Which Star Wars should my daughter watch first?

Post by **Hound** » Fri Jan 01, 2016 12:38 am

So after watching episode 7 yesterday it's got me thinking where I should start my daughter off in the Star Wars movie saga. My little one is going to be 3 in about 4 months and has gotten to a point where she can almost handle the mild violence that you'd see in a Star Wars film and I know that by the time episode 8 rolls around it's going to be something that I'm going to want to take her to see.

So I'm just looking for opinions to maybe help me decide what movie to start her out with. My instinct is to start her with episode one just so she gets a linear experience of the story, mostly because of her age. If I show her the originals first and the prequels after then I'm not sure I could explain to her the timeline of it all in a way that she would understand.

I know that the prequels aren't good but to be honest I haven't been blown away by any of it as an adult. A lot of it is just kinda boring, but she might really enjoy all of it and it's something that I want her to see. I remember how magical it all was for me when I a kid and I want her to experience that too.

There's a poll if you want to vote, it won't really mean anything but I thought it might be fun.

Post by **Denyer** » Fri Jan 01, 2016 1:02 am

There's no need to acknowledge or watch the prequels, any more than Enterprise is a plus in watching TOS and Next Gen?

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Fri Jan 01, 2016 1:05 am

The quality of the different films doesn't matter, thr sensible option for the two full trilogies is:

Start with the original film. It has all the exposition about what a Jedi is and how the Force works (to pick an example: The opening scenes of Phantom Menace are "**** me, these are cool Jedi in their pomp" not "Who are these guys and what are those light sticks?"), and most of the prequel trilogy is filled with references that only work if you've seen the original films first: To pick a totally randomly inserted example: Greedo in The Phantom Menace.

Post by **Sades** » Fri Jan 01, 2016 1:19 am

We were discussing this while waiting for our ride last night- I could care less for chronological order. Our child will be ruined forever* if her first Star Wars film is The Phantom Menace.

FWIW I could totally explain this shit to her if she gets confused, no probs.

*probably not, but why chance it?

Heinrad · Post by **Heinrad** » Fri Jan 01, 2016 3:26 am

Start with A New Hope. It's the most kid friendly of all of them. Then Empire and Jedi.

Then, when the time comes, switch her to the good stuff. Doctor Who and Star Trek.

When she hits her rebellious teenage years, Battlestar Galactica. The Ron Moore version.

For current bedtime reading, I recommend the Lensman series by E.E. Smith. If she's showing signs of being a completionist by now, start with book 1. If not, start with book 3. Books 1 and 2 are good, but 1 threads a bunch of stand alone stories together, and 2 was created to connect book 1 to the rest of the series. Book 3, Galactic Patrol, is where the action really kicks off.

Hope this helps.

Post by **Warcry** » Fri Jan 01, 2016 6:38 am

Yeah, I'm with Denyer on this one. The prequels are boring for adults. Do you really think a kid is going to be any more entranced by tedious senate debates and stilted romance scenes than we are? Start them with Phantom Menace and all you'll do is discourage them from watching the others.

When our little guy is big enough for Star Wars, I'm starting him off with the originals for sure. And probably one of the cartoons after that if he really takes an interest. Not going to show him the prequels at all unless he asks to see them.

Tetsuro · Post by **Tetsuro** » Fri Jan 01, 2016 6:52 am

Warcry wrote:And probably one of the cartoons after that if he really takes an interest.

Big question is, will that be Ewoks or Droids?

Also, "he"

Post by **Hound** » Fri Jan 01, 2016 8:07 am

Oh she's gonna watch the prequels. If I have to watch crybaby Anakin then so does she.

I think all of you might be overestimating what a toddler will find important in a science fiction action movie.

Skyquake87 · Post by **Skyquake87** » Fri Jan 01, 2016 9:36 am

She'll probably love Jar Jar! (Personally, I found him less of a tool than C3PO). Watching the prequels before the originals did my nephew no harm and got him into Star Wars. I went to see Ep 7 with him and he still likes the prequels and enjoyed them for what they were. I don't think quality of acting and bad stories are so much of a bother when the things that stick with you are funny looking aliens, spaceships and cool lightsaber (sabre?) fights.

Personally, I found Phantom no worse than New Hope, at least in terms of story, plotting and acting - which are pretty feeble in both. They both have shooty space stuff and lots going on so you kind of paper over bad acting, cornball dialogue and slightly dull plots.

Post by **Warcry** » Fri Jan 01, 2016 3:57 pm

Tetsuro wrote:Also, "he"

As I said, this is what I'd do when my boy is a bit bigger, yeah.

Hound wrote:I think all of you might be overestimating what a toddler will find important in a science fiction action movie.

Maybe. On the other hand, I think you're overestimating how long it'll hold a kid's attention. Eps 1 and 2 don't have as much action between the open and the final act, compared to the earlier movies that sprinkle it more evenly throughout. If you start with them you might be on the recieving end of "this is boring daddy!" for the long chunks where it's mostly talky bits in the desert/on Coruscant.

Though Skyquake's right about her being able to appreciate Jar-Jar at that age. I'd, uh, actually totally forgotten him.

. He'll definitely help with the little ones.

I'm not just saying this to slate Phantom Menace...I'm pretty sure I enjoy it more than most. I just don't think it's a very good kids' movie compared to the first three, and probably not the best bet for starting a little one off.

Brendocon 2.0 · Post by **Brendocon 2.0** » Fri Jan 01, 2016 4:27 pm

You definitely want to lead with Caravan of Courage.

Tetsuro · Post by **Tetsuro** » Fri Jan 01, 2016 4:42 pm

Brendocon 2.0 wrote:You definitely want to lead with Caravan of Courage.

That was actually the first one I saw as a kid!

Brendocon 2.0 · Post by **Brendocon 2.0** » Fri Jan 01, 2016 4:46 pm

Okay, so maybe you don't want to lead with Caravan of Courage.

Post by **Clay** » Fri Jan 01, 2016 5:56 pm

Hound wrote:I think all of you might be overestimating what a toddler will find important in a science fiction action movie.

Then why show them to her when she's too young to enjoy them?

Also, educate yourselves and watch the Red Letter Media breakdowns on why the prequels fail as films. Just because they exist is no reason to watch them. Have some self respect, people. Here's the first part for you:

I mean, they're like miscarriages that survived.

Brendocon 2.0 · Post by **Brendocon 2.0** » Fri Jan 01, 2016 6:17 pm

I think that, if you are going to watch the prequels, it's best to watch them after the original movies.

If only because they're prequels. Set before, but designed to be watched after, alongside the contextual knowledge of what happens later in the narrative.

Plus if you make her watch them in production order, she'll get the warm fuzzy "hey they've gone back to practical effects" glow from the newer one.

Assuming she cares. She might not care. That's always a possibility. She might get twenty minutes into whichever one you start with and decide that she'd rather be watching ice hockey.

Post by **Hound** » Fri Jan 01, 2016 6:39 pm

...or play with her toys.

Post by **Hound** » Fri Jan 01, 2016 7:13 pm

Warcry wrote:Maybe. On the other hand, I think you're overestimating how long it'll hold a kid's attention. Eps 1 and 2 don't have as much action between the open and the final act, compared to the earlier movies that sprinkle it more evenly throughout. If you start with them you might be on the recieving end of "this is boring daddy!" for the long chunks where it's mostly talky bits in the desert/on Coruscant.

Ep1 starts with some lightsabre action almost immediately, then goes right to Jar Jar, leads into an underwater monster chase, driod attack on Naboo, escape from naboo, some boring stuff on Tatooine with a bit of a fight with Darth Maul, Podrace, boring stuff on Coruscant and then the final big battles on Naboo.

Ep4 starts with some very minor action, a whole lot of nothing interesting on Tatooine until they escape there, some more non-action on the Death Star with a bit of clumsy lightsabre action at the end, then the final battle, which is entirely spaceships flying in a trench.

For a 2 year old it's clear to me which is going to hold her attention more.

Tetsuro · Post by **Tetsuro** » Sat Jan 02, 2016 6:10 am

Hound wrote:For a 2 year old it's clear to me which is going to hold her attention more.

Isn't she a bit young for a PG rated film?

Post by **Hound** » Sat Jan 02, 2016 6:50 am

I dunno. All she's really seen so far has been cartoon violence.

Post by **Sades** » Sat Jan 02, 2016 9:15 am

Well, barely that.

Personally I'm not talking showing her the films tomorrow... I figured a year, maybe two-three depending on her and what she understands by then. She wouldn't really understand it if we show her now, and if she gets scared, well, then we have another ninja squirrel incident on our hands and she definitely won't be interested.

TFARCHIVE FORUMS

Which Star Wars should my daughter watch first?

Which one!?!?

Which Star Wars should my daughter watch first?