Star Wars question

[osutater]

I didn't want to hijack the trailer thread.

I'm 32 and have never seen any of the Star Wars (I know, I know). I think I want to try to watch them. I doubt I will like them because I typically don't like Sci-fi-fantasy films.

A guy at work has been telling me to watch them "Machete" order 4-5-, 2-3, 6 and skip 1 because it adds nothing to the story. Others say watch them in the order they were made. This seems to be a big debate on the interwebs. What are our resident experts opinions?

 

[EvilPOKES]

4,5,6 in their original form before Lucas butchered them with additional cgi. then 1-2-3

If poor acting is a bother to you, completely skip 1-2-3

 

[cornichon]

I've heard about this Machete order thing, but I've never understood why it makes even the least bit of sense. Even if you haven't seen them, I assume that you've picked up most of the plot points/twists through cultural osmosis, so watching in a weird order to avoid spoiling things seems pointless.

Episodes 1 and 2 are dog crap. Episode 3 is better. Episodes 4 and 5 are the best, and Episode 6 is half awesome and half kind of dumb. Honestly, just watch Episodes 4-6 and look up the lightsaber fights from the prequels online.

 

[tcpoke]

I'm 34 and hadn't seen them until about a year ago. My 6 year old son kept saying he wanted to watch them, and because I hadn't seen them I was hesitant to plop him down in front of the tv and let him watch them by himself. So I said I would watch them with him.

We watched 4-6 then watched 1-3. Like you, I've never been a sci-fi fan.....but I enjoyed them. 4-6, while keeping in mind when they were made, were pretty darn cool. 1-3 would have been awful if my son wasn't enjoying them so much. That fact alone made it an enjoyable experience for me.

All in all, they are worth seeing and I would watch them in the order they were released.

 

[OSUDirt]

I didn't want to hijack the trailer thread.

I'm 32 and have never seen any of the Star Wars (I know, I know). I think I want to try to watch them. I doubt I will like them because I typically don't like Sci-fi-fantasy films.

A guy at work has been telling me to watch them "Machete" order 4-5-, 2-3, 6 and skip 1 because it adds nothing to the story. Others say watch them in the order they were made. This seems to be a big debate on the interwebs. What are our resident experts opinions?

I would go with the Machete order. I saw them in the order they were released and have wondered when introducing them to someone new what order should they come in. I think it would be great to watch them in Machete order.

 

[JonnyVito]

I highly recommend you watch them 6,5,4,3,2,1.

 

[p75formula]

I didn't want to hijack the trailer thread.

I'm 32 and have never seen any of the Star Wars (I know, I know). I think I want to try to watch them. I doubt I will like them because I typically don't like Sci-fi-fantasy films.

A guy at work has been telling me to watch them "Machete" order 4-5-, 2-3, 6 and skip 1 because it adds nothing to the story. Others say watch them in the order they were made. This seems to be a big debate on the interwebs. What are our resident experts opinions?

Actually, I'd recommend a slightly different approach. I'd go 3-6. I grew up with the original 3 and was very disappointed with 1 and 2. They are not bad, they are HORRIBLE. 3 however, actually does add much and give a nice little back story to how Darth Vader becomes Darth Vader.

After watching 3-6, go ahead and watch 1 and 2 just to see how bad they are.

An interesting thing is, I grew up with the original 3 and so the movies were always about Luke Skywalker even though, after the first film, he's really not anymore of a focal character as anyone else.

My son watched all 6 movies 1 through 6 and his take on the series is very different than mine and those of us that grew up with the original 3. He sees the movies as the story of Anakin Skywalker. A promising young Jedi who was corrupted by power. He also talks all the time about how as evil as he was Darth Vader still really loves his Children. It's pretty cool.

 

[gopokes2003]

If you take out the love scenes between Natalie Portman and Hayden Christensen, the 2nd movie is actually pretty good.

 

[osutater]

My son watched all 6 movies 1 through 6 and his take on the series is very different than mine and those of us that grew up with the original 3.

Did he watch them in that order?

 

[p75formula]

I think he watched 1-6 in order. I joined him at 3. Just can't take those other two. LOL

 

[TheRedSon]

Uhm... If you made it to your mid 30's without watching them have the fact that they are part of our collective experience (whether you saw them or not) ruined the big surprise for you already? Because if it hasn't and you have no idea what I'm talking about you HAVE to start with 4 and 5.

If you want to watch the prequels... Just understand they're really bad, and even if the writing, plot and acting were fantastic (they're not) they'd still be the greatest (worst) abuse of CGI and the green room that Hollywood has ever produced. Literally half of episodes 1 and 2 are two guys sitting around in a green room having a conversation that Lucas will rely on to drive the plot. In most of those scenarios it's painfully obvious at least one of those two guys (and it's always dudes just about, but somehow it's even worse if one of them isn't) is just saying his dead lines while looking at a tennis ball on a stick.

Seriously. Every major government decision (and somehow Lucas decided watching intergalactic politics would be entertaining.... Fictional C-Span is just as lame as real C-Span) is either a whole bunch of CGI with Palpatine standing in the middle literally seeing nothing we're looking at, or Samuel L Jackson looking at anything but Yoda while discussing who is the big secret bad guy. How does Yoda not think it's the bald screaming cussing guy that can't ever look him in the eye?

 

[Rulz]

As a Star Wars fan, it's a big universe to jump into later in life. And I think part of the appeal of Star Wars for us guys around 40 or so was the wonder and excitement that these movies struck in us at that age when we first saw it. But things were different then...we were very young and the world was a much different place....and our knowledge base wasn't as deep as it is now both on an individual level and as a collective society.

What's my point? It's this...I don't think the effect of discovering Star Wars as an adult will be on par with the experience of watching it as a kid and then reconnecting with it later in life. And I can say it hasn't been all the great for those of us that lived it lol. And maybe THATS the problem...both us and Lucas on the first 3 episodes were just too far apart in our expectations. He tried writing it for the 6 year old version of us...and we wanted the complexity and darkness that was found in episode 5...in the end, it still got some attention and gave a few kids some enjoyment, but us older guys were just left out. But, ol George was smart and made sure there was a new toy line out, and got that new generation all hooked on the damn toys like hookers on crack just as he did 30 years earlier...

I say this because..how many people have parents that are highly interested in Star Wars and are my age (41)? My mom took me to see TESB. She loved Han Solo (whose mom didn't lol) but didn't care to see the rest really, and she was in her late 30s/early 40s at that time. And I don't see many "older" Star Wars fans really, but I'm sure there are a few.

Sooooo...I guess the question is...will I like the new movie? That depends on a couple of things....If it's written well with solid acting (the original cast can't mail in the characters they play just for nostalgia) and has something that relates to the past, then I'm sure it will be fine. Will I be filled with tears of joy and feel all 6 years old again with wonder and amazement at what I am seeing? Doubtful, I'm an old cynical bastard now.

But I'm still going to see it....

And back to the original question...I say watch it in the order it was released. That's the way we all discovered it the first time. And that's what made many of us so crazy over the univere that is Star Wars. But don't be surprised if you come away just sort of, "hmmm...not bad, but not the mind blow I thought it would be..".
It's the most loved, anticipated, over analyzed, bitched about, dissected and put back together saga in movie history, and I think that is a major part of the problem why there's been so much anguish over the last several years. And when something is built up to a high level prior to experiencing it, what happens? KSU versus ou 2015.

Well, that and George Lucas' love for money....damn toys...

 

[osutater]

Uhm... If you made it to your mid 30's without watching them have the fact that they are part of our collective experience (whether you saw them or not) ruined the big surprise for you already? Because if it hasn't and you have no idea what I'm talking about you HAVE to start with 4 and 5.

Chris Farley spoiled this for me.

 

[Inky29]

I only let my daughter watch 4-6, watching them in order would have taken away much of the fun of the Vader reveal.

I've still never forgiven Hayden Christopher or the other kid who played Anikan in the first film for sucking as bad as they do. There are very few people I think I'd ever punch in the face if I ever saw them and Hayden Christopher is one of them.

 

[p75formula]

I don't think it's possible to have reached age 30 in any Western Nation and not know that Darth Vader is Luke Skywalker's father.

 

[TheRedSon]

Well it's not now! Spoiler, gees!

 

[The Duke]

There are very few people I think I'd ever punch in the face if I ever saw them and Hayden Christopher is one of them.

This is pure gold.

 

[TheRedSon]

http://{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252 {\fonttbl\f0\fnil\fcharset0 .HelveticaNeueInterface-M3;} {\colortbl;\red255\green255\blue255;\red0\green0\blue0;\red255\green255\blue255;} \deftab720 \pard\pardeftab720\sl480\partightenfactor0 \f0\fs32 \cf2 \cb3 \expnd0\expndtw0\kerning0 \outl0\strokewidth0 \strokec2 [url=https://flic.kr/p/zN6p68][img]https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5794/22181385389_a4ffe2f97f.jpgimage[/url] by David McGlothlin, on Flickr}[/IMG]

Darn.

 

[TheRedSon]

 

[TheRedSon]

I suck at this...

http://imgur.com/gallery/rtZnbRn

 

[Ostatedchi]

 

[TheRedSon]

Thank you!

 

[osutater]

This was fun to read again. I just finished watching episode 6.

I did the machete order. 4,5,2,3,6 and enjoyed them all except 2. What a steaming pile of crap that was.

It was fun to watch it in different order than intended. I think it's the story of Annakin Skywalker more that Luke.

 

[osutater]

Just watched 7. I think it was my favorite out of all of them. Looking forward to the next ones.

 

[MegaPoke]

I'm really looking forward to the stand alone movies that don't have to follow the Skywalker family story.

 

[MajorMike_Ret]

Look, just get over the whole nazi geek 'such and such movies suck' and watch the whole thing in order 1-6. If you know little about the back story it all a great line. If you want to get REAL creative, watch the Clone Wars cartoon shorts between 2 and 3 because it fits in really well and character introduced there are considered cannon today even tho never in a movie (such as Ahsoka who was Ani's padawan and was released as part of the original Star Wars characters for the Infinity game console series). As far as that goes, the new Star Wars Rebels cartoon is likewise a great bridge between 3 and 4, and talks about where the Death Star plans came from and how the Empire began to transition from clones to recruits, for example.

Not watching something just because someone tell you it sucks means you might as well just sit back and let someone vote for you and choose food for you since you are unable to form your own opinion.

These are the same geeks that 20 years ago would have told you not to watch #6 because the stupid teddy bears ruined the movie. Now, they tout it as one of the classics.

 

[osutater]

Look, just get over the whole nazi geek 'such and such movies suck' and watch the whole thing in order 1-6. If you know little about the back story it all a great line. If you want to get REAL creative, watch the Clone Wars cartoon shorts between 2 and 3 because it fits in really well and character introduced there are considered cannon today even tho never in a movie (such as Ahsoka who was Ani's padawan and was released as part of the original Star Wars characters for the Infinity game console series). As far as that goes, the new Star Wars Rebels cartoon is likewise a great bridge between 3 and 4, and talks about where the Death Star plans came from and how the Empire began to transition from clones to recruits, for example.

Not watching something just because someone tell you it sucks means you might as well just sit back and let someone vote for you and choose food for you since you are unable to form your own opinion.

These are the same geeks that 20 years ago would have told you not to watch #6 because the stupid teddy bears ruined the movie. Now, they tout it as one of the classics.

 

[TheRedSon]

<- not the same geek that told anyone not to watch #6. I was 4 when it came out. It was my favorite of the three until my 20's and I began identifying more with Han Solo than Luke Skywalker.

The Clone Wars cartoon is good.
Rebels is very good, possibly great.

 

[Rulz]

It's just amazing to me how much squabbling (not saying that's going on in this thread) that the series exudes.

For many of us, it was a damn big part of our childhood. We don't want to see it get all f*%# off lol. Parents spent hard earned money on AT-ATs and Falcons and Sandcrawlers...hours looking around near the creek where I dropped that damned jawa gun...broken light sabers on Luke, Darth, and Kenobi....ripped capes on the same figures....and what hell was the deal with Yoda and the crappy snake????

Yes....Star Wars....and all the merch you can imagine. And you can have it alllllll again....for a rather huge fortune and an eBay account....if you are so inclined...

Can't wait to see the new movie...

 

[MajorMike_Ret]

Furthermore, unlikely once you watch them you will never watch them again, so might as well start from #1 to see where the story comes from and then if you don't like it, don't go back.

If you can block out Jar Jar and midichlorians, its a decent movie.

 

[MajorMike_Ret]

Since my oldest is a Weird Al fan and knows all the lyrics to 'The Saga Begins' she wanted to see the movie. She had no want to see any of them til we went to see the new one.

So we watched 1 and 2. Now we are going to go thru and watch all the Clone Wars cartoons before 3. I haven't looked but hear they are all on Netflix.

There are several sites that tell you the chrono order of them, but Star Wars.com actually does, as well. They all have same order:
http://www.starwars.com/news/star-wars-the-clone-wars-chronological-episodeorder/

 

[Poketologist]

Watch in the order they were released, 4-5-6 1-2-3 - 7
Except it'd be ok to skip #1 entirely.

 

[BigBobBarker]

The anticheese edition edit of the phantom menace is much better. I think it is available on YouTube. They edited out the midichlorians and changed jar jar's voice.