VIDEO: Prowse suiting up as Vader, 1976

blewis17 · Jun 26, 2016

OK, I realize that this may have been posted years ago, so before I get JediFyfe'd on this.... it's new to me, and I think bears a repeat viewing.

I had only ever seen a small portion of this clip, the few seconds of Prowse donning the Vader dome on the original "Making of Star Wars" TV special from the 1970s.
This clip is a minute and a half, and for some reason I find it fascinating. Especially when Prowse yawns at the 28 second mark.

Hard to believe this was 40 years ago...

BONUS

Here is a 1980 interview with Prowse and the ESB suit... notice the RAW, unmodified flash handle on the Vader suit, and Prowse says, "No, that's not the one I use"

James Kenobi 1138 · Jun 26, 2016

I had never seen that longer clip, great find.

PoopaPapaPalps · Jun 26, 2016

I can almost hear the tabs clicking together when the helmet is set on the mask.

Also, who's gonna be the one to start a whole research thread to replicate that Graflex?:lol

DaddyfromNaboo · Jun 26, 2016

And still the question, how were the female tabs mounted inside the helmet, with the male tabs sitting on the mask?

cyclocrosschris · Jun 26, 2016

nice to see these again, thanks..... IIRK. lucasfilm effectively "sacked/disowned" Prowse after his comments in the second interview clip because of his "black/negro voice" comments........ When I saw Prowse at a convention in Harrisbug, PA, in the late 90s, he was vocally critical of George.....

Jaitea · Jun 26, 2016

cyclocrosschris said:
nice to see these again, thanks..... IIRK. lucasfilm effectively "sacked/disowned" Prowse after his comments in the second interview clip because of his "black/negro voice" comments........ When I saw Prowse at a convention in Harrisbug, PA, in the late 90s, he was vocally critical of George.....

I don't think it was comments like that.....in fact, at a time before political correctness,....he spoke very delicately in that clip,....& that was edited for a kids TV show.....it was his comments to the press about the plot,...or what he thought was the plot

J

Wes R · Jun 26, 2016

cyclocrosschris said:
nice to see these again, thanks..... IIRK. lucasfilm effectively "sacked/disowned" Prowse after his comments in the second interview clip because of his "black/negro voice" comments........ When I saw Prowse at a convention in Harrisbug, PA, in the late 90s, he was vocally critical of George.....

He wasn't much better in Pittsburgh around that time either when I saw him. He was the only person in the entire comicon that was selling autographs and it wasn't going over as well as I think he'd hoped.

division 6 · Jun 26, 2016

Still had a chip on his shoulder when I saw him in SF in 97.

Halliwax · Jun 26, 2016

i wonder if the lenses fogged up while filming, like the problem the 501st vaders have

Treadwell · Jun 26, 2016

I seem to recall him saying they did.

CSMacLaren · Jun 26, 2016

I get chills seeing the prop helmet pieces vanish and the character come to life!

PoopaPapaPalps · Jun 26, 2016

Someone edit Williams' score from RotS with the mask and helmet coming down on Anakin over this.

Marv · Jun 27, 2016

PoopaPapaPalps said:
Also, who's gonna be the one to start a whole research thread to replicate that Graflex?:lol

I think there are a few that have already pieced that one together, mine only needs. A lick of paint at the top

OdiWan72 · Jun 27, 2016

Marv said:
I think there are a few that have already pieced that one together, mine only needs. A lick of paint at the top

Silver -UNmodified- Kobold flash unit (D-ring added), shoven into a Graflex top (no glass-eye, no red button), partially painted.
A couple of these builds surfaced already, yes

Guff · Jun 27, 2016

How nice it is to hear an enthusiastic Prowse. A far cry from the bitter money-grabber we hear of these days

The Terminator · Jun 27, 2016

halliwax said:
i wonder if the lenses fogged up while filming, like the problem the 501st vaders have

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eflef8NDAno
At 5:09

There's a trick that divers use in order to avoid that

PoopaPapaPalps said:
Someone edit Williams' score from RotS with the mask and helmet coming down on Anakin over this.

Will do

Halliwax · Jun 27, 2016

The Terminator said:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eflef8NDAno
At 5:09

There's a trick that divers use in order to avoid that

Will do

i use to dive recreationally with my uncle he was a instructor in the bahamas. who would of though prowes was spitting into those lenses

PoopaPapaPalps · Jun 27, 2016

The Terminator said:
....Will do

I...I had to do it.

James Kenobi 1138 · Jun 27, 2016

CSMacLaren said:
I get chills seeing the prop helmet pieces vanish and the character come to life!

People say you can just put any big muscular guy in that suit and it's all the same.

I disagree. Without the helmet it's David Prowse. When the helmet and gloves go on, THAT'S Darth Vader.

thd9791 · Jun 27, 2016

For some reason I thought there was a front and back underneath the top of the helmet. Mind Blown, and I feel a little silly :lol

VIDEO: Prowse suiting up as Vader, 1976

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