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Does it make sense watching Episode 4 after Episode 3?

Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2020 5:40 am
by BridgeConsoleMasher
You get a long tracking of 3PO and R2D2. Two characters you kinda got to know in the prequels again. And it's pretty slow.

I think it really works fine as a movie on its own, but as a reverse sequel I'm totally off-put.

At first it was watching it after episode 3, but now I'm watching it after Rogue 1, and of course it's weird.

Re: Does it make sense watching Episode 4 after Episode 3?

Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2020 6:28 am
by clearspira
That's the least of the continuity problems. My biggest criticism is how Obi Wan describes his friendship with Anakin in glowing terms that we NEVER see first hand.

Re: Does it make sense watching Episode 4 after Episode 3?

Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2020 8:46 am
by MithrandirOlorin
It was designed to seem like a sequel. That you are forcing yourself to read it as a weird decision is your problem not the movie's.

Re: Does it make sense watching Episode 4 after Episode 3?

Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2020 3:25 am
by BridgeConsoleMasher
MithrandirOlorin wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 8:46 am It was designed to seem like a sequel. That you are forcing yourself to read it as a weird decision is your problem not the movie's.
Thanks, Qui Gon
clearspira wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 6:28 am That's the least of the continuity problems. My biggest criticism is how Obi Wan describes his friendship with Anakin in glowing terms that we NEVER see first hand.
Idunno I thought Episode 3 laid the exposition down pretty thick about how Anakin was the council's prize horse.

Re: Does it make sense watching Episode 4 after Episode 3?

Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2020 2:17 am
by Actarus
clearspira wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 6:28 am That's the least of the continuity problems. My biggest criticism is how Obi Wan describes his friendship with Anakin in glowing terms that we NEVER see first hand.
In Episode 4? All he says to Luke is that Anakin was "the best star pilot in the galaxy and a cunning warrior" and that "he was a good friend". I think it was pretty much covered in the prequels, especially in Episode 3. But I'll admit Clone Wars has been better at it.

Re: Does it make sense watching Episode 4 after Episode 3?

Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2020 4:18 am
by Meushell
I think you can watch Star Wars however you want, really, even if you are just getting into it. I’m marathoning it now, the movies and the shows, and I’m enjoying it in chronological order. That’s just my preference, and I cannot be spoiled because I’ve already seen it all.

Production order is probably the best for new fans, but personally, it was Rebels that got my son’s attention.

Re: Does it make sense watching Episode 4 after Episode 3?

Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2020 7:36 pm
by clearspira
Actarus wrote: Wed Jul 15, 2020 2:17 am
clearspira wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 6:28 am That's the least of the continuity problems. My biggest criticism is how Obi Wan describes his friendship with Anakin in glowing terms that we NEVER see first hand.
In Episode 4? All he says to Luke is that Anakin was "the best star pilot in the galaxy and a cunning warrior" and that "he was a good friend". I think it was pretty much covered in the prequels, especially in Episode 3. But I'll admit Clone Wars has been better at it.
Its not what he says its HOW he says it - with reverence. You get nothing less than the impression that Obi Wan and Anakin were like Harry and Ron, Kirk and Spock, Sonic and Tails.

That is not what we got. Oh, they crack a couple of jokes here and there, but for the most part, they bicker, bitch, belittle and bemoan. And they never, ever, reach a level of on-screen respect that earns the smile that is on Obi Wan's face in Episode 4.

Although maybe we should blame Alec Guinness for this. The man was such a good actor that he could portray a thousand words with a single look. Maybe the script did in fact call for a more deadpan feel, but then, this consistently high standard of acting is one of the reasons why the OT is so beloved. I can only imagine what a man of Alec's skill would have thought of Daisy Ridley - whose main technique of portraying emotion is to open her mouth progressively wider.

Re: Does it make sense watching Episode 4 after Episode 3?

Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2020 7:46 pm
by MithrandirOlorin
The fact that so many haters demand so much more from the PT to communicate their friendship makes me wonder how difficult it is for them to maintain friendships.

To me personally Luke and Han never felt like actual friends in the OT, but that is treated as an objectively blasphemous opinion to express.

Re: Does it make sense watching Episode 4 after Episode 3?

Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2020 8:08 pm
by GreyICE
MithrandirOlorin wrote: Wed Jul 15, 2020 7:46 pmTo me personally Luke and Han never felt like actual friends in the OT, but that is treated as an objectively blasphemous opinion to express.
I thought it was a great arc personally. Episode 4 Han shittalks him and Luke has a low opinion of Han in return, then at the end Han completely disproves Luke's evaluation of him, and saves Luke's life. Episode 5, Han saves Luke's life again. Episode 6, Luke risks his life for something that has objectively minimal value to the rebellion - Han's life.

I think Han and Luke probably drive each other up a wall, but they'd both clearly risk quite a lot to save each other. It feels like one of those things where they could go five years without talking, then show up, give each other shit, and then both be ready to die to support the other.

Maybe "war buddies" would be a better description? Like different personalities, different lives, might not talk a lot, but both served together and have a deep bond because of that.

Re: Does it make sense watching Episode 4 after Episode 3?

Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2020 8:14 pm
by TGLS
clearspira wrote: Wed Jul 15, 2020 7:36 pm Although maybe we should blame Alec Guinness for this. The man was such a good actor that he could portray a thousand words with a single look.
If only he could have managed to act as well with Han's 12 parsec line.