People will always love whatever introduced them into a new "world". I have become something of a fan since watching Revenge of the Sith; everywhere I go I hear people slating it and I admit in some ways its no masterpiece (lalaladialoguelalala) - but it had a pretty massive impact on me (i.e I cried like a sad, freak fish swimming in a puddle of tears,) so on some level the movie must have got it right. (Besides the fact that people are, after all, talking about it a lot.)
I have AOTC, (well, stole the DVD from my Dad for whom it was purchased as a birthday present some years ago,) and I love it despite - not because of - the crap dialogue. I saw the prequels first; as a teenager now I "grew up" through secondary school with them. Thus they have an perhaps-nearly-almost- but-not-quite comparable effect on me (yes, I know there are big ass differences,) that the OT has on slightly older generations. 馃檪
Is it necessarily unfortunate though if it introduces them to the OT?
Personally I am very glad they had an impact on me 馃檪
Occasionally I do wonder if somebody on set was having a joke with Lucas though... "Oi, Lukey, bro - you know what would finish this nicely? A little bit more CGI...we simply haven't enough" or "man to man, what would PERFECT this scene; give it huge drama yet ultimate integrity...have Darthy boy shout NOOOOOOOOO in an original and stylish manner..."
...or if you weren't in the first screening of the movie. (Vast exaggeration but everybody knows how quickly spoilers get out and about - if the "No...I am your father" line was first heard years before you were born, you'll know about it pretty soon)
You could also say the OT kinda ruins the PT, after all.
That said, I would agree it would probably be better to watch OT first - if you are prepared to end on the downer that is Ep3.
I agree with Rex... the OT is a must-see first. When I hear about young kids seeing the PT first, it is... borderline sacreligious.
I liked AOTC because it had less Jar-Jar and Annie than TPM, and it introduced a wiser Obi-Wan and the deadly Dooku... However, the acting was at the pinnacle of "horrible" and the excess of CGI made it the target of bitterness from original fans who settled for refitted Mauser pistols, flashlight cases and old camera lights for props.