James Earl VADER

[RobertScorpio]

I have often wondered; would Darth Vader have been a great a character if anyone else, any other voice, had been used. I mean, gee, I can't imagine Darth Vader with out that voice..that deep voice of James Earl Jones. And I think of other 70 actors with distinctive voices...Al Pacino?? LOL...Jack Nicholson???? LOL....or...what about Sean Connery (oooohh..I could see that)

Darth Vader...Does that character own its success to James Earl Jones

 

[Kegg]

James Earl Jones is one of the essential components of the character. The other one is his distinctive jet-black costume. The resulting ensemble just exudes confidant, strident menace. I can't imagine the image of Vader really being any better than it is as far as those two elements are concerned.

 

[RobertScorpio]

James Earl Jones is one of the essential components of the character. The other one is his distinctive jet-black costume. The resulting ensemble just exudes confidant, strident menace. I can't imagine the image of Vader really being any better than it is as far as those two elements are concerned.

I totally agree..so, if the character had been voiced by, oh, Sean connery, do you think the movie would have been such a big hit since, IMO, Darth vader was the best part of the movie...

Rob

 

[Dream]

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSm9DDxQv8E&feature=PlayList&p=EC6E83BB7EDCCB7F&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=22[/yt]

From the Empire of Dreams documentary on the OT dvd. David Prowse's accent was pretty horrible.

 

[T J]

Ha! I've never seem that before. Had to be James Earl, definitely.

 

[Marc]

What about Brock Peters? He did a pretty good Vader in the NPR radio adaptions.

 

[Hartzilla2007]

What about Brock Peters? He did a pretty good Vader in the NPR radio adaptions.

If any one is interested and excerpt of Peters' Vader performance can be hear here.

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fmAsabvDcU&feature=related[/yt]

 

[sojourner]

Sean Connery: Obea Whan Kenoobee! At lasht we meet!

or

The forshe ish shtrong with thish one.

 

[RobertScorpio]

Sean Connery: Obea Whan Kenoobee! At lasht we meet!

or

The forshe ish shtrong with thish one.

LOL...you know, I can almost here that...would we get to hear about what winners get to do with the prom queen?

Rob

 

[Temis the Vorta]

James Earl Jones effectively created Darth Vader. Otherwise, he's just a guy in a suit who recites corny dialogue and shakes his fist a lot.

 

[Dream]

James Earl Jones was probably still getting used to his role as Vader during ANH. I don't think he really started doing a great job until ESB. The screenplay was better which helped.

 

[T'Baio]

I voted wouldn't be the same without anyone else, and I love James Earl Jones for what he contributed to the character, but the reality is, believe it or not, someone else could have done something just as iconic.

I vote Avery Brooks.

 

[OdoWanKenobi]

I voted wouldn't be the same without anyone else, and I love James Earl Jones for what he contributed to the character, but the reality is, believe it or not, someone else could have done something just as iconic.

I vote Avery Brooks.

No offense, but this suggestion, along with the suggestion of Brock Peters above are both the same kind of deep-voice that James Earl Jones has. I may be wrong, but I think the essence of the question is whether or not the voice could have become iconic were it an entirely different sounding voice.

 

[shivkala]

Prowse's reading of the lines sounds more like Dark Helmet than Darth Vader. James Earl Jones definitely made the role.

 

[PluckyNinja]

What about Brock Peters? He did a pretty good Vader in the NPR radio adaptions.

If any one is interested and excerpt of Peters' Vader performance can be hear here.

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fmAsabvDcU&feature=related[/yt]

Sound a little like Robin Williams to me, hehe. Not menacing at all.

 

[Canadave]

I vote Avery Brooks.

"NO! I! Am! Your! FATHER!"

 

[Stevil2001]

What about Brock Peters? He did a pretty good Vader in the NPR radio adaptions.

I always feel vaguely treacherous for suggesting this, but as great as James Earl Jones is, there are times I feel that Brock Peters is even better.

 

[Hermiod]

Whenever I hear someone else play Vader in a video game it always sounds wrong.

On the other end of the scale, I was amazed when it turned out that Sam Witwer also voiced the Emperor in The Force Unleashed.

 

[ManOnTheWave]

I believe Lucas initially tried to get Percy Rodrigues. If he had succeeded, Vader would have sounded more or less the same, but everyone in the theatre would have recognized his voice. He was always doing evil voice overs like in Heavy Metal and in Galaxina, where he did a parody of Darth Vader.

I think the only real difference is that no one would know who James Earl Jones was. Without Star Wars, he'd never become a household name or the voice of CNN.

 

[The Comedian]

Other interesting Vader Voices:

Anthony Hopkins
Patrick Stewart