The Great Star Wars Thread (Moved Posts from Viewing Order Thread)

[sir clinksalot]

Production order for sure, especially for a first-time viewer.

This also keeps the weakest films (episodes 6 and 1) in the middle, allowing you to end your viewing on a high with episode 3.

Disagree, Episode II is the worst for me. Episode I is better on repeat viewings.

I personally rank the movies like this:

Empire Strikes Back
A New Hope
Return of the Jedi
Revenge of the Sith (It's close to Jedi though)
The Phantom Menace
Attack of the Clones

But don't watch them in that order, you won't know what's going on.

[cpdisneyprincess]

Disagree, Episode II is the worst for me. Episode I is better on repeat viewings.

YEah I agree - Ep II was the worst for me. I think I've only seen it two or three times really. Ep.I is painful but not the torture of Ep. II's dialog.......

[Barbossa]

Production order!
or
Worst to best:
Star Wars Holiday Special
Episode 1: The Phantom Menace
The Ewok Adventures: Caravan of Courage
The Ewok Adventures: Battle for Endor
Episode 2: Attack of the Clones
Episode 6: Return of the Jedi
Episode 4: A New Hope
Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith
Episode 5: The Empire Strikes Back

I guess the complete numerical order is:
Episode 1: The Phantom Menace
Episode 2: Attack of the Clones
Clone Wars cartoon series
Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith
Episode 4: A New Hope
Star Wars Holiday Special
Episode 5: The Empire Strikes Back
Episode 6: Return of the Jedi
The Ewok Adventures: Caravan of Courage
The Ewok Adventures: Battle for Endor

The Star Wars Holiday Special was not released on DVD, because it is pure trash, but it is interesting to watch once. You can find it online. It's probably up on YouTube.

[Sorcerer's Apprentice]

Disagree, Episode II is the worst for me. Episode I is better on repeat viewings.

I personally rank the movies like this:

Empire Strikes Back
A New Hope
Return of the Jedi
Revenge of the Sith (It's close to Jedi though)
The Phantom Menace
Attack of the Clones

But don't watch them in that order, you won't know what's going on.

Production order vote here too... and ^^^^ I agree mostly, accept I'd arrange the last 3 ...
4)The Phantom Menace
5)Attack of the Clones
6)Revenge of the Sith

[BC_DisneyGeek]

Disagree, Episode II is the worst for me. Episode I is better on repeat viewings.

I personally rank the movies like this:

Empire Strikes Back
A New Hope
Return of the Jedi
Revenge of the Sith (It's close to Jedi though)
The Phantom Menace
Attack of the Clones

But don't watch them in that order, you won't know what's going on.

Episode I was a treat to watch. I saw it a dozen times in the theater. It was new Star Wars, the score was phenomenal, and the visuals were really fantastic - had never seen a movie with so many effects. However, while it had some fun moments (pod racing, the Darth Maul duel), it's painful to watch now. The story is dull and slow. In so much of the movie, nothing happens.

There's that whole long scene where they're underwater with Jar-jar, but almost no dialogue. Contrast that with the asteroid chase in Episode V, where, amidst the action, the characters interact, relationships develop, and the story expands.

Plus, Yoda looks terrible.

Episode II actually serviced a story. I was intrigued by the concept of a democracy evolving into an evil empire. As a result, I liked it a whole lot more than Episode I.

With Episode VI, Lucas seemed to forget that two hours is enough time to have a lot of action and still develop a story. Instead, all we got was a wrap-up of the trilogy. The few twists seemed forced and almost obligatory. Many of the special effects were terrible (see the Rancor), and everything involving the Ewoks was ridiculous. At least the space battle and final lightsabre duel were good.

My order:

Episode IV
Episode V
Episode III
Episode II
Episode VI
Episode I

[sir clinksalot]

BC, I agree with alot of your assessment.

Even though I like Episode I more than II, it wasn't needed AT ALL. They summed up Episode I in the first 5 minutes of Episode II.

If I had my choice, the prequel's would have gone like this:

Episode I (Attack of the Clones) ... Begins towards the middle of where Episode II is or it could begin where EP. II begins, just take out all the fluff stuff. Introducing the primary characters (Obi-Wan, Anakin, Padme). The audience already knows who Obi-Wan and Anakin are, no need to introduce them like you needed to with A New Hope. Episode I is the development of the clone army and more of the Clone Wars (everything they put in the cartoon). Basically ... MORE OF THE CLONE WARS!!!! It was built up (even in the original trilogy) as this huge thing. And we get what ... 20 maybe 30 minutes of screen-time devoted to it between Episodes II and III.

Episode II (Revenge of the Sith) ... The movie is just like it is now. Begins with the ending of the Clone Wars to the rise of the rebellion and the birth of Darth Vader

Episode III (Rise of the Empire) ... The Empire's rise of power, how they take over the various Star Systems and Darth Vader just being a complete bad-@$$.

Then you have "maybe" a 10 year gap between Episode III and IV, not the 18 year gap there is now. There is ALOT that happens during that time span.

[aimster]

^^ Oooohhhh... I like that!

The best thing about Episode 1 was drooling over young Obi-Wan.



WOT?

[sir clinksalot]

^^ Oooohhhh... I like that!

I'm tellin' ya ... Lucas should have hired me.

I'm still available George if you want to re-do some stuff.

[BC_DisneyGeek]

Yeah, it's a shame so much time was wasted building up to the Clone Wars, and then we barely see them.

I understand that Lucas wanted to develop the Anakin character from a young age, but Episode I really could have been condensed. It's ridiculous how little Anakin develops into what we know he turns out to be, in Episode I & II. I thought it was ridiculous that he only had one scene with Palpatine in Episode II.

I'm not sure your idea on Episode III would work. I don't see a lot of drama in watching the Empire just steamroll over everything. I guess the birth of the rebel alliance could be compelling though.

[SusieP.]

I'm still available George if you want to re-do some stuff.

Don't worry, I'm sure he'll re-order and re-edit everything again in 5 years, and then re-re-re-realease it all in a new box set. So, Gregg, stand by your phone, it could happen!

[Gone2Disneyland]

BC, I agree with alot of your assessment.

Even though I like Episode I more than II, it wasn't needed AT ALL. They summed up Episode I in the first 5 minutes of Episode II.

If I had my choice, the prequel's would have gone like this:

Episode I (Attack of the Clones) ... Begins towards the middle of where Episode II is or it could begin where EP. II begins, just take out all the fluff stuff. Introducing the primary characters (Obi-Wan, Anakin, Padme). The audience already knows who Obi-Wan and Anakin are, no need to introduce them like you needed to with A New Hope. Episode I is the development of the clone army and more of the Clone Wars (everything they put in the cartoon). Basically ... MORE OF THE CLONE WARS!!!! It was built up (even in the original trilogy) as this huge thing. And we get what ... 20 maybe 30 minutes of screen-time devoted to it between Episodes II and III.

Episode II (Revenge of the Sith) ... The movie is just like it is now. Begins with the ending of the Clone Wars to the rise of the rebellion and the birth of Darth Vader

Episode III (Rise of the Empire) ... The Empire's rise of power, how they take over the various Star Systems and Darth Vader just being a complete bad-@$$.

Then you have "maybe" a 10 year gap between Episode III and IV, not the 18 year gap there is now. There is ALOT that happens during that time span.

Your version reminded me of this article from Blue Sky Disney:

All of EP I should have been broken down into the first half of the first film. If it was up to me(I know it isn't) it would have only occupied the first act and other two thirds would have been what you saw in EP II, minus all the crappy dialogue like "I'm haunted by the kiss you shouldn't have given me"... EP II should have been the Clone Wars. Simple as that. And EP III should have been a longer and darker decent into what made Anakin become Vader... he turns too quick. Also the Jedi should have appeared a little more wise. They are Jedi after all... From the prequels they come off as totally clueless to all that is happening around them.

The blogpost, btw, is fun, speculative reading for SW fans who are also Disney fans.

[sir clinksalot]

Ooooh, I like that one G2D. Guess that's why they have a blog and I don't.

And I totally agree. Not only do the Jedi seem absolutely clueless, but you got the biggest bad-@$$ in Samuel L. Jackson and he doesn't do ANYTHING until the end of EP. II (and even then it's not much) and get's killed WAY too easily in EP. III.

Of course, were totally ruining the movies for Rapunzel. Think I need to split off the spoiler posts.

[AlwaysImagineer]

Disagree, Episode II is the worst for me. Episode I is better on repeat viewings.

I personally rank the movies like this:

Empire Strikes Back
A New Hope
Return of the Jedi
Revenge of the Sith (It's close to Jedi though)
The Phantom Menace
Attack of the Clones

But don't watch them in that order, you won't know what's going on.

WHAAA!!! The Phamtom Menace was the worst StarWars! They shouldnt have even made it. The only reason I'd watch it, is if I am trying to watch every episode in order from the beggining. And III is the best one! No Arguments about it!