What's the significance of Palpatine's Voice Change

So a true Sith lord gains his power from all the evil force-users who have become "one with the force"? I believe I read that somewhere as I skimmed through the thread. Interesting theory.

The scene right after Palpatine offs Mace, and then gets up and walks over to Anikan is probably the most disturbing view of the Emperor. There he stands before Anikan, looking much like a vampire/ghoul/werewolf with red glowing eyes and a distorted cranium. Did anyone else think that looked just a little cheesy?

What I'm hearing is that Palpatine is evil-incarnate. He is so powerful with the Dark side that his human form has transformed into this scary "Nosferatu" looking dude, complete with "Evil Voice" to match. I also got a weird "Linda Blair" vibe upon listening to Palps as he attempted to fry Mace.

The glowing Anikan eyes are probably just the early effects of the Dark side after he's killed Younglings and massacred the Trade Federation. Kind of like when Larry Talbot is bitten by the werewolf. The first sign that he's going down the dark path is the mark of the pentagram he finds on his body. Perhaps the yellow eyes are the early stages of "Sith-ism" before he is completely consumed.

Thanks for the feedback guys!

 

The coolest voice change was the subtle one when Mace and posse come to arrest Palpatine. His reply was "Are you threatening me, Master Jedi?"

You could here the venomous anger and borderline Sidious tone when just moments earlier he was speaking to Anakin in the sweet Chancellor voice. Now thats acting!

 

I am not sure. The unpredictability of it and him in general made it freaky though. And the part where he says "Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood. The Force is stroooooooong in you" really made me giggle.

Hahaha!

About half the cinema erupted into laughter when he started talking like that. Some guy behind me thought it sounded like Palpatines balls had dropped for the first time.

Really though, I just think the ultra creepy voice was the dark side talking.

 

"Vader was seduced by the dark side" -Obiwan

The voice ONLY happens right after Anakin officially pledges himself to the Sith. It is the seductive, hypnotic and possessive power of the darkside that Anakin is truly feeling for the FIRST time. It also explains why Vader "MUST" obey his master because the voice represents the hypnotic Master/Apprentice type control that Palpatine now has over Anakin/Vader.

Once Palpatine names him "Darth Vader" and says "rise", his voice returns to normal. It all has to do with the the statement "I MUST obey my master".

 

Any other opinions on this, or is this pretty much the answer? I guess this one makes sense, as the voice certainly has a dreamy sound to it.

 

He is being possessed by the dark side itself....Rob Coleman confirmed this

A better question is why is his Palpatine voice and Sidious voice different....the theory I liked was that when he is using his anger he creates his "angry" voice

 

I am also dropping my 2 cents, saying that I'm one of those who think the Dark Side was speaking through Palpatine. Creepy stuff...

 

Sinister - while I dont argue that Ian said that on 'Good Morning America' there is no way it is simply his voice undigitised all the way through that scene! No way at all.

Ive seen the film three times and when he stands in front of the kneeling Anakin and says 'To cheat death is a power only one.....etc' and then 'Henceforth, you shall be called Darth Vader' his voice has definetley a digitised effect on it.

THEN when he says 'I think you are the only Jedi not to know of this plot' it is the same. Its ONLY when he puts on the hood that he talks in the Empreror voice as normal.

The effect is almost like there is another voice talking the same lines. One deep, one normal.

I think that he is simply so high on the darkside at that point that it is manifesting itself through his voice. Also, im sure Lucas did this simply to make the guy more frightening at this point.

But the effect IS there. There is no way Ian can simultaneously have a deep AND normal voice at the same time!

 

when Lucas said "makes a deal with the devil." He MEANT IT.

He sounded like pure unfiltered evil there.

I bet he was putting the lid back on his UNLIMITED POWER in that scene so he could get ready to address the senate.

It just took a bit of time.

 

PALPATINE: Henceforth, you shall be called Darth Vader... Now where the hell did I put my cough pills?

 

He was using his evil voice, his normal voice, the palpatine we see in ep 1 and 2 are fake nice guy, now he lets loose his true self evil and happy cause his plans are comming together.

 

But the effect IS there. There is no way Ian can simultaneously have a deep AND normal voice at the same time!

I'm just going by what he said. And he had already seen the film, by that point. So he would know if his voice was digitalized at all. He went into detail about how he came up with the voice for ROTJ. About having to reach down deep to bring up this evil voice, but to do so without hurting his own voice in the process.

 

Where did Rob Coleman confirm Sidious being possessed by the dark side ?

This one of my fav scenes ! Sidious is the Devil himself. So creepy ! Great, great scene.

 

Yeah, he really goes over the top in RotS. I wasn't really fond of those "belly" sounds he makes, before he says "Gooooooooooooood..." But I take that for granted, because I love how he's going over the top in his role.

But after he's donned his black hood, the familiar soothing voice of the Emperor is back with a vengeance! So, maybe it was just a short burst of Sith puberty, with all the voice sounds and such

 

Maybe Sidious was a heavy smoker, I mean he did have quite a workout fighting Mace

 

I rekon its more subtle than that. He is the puppet master, and so is able to manipulate people.

I heard about 4 voices in all, and I think each of them has some reason behind it, if you look at the context of the line.

PALPATINE :- Honest Politician Voice - PT without the hood
"Yes, thanks to your two Jedi Knights. They killed Count Dooku, but General Grievous has escaped once again."

This is his disguise, he uses this voice to sound nice and believable


PALPATINE :- His True Self - The Evil Sith - PT With the Hood
"I am the Senate!"

This is him slipping into his Sidious voice, revealing his true beliefs

Then PALPATINE is deformed by his own Lightning, these two voices sound different now...

SIDIOUS :- Controlling and Manipulating - ROTS
"Good. Good. The Force is strong with you. A powerful Sith you will become. Henceforth, you shall be known as Darth . . . Vader."

This voice is imposed over his real deformed voice, and represents his pleasure in suffering.

SIDIOUS :- Sly, Wicked and Spiteful - TESB & ROTJ
"Your arrogance blinds you, Master Yoda. Now you will experience the full power of the dark side."

This is his new disguise, this voice is used to tell the senate of the Jedi attack, and used to try to turn Luke to the Darkside.

 

I don't know what theaters were like elsewhere, but I saw it twice in a different location each time, and I had a hard time understanding what the hell he said in the Senate meeting!!!

Also, the scene before Anikan comes and interferes with my man Mace's plans to stop Palpatine, he hears an echo of Palpatines voice saying something..... Anybody get that?

Too bad I couldn't hit rewind in the theater.....

Thanks!

 

Well, SW has always been best described as the illegitimate child of 1950's sci fi serials and acncient mythology. This is a great example of this, the voice change is both class Sci Fi camp ("Nooo! Nooo! Nooo! YOU have lost!") and also very mythological ( "Goood! The force is Strooong with you"). It's really just essential SW! Intentionally campy, but deeply mythological as well.

 

I dont know it was creepy but it was portrayed well. I remember the spoilers saying something like Ian portrays certain scenes excellent like you can actual see Sidious is getting off on everything. Almost a sexual experience for him when everything goes his way.

Some lines did make me laugh I had to contain myself in the theater. That Goooooddd line is definately him getting off.

 

OK this is something I heard shortly before the release of ep3. Someone told me Palpatine is possessed by a former Sith Lord when he is deeming Anakin Darth Vader(but just in THAT scene, apparently thats why his voice is so much different and lower during that part, it did in fact feel to me that an echo like spirit was talking, not pal). The same person told me it was Naga Sadow.

I dont know how true this statement may be (if Palp was in fact possessed by the dark side, its not too far out that a Sith Lord may be that "darkside").

Im not saying I believe it, but its interesting.

 

The inhales are as if he is drinking in the fear and suffering Anakin is going through, stealing his strength weakening.

 

Rob Coleman confirmed this to me when I asked him about it at Star Wars weekends Disney MGM Studios..

I also asked if Palpatine let Mace win the saber duel....he didn't

 

So Mace Won!!!?

Is it Naga Sadow or some demon possesion?

Maybe its Plagueis or Sidious clone.

 

Watch the movie again, when he deems Anakin Darth Vader he sounds especially creepy and echo-y. Im getting convinced Naga Sadow or some previous Sith Lord is speaking through Palpatine. The Sith Ghosts make many appearances throughout the EU saga.

 

PrinceEspaaValorum
Registered: Jan '05
6026
Date Posted: 5/30 10:17pm Subject: RE: What's the significance of Palpatine's Voice Change
Ian truly is a master of using his voice. I liked how polished he sound in TPM as Palps, and how venomous he sounded as Sids when he said, "Get that stunted slime out of my sight."

Actually.....not to nitpick, but I love that line so much, that I HAVE to correct you.

The Line in TPMenace, is (screw it, imma type the whole scene, I love it so!...

Neimodian A:
"This scheme of yours has FAILED Lord Sidious. The blockade is fEENished. We dare not go aginst thees Jedi!"

Darth Sidious Aka. The Phantom Menace:
"VICEroy. I day'ont wont that ssSTUNTED ssSLIME in my sSIGHT Again!"

*rapidly spoken each of these next three lines*

"This turn of events is unfortunate.
We must accelerate our plans.
Begin landing your troops."

Neimoidian B (Nute Gunray I believe):
"My LORD! Iss that LEEGAL?"

DSidious:
"I will MAKEIT Legal!"

Gunray:
"And, the JE-DI?"

DSidious: (In his Deep Scary Commanding Voice...)
"The CHANcellor should never have brought them into this. Kill them eemediately."

Gunray:
"Yes, yes my LOORD, uh, as yoo wish."



Good Day, and May the Force be with you all!