Hayden's Vader voice MISTAKEN for bad acting?

I was one of many recognizing Hayden to be a bad actor until I noticed something when watching AOTC the other day. I know that even decent actors cant withstand thud diolog if it is all they have to work it. And it appears that Lucas approves a scene after a single take no matter what. But there was something in the way Hayden delivered certain lines that made me take note of something. If the following has been pointed out please direct me to it because I think this element has given me a whole new outlook on the actor.

When Anakin and Obiwan arrive at the Club they have a bit of diolog upon intering. I used to think the way Hayden was talking was a clear indication of horrible line delivery until I listened closer to the "Your like a father to me", "I am trying" lines. He is using a deep drawl when delivering these lines. Then it hit me. HE SOUNDS LIKE VADER. He is delivering his lines in the same tone as "Perhaps your being treated unfairly" or "The Emperor is not as forgiving as I am". He is speaking in Vader's common delivery. Is this on purpose? If so I think its genius if Hayden studied the films and decided to do this own his own. It also enhances his whining parts because now I see they may be there to imply a Father like Son parallel. "Toshi station" "Why couldnt I save her" its all in the same execution. It may be coincidental but I find it quite refreshing. Listen to Hayden deliver "Dont say that, Master. Your like a Father to me". Then listen to Vader on Endor talking to Luke. I think Hayden may have taken it upon himself to add this touch to the character.

Bad acting theory fading. Please, discuss.

 

HE SOUNDS LIKE VADER.

He also sounds just like Hayden Christensen. Now, Hayden's got a rather unique voice. Which works pretty well for a young Vader-to-be (Even though Lloyd and Shaw didn't go for that speech pattern at all), I think Hayden did a good job, but I can also easily understand why people think a lot of his line deliveries are completely cringe-worthy.

 

Definitely. It just kinda dawned on me that there was an actual effort or appears to be. I think Shaw voice fits with what Vader would sound like when not speaking thruogh the mouth-grid on his mask. Without the modulation filters or whatever.

 

I think that's the hardest thing about connecting Jake Lloyd's and Hayden's Anakins, is the unusual line delivery and Vader-like speech pattern from Hayden.

 

They do seem like totlly different people. I thought that was mostly due to their appearence. Maybe the drastic hair change. Strangly enough, the kid from PeterPan looks and sounds like Hayden and would have mde a great young Annie in TPM. Hes even a good young actor.

 

i realy like this observation, i'll have to rewatch that scene 'through this prism'.

if it's intenional either by the director or the actor it is indeed fantastic.

if it's not it would be a very weird coincidence.

 

I can't remember the source, but it seems to me I read somewhere that when Hayden got to Sydney for filming of Episode II, he got copies of TPM, ANH, ESB and ROTJ and watching them repeatedly, making notes and trying to see if he could act as a bridge between the performances of Jake, the vocal patterns of James Earl Jones, the physical characteristics of Prowse and a bit of Sebastian Shaw. He was trying to do his homework as an actor and create some continuity for the character.

For me, the most dramatic connection to Vader comes when Anakin yells "Tell Us Now!" at Zam Wesell. Very Vader-ish.

 

Hayden was really cast for ROTS, because he is good at acting like that, watch Life as a House, thats a good example, and a good movie, but he is very good at being mean and angry, or sad and angry, a great example in AOTC is in the shop with padmen on tatooine, thats seems like some of his best acting in the movie.

 

johnwesley, your post implies rhyme to the reason. I guess if Hayden is that dedicated to learning his saber techniques (although gilard is a great teacher) he would also want to uphold the history of the character hes playing. This makes the comments he made about feeling nostalgia on disc4 seem real, oppossed to my original reaction which was yeah right. Hes sincere. Im going to watch him close on another AOTC veiwing and im sure the experience will improve even more.

The waterfall scene and "Dictatorship" diolog is the most fluent acting from Natilie and Hayden Iv seen. Its really natural. I think hes really going for Vader and I cant do anything but respect that. Good show. I always see "Broken glass" in the discount section in blockbuster where a lot of even new movies come after release and I think I'll go cop it now.

 

the longer i think about it and with watching AotC again i don't think the way anakin came off is haydens fault.

Anakin is totaly believable to me in his scenes with obi-wan and not so in his scenes with padme.

i'm not sure i'm quick to blame nattlie(sp?), but maybe the lack of development of her character.

this is probably because of the scenes that landed on the cutting room floor and the fact that they can't up everything in one movie.

hehe if they did put everything i'd want to see in it the movie would be somewhere bettween 12 and 15 hours long.

EDIT:

let me clarify, it's not anakin that i'm talking about in the above post, but the interplay between he and obi-wan and the interplay bettween he and padme.

his performance doesn't automaticly go down hill when she walks in, but the scenes don't make enough sense because we don't know the person he's talking to the way he does.

we know obi-wan, and he has changed and grown from the opening scene of TPM.

we do not in my oppinion know padme, and i see absolutely no change in her at all between films other than getting a new job.

 

I actually found the Padme's home cut-scenes to be pretty good. She does her best acting there. I think when it comes to her its a matter of enthusiasm. She doesnt respect STARWARS therfor it shows in her stiff performances. That, coupled with one take George and thud diolog, its a wonder that she can get a job.

But back to Anakins Vader. I also think the "tell us now" scene is a Vaderish delivery. One could say that Vader never gets above a certain pitch but you must rememeber. "Tear this ship apart, I WANT THEM ALIVE" the diolog ran together but the scene had Vader up his pitch much different to his foreboding and calm demeanor for the rest of the trilogy. Hayden may have considered this when studying. Perhaps unbeknownst to even Lucas??

 

...with one take George and thud diolog

amazing, in that one pharse you summed up what i was trying to say and not getting accross.

i will say this, hayden's young vader did take time to grow on me.

his performance is much deeper than it appears at first glance, and more complicated.

i'm not so suprised that it didn't get as good a reaction as it could have at first.

EDIT:

i'm not sure i'd say she doens't respect starwars, unless she said something in an interview that led you to that conclussion and i'm not aware of it.

those are words i would reserve for liam nieson, who definately regrets taking the job.

sad for him, because i cannot image that he will ever get as big a role as that was and he doesn't appreciate it.

i think maybe she doesn't get starwars completely, but everything i've heard natlie say leads me to believe she definately understands it's the biggest part she's ever had, by far.

 

NeoBaggins(and anyone else),

I believe the movie you were referring to is
"Shattered Glass" and I heartily recommend it.
It's a substantive film about integrity and ethics
in journalism and Hayden delivers a great performance.
It's a completely different type of film from Star Wars and it shows Hayden's range.

Hayden had no access to Stephen Glass, the misguided reporter who he played in the film, other than a 60 minutes interview with Glass which I believe is in the special features section of the DVD. Hayden made me believe he was this confused young reporter who was ethically-challenged.

Also look for an incredibly great and understated performance from the actor playing Hayden's 2nd boss. His name is Peter Sarsgaard and he is SUPERB. Sarsgaard and Hayden have some great scenes together.

Anyone who is under the impression Hayden cannot act because they didn't like him in AOTC should see both
SHATTERED GLASS and LIFE AS A HOUSE. He's terrific.

 

I saw a brief clip of Shattered Glass, and I thought Hayden was acting better than on AOTC, so now maybe for ROTS he'll be even better.

 

Hayden did do the Vader voice on purpose - there's an interview with him somewhere where he says something like "I tried to steal some of this very monotone demeanor that he has". Whenever I watch the OT now, it's surpisingly easy to imagine Hayden's character behind that mask, simply because the voices - I'd be interesting if someone could maniupate Hayden's voice by making it deeper, and see how much it sounds like Vader. It's easy to see why this might be mistaken for woodeness by some people, but anyone who's seen Hayden's other films knows that he's certainly not a wooden actor - I'm convinced it's simply a combination of his Vaderisms and some difficult dialogue.

 

I think Hayden aced the bridge between Ani/Anakin/Vader.

He has hints of that innocence and adventurous Anakin (the Coruscant chase), hints of being a 'grown up Anakin'(fireplace, picnic, fighting in the arena) and he has that Vader-likeness (adressing Watto and Dooku) within him.

He is the most unique actor in the saga, wont say he's the best (won't say anyone's much better either) but he definitely has the hardest job and imo he pulled it off.

 

I always thought he was an awsome actor, I thought he was awesome in Shattered Glass and Life as a House.

 

I think he'll have a good acting career. He's been very, very clever with the projects he's chosen since AotC - doing things like Shattered Glass, and the independent film he has coming up. He's certainly a very talented actor.

 

I thought he was fantastic with his Vaderisms. The man who would be Darth.


Rick McCallum loves you!

 

I know that even decent actors cant withstand thud diolog if it is all they have to work it

Thats it. I don't think he really is a bad actor. While Lucas conceived one of the greatest stories ever to be told through cinema...he's not the greatest director. Hayden isn't going to have a stellar performance with less than stellar directing.

That being said...Hayden's acting was hardly the weakest point of AOTC. No...others had acting far more lackluster (Portman). In comparison to her...Hayden was like Bobby Dinero.

 

I absolutely love Hayden's performance. I can't imagine a better done Anakin.

I have always seen the similarities to Jake Lloyd, James Earl Jones and David Prowse.

The stiff way he walks around, the deliberate delivery of the dialogue (especially the fireplace scene, which I think it an exceptional performance on both Natalie and Hayden's part) The way he gazes at the sky on Naboo in the morning with his hands clasped behind his back.

Hayden has done an excellent job of tying everything together, and I can't wait to see how Revenge of the Sith clicks into place.

I also think Portman gives a fine performance in her role. I think a lot of people mistake her character's facade as bad acting. For me, it's all in her eyes. That's where you can see what's really going on behind her purposefully cold exterior.

 

If you want the best link between him and little Anakin, listen to the way he says "Life seems so much easier when you're fixing things", and then compare it with "I wouldn't have lasted so long if I hadn't been so good at fixing things" from Episode I.
Not only does the pitch and rhythm match perfectly, but it's also a wonderful bit of writing, showing Anakin at the time of his greatest stress yearning back to his childhood, and the mother he's just lost.

 

^^ Agreed^^

 

Yes, I've always seen it that way.

 

George knows how to write