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I was wondering in what order would you show SW to people who never saw it...

The OT or the PT first?

I am thinking about moments such as: "no I am your father!" If you know it... it would not be that powerful...

On the other hand watching the PT without knowing that anakin will turn to the dark side must be something special!

OT first.

well, it would be kinda cool to watch 1-6, and find everything out as it happened..i guess.
but i'd say OT first.

I'd say PT. Just let them watch it the way Lucas wanted it to be...well I guess he wanted to start us with 4 since he thought it would be the most successful. Alright OT.

Although I find the thought of watching the PT before the OT extremely intriguing.

i'd have to say OT first. because if not then the best lines in the OT are not so good anymore.

i.e. "No! I am your father"

doesn't seem as "wow!" as it would if you watched the PT first.

I think it'd make even less sense by watching 1-6. With the OT, you learn about characters, but with the PT, they're just thrown at you. Also, the surprises. There are way more surprises than in the PT. For one; Learning Ben Kenobi is really Obi-Wan for the first time, Learning Vader is Luke's father, Learning who yoda is, all that. What's the big surprise in the PT? Wow, Anakin turns evil, Palps is a sith. I choose OT first.

I would watch Star Wars the way they were suppost to be watched from 1-6 thats what im going to do when i get my Episode III DVD on November 8th 2005!

1-6 so that they got the complete story in its intended order.

"I am your father" was only a surprise because we didn't
know the whole story.....

If your showing the movie to a person thats never seen them before id say (although its a tough call) watch the OT first, then hopfully that peron will be interested enough to keep interest in the PT LOL, In the PT E1 had the best cemestry between actors because of Qui-Gon, E3 had the best for action and keeping your interest, E2 just plain sucked.

4, 5, 1, 2, 3, 6

4,5,6, 2,3,1

Originally posted by Tulak Hord
I think it'd make even less sense by watching 1-6. With the OT, you learn about characters, but with the PT, they're just thrown at you. Also, the surprises. There are way more surprises than in the PT. For one; Learning Ben Kenobi is really Obi-Wan for the first time, Learning Vader is Luke's father, Learning who yoda is, all that. What's the big surprise in the PT? Wow, Anakin turns evil, Palps is a sith. I choose OT first.

The PT the characters are just thrown at you?? In the OT its the same thing, all the characters are thrown at you.
Granted if you watch the PT there are not as many surprises, but some of the lines mean more....in epIV "when last we met i was the learner now i am the master" THe falcon hiding on the star destroyer does not work cause Boba had seen it done before.

They were designed to be watched 456123, so lets just leave it at that.

They can work 123456, but are less effective.

The whole point is to watch the main bulk of the story (OT) then go back and watch the backstory once you find out Vader's secret.

You need the OT to make you care about watching Vader's origin.

Watching Episode I first is a mistake. You don't know any of the characters, they aren't introduced as well as those in Episode IV and it isn't a good movie unless you KNOW where the characters such as Anakin are heading.

Episode IV is the starting point. It's the intro to the rules of the universe. The prequels are designed with an expectation that the audience knows what has gone before.

Originally posted by Red Superfly
Watching Episode I first is a mistake. You don't know any of the characters, they aren't introduced as well as those in Episode IV and it isn't a good movie unless you KNOW where the characters such as Anakin are heading.

Ummm yea right the characters were intorduced so well in EPIV "Han Solo captain of the millenium falcon" That sums up this whole character for me I know all about him. NOT!
The only reason you think they were introduced so well in the OT is because you are putting the character together after watching all 3 of the movies. and you have had 20+ years to get them implanted in your head.
The only characters we that we know about their whole life now are Anakin, Luke and Leia and maybe Obi-wan. everyone else's back story is a mystery.

I'd say 1-6 would be the best, but it's not really possible to do that because of the massive difference in special effects. If you were to show them to someone now, they would probably love the first 3, even TPM. But when you get to 4, they would lose interest very fast.

So I think due to special effect constraints, you would have to show them 4-6, and then 1-3 later if they make it through the OT first.

When I watch the OT, I don't even notice the lower special effects because I loved them so much as a kid, but people watching them now wouldn't like it much.

Star Wars is the masterpiece it is because of the way it is told so if you ask me it should always be watched 4,5,6,1,2,3.
Wouldnt be the same any other way.

Originally posted by darthmaul1
Ummm yea right the characters were intorduced so well in EPIV "Han Solo captain of the millenium falcon" That sums up this whole character for me I know all about him. NOT!
The only reason you think they were introduced so well in the OT is because you are putting the character together after watching all 3 of the movies. and you have had 20+ years to get them implanted in your head.
The only characters we that we know about their whole life now are Anakin, Luke and Leia and maybe Obi-wan. everyone else's back story is a mystery.

Erm, excuse me? How else would Han be introduced?

Han was a smuggler and the captain of the Falcon. That's pretty much it. He was introduced in possibly the best way.

Also, they were "implanted into my head" the moment I saw them. They were introduced and BANG, I knew what was going on. Simple as that.

This isn't about who's backstory is the best, it's about how they were introduced. We don't need to see Han's backstory to know his character.

OT first!!!! that introduces the sw galaxy as red superfly stated!!

example : my girlfriend was watching the TPM when it was on at my house oneday, {she had never seen anthying sw releted b4} and when they used the force like ,push or jumping really high she was like WTF??????????? i said "they r using the force" once again she was like WTF???????????

Originally posted by Red Superfly
They were designed to be watched 456123, so lets just leave it at that.

They can work 123456, but are less effective.



They were not, quit running your mouth like that. Just because thats the way you saw it doesn't mean that is the way it should be.

I guess this is a tough one to answer. That example of your girlfriend not knowing what the force even is, that's a good example actually. I never thought of it that way. Probably people watching TPM first would have a million fuking questions about what exactly the jedi and sith are doing, and even what they are.

Ya, a new person to star wars wouldn't have the first damn clue what's going on in TPM now that I think about it.

4-6 first is an absolute must. Hopefully they can overlook the 30 year old special effects and enjoy the movies anyway.

Excuse me? Running my mouth?

I guess you win the arguement with that pearl of wisdom.

It's the way MOST people have seen them, and it works. Episode IV is the introduction to the force, what it does. Episode V elaborates on those rules and so on. Episode I comes along and advances the exposition, because it's designed with the knowledge that the audienece already knows what the force is.

And yes, they were made in that order, so they should be viewed in that order. Lucas may think you can watch them 1-6 but it's less effective.

You may pick up on whats going on by watching Episode I alone, but when you get to Episode IV and see Obi-Wan explaining the force, you'd be like "OK, shouldn't this bit have been in Episode I?".

4-6 is the story. 1-3 is the backstory to be viewed afterwards. That's the way they were made, thats the way the dialogue is written, that's the way it goes.

OT then PT.

1,4,2,5,3,6.

Try it before you scoff.

Does it matter?

Since when is an opinion "running his mouth?"

id watch ep 4,5,6 but turn 6 off before vader turns back to the light side. then watch ep 1,2,3 and then finish the ending of ep 6.

^^^ I think that is the best idea yet. Perfect

Originally posted by Jayd265
id watch ep 4,5,6 but turn 6 off before vader turns back to the light side. then watch ep 1,2,3 and then finish the ending of ep 6.

How would you know when Vader turns back to the light side if you are viewing them for the first time? How would you know he turns back to the light at all?

That's what this is about.

You would know when you watch the end of 6. I'm not sure I know what you mean by how would you even know at all. Elaborate pls

He's saying "How would you, a first time viewer, know when to turn off 6 before seeing Vader turn back to the light?"

*EDIT* Let me elaborate on my order a little. I didn't come up with it. Someone on another board suggested that order a while back when this question came up there, and i totally agreed as soon as I saw it. You start with 4, so all that necessary exposition about the SW Universe's mechanics & mythologies is explained. Luke asks all the questions we need to know and Ben answers them, and it's a nice, contained adventure with a satisfying ending to get you interested in the saga.

Go right into 5 and You get to know the main players better, and you get to know the last of the full-saga important characters in Yoda. It saves the biggest surprise in the saga, and immediately raises the question of how could Darth Vader be Luke's father...

... so you go to an extended flashback sequence of sorts, the PT. Watch 1, 2 & 3 next. You get to understand what happened to Vader and why his redemption is so important right before you watch the film where it happens. Plus, I think that the Leia twin surprise is actually a lot cooler is you learn of it in 3 than in 6. You're gonna guess that Luke is the baby she's carrying, but then you hear "She's carrying twins." What?! So, Luke comes out first, and then the second baby comes out and right before the scene cuts away she names her "Leia". WHAT?! I like that better than Luke's force insight telling him acting as the surprise reveal, and it even makes his sensing it (and her as well) still a nice event in the saga.

Which brings us to 6. You already saw that Vader guy & that good Luke dude, but now you know how tragic Vader is and how Luke needs to save him. Simple OT viewing will do it, but watching the PT beforehand enforces it even more. You saw a glimps of Palpatine in 5, but now you come off of seeing him in his finest hour in 3, so you're well aware of his power & can feel the threat to Luke. You just saw his father turn to the dark side, so you are rooting for Luke to not do the same. You just became attached to Anakin Skywalker, and immediately after you can see him saved. It's just nice. It just works. It's not the only way, but it's a good, creative way.

Well, this is a thread about what order to best view them in for the first time - right?

So how the hell would you know Vader turns good? And when?

Edit - yes kremzike that's what I mean.

Oh gotcha... He would help his friend out. Probably watch them with him ya know. Personally, i'd love to sit in a viewing with a buddy that hasen't seen any of them before. That would be cool.

I was thinking 1-6 for someone new to the saga but the point about the difference in special effects is a valid one....

I edited my last post & elaborated on my choice for first time viewing order above.

Originally posted by Vanquish
Since when is an opinion "running his mouth?"

It always was. Opinion is just a polite word, really.

I have an interesting order. I have'nt tried it yet mind you.


Watch the episodes in this order. Episode 2 is'nt really needed, except for the whole Padme-Anakin marriage thing and that nice little fight with Dooku.
4,1,3,5,6

But if you must have it

4,1,5,2,3,6

Originally posted by Vanquish
I'd say 1-6 would be the best, but it's not really possible to do that because of the massive difference in special effects. If you were to show them to someone now, they would probably love the first 3, even TPM. But when you get to 4, they would lose interest very fast.

So I think due to special effect constraints, you would have to show them 4-6, and then 1-3 later if they make it through the OT first.

When I watch the OT, I don't even notice the lower special effects because I loved them so much as a kid, but people watching them now wouldn't like it much.

WE AGREE ON THIS ONE!

LOL!

my friend has just recently started to like SW. He saw Eps III and was amazed with it. his exact words were "wow, that was awesome cause it was so different from most movies today"

He had seem TPM a few years back and had never seen Eps. II

anyways, he asked to watch I and II again, so we did. he then went to watch Eps IV and his response was.

"I cant watch it, the special effects in the new ones are 100 times better, I think they should go back and do the effects again to make them better"

so, Vanquish is right. I think people would lose interest if they watched 1-6. mostly cause Eps. IV is boring when compared to the PT, and the special effects in the OT are not as good.

to me it makes no difference, I dont see anything wrong when i watch the OT cause I saw them first and thats just how they are...

anyways, OT first then PT is the only way too go

btw, i forced him to watch the OT anyways

I never had a problem with the effects in the OT

Original Trilogy. The suprize of Luke and Leia being twins, Vader being Luke's father.

Originally posted by Red Superfly
Erm, excuse me? How else would Han be introduced?

Han was a smuggler and the captain of the Falcon. That's pretty much it. He was introduced in possibly the best way.

Also, they were "implanted into my head" the moment I saw them. They were introduced and BANG, I knew what was going on. Simple as that.

This isn't about who's backstory is the best, it's about how they were introduced. We don't need to see Han's backstory to know his character.

This is what you said
Watching Episode I first is a mistake. You don't know any of the characters, they aren't introduced as well as those in Episode IV and it isn't a good movie unless you KNOW where the characters such as Anakin are heading.

I was mearly saying that the characters are introduced the same in all movies, like you said with a bang. you don't know much about anyone. and that goes for pretty much any movie. I do believe you can watch them either way. and this is obviously for people who have never seen them before.456123 get the surprise that vader is lukes fasher and that luke and liea are bro and sis. 123456 you don't know anakin is going to turn and that palpatine is the sith lord.
I does make sense that someone that hasn't seen the OT would be asking alot of questions about the force. ect.

I havant seen the TPM in a long time, but I am quite sure that Qui-Gon explain the force (and sadly also the midichlorian) somewhere in there.

I quite like the idea of watching both the OT and PT in parallel...

um the only person i knew when watching ep 1 after seeing the OT was yoda and obi.not much of a big help there.I think 1-6 if the special effects were better for 4-6.but since it isnt..
not knowing anything about the saga the biggest surprise would be anakin turning bad.it makes 4-6 seem totally different.like that poor little boy from tattoine is evil now.u feel sory for what he;s gone through and u hope he is saved somehow.u see luke and he saves him and u fell happy.im probably drunk but thats what i tihjbn atfre i og ot sleppppp illl t alkkk some mre..