Hey Cutter, I just want to say how thrilled I am at the work you're doing on this! The Vader-birth scene and the addition of dialog to start the opening space battle are FANTASTIC! It makes the introduction of the two starfighters so much more poignant and makes the comradery between the two much more felt.
A couple nights ago, I stumbled upon your Vader redo on youtube, and was in HEAVEN! This is exactly how I always imagined it to be! The sound effects when the mask is being attached are so palpable and gorgeous. The music is WAY more ideal. The whole thing is the way it should have been.
I googled your project, found this site, and after reading through this thread, would like to share some thoughts if you don't mind...
1. VADER BIRTH
- After watching both of your dubs, I am very strongly in the camp that "it" is far better than "she". It makes for a much colder, machine-like, chilling transformation. To really bring home the chill of a man reborn as a machine, it makes much more sense for him to be using words that refer to things rather than people.
It also makes perfect sense in English, because as a native speaker of English, I immediately took "it no longer has any meaning for me" to simply be a more Vaderish way of saying "it doesn't matter". "It" doesn't refer to Padme, it refers to the issue of Padme. This adds extra depth, because this is more like how machines think (situations, not personalities), and its also the thought process that becomes apparent whenever men like Anakin begin to lose their humanity. Anakin had become willing to slaughter innocent people because he'd already begun focusing more on the situation/issue/task than the actual people involved. It's the diabolical tunnel vision of a quintessential ruthless general.
The use of "she" goes back to Vader acknowledging and thinking about a person. Yes, later on in the saga, as Vader's character is developed throughout the OT, the deeply suppressed human side goes through a process of resurfacing, but in the epiphanal moment of a Vader being born into existence, it's critical that the cold machinery take the full spotlight. I know I'm not telling you anything you don't know (given your alread masterful treatment of the scene), just helping you reinforce this point I suppose. "She no longer has any meaning to me" just sounds too human, too Ani-like (and i used the nickname "Ani" there on purpose ;) ).
2. MACE vs PALP
- ok, I know I have an absolutely terrible chance at persuading you or probably anyone on this lol, but I need to express it anyway just to have it on the record among perspectives:
Believe it or not, I have always really really liked the wacky "no, no, no's", crazy faces, etc from Palp in that scene. I totally understand the dissent from so many ppl, but from the first time I saw the film to now, it has always intensified the moment because of it's wackiness. Here's the thing, it doesn't hit me as stupidly comical. It's WEIRDLY "quasi-comical" in a way that adds a ton of tension to the scene, because it feels like the whole spirit and atmosphere in the room is going haywire!
Its like a startling/unnerving "WTF" that shoots me deeper INTO the moment rather than a stupid/ridiculous "WTF" that pulls me out. Its similar to the feeling one might get when watching a person make a funny face because their brain is having a stroke. I know palp isn't technically having a stroke, but he is experiencing some kind of diabolical transformation...I'm just using an example trying to explain the intense erratic tension that can be felt through the marriage of absurdity and gravity
There! I got that off my chest lol. show your signature
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Also, The work you've done with the Grievous-Obi battle is very nice. The sound is more basic, but definitely more dynamic and enjoyable to me.
And on a personal note: Go French! lol (I have a lot of family from France)
