It is here. The final chapter in the final trilogy of “Star Wars” is in early viewing in theaters. If you’re like me, you’ve been anxiously anticipating “Rise of Skywalker,” and you already have your tickets. And like me, maybe you thought about going back and watching all the “Star Wars” movies again before heading to the theater. So, I did. I watched episodes 1 through 8, plus “Solo” and “Rogue One.” I also thought lots of other people were doing this. Some were. But I think many thought about it and didn’t get it done.
First, if you started a few months ago, you noticed the films were gone. In anticipation of Disney+, the films were only available for $20 purchase. No streaming or renting. But once Disney+ came along, there they all were, lined up for you. There have also been marathons, in theaters, and on cable TV. Luckily, I didn’t have to wait for Disney+, since I have wonderful nerd friends with original copies. No, my Four, Five, and Six were not tampered with by Lucas.
Joined by my fiancée, we completed the journey. It was quite an experience watching with her due to the fact that she had only seen Four, Five, and parts of One. So, MOST of these films were new to her.
She and I are old enough that we saw episode Four in theaters. We shared our memories of the lines to get in the theater, and how amazing the film was to us, then. There are magic and mythology in Four, and some of that is taken away in One. Another reason for the Machete order.
In what order should we watch them all? We seriously considered the “Machete” order, where the viewer watches Four and Five, then Two and Three as flashbacks, then Six, then proceed to the final trilogy. There are many advantages to the Machete Order, especially for first-time viewers. But since I had seen these films before, many of them many times, I wanted to watch them in order.
- Episode I: The Phantom Menace: everything that made me mad was still here. But it didn’t make me as mad. Jar Jar is still terrible, the senate scenes drag on, and Jar Jar, Watto, and the Trade Federation characters feel insensitive, if not racist. Still, Qui Gon Jinn is a great character, and so is Amidala. The pod race is an excellent piece in the “Star Wars” universe, and the three-way lightsaber battle is epic. I also think it’s great luck for the films and the fans that the same actor played Palpatine/The Emperor in Episodes I, II, III, V, and VI. Ian McDiarmid was 36 the first time he played the Emperor in Episode V. He should be better known to fans.
- Episode II: Attack of the Clones: This one was one I enjoyed much more this time around. Taking it in and following more closely, I enjoyed the plot and mystery of the clone army and Palpatine’s manipulations. We get the purple lightsaber of Windu, and the lightsaber battle between Dooku and Yoda is one of my favorites, ever. Once again, I felt like Dooku came out of nowhere and I was supposed to know him. This time, it bothered me less.
- Episode III: Revenge of the Sith: The last film before Disney bought the franchise. It’s a hard film for me. There is a lot of the Star Wars universe in it that I love. I do love the film. But the film is the heart of the transformation of Anakin into Darth. In 2005, I didn’t believe it. It didn’t work for me. In 2019, I accept it a little more. So much of the problem is with the acting of Haydn Christiansen, an unfortunate choice. My fiancée could not stand him on screen.
- Rogue One: A Star Wars Story: I love this film. I think it’s a moving story and a great addition to the canon. It’s a smart piece, considering Disney wanted more films outside the trilogies.
- Solo: A Star Wars Story: Ron Howard came in after firing the original directors, but this film is a little lost. Even the scenes with Landau don’t have the payoff they could.
- Episode IV: A New Hope: Like coming home to a very old friend. As I said, I saw this film in theaters the first time around. I also saw it used to sell video players and DVD players and more. In fact, I saw it at a Kmart on 8mm film to sell 8mm projectors. I know every scene of this film and feel like it’s part of my life. I read Joseph Campbell’s analysis of it as a modern myth and I think he is right. It is a classic hero’s journey, with the black knight and the wizard. I love it. It is colored by the back story of the prequels, now. Perhaps it was a better film, by itself. I do feel lucky to have access to the original versions. I showed my fiancée Han shooting first, and Han shooting second. She said the redone version didn’t fit his character. Han shot first, people.
- Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back: Epic. Still excellent. I can’t be objective, because I enjoy it too much, even today.
- Episode VI: The Return of the Jedi: Originally titled The Revenge of the Jedi. A great close to the trilogy. The ending might still be overly happy to me, but everything about it still feels right. Some forget the Ewoks faced criticism back then, and their Christmas Special was terrible. But I love the Ewoks and their fight to save their planet. Jabba the Hut and Darth and the Emperor; they’re all still there in their glorious scenes.
- Episode VII: The Force Awakens: Bring on Disney. I love the film. It has fresh energy, new faces, but it still feels like “Star Wars.” Women like Rae are more present and have great characters, and there’s BB8. “Star Wars” and Disney have always brought the cute, and BB8 was no exception. Baby Yoda is the next step in the Disney/Star Wars cuteness arc, but that’s another story. We also get great villains, plot and mystery. Who is Rae, and what is the deal with that lightsaber calling her?
- Episode VII: The Last Jedi: I was very sad Carrie Fisher died before finishing this film. We know that her brother, Todd Fisher, claimed Leia was to be the last Jedi of the title. General Leia is an important character here, but you can feel the re-writes, and it felt like she should be onscreen more. But Rey and Luke are terrific, and it has that grand, epic feel leading up to the final film of the final trilogy.
Our editor, Colleen Bement tossed in her two cents.
“Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker” Prep 101
“Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker” comes out Dec. 19, 2019 and the legendary saga is coming to a close. In preparation, I have begun the all-important binge-watching of the episodes 1-8 complete with plenty of popcorn.
- “The Phantom Menace” requires massive fast-forwarding in order to survive the terrible dialog. Fast-forward to pod racing, the battle, and of course to get to any Darth Maul scenes!
- “Attack of the Clones” enjoys a nice opening, maybe 10 minutes of the love story, and then fast-forward to the battle in the ring and then to the epic Yoda VS Count Dooku fight.
- “Revenge of the Sith” is worth two bowls of popcorn, yet I will need to add wine for a complete watch.
- “A New Hope,” “Empire Strikes Back,” and “Return of the Jedi” will be watched in their entirety with a smile on my face.
I’m glad I watched them all again. Did you? Let us know your thoughts and prepare for “Rise of Skywalker!”
And may the force be with you.
Written by Evan Conroy
