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Whill
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 Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2018 11:39 am Post subject: What is the best first-time viewing order of the films? |
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| Quote: | Chronological Star Wars (for reference)
TPM
AotC
RotS
Solo
RO
ANH
TESB
RotJ
TFA
TLJ
IX |
| CRMcNeill wrote: | A friend of mine is a high school teacher, and for the end of the school year, he showed all six films to his classes, including several who had never seen any of the movies. Apparently, several new Star Wars fans have been born, thanks to my friend Craig. When I asked in which order he showed the films, his response is quite likely the best I have ever heard.
He shows ANH first, followed by ESB, then cuts to the prequels, ending with ROTJ, basically showing the entire prequel trilogy as a flashback of how Anakin fell and became Darth Vader, while simultaneously amping up the suspense and the angst for Jedi. Honestly, if I were to show the films to someone who had never seen them before, I can't think of a better way to do it. Thoughts? |
Back before TFA came out, I created a little Parents Guide to Star Wars films that included a suggested first viewing order for children with some commentary about content for the films. For a while it was quite popular among parent friends and family who weren't as die hard SW fans as I am. They wanted to give their children the proper background in Star Wars before the new films. I updated the guide for TFA, but it is now three movies out of date.
Besides it being PG-13, Solo definitely can't be watched before ANH because that destroys the drama of Han's dramatic return to save Luke from Vader (Solo shows Han being "the good guy" at the end.) I've lately been thinking about the new films, so here it goes...
TPM
ANH
TESB
Re-watch TPM
AotC
RotS
Solo
RO
Re-watch ANH
Re-watch TESB
RotJ
Several years later
TFA
TLJ
TRoS
The bolded ones are first time viewings. As far as what age to start kids on this and when to move on to the next one on the list, that is purely up to parental guidance. (It could possibly be years between TESB and AotC and RotS depending on the child). Before moving on to the next movies, repeat viewings of previously watched films is of course fine, but my suggested re-watches above are best not long before the next film in the sequence. By watching TESB before RotS, this order preserves the drama of Vader's parental revelation to Luke, and then eases the child into the confirmation of it's truth by showing Anakin's decent into darkness.
As CRM informed about his teacher friend showing the Lucas films to his class, I think moving TPM's first viewing until after TESB is fine too, but TPM is a good quintessential film due to the final battle having an outdoor ground battle, an indoor battle action, a lightsaber battle, and a space battle. And watching TPM before ANH does set the stage for the generational aspect of the saga which may help when watching the films out of order. Telling the children viewers that Luke Skywalker is little Ani's dad when he was a kid doesn't spoil anything because TPM makes no overt connections to Anakin becoming Vader or Leia being Luke's sister, like watching ANH without TPM. Watching TPM before ANH also gives some context to Obi-Wan talking about the Jedi Order and the Republic, and seeing Obi-Wan when he was a young man and and Jedi apprentice really shows what Obi-Wan was offering Luke in ANH. So for all these reasons, TPM wins out as my suggested first viewed film. When the child is ready to move on to AotC (after watching ANH and TESB), TPM should be re-watched to continue it's narrative.
AotC is the most mature PG rated SW film, so this will be a significant step forward for a child. To show AotC earlier for my son, I showed him a slightly edited version that removed, Anakin's slaughter of the Tusken camp, Anakin later talking about it to Padme, and Jango Fett's decapitation with Boba reaction showing he saw it happen (I just told him that Mace Windu killed Jango Fett).
Even after four new Disney films that are all PG-13, I still feel that Lucas's only PG-13 film, RotS, is the most mature SW film over all. When a child is ready for that, they will probably be ready for it all. After watching RotS the first time, I recommend the child watching Solo and RO, re-watching ANH and TESB, then watching RotJ is a fairly short succession of no more than a week apart from each other. This gets the child to RotJ only 5 weeks later after watching RotS, which is longer now that the two anthology prequels are in the mix, but still not too long to experience the parallels between the final episodes of each trilogy. RotS enhances RotJ. RotJ's decrease in maturity level and two new inter-trilogy prequels do not at all weaken my opinion that RotS should be watched before RotJ, which has always the conclusion of Lucas's saga.
Then of course the sequel trilogy can be watched whenever getting to it after RotJ. I think this order also works for adults new to Star Wars (as few as they may be, they do exist).
But without the maturity level concerns, I think straight chronological order is fine for older kids or adults as well. I call banta poodu on the prequel-basher sentiment that the prequels ruin the classic films. When I met my wife in the Fall of 2005 and we started dating, she had never seen any Star Wars. So I showed the Lucas films too her in chronological order and you know what? RotS totally enhanced the drama of the classic trilogy starting with ANH. At the end of RotS, she understood the next trilogy was about those babies when they grow up. Can they succeed where Yoda and Obi-Wan failed? She utterly despised Vader in the classic films after seeing his betrayal and evil in RotS. Vader was holding his daughter while she watched Alderaan be destroyed (and "Jimmy Smits" died), and Vader was trying to gun his own son down in the trench! She was shocked when Obi-Wan disappeared. And for TESB, despite already knowing the truth of Vader's revelation, she still felt it was dramatic and felt Luke's pain at being told that. In RotJ she was distraught when Luke threw his lightsaber away because she knew the Sith lightning was coming and he couldn't defend himself. She was totally surprised by Anakin's return and felt very satisfied that that evil b@st@rd* finally did the right thing. Upon seeing Vader's funeral pyre, she recalled the prophecy of the chosen one and was satisfied that Qui-Gon was right about Anakin all along. I had specifically been warned that if I showed her the prequels first, she would hate the classic films, especially TESB. Poodu. In the end, TESB, the film most spoiled by the prequels, was her favorite Star Wars film of them all. She really doesn't care for AotC or RotS, but in her first run-through of the series, they did their intended job of enhancing her experience watching the classic films.
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Last edited by Whill on Sun Feb 23, 2020 6:19 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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griff
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| Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2018 10:46 pm Post subject: |
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This is great to come back to this. I will take the view of a teenager viewing for the first time.
Rogue One
This is a good introduction to the universe. Jedi are mentioned but not shown. Leia and Vader are introduced.
A New Hope
Just for the continuation and the introduction of the rest of the characters and Jedi.
The Empire Strikes Back
I thought about TPM here but Obi-wan had already mentioned that Vader was his student not Anakin. TESB is here just to keep the "I am your father" the big suprise.
The Phantom Menace
Attack of the Clone
The Revenge of the Sith
Yes I would watch the prequels here. I think the reveal that Luke and Leia are brother and sister fits here better.
The Return of the Jedi
Finishing Vader's redemption story here works best after following him through the prequels.
The Force Awakens
Mostly here for continuation of the story.
Solo
After losing Han it would be nice to he his beginning. A the dice connect nicely with.....
The Last Jedi
The chronolicly the last should be viewed last.
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Sutehp
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| Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2018 3:24 pm Post subject: |
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Yeah, I'm liking Griff's viewing order. While the only change I might make is to put Solo before Rogue One just for the sake of chronology, it also makes sense to put Solo after TFA to heighten how tragic Han Solo's life has become by the time he dies at the hand of his own son.
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Whill
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| Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2018 1:56 am Post subject: |
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| Sutehp wrote: | | Yeah, I'm liking Griff's viewing order. |
For teenagers or older, I agree that Griff's order works. Rogue One really does belong before ANH, but it just isn't best for younger children.
| Sutehp wrote: | | While the only change I might make is to put Solo before Rogue One just for the sake of chronology, it also makes sense to put Solo after TFA to heighten how tragic Han Solo's life has become by the time he dies at the hand of his own son. |
I almost wish that Solo had come out before TFA so we would get to see Han's "origin story" before his death. I'm not saying Solo being Disney's first SW film would have been better for the franchise or any other silly what-if sentiments. It was probably best for a lot of fans to see Harrison Ford's Han die before accepting new actor taking on the role.
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griff
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| Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2018 3:54 pm Post subject: |
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With Rogue One being first and the "total party kill" aspect of the movie, gives the "nobody is safe" feel. And with Obi-Wan ' s death in IV reinforces it. I had also thought of putting Solo between III and VI because Han was the major focus for the beginning of VI, but I thought it slowed down Vader's story too much.
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Whill
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| Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2018 10:51 pm Post subject: |
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| griff wrote: | | With Rogue One being first and the "total party kill" aspect of the movie, gives the "nobody is safe" feel. And with Obi-Wan ' s death in IV reinforces it. I had also thought of putting Solo between III and VI because Han was the major focus for the beginning of VI, but I thought it slowed down Vader's story too much. |
I love how much thought you've put into this. I do disagree on the Obi-Wan's death because he almost immediately spoke to Luke after dying, showing that in some form he wasn't really dead. However yes, RO totally enhances the drama of ANH and I really do see your general point.
When I was a kid, it was my dad was the movie fanatic who took my brother and I to see Star Wars. He liked the movies too.
You guys will probably be surprised to hear this, but my mom, mother of two huge Star Wars fans, has never seen any Star Wars movies. Growing up as country girl on a farm, she had never been exposed to sci-fi. She didn't watch Lost in Space or Star Trek. Before she met my dad, my mom went on date with a guy who took her to see 2001: A Space Odyssey. She didn't get it. She didn't like it. Ever since then, she has had an aversion to "space" movies. I've tried to tell her that Star Wars is an adventure movie and almost nothing like 2001, but she just doesn't care. Several years back I told her that she had to watch the original Star Wars after she retired. She said, "Why after I retire?" I said because she would have more free time and be less likely to resist and refuse. She chuckled and agreed that I was probably right about that. She has been retired for a couple years now and nearing 70. She had a couple back surgeries earlier this year so is less mobile.
My step-dad also has never seen Star Wars, but he is not a movie person in general. He is in his 70s but can probably count the number of times he has been to the movie theater in his life on one hand. He mostly watches sports. He is a channel flipper and he has seen parts of a lot of movies. Almost all the movies he has seen completely in his life have been in watching parts of them in multiple viewings until he happens to see all of them. He's not into "space" either.
I am really tempted to show them RO and ANH because of how RO makes ANH even better. But they would be asking them to do two movies which would have to be two separate occasions. And they are a different tone, so out of the two, there is a greater chance they wouldn't like RO and then they might not have much motivation to sit through a second movie some other time. I don't want them dreading another "space" movie after the first one because that could really poison them on ANH.
If they haven't seen the original Star Wars after 41 years or any of the now 10 movies, I think that unfortunately it is probably too much to expect them to do two movies and suffer through the modern dark one for the happy ending of the second one. I think it is probably best to just show them ANH and that way even if they don't like it, they will have at least seen the original classic Star Wars. RO enhances ANH, but ANH also totally works on its own. It was the only Star Wars movie for its first three years and made without certainly of their ever being sequels.
So it looks like viewing order for my mom and step-dad will be: 1) ANH.
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CRMcNeill
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| Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2018 11:24 pm Post subject: |
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| griff wrote: | | With Rogue One being first and the "total party kill" aspect of the movie, gives the "nobody is safe" feel. And with Obi-Wan ' s death in IV reinforces it. I had also thought of putting Solo between III and VI because Han was the major focus for the beginning of VI, but I thought it slowed down Vader's story too much. |
It never really occurred to me before you suggested this, but the attention to detail that went into Rogue One, with hairstyles, costuming choices, all the little cameos, etc, Rogue One really does fit well as an introduction to the OT in a way that Solo lacks. Switching from Solo to ANH would be, well, jarring is the most apt word that comes to mind, whereas Rogue One just feels like it belongs.
| Whill wrote: | | I love how much thought you've put into this. I do disagree on the Obi-Wan's death because he almost immediately spoke to Luke after dying, showing that in some form he wasn't really dead. However yes, RO totally enhances the drama of ANH and I really do see your general point. |
I think, if anything, the TPK at the end of RO enhances the surprise of hearing Obi-wan's voice. It's established that heroes can die, and we see it happen yet again, and- wait, why can we still hear his voice?
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Solo4114
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| Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2018 3:29 pm Post subject: |
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I debate between doing something like the Machete order, and doing things the way I experienced them.
My rough idea at the moment is as follows:
ANH
ESB
ROTJ
TFA
TLJ
Ep. IX (since, by the time I'm doing this with my daughter, Ep. IX will have come out already).
Possibly followed by the GRAND rewatch
Filioni Clone Wars Cartoon
ROTS
Rebels
Solo
R1
ANH
ESB
ROTJ
TFA
TLJ
Ep. IX
I still haven't seen Solo, so I'm not sure where/whether to slot that in.
Alternatively, I might do:
ANH
ESB
Clone Wars Cartoon
ROTS
Solo
Rebels
R1
ANH
ESB
ROTJ
TFA
TLJ
Ep. IX |
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Whill
Dark Lord of the Jedi (Owner/Admin)
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| Posted: Sat Nov 30, 2019 7:32 pm Post subject: Re: What is the best first-time viewing order of the films? |
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Thanks Solo4114 and griff for sharing your viewing orders above.
What is the best first-time viewing order of the films?
| Whill wrote: | TPM
ANH
TESB
Re-watch TPM
AotC
RotS
Solo
RO
Re-watch ANH
Re-watch TESB
RotJ
TFA
TLJ
TRoS |
It will come as no surprise to most of you that I am the biggest Star Wars nerd a lot of my friends and family know, so they tend to consult me on Star Wars questions. A lot of them have seen some but not all of the films so far. Some of my friends and family members are (re)watching the films (including some getting kids prepared for TRoS), so I wanted to revisit this.
All of us are either doing straight chronological order (PT, Solo, RO, CT, ST), my above order, or a minor variation of the above involving TPM. Some are starting the above with ANH and then watching TPM for the first time after TESB, and others are doing the above order except skipping the rewatch of TPM between TESB and ANH. I think skipping the TPM rewatch is fine if the previous time was fairly recent (as in the film cram session some are doing). I also think it is fine to watch TPM third.
I have TPM first because it has a little it of everything so serves as the quintessential film of the franchise outside of ANH. Going from TPM to ANH also introduces the generational aspect of this series right off the bat, so may help going backwards to prequels after TESB make more sense to younger viewers. TPM doesn't spoil anything for the classic films.
However for first time viewers, after watching the more mature film stretch of films (AotC, RotS, Solo, RO), I strongly recommend rewatching ANH and TESB for maximum context going into RotJ, which ties all the chronologically prior films together. (And watching ANH immediately after RO is just awesome).
If you've seen all the films a couple times or recently, my order above or chronological is fine. My family has been doing chronological but all of us have seen them all at least several times.
Does anyone have a different order? Does your suggested order differ for kids and adults?
And as a friendly reminder, per forum guidelines please do not bash films, etc. For the purpose of this discussion, even saying to leave certain films out completely does not really contribute anything to the discussion of film viewing order. The premise of this question is if watching them all leading up to TRoS. Thank you.
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TauntaunScout
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| Posted: Mon Dec 02, 2019 11:45 am Post subject: |
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| In theory, I believe that real-world chronological order is best. However this is not how I personally wound up viewing them, and it's not how it's shaking out with my kids. For there is much that is left to time and chance. |
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MrNexx
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| Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2019 12:39 pm Post subject: |
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I have to say, I like Griff's order and the thought put into it.
I'm pretty sure my kids (4 and 2, right now) are going to watch ANH first. But that's just because I have it, and I want them to see that.
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