What is the best viewing order for a Star Wars marathon? I’m a traditionalist – I’d go with chronological order. I believe in reading books that way (You really don’t want my EU reading suggestions) and the differences there would be far less jarring than going from ROTS to ANH. And it doesn’t rob the OT of some of its best moments, the way pre-knowledge of the prequels would. But ‘Greedo’ also offers a third and fourth method that could be interesting.
I know we have plenty of folks lately pondering this very question – what’s your solution?
Since I haven’t pondered watching the entire saga in a marathon yet, I don’t have ideas to add… but I’m damned intrigued by the flashback concept.
I’d have a lot of issue comparing the trilogies while watching them back to back, so mixing it together like he suggested makes a lot of sense to me.
I prefer theatrical release order: OT 4-6, then PT 1-3. I just think if they’re watched in 1-6 order, it completely deflates Vader and he’s just pathetic, never powerful. Much better to think at first that he’s Mr. Big Dude Bad Guy, with the I am Your Father revelation as a surprise, and then reveal his downfall and weakness later.
I think the prequel as flashback viewing order a great idea. Then I’d just skip ROTJ entirely.
Add me to the release-order list. I think the prequels are stronger as backstory when you already know the main story. But I’ll add this as a caveat: if there’s time, I’d actually view 4-6, 1-3, and then 4-6 again. 4-6 operates on a completely different level in light of the prequels than it does originally, and both levels are fabulous. The prequels, by contrast, don’t really stand well on their own.
I think if I had tried to do 1-6 straight through, I would have just stopped half way through 1. I, personally, would do 4, 5, 6, 3, because I’m not a big fan of 1 or 2 and also prefer the prequels as backstory.