This is my first time watching any Star Wars content. From what I understand and remember I should be watching it in chronological order and I should only watch I-VI since from what I heard that those are the only ones that are actually worth a watch.
Main question
For the original trilogy I’ve decided to watch the 4K77, 4k80, and 4k83 v1.0 no DNR but I want to know what is the the definitive way to watch the prequels so I wanted to ask which Blu-ray release or fan edit or any release should I look for?
Sorry if I’m asking the wrong community, but I saw a post before in a Star Wars community and it doesn’t look like there was much discussion on it.
I’m a fan of the Machete Order.
There may be some spoilers in that blog post, it’s been a while since I read it, so here it is in summary:
- A New Hope (4)
- Empire Strikes Back (5)
- Attack of the Clones (2)
- Revenge of the Sith (3)
- Return of the Jedi (5)
Phantom Menace is omitted because it’s the weakest of the prequel trilogy and everything that happens in it is summarized at the beginning of Attack of the Clones anyway. If you want to be a completionist then watch it between Empire Strikes Back and Attack of the Clones.
There’s good reasons for following this order, but it’s hard to describe them without spoiling anything. Basically, Lucas assumed you’d watched the original trilogy when he made the prequels, so it’s got a bunch of spoilers in it that the Machete Order preserves quite nicely.
This is the way
The Phantom Menace goes together with Rogue One as interesting expansions that aren’t crucial to the main plot. Better watched after all the others.
Rogue One is far and away a better movie though
Absolutely. It’s great in every way.
Just posted this in a thread about watching the show Andor. Additional context, I’d watch the movies first before you decide to get into any of the shows
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I highly recommend Rogue One as well. It follows Cassian Andor as a spy for the rebellion immediately after the second (and final) season of the show.
Rogue One is a story set immediately before the first movie: Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. Immediately as in the final scene of Rogue One is the first scene of A New Hope.
Similar to the other commenter, the problem is that Rogue One is by far the best movie of the entire franchise, so you start at the high point.
If you like the movie and want more Star Wars, I recommend this order. I’ll list the title and the “episode” number
- Rogue One (3.9)
- A New Hope (4)
- The Empire Strikes Back (5)
- The Phantom Menace (1)
- Attack of the Clones (2)
- Revenge of the Sith (3)
- Return of the Jedi (6)
There are three more movies after #6, but there’s almost no point in watching them.
It’s really important to remember that a lot of the Star Wars movies aren’t good but they’re cultural institutions and you kinda have to accept them as they are. The writer/director of the original trilogy spent a lot of time tweaking and editing them after their original releases including adding new scenes digitally created decades after the release.
I’d disagree with Rogue One as a first intro to Star Wars simply because there’s a lot of assumptions of knowledge of things explained at a minimum in ANH. If anything, ANH first, then Rogue One to cover the stolen plans story that is mentioned all throughout.
The only benefit for seeing Rogue One before ANH is to explain why Vader is so pissed at the princess.
I’d disagree with Rogue One as a first intro to Star Wars simply because there’s a lot of assumptions of knowledge of things explained at a minimum in ANH.
This is the problem with getting viewing recommendations from fans - they are so obsessed with the franchise that they fail to realise/appreciate how many of the additional films and TV series are designed and written for them to the exclusion of everyone else. Rogue One is a film written for existing Star Wars fans, filled with fan service and references designed specifically to excite viewers of the original trilogy. As an actual standalone story it is pretty fucking boring, as are its main characters who exist purely to service the main plot. Speaking of the plot, it is designed entirely around explaining a minor plot hole from the original film - something only massive fans of the franchise care about. It’s a terrible recommendation for a first-time viewer.
That’s an interesting take. I don’t really like the mainline Star Wars films at all. I think the entire skywalker saga is incredibly boring and a massive waste of a fascinating universe.
Rogue One is great because there’s enough exposure to the universe without relying on any prior knowledge.
Discussion about the plot
The first half of the film gives us an interesting cast of characters who all have motivations that are at odds with each other. Then they earn each other’s trust and agree on a common goal.
The final hour of the movie is an exciting action sequence spanning space fighters to ground troops and an infiltration mission
The characters are well written and the main elements of plot don’t rely on any Star Wars knowledge to really understand what’s going on.
If you like the film, watch more. If you don’t, leave it at an action film that doesn’t explain everything about that dude with a laser sword or why the Empire is bad or what they do afterwards.
Watch the L8Wrtr edits of the prequel trilogy, then the Despecialized versions of the OG trilogy. Some say to watch in release order. I don’t think it matters as much as watching the content as it was originally created, and without the stupid fluff in the prequel trilogy.
456 123 789
I don’t know if anyone has done special versions of the prequels, so I’d just watch them as-is. George Lucas hasn’t re-released a fucked-up version of those (yet, anyway).
In my own opinion, these are the exact versions of the original series I recommend:
05-Star.Wars.4K77.2160p.UHD.no-DNR.35mm.x265-v1.0.mkv
The.Empire.Strikes.Back.1980.D+80.v2.1.UHD.2160p-oohteedee.mkv
03-Return.of.the.Jedi.4K83.35mm.minimalNR.v1.6.UHD.2160p.mkvOr the 1080p versions if 2k is too much for you. I didn’t make notes about why I preferred each one when choosing them a few years ago, so if there are any newer edits you might evaluate them yourself. And apparently Radarr overwrote my selections at one point because none of my file sizes match the table…
For the prequels, you want the Anti-cheese Fan-edits.
What’s the difference between those and Harmy’s despecialized releases?
Just watch Andor and Rogue One, the rest is for children.
Definitely 456-123 order, I know some people have different ways they prefer to watch but I think that kind of detracts from watching how the franchise evolves over the years.
If you want more after that, rogue one and andor is pretty good, clone wars/bad batch has some good stuff (though I’d recommend finding a watch guide for clone wars, some episodes are straight up kids stuff, other episodes are almost literally Vietnam war and decapitations)
I think the sequels are interesting to watch, I’m a bit of an 8 apologist in some areas, but you have to go in with the expectation that there’s a general decline in story progression and making sense from movie to movie.
Honestly though I think the series has a general decline after 5. It’s all not bad, and there’s some good stuff, but if you find yourself uninterested don’t force yourself to continue after like episode 6.
Add Rebels into the mix as well, it delves into some of the nature of the force (plus, more Sam Witwer being awesome as his character.) And leads into Ahsoka.
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with a lightsaber handle in your butt. and a droid on your lap.
I think that 4K77, 4K80, and 4K83 are the best way of watching the original trilogy. As for the order I think that’s really up to you if you prefer the release order, or chronological order, or something else.
skip it and watch stark trek TNG instead
Watch in release order. This is the way they were written so it will make the most sense as a first time viewer.
You will hear about the Machete order if you research Star Wars viewing orders, but this is best for subsequent watches.
Aside from the OT and PT, the projects I recommend are the Clone Wars series (it’s a lot though), Rogue One, Andor, and the Mandalorian.
Kenobi was meh but had some really good moments.
Watch the sequel trilogy once if you must, but I think they’re pretty bad and forgettable.
Watch in release order. This is the way they were written so it will make the most sense as a first time viewer.
This, but for nearly everything lol
Watch the original Star Wars, then The Empire Strikes Back, then Return of the Jedi. The versions you found are good.
Here’s the important bit, turn off Jedi as soon as you see a fat fuzzy walking teddy bear creature. The introduction of the Ewoks is when Star Wars dies.
- Star Wars
- Empire Strikes Back
- Maybe Rogue One
The rest are not so good.
