I don’t have to worry about LotR. My boy can’t sit through 30 minutes before getting bored. By the time he can sit through it, he’ll be old enough.
My Dad took me to see Star Wars when I was 5, and I have loved it ever since. Kind of odd for a 5 year old girl in 1977, I know. But that is one of my most favorite childhood memories. My boys are 7 and 9, and they love the 3 new movies (much to my chagrin). They love the Clone Wars cartoon series as well.
I do think it depends on the kid, and what they can handle. My kids have seen Harry Potter, LOTR, the new Star Trek movie, and all of Star Wars. Yes, there is violence. But the overall theme in these movies is good-vs-evil, and we have made sure to talk with the kids about that, and what that means. I think the Sci-Fi/Fantasy movies really encourage imagination, and get kids to think. Do we let them watch BSG or play “Call of Duty: Black Ops”? No- but I know what my kids can handle, and what they are ready for.
The funny thing is, sometimes you do not know what will affect your kid until it is too late. My older son watched “The Sixth Sense” when he was 5, and couldn’t sleep for a month. Bad parenting decision, in hindsight. My husband had to make a “Ghost detector” out of a piece of tile and an old doorbell chime, to ease his fears.
My Star Wars story means a heck of a lot to me. Kinda like Reg, my Dad took me to see it in 1977 when I was 6. Our family was on vacation in Wales, and my kid brother was shopping with my mom. My Dad was a huge sci fi fan, and he took me to see Star Wars. At the end of the movie, we sat through all the credits, and I remember looking at my Dad. He looked back at me, and said. “Son, I think we need to see that again.” And with that, we sat tight and watched it a second time. That solidified it for me, and I’ve been a fanboy ever since.
I find the “Common Sense Media” ratings on the Netflix website to be fairly useful.
Here’s what they say about Star Wars: A New Hope:
OK for kids 8+
[i]Parents need to know this 1977 movie comes in two versions: the original and the one released on DVD in 2004 that’s augmented with more effects. Either one is a good introduction to the series for kids (the effects don’t add much) if you decide to view them in the order they were made rather than the chronological order in which they’re marketed now. Parents may notice something they didn’t the first time around: The human cast isn’t all that diverse. Most are white males, and the princess stands out as the only strong female character. One bar scene features “space” drinking, smoking, and shady characters, resulting in the loss of one character’s limb and the shooting death of another. Two supporting characters are killed fairly early on and shown as ash-like figures; a main character dies later. There are plenty of laser blasts and swordplay with lightsabers, although this entry is the tamest of the series.
* Families can talk about the characters' choices and motivations. Why does Luke decide to fight the Empire? Why does Han? Why does Han leave, and why does he come back?
* What background do the newer movies give this story?
* In 1977 the audience didn't have this background -- do you think they missed out?
* If you watched the updated version could you tell right away when a scene was added?
* Why do you think the director added to his work? Do you think it's the sign of a good director to let his or her art stand or to keep revisiting past work?
Violence = Level Yellow (Yellow means “Depends on your kid and your family”)
A lot of comic book-style fighting. An alien has a limb sliced off. A main character is killed. Two bodies are shown burned to death. Plenty of laser blasts and lightsaber play.
Social Behavior = Level Gray (Gray means “Not an issue”).
Good vs. evil plot makes heroes out of main characters.
Princess Leia is a strong female character.
Consumerism = Level Yellow (Yellow means “Depends on your kid and your family”)
Decades of franchise products to choose from.
Drugs / Tobacco / Alcohol = Level Green (Green means “age appropriate”.)
A sci-fi bar scene with drinks that don’t resemble anything real. One bar creature smokes a pipe.[/i]
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Huh. Excepting the weird color schemes, that seems like a pretty good resource.
And yeah, ‘it depends on the kid’ is the first thing to consider. I was really into practical FX when I was young, so I didn’t react the same way as some of my peers might have when confronted with movie violence.
It’s fascinating. They give ep IV, V and VI pretty positive ratings for kid-friendliness and an age 8 suggestion.
But ep I, II, III (even though Lucas seems to gone out of his way to appeal to young kids with those) gets some warnings and suggested ages of 10 and even 11 for R of the Sith. (well, I guess that’s understandable for R of the Sith).
Yeah, by the way. I am an old fart. I saw Star Wars A New Hope in the theater with my buddy and we were both around 13 or 14. 
Good lords! You may be a year or two older than I.
You have lawn privileges.
The kids on my block had a community pot that we’d all contribute to. Once it got enough to buy tickets for everyone, off we went to see Star Wars. Again.
Fellas, if there is one thing Star Wars does better than anything else is make everybody feel like a kid (again, in many instances).
Why do you think the director added to his work? Do you think it’s the sign of a good director to let his or her art stand or to keep revisiting past work?
No editorializing in the content ratings!
LOL. I know what you mean. The writer of that definitely had a viewpoint.
I have been getting my daughter ready to be a stormtrooper by bonking her head when putting her in the car. She will totally be ready for the helmet.
That was funny, I have a 1yr old and he loves star wars. Everytime the theme comes on he dances…
I am going through this right now, and was a little unsure of how to proceed. I have to admit that I started with Episode I, just because I felt it had more of a kid vibe to it. My oldest daughter is turning 7 (today, wow) and I watched some of them about a year or so ago and when we got up to New Hope, she definitely was less interested than with the earlier ones. I think they are just not as vibrant and colorful then the new ones. Don’t get me wrong, I prefer the original trilogy all the way, I’m just relating how kids see them. When I got the blu-ray set I started watching them again and my kids wanted to watch too. So both my daughters (7 and 4 1/2) have gotten through Episodes I-III and love it. Okay, I was a little leary about ROTS, especially at the end, but my 4 1/2 year old is obsessed with Anakin and tells everyone who will listen that Anakin turns into Darth Vader, but then he turns good again. When with finished with II she wanted to see the “one where Anakin turns into Darth Vader.” I am a proud dad.
I totally agree that when to show the films to your kids really depends a lot on your kids and what they can handle. They were both a little scarred when Obi-Wan and Anakin fight each other, but they sure couldn’t stop watching. My little one now is reminding me that we have to watch “the one with Luke”. A New Hope, here we come.