Slim Pickens.
James Earl VADER
- Thread starter RobertScorpio
- Start date
Vader ye-hawing & waving his helmet as his TIE fighter spins off at the end to ANH?
Hmm not sure that would work.
Without Jones yeah, he shakes his fist and reads corny dialogue. That's a pretty accurate discription of the character, I've just finished rewatching the original trilogy for the first time in half a decade (I find myself pretty sick of Jedi, which is a first, interestingly).
Prowse and Anderson are actually the most dispensable of the combination - get other ex-boxers or athletic body builders in the role and it may have worked just as well. This reminds me a little of the criticism of Hayden Christensen in the suit in RotS - okay, so his body language wasn't as good as Prowse's and it's not as imposing but he's not exactly a deal-breaker.
QFT
Also, that gait of his was pretty distingished. The way he strode in a room and everyone stopped what they were doing as if all the oxygen was sucked out of it. I remember Hayden Christensen almost getting it in Episode II when he walked toward the swoop to find his mother. It's even replicated in the game Star Wars: The Force Unleashed.
What about Jonathan Harris?
By that rationale, when Vader first appears on the Alderaanian transport ship in the opening scenes of ANH, his menacing appearance, fearsome stride and dramatic entrance count for naught. Because JEJ hasn't yet opened his mouth. I can't agree with that - Vader gets one of the most intimidating screen entrances in history and it's all visual, not a word needs to be said.
'May have.' Operative term. And Orson Welles 'may have' been every bit as good as James Earl Jones. As you say, Christensen in ROTJ wasn't as imposing or menacing as Prowse, even though he had seen Prowse's performances and could copy them. How can anyone say that Lou Ferrigno, Arnie or whoever could have created that performance, with all those nuances and mannerisms as well as Prowse? It's total speculation.
RobertScorpio
Pariah
I don't know. I like Prowse, but FRED GWYNN could have done the same, or that dude who did the Gorn on TREK and RUK too. I think Darth's character is really made by that voice.
I like the mentions of Orson Wells, his voice was very distinctive. But I also think Robert Shaw could have done it too. I haven't heard Brock Peters yet but will get around to it soon...
But lets just be glad that Dudely Moore's audtion for the part was long forgotten.
Rob
"Wayl, this is it, boys! We're gonna blow up Aldreaan. And i'll, tell ya boys - if this thing turns out to be half as important as I think it just might be, y'all are in line for some important promotions and commendations when this is all over!"
On Orson Welles: I think he'd have put a real interesting spin on the character. Side note - I would have loved to have seen Welles play Baron Harkonen in a Dune movie.
Not quite. More that: I can totally see someone else doing a job which is also very good. It doesn't feel as irreplacable as Jones. Orson Welles may have been good but even as Mr. Arkadin and such I haven't heard him sound as menacing to me as Jones did.
Sort of the point of the thread, no?
^ True, that's what the thread is about. But I still think it's unfair to dismiss such a central part of the making of Vader in that way.
^ Fair enough. I wouldn't say 'a lot easier' but I agree that he'd probably be easier to replace.
Certain things you got to accept: James Earl Jones IS Darth Vader, and Isacc Hayes WAS Chef.
James Earl Jones was perfect and this is proof. 
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