. Order which maintains surprises and secrets.

Well...

 

1-6...doesn't ruin the surprise, and then you view Darth Vader in a completely new way, and it makes it a much more powerful story...

 

I always figured that I-VI would be better. Then, yesterday, I watched the OT for the first time since before TPM. It only strengthened my position. Seeing the PT first weakens the "father" revelation in ESB, and possibly the "sister" revelation in ROTJ, it makes the ending to ROTJ so much more powerful. Before, Anakin had just been a name. I felt as much emotional attachment to him as I do the garbage I put out last night. Knowing his back story, and how he was before he became Darth Vader, it made not only his death, but Luke's efforts to turn him so much more powerful. My knowledge of Palpatine's backstory didn't change how I looked at him very much, but my knowledge of Anakin made me look at Vader in a whole new light, and to me, having that ending like that is worth losing the shock of the revelations.

 

Probably in 1,2,3,4,5,6, because it's in the correct order!

 

Yea, I will have to go with 1,2,3,4,5,6 like that I will not be so confused of how the story goes

 

I see it this way:

OT as the Star Wars Saga and PT as the background from the main characters.

So much is lost if the PT is seen before the OT.
So I prefer OT and then PT, the way they got out.

 

If no one's seen the movies before I say give them a boxed set and let them figure it out for themselves.
Then when they return the movies, ask what they thought about them, what suprised them, which characters they liked etc.
I think everyone of us would be suprised.
Anyway, 1 - 6 for me.
If the PT is so awful anyway, I dunno why you guys would be watching it again in the first place?

 

It will depend on what Ep3 brings to the table. If we see Anakin 'become' Vader. I might show it 4-6 and 1-3 because the ESB surprise is something that shouldn't be spoiled.

 

Why doesen't GL just rename them?

ANH = 1
ESB = 2
ROTJ = 3
TPM = 4
AOTC = 5
EP3 = 6

 

The numbers only refer to the timeline of which events occur. Not the order they were "meant" to be seen.

Movies are "meant" to be seen in the most comprehensive way. In that case, you gotta go OT-PT.

Viewing the PT first only leads in confusion, (as the Weenie knows first hand). Confusion leads to not being as much of a Star Wars fan as humanly possible. Not being a Star Wars fan...leads to suffferiiing.

Not to mention how boring it would be to see the OT after the PT. Wheres all the special effects? Wheres all the aliens? Thats the final battle between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader?? Why is Luke so weak? How come Lukes lightsaber doesnt actually slice anything?

Plus, it would be so incredibly confusing to see Luke smooching Leia like a mule eating an apple, while knowing that they are brother and sister.

Ever see "Momento"? Its a story that is told most comprehensively, and interestingly, when told slightly out of order. Same goes for Star Wars.

Remember, the Weenie, has experienced first hand how truly horrible it is to view the PT before ever having seen the OT. Hes seen what it can do to a person...

It isnt pretty.

 

Hey,
BTW, it really makes the Weenie happy, so, so, happy, to see that some people are coming to their senses on this matter. Only a few short months ago was the Weenie fighting an overwhelmingly losing battle in this war.

The Weenie smiles.