*** Official STAR WARS Saga (episodes I to VI) Discussion Thread: Part 4 (2 Viewers)

[Dale MA]

Heheh! Well, it would be an interesting experiment, that's for sure!

 

[TerryRL]

Good article Chris.

I saw a similar reaction with my own kids. They love the PT, but the OOT barely registered with them. My son for example likes the SEs a lot more than he does the OOT, but both fail in comparison to his love of the PT.

You sort of begin to see where Lucas was going with the PT. He made those movies for today's audiences which infuriated some of the more die hard among the die hard fans.

Kind of like back in the late '70s when "old school" sci-fi fans (fans of '2001' and 'Star Trek') didn't get why all us kids were buzzing about "Star Wars". It was too much of a "kid's movie" and wasn't "serious" sci-fi. Fast forward 22 years and us grown up SW fans levied pretty much the same complaints on 'The Phantom Menace'.

My wife probably said it best when she said that the PT wasn't (for the most part) really made for us (fans of the originals), they were made for our kids. I hate it when she's right.

 

[Holadem]

Heheh! Well, it would be an interesting experiment, that's for sure!

Well I wasn't kidding, I read that somewhere and think it's a fantastic idea.
For first time viewers, I will always advocate the original release order. The movies weren't meant to be discovered any other way IMO.
But for repeat viewers, 4-5-1-2-3-6 provides the best of both worlds.
Shaka Zulu, a little-seen miniseries and one of my favorite works of TV/Film is based a similar structure: The first few episodes chronicle the arrival of the British to the Zulu empire and encounter with Shaka. The middle episodes go back and show story of his conception, birth, troubled childhood and rise to power (basically an origin story). The remaining episodes deal with his fall.
--
H

 

[Dale MA]

Yeah, I have heard of people watching them in that order, I like to think of it as the "Godfather Part II" order, never tried it myself.
The reason I was laughing was because I thought you where saying that Chris' four year old daughter should watch them in that order, but that's a little complex for a four year old, me thinks

 

[Greg_S_H]

, a little-seen miniseries and one of my favorite works of TV/Film is based a similar structure: The first few episodes chronicle the arrival of the British to the Zulu empire and encounter with Shaka. The middle episodes go back and show story of his conception, birth, troubled childhood and rise to power (basically an origin story). The remaining episodes deal with his fall.

It's not so little-known. My dad loves the hell out of that movie (is it on DVD?). It was shown in my freshman history class.
Edit: Holy shit, it is available! That's going to make a hell of a birthday present for him.

 

[Cees Alons]

is it on DVD?

Shaka Zulu is on DVD, yes.
Cees

 

[Brett_M]

Shaka Zulu is on DVD, yes.
Cees

"There is nothing ...without Shaka."

 

[oscar_merkx]

I simply love UK's Empire Magazine with their 30 covers.
Jar Jar Binks is the Golden boy wonder Cover 31
http://www.empireonline.com/starwars/covers.asp
How Do I Find Jar Jar?
We have printed just ten golden Jar Jar covers. That's right, just ten! If you are lucky enough to find one, not only will you be the proud owner of some seriously limited edition Star Wars memorabilia, you will also win a money-can't-buy prize, direct from Lucasfilm! So, what are you wainting for? Get hunting!

 

[Greg_S_H]

My rich father has all of his factory workers opening magazine shipment boxes, looking for the Golden Jar Jar.
Meesa want a feast
Meesa want a mooey mooey feast!
The only two I would consider would be metal bikini Leia and ripped white outfit Padme.

 

[TerryRL]

Other than the Leia and Padme covers, the Stormtrooper covers kicks all sort of ass. As does the classic subscribers cover. The Anakin and Obi-Wan covers are also cool.

 

[JediFonger]

that's pretty interesting article about kidz not liking SW as much. i think it's not JUST SW, it's the kidz attitudes towards film. prior to VHS, DVD and whatever we have today, "cinema", "film" commanded respect. nowadays, it's JUST another distraction. does this mean that classics will slowly go extinct? no exactly. i think those same exact kidz will grow up one day and maybe realize their passion in college or whenever and explore older films. that's how it tends to work these days whereas back then, as many of *you* can attest, you started with some basic respect for films.

 

[cudakite]

Thanks for the insite Dale. My son just turned one and I'm already agonizing over this subject. I was planing on 4-6 then 1-3, but your experience just might change my mind...

 

[Chuck Mayer]

My son will either be 4-6, then 3, or 3-6
Or maybe 4, 5, 3, then 6

 

[cudakite]

just skip that 1 and 2 nonsense altogether huh?

 

[TerryRL]

My son watches 1-3, barely gets through 4, and watches only bits and pieces of 5 and 6.

Kids. What are ya gonna do?

 

[cudakite]

How old is he? my nephew is 5 and he loves ep 1 but only watches the pod race and the end (from "wipe them out" to the end). so I'm thinking maybe 7 or 8 might be a good age?

 

[John Doran]

i showed 1 to my 4 year old son, but he didn't really get into it...he started fidgeting, and when i asked him if he didn't want to watch the show any more, he said, "well, there's a little too much violence in this one, daddy. i think it would be better if we watched Atlantis".

i don't think it's too complicated for him, or anything, even if i manage to convince him (contra his mother) that not all film violence is objectionable, 'cos he loves the hell out of the back to the future trilogy (and can practically quote each of them word-for-word), and other "older" films like spiderman.

we'll see, i suppose...

 

[MikeRS]

Chris, I would advise that you watch them 1 to 6 with her...
You see back when ROTS was in cinemas I felt it was time to introduce my fifteen year old sister to the STAR WARS films.
I decided to try out the new 1 - 6 way, we watched one film every weekend, then when my sister saw ROTS at the cinema she insisted we go home and watch ANH because she was dying to know what happened next.
When we got to the end of ROTJ with Anakin's Force Ghost appearing next to Obi-Wan and Yoda she actually began to cry, it was a very emotional experience, that's when I knew that Lucas had achieved what he had aimed to all along, creating a saga consisting of six episodes telling the story of Anakin Skywalker
Besides there are so many merits of the 1 - 6 route, for example:
- My sister was SO shocked when ROTS revealed that Palpatine = Sidious -- the fact the wool was pulled over her eyes for the first two episodes was really great.
- Of course Anakin's turn to the Darkside etc. is very shocking.
- ROTJ gains so much more from viewing them in this order, the final battle feels so much more desperate, seeing Vader save his son has a LOT more emotional impact -- and over course seeing the mirror to the events of ROTS adds to this impact.
- When watching ROTS, there's actually a rather Hitchcockian moment, a new viewer to the series expect Grevious to be the "villain of the week" aka Darth Maul and Jango Fett, so it's shocking when that character is killed half way through the movie, it's kind of like "well, what's going to happen for the rest of the film!?" and then Anakin turns and the viewer is like "Oh wow, I wasn't expecting that!", kind of like Marion in Psycho being murdered half way through the film but with a villain instead -- it turns the whole film, in-fact the whole saga on it's head. Great stuff.

I've heard similar viewings like this and find it just fascinating.
And I think Chuck is afraid that his kid will adore episode 2 more than any other.
"I have no son!"

 

[TerryRL]

My son is 6. He was 4 when I took him to see ROTS. He absolutely loved it. He went through a stretch when he between 3-4 where he watched AOTC at least once a day. I've never really been able to get him all that interested in the OT.

 

[MikeRS]

Speaking of kids.....
Check out the EMPIRE STRIKES BACK read-along
Part 1
=
Part 2
=
Before VHS, this was the way children relived the films.
Nooo.... Noooooo.......It's not truuuuue....I'll never join youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!