Star Wars Newbie Question
Ok, and now it's time for a pressing, all-important, life-altering question:
In which order would you show your kids the Star Wars movies if they are seeing them for the first time? In (a) the new order (1-6, with the newest three first), or (b) in the order in which they were created (4,5,6,1,2,3 - the original trilogy first, and the new trilogy second)?
There seem to be good reasons to recommend both approaches. Approach (b) preserves the drama of hearing Darth Vader utter the words "Luke, I am your father", and, hey, that's how we all saw them. However, approach (a) is likely far less confusing for young minds who are trying to catch on to the story line. I'm leaning towards approach (a), but am willing to hear compelling arguments that might convince me otherwise.
Any advice or personal experiences from other parents of Star Wars newbies out there?
In which order would you show your kids the Star Wars movies if they are seeing them for the first time? In (a) the new order (1-6, with the newest three first), or (b) in the order in which they were created (4,5,6,1,2,3 - the original trilogy first, and the new trilogy second)?
There seem to be good reasons to recommend both approaches. Approach (b) preserves the drama of hearing Darth Vader utter the words "Luke, I am your father", and, hey, that's how we all saw them. However, approach (a) is likely far less confusing for young minds who are trying to catch on to the story line. I'm leaning towards approach (a), but am willing to hear compelling arguments that might convince me otherwise.
Any advice or personal experiences from other parents of Star Wars newbies out there?
posted by orthomom at 9:38 PM
20 Comments:
Truly a pressing question...Call me crazy, but I couldn't stomach the latest (first?) episodes...but my friends and I were heavy into the originals (darth vader's heavy breathing, jabba the hut, and who didnt love han solo???), so no advise here but thanks for making me feel nostalgic, and old.
The correct procedure is to watch them in the order of cinematic release. That is how George Lucas wanted it.
4-6 lose a lot if you've already seen 1-3... plus, 1-3's fight scenes will make the ones in 4-6 seem kind of boring. Ya know?
hm, great question, i think 1-6.
Just 4-6, the new ones are pretty terrible (although 3 was the best of the bunch).
To echo somewhat anonymous, just show the old ones.
Great question!
I would go with 4-6 and then 1-3,
because although it's not in order chronologically, it makes 1-3 alot "cooler."
From an educational perspective, it can help make kids learn about the perspective of switching time, thereby making the rashi come to life: "Ayn seder mukdam u'meuchar BaTora"
I'd definitely do 4-6, then 1-3, because if you start with 1 and 2, there's no reason to keep going.
I tried to show my son the movies in "chronological" order, that is, 1-6. He, however, insisted we go 4-5-6, 1-2-3. George Lucas would be proud!
4, 5, 6, and that's it. If you must show your children 1-3, it should be after they've seen the original trilogy.
Why would an Orthomom let herkids watch these films? They contain sometimes gory violence (a limb is hacked off by a lightsabre in each of the films) and Return of the Jedi has Princess Leia in a most un-tznios get-up, a contrast from her ultra-frum get-up in the original film. Plus, these guys are all into funky Kabalah that some might call avoda zora, worshiping "The Force."
How old are your kids? I fondly remembered the episodes 4,5,6 from my childhood, and recently bought them in a boxed set for my boys aged 8 and 9. We watched the first one (i.e. episode 4) together and then I called a halt, having seen the gory scenes and the burnt out house of Luke's uncle and aunt, and the burnt skeletons of their still-recognizable, terrified bodies. This is not for little kids. My kids have not asked to see the films since. We're not old enough for this.
4-6 first. Anything else is just plain wrong. And after seeing 1-3 the older special effects from 4-6 seem completely inadequate. Yet those are the better movies. They must be watched first. In addition the creator (Lucas) did it that way for a reason. We are used to doing things in the way the Creator wanted, so this should not be anything new.
4-6 first, obviously. The original versions, not the digitized, Grido-shoots-first, reveal-the-unscary-monster version.
Then, when they're teenagers and jaded, show them a pirated copy of the "Star Wars Holiday Special." They'll crack up, completely.
Finally, when they are old enough to be married, show them episodes 1-3, with the explanation that the older we get, the better our bad ideas seem to us - so pick a wise spouse now, because it's all downhill from here. :)
4,5,1,2,3,6
A good explanation is here
I've had this discussion with many friends. My answer is that I will let my son (who is now 7) read the youth versions of the books starting with A New Hope (Episode 4) and will eventually show the movies to him in that same order when he is somewhere between 11-13.
I'd definitely go 4 5 6, then 1 2 3 if you have to. And, I'd show the real originals, not the doctored new DVD versions of the originals. If you watch the end of 6, the scene where Anican is shown with Obie Won and Yoda has the younger Anican, from the new movies, instead of the original Anican.
The new ones were just plain terrible; how about not showing them to your kids at all, and sparing them the suffering?
Starting with 4-5-6 is the way to go, but you're risking losing their interest, because in many ways 4-5-6 are very dated (70's).
There is nothing young children love more than watching movies from their parent's era.
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