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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

CT Darth Vader's voice

Discussion in 'Classic Trilogy' started by DarthKegs, Jul 21, 2019.

  1. DarthKegs

    DarthKegs Jedi Knight star 2

    Registered:
    Mar 21, 2019
    Ok so we all know James Earl Jones provides the iconic voice for Darth Vader but a thing I've always noticed is that Vader's voice or at least the tone of it is slightly different in each movie.
    Until Rogue One came out TESB was always my favourite for Vader's voice. Now with RO I just love the way James Earl Jones delivered his lines.
    I know it will never happen but I would love Disney to ask JEJ to rerecord all his dialogue for all SW movies to keep them all in sync.
     
  2. Bob Effette

    Bob Effette Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 20, 2015
    He sounded a bit wheezy and out of breath in Rogue One I thought, which, given James Earl Jones' advanced age, is understandable. I mean it was still him, but the full bass timbre of his tone was slightly off.

    I agree that he sounds best in TESB. He is quite gutteral sounding in ANH, and by ROTJ his tone had become rather synthesised.
     
    Last edited: Jul 21, 2019
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  3. Sarge

    Sarge Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Oct 4, 1998
    In my headcanon, Vader was like one of those people who are never satisfied with the sound of their stereos. In between movies, he was tinkering with his speakers and amps, trying to get the most intimidating tones out of his sound system, always trying to make it sound a little better.
     
  4. DarthKegs

    DarthKegs Jedi Knight star 2

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    Mar 21, 2019
    I actually thought his voice in RO sounded much deeper and richer. Interesting to hear other views on it though
     
  5. SateleNovelist11

    SateleNovelist11 Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Jan 10, 2015
    His voice sounds different because Lucas had oscillated as to whether or not Vader would be the cyborg he originally intended or a man in a suit. ANH shows the latter, since Lucas had doubts as to whether or not he could depict him as a cyborg. TESB explicitly makes it plain that he is a cyborg, and the voice reflects that. ROTJ's sound is due to the fact that they were going to unmask Vader, and they wanted the voice to reflect the fact that it was a vocabulator. Jones considered himself to be a special effect, as well as a performer. He's portraying the machine. He only makes his performance more psychological in ROTJ. He sounds angry and expressive in ANH, then he shows cold and mechanical in TESB (albeit sarcastic at times and emotional at the end), and conflicted and remorseful in ROTJ.
     
  6. BlackRanger

    BlackRanger Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 14, 2018
    But he's also not playing "Anakin Skywalker, Luke's father, who became Darth Vader" until ROTJ.
     
  7. christophero30

    christophero30 Chosen One star 10

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    May 18, 2017
    I was watching ESB last night and it struck me how much Jones brings to the role. He really should have won some kind of honorary Oscar for portraying Vader. He might of, but I don't think so. There have been plenty of deep voices in cinema, but what he did was so iconic and a big part of Vader's appeal as a villain. He is scary, funny, charming, ironic.
     
    Last edited: Jul 21, 2019
  8. SateleNovelist11

    SateleNovelist11 Force Ghost star 6

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    Jan 10, 2015
    People forget how sarcastic he was. Great performance.

     
  9. BlackRanger

    BlackRanger Jedi Master star 4

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    Apr 14, 2018
    I had forgotten that Vader tells Lando in ESB that he wants imprison Leia (and Chewie) on Cloud City forever.

    Immuring a Madonna figure in a heavenly floating city. Sadly all too close to what has happened in real life.
     
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  10. devilinthedetails

    devilinthedetails Fiendish Fanfic & SWTV Manager, Interim Tech Admin star 6 Staff Member Administrator

    Registered:
    Jun 19, 2019
    Great head canon. Thanks for sharing. It's now officially part of my head canon as well.
     
  11. christophero30

    christophero30 Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    May 18, 2017
    My dad had a great line. He said Vader's helmet got shinier and his voice deeper with every movie.
     
    Last edited: Jul 21, 2019
  12. Sarge

    Sarge Chosen One star 10

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    Oct 4, 1998
    "Ooh, your helmet is so big!"
     
  13. BlackRanger

    BlackRanger Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 14, 2018
    "All the better to find your stolen data tapes, my dear..."
     
    Last edited: Jul 21, 2019
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  14. Dagobahsystem

    Dagobahsystem Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Sep 25, 2015
    What always struck my ear in all of JEJ's performances as Vader are the diversity of sounds he gets, combined with the attention to timing and the use of rests, like in music.

    There are subtle inflections of breath, like when he says "surface attack" in Empire. It's very breathy, and almost sounds like heat coming off a fire, with an emphasis on the "ck" sound at the end.

    And he uses an ocassional vibrato like trembling in his delivery, "It is the only way", the word "only" has a slight vibrato. There are several other examples of him using a slight tremble that is a natural part of his voice.
    Perhaps when he says, "You've found something?" The word "found" has that sound. Sadly, I'm forgetting the other examples I had in mind, but hopefully you guys know what I mean about that vibrato he has.

    And the slight pauses. "Don't fail me again. *pause* Admiral."
    And the brilliant pause between syllables when he says "Your sis - ter."
    With an added hiss on the "sis" part.

    These examples contrast with his metallic, harsh delivery, almost shouting at times, in the ANH line, "Commander, tear this ship apart..." which is also brilliantly appropriate, especially now that we know how pissed he is after what happened in Rogue One.

    Later in ANH, he exhibits a much more confident and cool expression in the meeting when he says the lines "Don't be too proud of this technological terror you've constructed..." the use of alliteration with the "Ts" helping to emphasize the robotic and clipped tone of his delivery.

    I will add that his brief performance in ROTS is quite good, when he says, "Where is Padmé? Is she *pause* alright?" He sounds like a dazed man after the tragic ordeal he had just gone through. Very appropriate voice work.

    There are so many examples of his brilliant work to choose from; and yeah, agreed that he should have gotten some type of award for it if he didn't.

    It's one of the most iconic pieces of voice work in cinema history.
     
    Last edited: Jul 21, 2019
  15. SateleNovelist11

    SateleNovelist11 Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Jan 10, 2015
    It's interesting how his threats and overall demeanor toward Lando were calm. JEJ said he would have preferred to make Vader more psychological in TESB, and Kershner told him that he should remember that he was performing as the machine speaking for the man more than the man himself. Thus, JEJ's lines in TESB come off as mostly spoken with angry growls, but he did different things with his voice, and Jones probably did so based on how he perceived David Prowse's body language. Prowse doesn't give enough credit for the subtlety he brought to Vader's body language. Vader is not a subtle character, but Prowse managed to humanize his movements and gestures. Anyhow, Jones was free to express himself through emotional subtlety and complexity in ROTJ, but he worked it into TESB, as well. That is one reason why Jones is one of the best actors of the second half of the twentieth century.

    Also, Jones listened to both David Prowse's on-set recordings of Vader's dialogue and Kershner's performance as Vader, which Jones said was "scary as hell." That informed some of his choices. Of course, we got a sense of how Kershner may have done it in the audio commentary from 2004. He was like, "You are my son! I am your father! [Breathes]. You will do as I say. [Breathes.]" I don't think it was that scary, but I can see why Jones chose to portray Vader as coldly angry in TESB after listening to Kershner's take.
     
    Last edited: Jul 27, 2019
  16. christophero30

    christophero30 Chosen One star 10

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    May 18, 2017
    Vader's voicework in the OT is amazing. He can be funny, threatening, scary, sarcastic all at the same time. I love how in ESB he completely ignores Lando when talking to Boba Fett. Then he finally acknowledges him to threaten him. As if to say "did you forget who I am?"
     
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