Anchorhead said:
If I had to venture an opinion, I'd say viewing order doesn't really matter as long as the films are viewed in two sets of three. Preferably with some time to ponder between the two, maybe a week or two.
The trilogies look and feel completely different. They were created differently (live action vs CGI, film vs digital), have completely different visual styles, different story lines, different actors, take place in different time periods, etc.
For various reasons, I'd hope for any new viewers to start with episodes 4, 5, and 6 to begin with, if seperating out each trilogy into two distinct entities. The main one being because I'd rather someone first watched what I reckon would give them a far more satisfying introduction to the STAR WARS franchise, considering I feel the prequel trilogy is inferior. And that's how I ensured my own brats saw 'em for the first time too. :)
But sadly, I doubt this will happen with the majority of anyone new to the saga in the future, since the actual 'numbering' of each movie will discourage that...and because the forthcoming 3D theatrical re-release schedule is only going to reinforce the 1-2-3-4-5-6 'chapter' issue too.
As you say, the trilogies look and feel completely different in many ways, and therefore don't sit very well as a continuous whole. Personally, I don't mind that too much, considering they ended up being made so far apart with different designers and sensibilities at the time....and if the prequel trilogy had turned out more successfully in the first place, I wouldn't have a problem with this 'revised' viewing order whatsoever. But they didn't...(although you've missed out on some great soundtrack music by Williams at the very least Anchorhead)...and that's why I dislike the idea of the prequels taking 'precedence' to 'officially' begin the overall saga now, where the 'numbers' are concerned.
So looking on this franchise as two distinct trilogies, I'd always prefer the original 4-5-6-1-2-3 'theatrical' release order for new viewers, ideally...and therefore the currently 'numbered' 1-2-3-4-5-6 sequence doesn't appeal to me for a 'whole saga' marathon viewing order for newbies. Or myself either, where the prequels are concerned. However, for the reasons I mentioned on the previous page, cap's proposed 4-5-1-2-3-6 viewing order at least incorporates the prequels in a way that I can dislike less.