I like the very beginning when it’s more like a grumble. When he starts yelling my biggest problem is the pitch is much higher…
I thought so too. Going back, that first grumble (at least, what I think you’re talking about) is present in the English version as well.
I think the main problem with the new noise is that his mannerisms go along a bit more with ‘noo’. I feel that he should be shaking and convulsing a bit with the new Japanese audio, more visibly distraught.
I think the main problem with the new noise is that his mannerisms go along a bit more with ‘noo’. I feel that he should be shaking and convulsing a bit with the new Japanese audio, more visibly distraught.
Yeah I kinda agree with that.
“This cannot be! Is… Is it an omen?”
Here’s another mockup from CommanderBen, this time using Russian audio track. Again, ignore audio and video weirdness; the yelling is the only thing in question.
https://youtu.be/It0Ird3zFeY
That’s a winner in my book (in relative terms).
I wonder what other versions can be found in other dubs?
I like Both the Japanese and Russian versions personally. The Russian version’s like a Mixture of Hayden Christensen and James Earl Jones which is awesome! and The Japanese version is raw and powerful which makes the scene something completely new! Also to save anyone the trouble of looking through the rest of the Language Dubs, for the past couple of weeks in preparation for my own Revenge of the Sith edit, I’ve gone through every single Available Language version of Revenge of the Sith and the only two which didn’t use NO!!! and sounded close enough to James Earl Jones were the Russian version and Japanese version. Ultimately It’s up to Hal9000 to choose the one he wants though.
Just to be clear, I’m still leaning toward the safer choice of leaving the English version alone, and the other options are officially on trial status.
Russian doesn’t work for me. Sounds as silly as “noooooo” but doesn’t sound like JEJ. My vote’s for Japanese.
A bit torn honestly. I feel like the Russian dub sounds close enough to the “noooo” so you might as well leave the original.
The Japanese dub has a great impact for that scene but the pitch is just too high. Is there any way for you to try the JP dub with a lower pitch? Or would that require too much work?
“This cannot be! Is… Is it an omen?”
I don’t know any way to do it without lowering the pitch of the whole thing, music and all.
I already tweaked and played with the Pitch on the Japanese Version as far as it would let me without affecting the music. I also did a couple more tweaks to try to make it sound a bit more like James Earl Jones. But we also have to remember that Darth Vader is still very young and that his voice didn’t get, “deeper” until later, he has at least 18 years until A New Hope and even then his voice didn’t become, “Traditional Vader deep” until Empire Strikes Back (A Fact that Adywan fixed/pointed out with his A New Hope Revisited) where it stayed the same through Return of the Jedi. Vader also goes through a couple of suits/helmets sometimes getting it repaired and sometimes replacing various pieces he also preforms various tweaks and upgrades on his Armor throughout the years as well.
It seems like there’s not really a strong consensus among you all here at OT.com, commenters at FE.org, and the friends of differing levels of interest in Star Wars I reached out to. Some prefer the Japanese audio, others the Russian. Someone whose opinion I value as a film guy who isn’t into Star Wars voiced a strong preference for the English version, appreciate it’s operatic cheesiness.
Here’s where I’m at with this. I already declined the Japanese audio once, and I do feel like it’d be a long-term misstep to use it for this final version. It seems iffy at best to me. The Russian audio isn’t bad, but only if one’s brain is willing to believe Hayden Christensen is still under the mask screaming out in his own voice. It’s not a seamless match, though it seems to fit better than the Japanese audio, recalling the prior scene with Hayden screaming in a similar way. (The Russian audio track uses the groaning of JEJ, and a very similar voice was used for Vader’s dialogue, implying that the people behind the dub thought the scream blended in well with what was already there.) However, staying with the English version is the more conservative choice, and has the least likelihood of causing me a twinge of regret when viewing this years down the road. It never really bothered me that much; it’s not much sillier than the rest of the movie, and fits the Frankenstein hobble and sentimental dialogue from Vader in the scene.
So, I’m going to strike out the Japanese audio. What do you all think about the Russian alternative? Does it fit in well enough to merit breaking away from the default English version without taking a newcomer out of the movie? Clearly, I’m a bit leery of making a big change all of a sudden for the final release. I hope you all know I value your input, regardless.
If it’s between the Russian Version and the Original English Version. My vote’s for the Russian Version. (If The Japanese Audio was still in the Running I’d vote for it in an instant) But between the Russian and English Version I like the Russian VO’s Delivery a bit Better than James Earl Jones’s and don’t get me Wrong I love James Earl Jones but Lucasfilm only gave him a Day to shoot/record all of his lines. Which I believe resulted in the Poor/Cheesy Delivery of NOO!!! (Also I personally think James Earl Jones was a little out of Practice voicing Vader cause I’ve been watching Rebels and while his VO for Vader sounds right but there’s just something off for me, but he’s slowly changing and getting back into it as the episode go on.) Also I personally showed my version with the Japanese Audio to a group of my Friends and told them that it was remastered and that James Earl Jones had come back to re-record his audio for it and, they loved it saying the Emotion behind the new Scream completely changed the context of the scene etc.
Def English. Russian is like the English but worse in every way.
Yeah if it’s between Russian and English I think I’d just stick with English.
“This cannot be! Is… Is it an omen?”
Sad that you’ve ruled out the Japanese audio. Well, I guess that’s more motive for me to actually do my own fan edit.
I’m surprised at the enthusiasm over the Japanese version over the Russian. The Japanese doesn’t feel like a good match to me, and doesn’t seem any less cheesey, sounding like Vader’s new stomach is having indigestion. The Russian sounds like a Hayden/JEJ hybrid yelling a non-word. But the safest bet will be to just leave it alone. I could do alternate audio tracks, but it seems a little silly over one small thing.
I think I agree. Each option has some pro’s and con’s, but none are a clear winner in my opinion, and the whole scene is unavoidably awkward no matter what you do. So I think it makes the most sense to take the conservative route and leave it as is.
Yep, agree with wrkerr.
“This cannot be! Is… Is it an omen?”
Yeah. In the end, the conservative route is probably the way to go.
Has there been thought given about using the 2011 RoTJ “Nooo”? Although it’s something we generally try not to think about, the line itself is delivered much better (again, in a relative way) than the RoTS “Noooooooo”. I imagine the difference in duration is problematic, though, as well as separating it from other audio.
I tried that during my first pass at the movie, but it was impossible due to the bleedthrough from ROTS and ROTJ both.
This may seem like a stupid question but have you considered trying to find a way to just cut out the “No”? Here’s a quick mockup that uses just a bit of the Japanese audio. I imagine the music and audio as well as the transition could be finessed to seem less abrupt. Password is “fanedit”
https://vimeo.com/144902210
Sorry, it’s too abrupt for me. The last phase of the film is important to get to feel as unlike a fan edit as possible, given how much has been done to it.
Sorry, it’s too abrupt for me. The last phase of the film is important to get to feel as unlike a fan edit as possible, given how much has been done to it.
Okay, on that note… I’ve been avoiding discussing it, since I think the answer will simply be “No”. But do you think there’s any chance you would consider not using the Padme Lives ending? I really appreciate it for how well it is done, creatively and technically. But,
It does stand out as a fan change. Though it is pulled off very well, I don’t think it looks like it’s from the same film.
It is really the only part in your entire trilogy that goes strongly against the original cut. I think it’s the kind of change you would expect to find in some of the more heavy handed edits. What’s great about your trilogy is that it shows how such small and thoughtful alterations in the editing stage could have made a substantial impact on the films. Whether one is pro/against the Padme scene, I think it’s not consistent in that sense.
Personally, I don’t think Leia’s Rotj line or two is worth all the fuss. Lucas had already been retconning or changing his story for two films at that point, and the whole conversation between Leia and Luke is a bit silly. We could imagine that Leia is not in fact remembering her real mother (how would she know?), or as a force sensitive infant was able to magically retain images/feelings of her mother (cringe).
I think the exposition with Obiwan looking after Luke is worth saving. You have proven beyond a doubt that it can’t be done with the current ending.
In the ‘new canon’ novels/comics there is discussion of Bail. Certainly not suggesting that your edit should be compatible with them, but it is slightly possible that your ending will be contradicted by something in Rogue One, etc.
Obviously, it’s not a deal-breaker for me. It’s great as-is, and I appreciate how clever the current strategy is. Just thought I would ask you to pause one last time and consider, since I believe it is literally my only remaining criticism for your trilogy.
I understand and sympathize with what you’re saying. Having said that, LOE would be a totally different edit if I hadn’t wanted to use the ending with Padme living. If I were to leave it the same as it is, and only reinstate the original ending (past, say, the point at which the duel is over), the editing choices wouldn’t stack on each other toward that goal. It would still be coherent, but the reasons for how it got there wouldn’t be valid anymore. Luckily, L8wrtr’s and others’ edits of Episode III can be plugged in instead. Putting out an “alternate/original ending” version would be problematic for those reasons, and others such as the necklace seen in the funeral scene being missing from my edit of Episode I.
All things considered, I’d sooner watch an edit of Episode III that never sought to remove Padme’s death in the first place than try to contrive mine into that mold. L8wrtr’s edits are stellar in their own right, and there’s no continuity reasons that would prohibit one from subbing in his Ep3 for mine. I don’t mean that flippantly! His edit did not suffer from having Padme die because he never sought to change that part in the first place, whereas my edit was done from the ground up with that point of climax in mind.
I actually agree with this. Keep in mind I haven’t watch your RotS just yet however what I love about your edits is that aside from being very well done all your changes have been thoughtful and you keep the original movies as unchanged (in plot) as possible which makes it an easy replacement for the actual movies and less of a fun experiment edit, one and done.
I’m sure I will appreciate the Padme lives and the fact that it makes Sidious even more manipulative and vicious. However It it really the biggest change (a 180 change) that you’ve made and it could be contradicted in TFU, or upcoming material.
Now keep in mind nothing would stop you from changing the edit if that day comes though no matter what your decision is.
“This cannot be! Is… Is it an omen?”