Ideal Movie Viewing Order?

It is.

I love it and all, but phew...it's an ugly duck by today's standards.
Camera-wise, it's impressively vanilla.
Post, by today's standards, is just ... no.
The beat and pacing to modern audiences is akin to what 1940's films were to children of the 70's and 80's; they felt so slow and stiff.

Ironically, a common critique at the time was that it was too fast and action-heavy.

Cheers,
Jayson

 

I love it for nostalgia's sake, but I is the only Star Wars movie next to Attack of the Clones where I catch myself falling asleep. Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi have aged very well, but not A New Hope. For instance, the scene with Luke and Han on the Falcon's turrets is tremendously awesome, but when you look at how it is actually filmed, it is tremendously boring. So many repetition shots, same happens in the Trench run.

There are some moments which I think are extremely beautiful though.

 

Here is the order I introduced SW (she didn't know), to my 12 y-o daughter :

Ep.4 & Ep.5 because it is the beginning of all, because of the droids, because I knew she would love that.
Highlighted some points : "remember Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru" (we'll see them in ep2 and ep3), "remember the Jawas and Tuskens", "remember the Lambda Shuttle", and overall, when Vader kneels in front of the Empreror, "remember that name: Anakin Skywalker".

Then, I said "OK, now we'll flashback 40 years in the past. We gonna learn who is Vader and where he comes from" : Ep.1 & Ep.2 & Ep.3.

(side note) If Rogue One would have existed at this time, we would sureley have watched it right now.

Then, Ep.6 so she can get the Christensen's face at the end along with Guinness.

Last: Ep.7 & Ep.8 - they didn't exist at this time, but I think it's their place.



Regarding TCW and SWR, I let her make his own appreciation.

 

Mine are 2, 5 and 8. The post was mostly about the older ones, obviously. The little one just likes to hit stuff with the plastic sabers.

 

I would go with the Machete Order

Which goes like this:

1. Rogue One
2. A new Hope
3. Empire Strikes Back
4. Attack of the Clones (flashback)
5. Revenge of the Sith (flashback)
6. Return of the Jedi
7. The Force Awakens
8. The Last Jedi

*Leaving out The Phantom Menace because it doesn't bring any story and is a terrible movie
* Can add Clone Wars movie if you want

 

I almost feel like Rogue One has reduced the appeal of the machete order for me. I think it works far better as a bridge than an opening.

For now, I'd say chronological order is best:

TPM
AOTC
ROTS
RO
ANH
ESB
ROTJ
TFA
TLJ

However- for new fans, I'd suggest this new idea for an order to get them invested. I call it the Sandwich Saga:
TFA (new storyline, modern effects, introduces some "old" characters, teases Vader)
RO (also modern effects, Vader in is prime, establishes Death Star)
ANH (direct sequel to RO, begins OT)
ESB
ROTJ
TLJ (back to the new movies- we have a lot of context for Luke now, Leia, the Force, etc) Once epIX comes out, it would probably go directly after this one.

Then, if they enjoyed that, go back and try the prequels. They don't fit as well with this viewing, but I've found the people who I've seen watch Star Wars for the first time recently really weren't crazy about the prequels.

 

Said Way Back there in previous posts.
To Me ?
The one I'm currently watching ?

Yep.

That One's My Favorite.

I Love 'em All ! Each and Ev'ry One !

 

For a first time viewer, I’d do it in order of release, with Rogue One any time after you’ve finished ROTJ.

For me, I’d go in chronological order.

 

I just watch it in 1-7 order.

 

4,5,6,4,5,6,4,5,6....

 

Solo???

R1
Star Wars
Empire
Jedi
Force Awakens
Last Jedi
IX

You say you want more?

Phantom Menace
Clones
Clone Wars
Revenge of the Sith
Solo???

 

The Clone Wars
Solo
Rebels
Rogue One
Star Wars
The Empire Strikes Back
Return of the Jedi
Resistance
The Force Awakens
The Last Jedi
Episode IX

 

I stick with the release order:
SW
ESB
ROTJ
Optional TPM AOTC ROTS
TFA
Rogue One
TLJ
Solo
IX

 

Hi all, cool discussion

For a first-time viewing I would strongly suggest watching the saga movies in release order. If you watch them out of that order, there are so many introductions and reveals, particularly in the OT, that doesn't really work. From a story/storytelling point of view, if you were to watch SW out of release order, you'd spoil a whole lot of set-up & pay-off in individual OT movies.

ANH: In media res introduction of C3P0 & R2D2, Old Ben is Obi-Wan, first hyperspace jump, exposition on the galactic conflict, the mysterious evil knight in black, exposition and subtle exploration of the Force (i.e. "why don't Luke & Ben just force jump and force push and force run in this one as the jedi do in the PT?" = distracting and lessening of OT jedi).
ESB: Slow-burn study & incremental reveal of Darth Vader's character, introduction of force ghosts, the introduction of Yoda, the teasing of Emperor Palpatine, the entire mystery of ESB (i.e. the cave), the reveal of what happened to Luke's father.
RotJ: Introduction of Emperor Palpatine, exploration of the machinations & character of the Emperor.

If one already knows all of the above going into the OT, one belittles the first-time view experience of those films and the trilogy as a whole. While as if you watch the PT after the OT, the OT stands on its own and its story beats are allowed to progress as they was originally intended, AND you already have a handle on the SW setting going into the PT, allowing you to grasp the politics and spirituality and genre much easier than if you start with TPM.

In other words, the saga films first time view for me is: 4, 5, 6, then 1, 2, 3, before finally 7, 8, 9.

As for the anthology films, I'd advice new viewers to watch those at any point they want after the OT trilogy. Optimally, RO should be watched after RotJ and before TPM just to keep it in the OT sphere, although one could definitely argue that one should watch the PT too before doing RO; the only problem I have with RO here is that you really should rewatch ANH straight after RO... When it comes to Solo, as long as you watch it after the OT but before the ST (i.e. TFA), you'll be fine; again, one could argue one should watch Solo after the PT because of the hologram villain reveal, although I think the Solo reveal could actually work quite well as a teaser for the character in TPM!

So, without further ramblings, here's my suggested virgin viewing order:
A New Hope
The Empire Strikes Back
Return of the Jedi

Rogue One (optimally followed by a re-watch of A New Hope, but that would complicate & interrupt things a bit)
Solo: A Star Wars Story

The Phantom Menace
Attack of the Clones
Revenge of the Sith

The Force Awakens
The Last Jedi
Star Wars Episode 9


Now, repeat viewings is an entirely different matter of course! For such viewing events I would suggest the following order: 1, 2, 3, RO, 4, 5, 6, Solo, 7, 8, 9

 

Good thoughts. My only change would put Rogue One and Solo after RotS, because 1) Bail Organa and Mustafar will make more sense in RO, and 2) the villain reveal of Solo is pretty meaningless without having seen the prequels

 

There is one viewing order I may try this summer:

ANH
R1
ESB
Solo
ROTJ

I've seen the OT so many times, I'd like to change it up alittle bit. The theory on this order is R1 and Solo are essentially flashbacks, so they give a backstory to the narrative instead of being a prequel. After watching ANH, R1 gives you the backstory on how they got the plans. After watching ESB, Solo gives you Han's backstory while he is frozen in carbonite. ROTJ still gives you that great ending.

 

So is Solo a dream Han has while in carbonite?

How great would it be if when Leia thaws him out, he mutters "Qira . . . " and Leia just freezes him again.

 

I do

Solo
R1
ANH
ESB
AoC
RotS
RotJ

With the TV Series sprinkled in, but I negate the entirety of Episode 1 outside of watching it for Maul.

 

For an adult viewer, I would start them off with release order until Rogue One and Solo. Watch the Saga in release order, then watch the Star Wars stories as appendices since they don't really advance the Saga but moreso expound on details.

For a new younger viewer, I might actually start with Force Awakens. I'm afraid that kids today might get a bit bogged down by the older movies.

But here's the experimental viewing order I would love to try. It's a modified Machete order using the Sequel Trilogy as bookends.

1. The Force Awakens

-You're introduced to all sorts of questions. What was the Rebellion? Who is the legendary Luke Skywalker? We get a glimpse of this legendary figure at the very end, and then . . .

2. A New Hope

-We go back, we find out who Luke is, what the Rebellion was, what the Empire was. We see Han in his prime and how he met Leia.

3. Empire Strikes Back

-The big Vader reveal, everybody goes "huh?!" and then we go back to learn about Anakin's fall.

4. The Phantom Menace

5. Attack of the Clones

6. Revenge of the Sith

- By now we know that Vader told the truth. He is Luke's father. We've watched the rise of Palpatine and seen the arrogance of the Jedi order.

7. Return of the Jedi

- Here's Luke in his prime. The "Who's Luke?" question of TFA is now answered--he's a great Jedi.

8. The Last Jedi

- Or is he? Our expectations are dashed. Luke is nothing like the Luke of RotJ. BUT it's because he knows what we know. He, too, has learned about the rise of Palpatine and the arrogance of the Jedi order. We have been on the same journey.

9. Episode IX

Again, treat the Star Wars Stories as appendices to be watched afterward.

 

THIS, I love this. Guess this is the order I'll be doing for May.