never seen the movies...

[RXBandit]

i'm not sure if this is the right place for this (sorry if it's not, i'm relatively new here).

anyway, i'm sure you'll think i'm nuts, but i've never seen the Star Wars movies. not a single minute of one. i think at this point i know most of what happens but i feel like i'm missing out. i never thought i'd care much, but since i've gotten back into Lego i've become obsessed with the Star Wars sets. i feel like i MUST see them at this point, but i have a few questions:

in what order should i watch? should i ignore the new trilogy and just focus on the classics? should i start with Episode 1? is there any supplemental stuff i should watch/read as well? and also, do you think i'll be truly satisfied at this point? i mean, these movies have been hyped beyond all reasonable expectations, i'll go in as open minded as possible, but i wonder if they can live up to a fraction the greatness that's been described.

[Brickus]

Watch the Originals first then go back and watch the Prequel Trilogy, for the movies, I don't know about the Expanded Universe stuff.

I don't think this topic will last very long.

[RXBandit]

i looked for a more "appropriate" place to putit, but i couldn't really find anyplace. sorry again if it's against the rules.

to me it very much has to do with Lego cause all the sets i've built have gotten me more and more curious. for the first time ever i'm actually excited to watch a Star Wars movie.

btw, as an aside; i like the sets from the Clone Wars more than i like the sets from the original trilogy. very much doubt it'll go that way when i'm watching it haha.

[JimBee]

First, I think this belongs in the Culture and Multimedia forum. Don't worry though, a Sith lord will get around to moving it if he thinks so too.

I'd agree with ATN. The sequels did comes first, and I think your view of SW as a whole will be better off starting with "the best". You can experience it just like most people alive for more than 30 years did, and then hate the prequels once you watch them after.

After that, I'd suggest you check out the old 2D Clone Wars shorts, and then the new 3D cartoon. And, if you're really into it, play some games such as Knights of the Old Republic or the Battlefront games. Force Unleashed is another good one if you want to be EU-savvy.

Good luck on your journey into pure gold.

[RXBandit]

thanks JimButcher.

i'm actually kinda surprised that you guys think i should watch the better ones first, as opposed to 'gettin them outta the way'. i wonder if Episodes 1-3 are really as bad as everyone says.

my only real experience with the SW universe is Shadows of the Empire for N64 and a PS2 SW flying game i can't remember the name of.

[Siegfried]

A New Hope, Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi... then the new ones. Remember that regardless of numbers, 1-3 were originally never going to be made, and thus they are true prequels in that there is some assumed knowledge and it works better if you know it.

Just don't watch the The Star Wars Holiday Special.

i looked for a more "appropriate" place to putit, but i couldn't really find anyplace. sorry again if it's against the rules.

It's more about the movies so it belongs in Culture and Multimedia... so...

First, I think this belongs in the Culture and Multimedia forum. Don't worry though, a Sith lord will get around to moving it if he thinks so too.

Sith Walrus?

i wonder if Episodes 1-3 are really as bad as everyone says.

Ep 3 is the only one that I really dislike. Ep 1 is quite good in parts and I think Ep 2 is the third best out of them all.

[Clone OPatra]

Well, we've all got personal preferences, so watch them how you want. I agree though that you should go Original Trilogy then Prequel Trilogy. That's how they were released, so you should watch them that way.

I, for one, like the prequel trilogy, and they grow on me with each repeat viewing. I do not like them as much as the OT, but they're still SW and have great elements.

I rank all the films (in descending order): Ep4, Ep6, Ep5, Ep3, Ep1, Ep2.

However, Ep3 I would say is the most fun and easy to watch again and again, since it's basically all fan-catered all-out action. That said, I kind of always thought that Ep3 was really only best for fans, and nobody else would really "get it." Whatever you do, just don't start with Ep3.

And, agreeing with Seigfried, whatever you do don't watch the Holiday Special for a good long while, and you could probably leave the Clone Wars movie out too until you're caught up on the rest. The CW show is worth watching, though.

[RXBandit]

thanks for the moving, Sith Walrus. sorry again about posting in the wrong place. i'll be more careful in the future.

i never really thought of it as them being true prequels as opposed to movies that were originally supposed to come first (the did come first in book form, correct?) so that definitley makes me wanna watch them in chronological release order now.

i have the DVDs sittin in the backseat of my car. i'll brave the snow and grab them in a few minutes. after i finish building the set i got tonight (6212 X-Wing Fighter (!!!)) i'll put on A New Hope. i'm excited haha.

Edit:

thanks Clone O'Patra. i won't start with Episode 3, i promise haha.

normally i wouldn't care and just watch thing in the way i wanted to, but everyone is so serious about these movies, and i respect all of your opinions as much as anyone... basically i wanna get the most i can outta these movies.

Edited February 3, 2010 by RXBandit

[Clone OPatra]

(the did come first in book form, correct?)

No, I don't think so. The story was in Lucas' mind, but never written down until there were novelizations of the movies that came out at the same time as each prequel movie.

[RXBandit]

No, I don't think so. The story was in Lucas' mind, but never written down until there were novelizations of the movies that came out at the same time as each prequel movie.

psssssh. i'm just showing Star Wars ignorance all over the place tonight.

[MacK]

It doesn't matter how you watch them just be sure to watch them . The first three really aren't that bad... at least in my humble opinion.

[RXBandit]

pretty much everyone i've ever met has seen them (like other normal people haha), but one of my best friends never has either. he's gonna come by tomorrow and we'll watch the Knicks game and then watch a A New Hope. he wants to start with Episode 1 really badly, but i don;t think we'll go that route.

now i have more time to finish my Clone X-Wing tonight! i love this set so far... i wish i had room to actually display ones like this.

[Corvus]

You should definatately watch the original series first, jsst because, well, they're the classics....in 'remastered' form, though. Of course, all the plot twists will be moot since you probably know the general idea.

Definately watch the 2D CW right after you watch Episode II. This was really a great series, and artfully done.

All right, getting into complaining mode here:

I like Episode I simply because it still has models. This was right before they got heavily into CGI. EP. I had Jar-Jar, too, though, so I'm pretty neutral on the plot on this one...

Episode II I like because it had the clones (while they could still aim!) and Jango. SW started to slow down a lot here as they got into politics and Anakin's love obsession with Padme.

Episode III seemed to be the furthest away from the OT, to me. All the characters are stylized and groomed, and it seems that just about everything is CGI in it.

[RileyC]

I agree with everyone else and watch 4,5,6 and then 1,2,3. If you watch the prequel trilogy first then the original trilogy wont be as mysterious as if you watched the OT first. I do advise you watch the clone wars movie and the two versions of the clone wars tv series. Also get familiar with the number 1138 it appears in every movie as a tribute to George Lucas' movie THX 1138

Just don't watch the The Star Wars Holiday Special.

But its so bad its funny!

[Siegfried]

I rank all the films (in descending order): Ep4, Ep6, Ep5, Ep3, Ep1, Ep2.

My order is Ep5, Ep4, Ep2, Ep6, Ep1, Ep3

Yeah, I actually like Ep2!

Definately watch the 2D CW right after you watch Episode II. This was really a great series, and artfully done.

Very true. It also give you more insight into the character of Anakin, which is one of my major complaints of 3; his character changes too fast.

Episode II I like because it had the clones (while they could still aim!) and Jango. SW started to slow down a lot here as they got into politics and Anakin's love obsession with Padme.

Episode III seemed to be the furthest away from the OT, to me. All the characters are stylized and groomed, and it seems that just about everything is CGI in it.

I fast forward all the Padme/Anakin scenes, and I feel the same way about Ep 3. Sets George! Build some sets! You've got the money!

thanks for the moving, Sith Walrus. sorry again about posting in the wrong place. i'll be more careful in the future.

It's not a problem.

But its so bad its funny!

Very true!

[Oky]

Although I personally like the Prequel Trilogy better (with Ep.III being my favorite), I must agree with the others here that you should start with the Original Trilogy. They are just classic, and they are still the best example of what Star Wars is truly all about. Besides, if you would watch Ep. IV right after Ep.III, the transition from top-notch CGI to muppets will be too abrupt and might make you think the OT is bad.

And I absolutely agree with Mr. Mandalorian: Watch Star Wars: Clone Wars Volume 1 & 2 between Ep. II and III! It's awesome, and it helps to demonstrate what happened between those Episodes very well! If you don't like it, you don't have to, I guess, but it's strongly recommended!

And don't forget to come back to this thread once you have watched them all to tell us what you think of them.

[Brickus]

Episode 1 is my least favourite of the Prequel Trilogy, because it is too childish, some of the fights and scenes are good but overall childish

Episode 2 is good because, it introduces the Clone Wars which is awesome, and shows the origins of Boba Fett, it also has some good fight scenes with the Jedi.

Episode 3 is my favourite out of the Prequel Trilogy, the only bad thing about it is some of the dialogue between Anakin and Padme. Otherwise it shows Anakin's turn to the Dark Side, and has the best fight scenes of the whole Prequel Troilogy.

The Original Trilogy is more story based and are quite easily better than the Prequel Trilogy movies.

[RileyC]

My order would have to be Ep IV, V, I, VI, III, II.

I actually like ep I because it lays down the story for the PT with the scenes with Ani and Padme and has really good characters with Qui-Gon, Darth Maul and a real look at who Obi-Wan is. Also I like it because I dont mind Jar Jar that much. But I hate him in the Clone Wars because he sounds like Mickey Mouse a bit.

[RXBandit]

thanks again to everyone for their two cents.

i've heard that Episodes 1-3 are pretty childish, but that never stops me from doin anything. i do enjoy Lego and Fall Out Boy, among other things, after all haha.

i'll let you guys know what i think about A New Hope after i watch it late tomorrow night. i'm actually a little worried that it's been way too over-hyped, but i thought the same thing before i saw the Godfather last year and that was only a slight letdown. i also worried about seein The Good, The Bad And The Ugly, and that actually was better than i ever could've imagined.

at the very least, it'll be nice to finally stop gettin my balls busted for never having seen the original trilogy.

one last thing: is it worth gettin the ARC-170 Starfighter (8088)? is it that much different from the X-Wing? $65 for less than 400 pieces seems pretty damn steep to me.

[Davor]

thanks again to everyone for their two cents.

i've heard that Episodes 1-3 are pretty childish, but that never stops me from doin anything. i do enjoy Lego and Fall Out Boy, among other things, after all haha.

i'll let you guys know what i think about A New Hope after i watch it late tomorrow night. i'm actually a little worried that it's been way too over-hyped, but i thought the same thing before i saw the Godfather last year and that was only a slight letdown. i also worried about seein The Good, The Bad And The Ugly, and that actually was better than i ever could've imagined.

at the very least, it'll be nice to finally stop gettin my balls busted for never having seen the original trilogy.

one last thing: is it worth gettin the ARC-170 Starfighter (8088)? is it that much different from the X-Wing? $65 for less than 400 pieces seems pretty damn steep to me.

yes. its 100% worth of money!

reg. watching - must agreee - its kind of cool to watch first OT than PT. but i really suggest you to watch "clone wars" cartoons both oldskool animated and new 3D series aswell. you will get proper view of whats going on from ep II till end of EP3...and characters are way better personalised than in the movies.

[The Nightwing Reborn]

I would almost say you should watch prequels first, as more of an experiment but I guess I'll try that on my sister's or cousin's kids. You should watch OT first, as you have already decided. My movie ranking is Ep. V, VI, I, IV, II, III.

Make sure you watch Ep.I and Ep.II deleted scenes as well because some of them would have been really good as part of the story. Read-up on some OT deleted scenes too, I wish they produced the wampa scenes. Don't even bother on Ep.III unless you want to see a non-canon death scene and the future rebels talking about what should be done. Here is a link to the cut scene page on Wookiepedia: Scenes cut from Star Wars.

Once you've seen all of them, I'd suggest you read some Old Republic and NJO novels and comics. If you are really into Star Wars, when you are done you should read some Legacy comics.

[Big Cam]

I don't know why everyone hates episode 1,2, and 3 so much, I think they are awesome, so much more action, great story, the only bad thing is Jar jar, but he's no big deal.

I always tell people who ask me, to watch the original 4,5,and 6, and then 1,2,and 3. Not because they were never suppose to be made or any crap like that, becasue it's not true. Lucas has 9 movie ideas for this specific storyline and he just never thought he'd be able to make them all.

I like the explenation you get by watching the Original Trilogy and then the New trilogy, so many questions get answered in the new movies, and it's great to have that original knowledge before seeing them.

[Siegfried]

I always tell people who ask me, to watch the original 4,5,and 6, and then 1,2,and 3. Not because they were never suppose to be made or any crap like that, becasue it's not true. Lucas has 9 movie ideas for this specific storyline and he just never thought he'd be able to make them all.

SPOILERS BELOW!

I doubt that. If he did he wouldn't have had the scenes with Luke and Leia, nor would have have changed his mind at the last minute about killing Lando, and Splinter of the Mind's Eye would have never been approved. Remember also that in first release there was no "Episode IV" or "A New Hope" mentioned. I can go on about this for a while if you want, but it's pretty darn clear to me that George made the whole thing up as he went along. The prequals themselves bear little resemblance to what was implied in the originals, and I have an (unfinished) rant about that here.

[Dunjohn]

Echh, nothing too unusual in not having seen the movies. I was a kid in the eighties and I liked Star Wars, like all my friends, but I never saw the movies. I only saw them when the new versions were made in the nineties, I figured it was about time I watched them. I've still never seen Han shoot first.

Had a minor heart attack when the scrolly text started and it said "Episode IV: A New Hope." WTF?? I knew a fourth movie had apparently been started, but what was going on? Nobody else in the cinema seemed to notice anything wrong, so I just let it slide.... I definitely left the cinema as a fan. Loved it to bits. Saw the next two, not on opening night, but as soon as I could manage.

I'd rank Empire Strikes Back as my favourite, with Phantom Menace as my least fave. It had some good stuff in it - the podrace has thankfully emerged as a truly classic cinema scene, while the kid who played Anakin did a fantastic job - but overall the movie felt like a tremendous trudge through an overcomplicated origin to what was bound to be an overcomplicated setup to what was already a nice, uncomplicated trilogy of classic movies. My order:

V - ESB

IV - ANH

II - AOTC

III - ROTS

VI - ROTJ

I - TPM

I and VI are the only movies I don't love (bloody ewoks), the others I do rate highly. Attack of the Clones had a great sense of foreboding, and it built up nicely, while Sith had this fantastic, dark mood of things having somehow gone utterly, irretrievably wrong, with the various characters having to play out their fates with no hope of changing them. The main letdown there was that Hayden Christensen couldn't act his way out of a mannequin recycling plant.

Edited February 3, 2010 by Dunjohn

[Big Cam]

SPOILERS BELOW!

I doubt that. If he did he wouldn't have had the scenes with Luke and Leia, nor would have have changed his mind at the last minute about killing Lando, and Splinter of the Mind's Eye would have never been approved. Remember also that in first release there was no "Episode IV" or "A New Hope" mentioned. I can go on about this for a while if you want, but it's pretty darn clear to me that George made the whole thing up as he went along. The prequals themselves bear little resemblance to what was implied in the originals, and I have an (unfinished) rant about that here.

I really enjoyed reading that post but the only and most important flaw is that your facts are from non-canon stories. That means it's someone elses interpretation of what could have happened. SW is Lucas' story so when his movies differ from some other authors novel, it's pretty easy to say the author is wrong, or not canon.