Who is darth Vader to YOU? Jones, Prowse, Christensen?
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JBReplicas
Master Member
In this order George Lucas, Ralph McQuarrie, Brian Muir, David Prowse, James Earl Jones
firesprite
Master Member
This is very true. You can see this with 501st members who troop as Vader. If you don't have the right body language, it just doesn't have the same impact.
For me, it's a combination of the actor in the suit and JEJ's voice that really makes the on-screen Vader work to me.
madmikeee
Sr Member
madmikeee
Sr Member
MAKE BELIEVE
Master Member
I guess it's a combination of it all:
The first thing you notice is the outfit/mask/black colour; but the outfit/mask without Prowse's body doesn't have the same impact; and then, the sound part: Jones' voice and that "obscure breathing"...
The first thing you notice is the outfit/mask/black colour; but the outfit/mask without Prowse's body doesn't have the same impact; and then, the sound part: Jones' voice and that "obscure breathing"...
That's interesting, I would like to see that. What scene(s) is he in in A Clockwork Orange?
Zuiun
Sr Member
Well, looking at this strictly from a performance standpoint, I have to go with the combo of Prowse and Jones.
As others have said, there is definitely a quality to the way Prowse carried himself that helped to define the character. Could you have thrown any other big guy into the outfit? Sure, but it would have been a different performance.
I really do think that in many ways, the performance Prowse gave is underrated. Here is a guy completely covered. Not a single patch of HIM is showing through. And yet there are a number of scenes in the original trilogy where his movements definitely convey at least a sense of the thoughts that might be running through Vader's head. Some of the scenes -- like the ESB duel -- play well even with the sound off.
If anything, I think that Christensen epitomizes the notion that you *CAN'T* just throw any actor into the part without fundamentally changing the character. Never once in the prequels did I get the sense that this kid was even capable of being the same character from the OT. Even in the costume, he didn't move correctly.
Even more, the pairing of James Earl Jones' voice with Christensen in the costume just seemed like a huge disconnect for me -- with or without the "Noooooooooo!" The deep, confident voice went perfectly with the performance Prowse gave in the original films. In RotS, it just seemed like lousy over-dubbing.
As others have said, there is definitely a quality to the way Prowse carried himself that helped to define the character. Could you have thrown any other big guy into the outfit? Sure, but it would have been a different performance.
I really do think that in many ways, the performance Prowse gave is underrated. Here is a guy completely covered. Not a single patch of HIM is showing through. And yet there are a number of scenes in the original trilogy where his movements definitely convey at least a sense of the thoughts that might be running through Vader's head. Some of the scenes -- like the ESB duel -- play well even with the sound off.
If anything, I think that Christensen epitomizes the notion that you *CAN'T* just throw any actor into the part without fundamentally changing the character. Never once in the prequels did I get the sense that this kid was even capable of being the same character from the OT. Even in the costume, he didn't move correctly.
Even more, the pairing of James Earl Jones' voice with Christensen in the costume just seemed like a huge disconnect for me -- with or without the "Noooooooooo!" The deep, confident voice went perfectly with the performance Prowse gave in the original films. In RotS, it just seemed like lousy over-dubbing.
He played the bodyguard. When he carries Malcolm McDowell in the house you can really see Vader in his body movements.
crabra comander
Master Member
Solo4114
Master Member
Excellent point. Prowse's performance really IS essential to the role, and Christensen's performance makes that clear.
Probe Droid
Master Member
Very much underrated. Even with the voiceover, he still gives a good showing in all three films. It wouldn't be the same with just another big guy filling out the suit, as you said. Prowse doesn't get the credit he deserves.
thumbsup:thumbsupHe played the bodyguard. When he carries Malcolm McDowell in the house you can really see Vader in his body movements.
Thank you James Kenobi 1138, I found a clip here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyLXniF5kqU
and another one here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyLXniF5kqU
*Warning* - the second clip may [strike]burn your eyes out with unholy fire as you gasp and cover your mouth in shock[/strike] slightly alter your future viewings of the Star Wars original trilogy
Why is that?
Okay, my description was over dramatic, I claim skip-lunch hunger and being over-enthusiastic to try out strikethrough for the first time in a post.
I've seen ACO, but it's been years and year ago, so had forgotten the relevant scenes. My mental image of Prowse in this conversation was that of Darth Vader in full ESB power strut mode, so headed into the clip I was vastly unprepared for the orange tighties.
Coupled with watching some of those Star Wars Underoos commercials recently thanks to a DentedHelmet facebook feed a week or two back, it all combined to give me a shock though of one of my fave bad guys, Darth Vader, wearing cheeky tight high-cut orange shiny underwear under his suit.
No dis meant to Prowse, I acknowledge he's had quirks but I'm a fan. And to reel it back to original topic, Vader to me is the combination of all involved - Jones/voice, Prowse/movement, Anderson/stunts, etc. Kind of like Serpentor but better. Hate the "Nooo"s in ROTJ blu-ray and ROTS, though. The Vader closeups and side-side looks in ROTJ as Luke is getting zapped are so strong with no dialogue. Less = more.
I've seen ACO, but it's been years and year ago, so had forgotten the relevant scenes. My mental image of Prowse in this conversation was that of Darth Vader in full ESB power strut mode, so headed into the clip I was vastly unprepared for the orange tighties.
Coupled with watching some of those Star Wars Underoos commercials recently thanks to a DentedHelmet facebook feed a week or two back, it all combined to give me a shock though of one of my fave bad guys, Darth Vader, wearing cheeky tight high-cut orange shiny underwear under his suit.
No dis meant to Prowse, I acknowledge he's had quirks but I'm a fan. And to reel it back to original topic, Vader to me is the combination of all involved - Jones/voice, Prowse/movement, Anderson/stunts, etc. Kind of like Serpentor but better. Hate the "Nooo"s in ROTJ blu-ray and ROTS, though. The Vader closeups and side-side looks in ROTJ as Luke is getting zapped are so strong with no dialogue. Less = more.
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