My son's first Star Wars experience. Which Trilogy First?

[DAROCKNESSMONSTER]

Originally Posted by Blu Man

You dislike Lucas too?

I don't hate the man.
I come off a little strong when it comes to Star Wars.

I am not trying to jump on some bandwagon just because others dislike the prequels... other people dislike the prequels because, in my minds eye, are just utter crap. made to cash in on the enormous popularity of the series. evident with merchandising and television shows.

just my opinion.

if u like it,
hey thats cool.

i don't really have a problem with it.

it's just I don't...
and hate when ppl instantly parade you as "trendy" for having the same opinion as the general population.

give me a break.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by jadedeath

On the making of the trilogy special feature {the original 3 box set} I believe Lucas mentioned that he started out with a massive script and cut it into sections and wanted {always} to go back and film the original 3 at a later time.

Logan

No, he had a treatment for what made up episodes 4 - 6, and wrote some backstory for those films. When trying to turn that treatment into a film, he realized it was too big for one movie, so he just settled on the first part of it.

""The first film came out and was a giant hit, and the sequels became possible. Then people suggested we could do more than three, so I thought, 'Gee, I can do these back-stories, too.' That's were the 'Chapter IV' came in. Then everyone said, 'Well, are you going to do sequels to the first three?' But that was an afterthought. I don't have scripts on those stories. The only notion on that was, wouldn't it be fun to get all the actors to come back when they're sixty or seventy years old and make three more about them as old people. That's how far that has gone, but the first 6 will definitely get finished."
-- George Lucas, 1988

****

TV Interview in the UK:
JV: The way I imagine it is that George has this great big leather book, covered in dust, it’s the chronicles of space and you’ve written the whole thing already and it’s complete in your own mind. Is that right?

GL: No, that’s wrong.

JV: You don’t have the complete story, mapped out from the start, all those years ago?

GL: No.

JV: Okay, nice one, so you’re winging it.

GL: No, I have a little story treatment, a little outline that says this happened here, this happened here...but the ones I’m working on now was the back-story which I’d written out which was this was where he comes from, this was where he comes from, this is what the clone wars were about, it’s just a little outline that goes right through the plot of the movie and where the characters came from and what they did – it’s only about 7 or 8 pages.

JV: Oh that’s brilliant, all those people that think you’ve schemed the whole thing up, but in fact – George Lucas, he makes it up as he goes along.

GL: (laughs)

(N.B. As we’ve all seen, the reason why people think he had it all planned is because of the voluminous notes and histories he talked of in the past.)

- Later on in the interview –

JV: Why did you go back to the start of the saga and didn’t finish the story of Luke, Han and Leia, etc. Will you ever finish that story?

GL: No, I won’t because ultimately this is all that I’ve had written, this is the back-story to the original Star Wars and I haven’t wriiten any sequels and I’m too lazy to go out and do it.

****

"What actually happened was I wrote this big script, and in writing that script, I wrote a back story to go with it. The script was vast, and I knew it was going to be difficult to film. So I said to myself, "Wwll, let me take this first act and I'll expand it." I knew it had to be fleshed out, so I took the other two-thirds of the script and put them on the shelf. I told myself, "Someday, I'm going to get back to those." This is partly what a writer does; you get an idea that's two big for one book, so you put the rest over there and you concentrate on this one part. That's what I did. I finished the first one. Some have said I showed wisdom in retaining the sequel rights, but the reason was I didn't want some clause in there that would make it virtually impossible to take the sequels anywhere else. I decided that even if the first one did not do well, by hook or by crook I would finish the other two.

The first film came out and was a giant hit, and the sequels became possible. Then people suggested we could do more than three, so I thought, "Gee, I can do these back stories, too." That's where the "Chapter IV" came in. Then everyone said, "Well, are you going to do sequels to the first three?" But that was an afterthought. I don't have scripts on those stories. The only notion on that was, wouldn't it be fun to get all the actors to come back when they're sixty or seventy years old and make three more about them as old people. That's how far that has gone, but the first six will definitely get finished."

-- George Lucas, Unauthorized Star Wars Compendium, pgs. 13 - 14.



So yeah, like I said. A bit of a myth.

[Texitura]

IV first. The elements of surprise are ruined if you watch the PT first. Of course, if you see the PT first, you wouldn't even know they were supposed to be surprises!

Now, a younger child might not really care, but if someone was showing it to me for the first time, I'd hope they started with IV.

[Cybernate]

Originally Posted by JamesKurtovich

Start with IV. Always start with IV.

Most people that start with the prequels desire to see the same bright lights and action sequences in the OT but are really disappointed. If they start with the real Star Wars movies, then hopefully their appreciation won't fizzle.

Most of the younger kids I've shown the movies to have liked the prequels better "because they look better". Definitely start with IV and watch them in the order they were produced for this reason, and because I remember watching Empire and hearing "Luke, I am your father."

Vader's revelation to Luke is one of the great movie moments. Don't water it down with the back story first. Similarly, the prequels were made knowing that the audience had already seen the original trilogy, and yet they hold up. Share your movie experience with your son.

P.S.: Good luck not choking up when the Star Wars title crawl begins and you start reading it to him. Been there, done that.

Have a blast!

[obiwopkenobi62]

I say watch em the order they were made. This way he will get the surprise of "I am your Father" in Ep V.

[bajor27]

I would imagine the prequels are a lot more enjoyable if you've never seen the OT. He'll also have no idea that Anakin becomes evil, which will give him a sort of "I am your father" moment. Knowing less about the Emperor while watching the PT could be pretty neat too.

As a quick idea, I think this order would be awesome

4, 1, 2, 5, 3, 6

[McKellars]

Why even bother showing the prequels?

If you are planning on showing the prequels, get them out of the way first. There's no sense in building his hopes up after the Original Trilogy for those.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by Cybernate

Most of the younger kids I've shown the movies to have liked the prequels better "because they look better". Definitely start with IV and watch them in the order they were produced for this reason, and because I remember watching Empire and hearing "Luke, I am your father."

Vader's revelation to Luke is one of the great movie moments.

Check out James Earl Jones recalling his first reaction, on the "Empire of Dreams" documentary, and I can historical-witness that that was our very first initial gut reaction in the theaters too, back in May/June of 1980:
"...DON'T FALL FOR IT, LUKE!!!!"

(And don't let any oversentimentalized retro-mythology from the newer generations tell ya any different.)

[zombieking]

My son didn't care for the Star Wars films. We own the Clone Wars film which he has watched once since I bought it. Maybe his tastes are for better written movies




**Watch them in order for less confusion

[STARSCREAM]

I've made up my mind on the situation, I say show the original trilogy first, the way it was/is meant to be.

[Variable]

Originally Posted by McKellars

Why even bother showing the prequels?

If you are planning on showing the prequels, get them out of the way first. There's no sense in building his hopes up after the Original Trilogy for those.

that's my real answer

If you insist on showing the PT though, which I understand, it definitely belongs after the OT.

Again, I'll just stick to the fact that they were made as prequels to defend watching the OT first.

[kdn1221]

Between the 2 sets, I agree with most people that the OT is better. However, I voted for the PT since your question was on how to present Star Wars to your 5 year old for the first time. Star Wars the Clone Wars series is running of the Cartoon Network right now as a follow up with the movie that came out at the theater a little while ago. If your son is watching this, it will work well with the chronological order of the story since these events occur between Eps 2 & 3.

Remember, this is your son's introduction to the Star Wars universe. As much as you may like the OT more, going by chronological order might me better for him. You may find that he will have less question about why this or that happens and who is so-and-so. He'll be able to see:

The pre-empire republic;
How Palpatine came to power and became the emperor;
Anakin Skywalker growing up and as a Jedi;
Yoda and the Jedi Council and what they stand for;
The events that lead to the Clone Wars;
The relationship between Obi-Wan and Anakin;
The relationship between Anakin and Padme;
The history of C3P0 and R2D2 with the Skywalkers;
The fall of Anakin Skywalker and the destruction of the Jedi;
The birth of Luke and Leia and why then ended up being raised by others and not their parents;
Luke's encounter with the droids, meeting with Obi-Wan and finding out about his father;
Luke and Obi-Wan's attempt at destroying the Death Star;
Obi-Wan's sacrifice;
Luke's search for Yoda;
Luke's training as a Jedi following his ideal image of his father;
Vader and the Emperor's discovery of the existence of Skywalker's son;
Vader's revelation to Luke about his father;
The rescue of Han Solo and the destruction of Jabba the Hutt;
The revelation about the relationship between Luke and Leia;
The attempt at destroying the second Death Star;
Luke's attempt at redeeming Vader;
The emperor's trap for the rebellion and attempt at turning Luke;
Vader's redemption;
The destruction of the Death Star and the emperor;

[Squozen]

Original trilogy first, prequels never.

[anomynous]

If you show the PT first, I'll call child-protection services.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by Variable

that's my real answer

If you insist on showing the PT though, which I understand, it definitely belongs after the OT.

Again, I'll just stick to the fact that they were made as prequels to defend watching the OT first.

And, as the reverse comparison is usually made--
Chronological isn't everything, especially where characters are concerned:

Imagine if you would have ever become a Narnia fan if Disney had gone out and filmed "Magician's Nephew" first, following the publishers' own literalist-dope argument of "Well, like, it happened first, didn't it? "

(Star Wars is about Luke, and Luke doesn't show up until #4. Period.
Anything else is pointless geek-detailing, better saved for those who actually want to know backstories....Which desire depends a lot on first impressions.)

[Variable]

anyone saying PT first, do you really think we (most of us anyway) were done a disservice by seeing the OT first?

[Schrute Farms]

For the record: I LOVE STAR WARS I-VI I love the OT for sentimental reasons and I love the PT for sentimental reasons. I remember LOVING The Phantom Menace when I saw it in theaters, Jar-Jar notwithstanding. Seeing obi-wan fighting maul was SWEET! I think the PT is as much about Obi Wan as it is about Anakin.

I really want to show Logan the movies in the order I saw them (by theatrical release), but I don't want the non-linear issue to confuse him. As a five-year old, his concept of time is rudimentary. He doesn't understand when my wife and I talk about our life before he was born. For that reason, I might wait a few more years before introducing him to the movies.

I've heard some great arguments for both sides, and I really want Logan to be surprised by Vader's declaration. I also like the idea of going 4,5,1,2,3,6. However, if I go in chronological order, the oppression of Palpatine might be a little more impactful. THink about it, you see Palp take power in Ep. 2/3, and you experience how devious and clever he really is, and not the frail withered old man he appears to be in Ep5 and 6. For instance, instead of being surprised that Palpatine can use force lightning in Ep. 6, my son might be more afraid for Luke, saying: "Look out Luke! Remember what happened to Mace Windu!" Does that make sense?


Now let's keep things friendly.

[jadedeath]

Originally Posted by Variable

anyone saying PT first, do you really think we (most of us anyway) were done a disservice by seeing the OT first?

Not really a fair question.

Well, maybe a fair question in make-believe land, but not here in reality.

We weren't given the option of the PT first, otherwise we might have ended up with a better written PT.

Logan

[STARSCREAM]

Originally Posted by anomynous

If you show the PT first, I'll call child-protection services.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

[mjbethancourt]

Originally Posted by Variable

anyone saying PT first, do you really think we (most of us anyway) were done a disservice by seeing the OT first?

Not at all, we got to see the story unfold along with Lucas as he created it, we came along for the ride. For the record, I have always advocated the 4-5-1-2-3-6 order. It works better literarily, and it's basically the order in which it was developed: Lucas started the first movie, got halfway through and then realized "I've got two movies here", then went on to what he thought was his Magnum Opus vanity project, got halfway through that, and realized, "wow, I've got a franchise here, a whole brand name", then he wrapped it up summarily in ep VI with the full understanding that he was going back to the drawing board, investing in a lot of R & D to be able to make the movies as ambitious as he could possibly imagine. I wouldn't start with the PT, because the subject matter is not relevant until after Vader drops that bombshell on Luke about being his father, then the flashback becomes necessary to explain just exactly who Vader, Obi-won, and Palpatine are.