The “Star Wars” universe can seem vast and intimidating to newcomers. Here’s a primer and some advice in advance of the Dec. 18 release of “Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens.”
Mythology
“Star Wars” creator George Lucas combined influences from classic sci-fi serials (“Flash Gordon”), samurai culture (particularly Akira Kurosawa’s work), American Westerns and World War II aerial dog fights in crafting the first installment, which was released as a standalone picture in 1977 and later retitled “Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope” after a wildly successful theatrical run.
The blend of romantic mysticism (embodied in The Force) and grounded elements (yearning for adventure, struggling with identity and change) offered audiences a new style of big-screen storytelling that brought breathless sci-fi action to timeless mythological themes.
Originals vs. prequels
The three original films (“Episode IV,” “V” and “VI”), which were released between 1977 and 1983, are widely considered superior to the more recent prequel trilogy (“Episode I,” “II” and “III,” 1999-2005). The former three tell the story of Luke Skywalker’s transformation from a Tatooine farm boy to a galactic hero, while the latter recount the story of a different Tatooine youngster in his father Anakin’s turn to the dark side of The Force — and eventual transformation into the villain Darth Vader.
The originals featured groundbreaking special effects and helped make stars of cast members Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and others. But director Lucas’ emphasis on computer-generated imagery over practical effects, as well as groan-inducing dialogue and flat acting, made the prequels something many “Star Wars” purists would rather forget.
Power-watching the saga
We recommend Machete Order, so named in a widely shared 2011 blog post by Denver software programmer Rod Hilton. It’s neither chronological (following the films’ release dates) nor episodic (following the numerical order).
Hilton proposes cutting out “Episode I — The Phantom Menace” entirely, starting with “Episode IV,” then putting “Episode II” and “III” between episodes “V” and “VI” as a sort of extended flashback. The film order looks like this: “A New Hope,” “The Empire Strikes Back,” “Attack of the Clones,” “Revenge of the Sith” and “Return of the Jedi.”
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As Hilton argues, this allows viewers to start with the two strongest films — the ones that established the universe best — and finish with the most satisfying ending, the (supposed) destruction of the Galactic Empire.
“Two films of Luke’s story, two films of Anakin’s story, then a single film that intertwines and ends both stories,” he wrote, noting that nothing in “Episode I” is essential to grasping the mythology or plot of the six-film arc.
It’s also, more broadly, a satisfying comeuppance for Lucas and his widely reviled hubris in digitally tinkering with his creations long after their release, as he has done multiple times. Just as he is able to remaster his films, viewers are able to redefine the way the story unfolds.
