[ctviggen]

Hi All, I've been watching Stars with my kids (7, 10).  We started with Episodes 4-6, then watched Episodes 1-2.  My wife had never seen Episodes 1-3.  I saw 1 and 2 a while back, and thought they were so bad, I did not watch Episode 3.  Well, after watching Episodes 1 and 2 again, I think they're horrible. Terrible.  Maybe not an F, but a D at best, if the originals were As.  My wife agrees.  The kids, however, think they're great. 

So, one of these days, we'll be watching Episode 3 and also 7.  Is Episode 3 any better than 1 and 2?  Or is it more of the same?

Also, I've read the age for Episode 3 is 12+.  Does this sound reasonable?  That would mean we'd have to wait at least two more years before we watched these, as my oldest is just turning 10.  For me, it seems like the violence in Star Wars is so surreal and fantastical to be not really scary to kids.  At least our 7 year old, who is a kind soul and gets horribly upset at death or the possibility of death in movies, was not fazed much, other than Episode 4, where Luke's family is killed; and a bit at Episode 2, where Anakin kills the sand people who captured his mother.  Is Episode 3 similar or is it darker?

To put this in perspective, our kids have watched the first three Harry Potter movies, but we won't let them watch the others, as they get much darker, more violent, and realistic.

What about Episode 7?  Is this worthwhile?  I really like what JJ Abrams did with Star Trek, and if Episode 7 is anything like the Star Trek reboot, I'd be happy.  What ages do you think are appropriate for this one?

Thanks.   

[Folsom]

Meh to 7. 1-3 where sorta ok... 3 is nice in that there's no Jar-Jar-cancer in it.

Really what I want is a high quality release of the original 3 with 99% of the digital added stuff removed. I feel shame showing Episode 4-6 to a youngin, having to explain to them when I saw it there wasn't these freaking stupid parts and things in them.

[wushuliu]

Meh to 7. 1-3 where sorta ok... 3 is nice in that there's no Jar-Jar-cancer in it.

Really what I want is a high quality release of the original 3 with 99% of the digital added stuff removed. I feel shame showing Episode 4-6 to a youngin, having to explain to them when I saw it there wasn't these freaking stupid parts and things in them.

I have a feeling George sold the rights with the stipulation that the originals never be shown. Or else Disney would have done it already. They wouldn't leave that much money on the table.

[SoCalWJS]

Machete Order: http://time.com/4784685/star-wars-machete-order-rogue-one-force-awakens/

With or w/o Rogue One.

[Elizabeth]

The Laser discs of the original three Star Wars movies were without the later artifacts.

I agree the later made ones Parts 1 2 3 SUCK. Like the director was telling the actors: "Be as flat and wooden as possible."
"Any acting skill you have MUST be discarded and looking and acting like you are bored zombies is required."
"remember this is as if only five year olds will be watching, so dumb it down"
Then they fed the actors thioridazine in heavy doses before each take. Just to make sure.
(they do edit out the drooling...)

[Tyson]

3 is less bad than 1 and 2.  Like a grade C instead of a D.  But even 3 has some groan-inducingly bad scenes.

[OzarkTom]

1-2=F
3=D-
7=B

Lucas must have been on a bad acid trip when he drummed up Jar Jar.
Too bad Jar Jar did not accidentally get shot and killed by Hans Solo in #7.

[oem-wheels]

not sure how old you guys are but from reading your posts i'm guessing 30's and younger...  I remember when I was a kid (approx. 12) Star Wars first came out, it was awesome... seen it 4 times... all my friends loved it too... it was a big hit in the box office and of course they made dolls and toys from the characters in the movie - jet fighters too... anyway,  in that movie, Darth Vader gave us a hint of his past life before he became who he is "today"... left us all wondering..,. well 25 years later (guessing time factor) they made the movie(s) of how Darth Vader came about and how all the characters are tied to one another.......  I think you had to be a fan back them to really enjoy the recent episodes.... I loved 1-3 !!!! the fact you guys didn't seem to care for it too much led me to believe you guys weren't born yet when Star Wars first came out... I watched Part 4 and have to admit I didn't "get it"... watching it again before the newest episode comes out on bluray...

[oem-wheels]

part 4  ---  Rogue

[Wind Chaser]

part 4  ---  Rogue

Was that worse than Phantom Menace? As the SW franchise rolled out, PM was the last one I saw back in 1999. After that I had no further interest in anything SW. Looking back at now, the whole kit and caboodle was grossly overrated except for the visual effects.

[mcgsxr]

Interesting.  I was 7 when the original came out.  So for me there are really only 3 Star Wars movies (4,5,6).

1, 2 and 3 I have seen.  Ehhh.

7 I have seen.  OK.  Pretty much a reboot of 4.

Rogue One I have seen.  OK.  Pretty much just a story that touched a few characters but in my mind did not fully integrate with the other movies.

My kids cannot stand the original 3.  I find all the rest just stories, it does not all work for me.  Perhaps the ridiculous order in which they were produced and released ruined it for me.

I guess I was a fan of the 3 movies from the 70's and 80's.  Since then I have not seen any in a theater except for 7 as it was a fun family thing.

[Rob Babcock]

As an old codger that saw the original films in the theater (the ones now confusingly called 4,5, & 6 ) I don't find much value in the prequels, either.  Not real Star Wars to me.  The Phantom Menace was simply dreadful IMO.  I liked a couple of the characters; Ewen McGregor was a great young Obi-Wan and I'll always watch Liam Neeson in anything he does.  Attack of the Clones was slightly better and I somewhat enjoyed the Revenge of the Sith, probably because it had hundreds of lightsabers.

Whatever the numbering scheme I thought the Force Awakens was the best since the real/original ones.  Of course it's really as much a reshoot of them as a proper sequel.  It came the closest to recapturing the magic that made the real ones so good.  I'm guardedly optimistic about the next one, hopefully there'll be more of Luke, maybe training Rey.  Daisy Ridley is luminous and has a great screen presence.

[Tyson]

Was that worse than Phantom Menace? As the SW franchise rolled out, PM was the last one I saw back in 1999. After that I had no further interest in anything SW. Looking back at now, the whole kit and caboodle was grossly overrated except for the visual effects.

Loved Rogue One.  Especially the last scene and how it transitions into Ep 4.  It was also a great homage to the Seven Samurai.

[charmerci]

For people who watch a ton of movies, I often find people tend to overrate the great ones (ahem, sorry Casablanca's dialogue was too pat and was said too quickly) and despise perfectly OK movies.

I found episodes 1-3 perfectly fine as sci-fi, though I am kind of at a loss at how Portman and Christensen could give such stilted performances when they do/did so well in other movies - which is probably why most people had trouble with those movies.

[ctviggen]

Meh to 7. 1-3 where sorta ok... 3 is nice in that there's no Jar-Jar-cancer in it.

Really what I want is a high quality release of the original 3 with 99% of the digital added stuff removed. I feel shame showing Episode 4-6 to a youngin, having to explain to them when I saw it there wasn't these freaking stupid parts and things in them.

I totally agree with this. I forgot all the crap that got added until I saw them with my kids.  There's no need to do CGI just because you can.

[ctviggen]

Loved Rogue One.  Especially the last scene and how it transitions into Ep 4.  It was also a great homage to the Seven Samurai.

I really liked Rogue One ... until the final scene.  Then I hated it.  (I won't write more, in case anyone has not not seen it.)

[ctviggen]

For people who watch a ton of movies, I often find people tend to overrate the great ones (ahem, sorry Casablanca's dialogue was too pat and was said too quickly) and despise perfectly OK movies.

I found episodes 1-3 perfectly fine as sci-fi, though I am kind of at a loss at how Portman and Christensen could give such stilted performances when they do/did so well in other movies - which is probably why most people had trouble with those movies.

I don't know, I really like the old movies in Star Wars.  They had humor, a love triangle, good story lines, nice villains, without too much CGI for no good reason.  Was there any humor in Episodes 1 or 2?  I can't think of any.  The "love" was horrid and to me completely made up in Episodes 1 and 2.  These we basically just ways of putting CGI into movies.  I just can't express how bad they were.

Anyway, thanks for the options.  We're probably going to hold off for a while for Episode 3.  It seems a bit dark.  We're going to watch ET, The Extra-Terrestrial this weekend. That should be fun.