Darth Vader1

It has been a long time since I posted here. I am just testing to see if this still works.

I agree, I think Darth Vader is cooler playing a different role in each film. I like the idea of getting promoted throughout the 3 films.

I don’t know if this was mentioned already, but does anybody think that Anakin should have turned to the darkside in Episode II? That way we could have gotten more Darth Vader in Episode III. I also think that it would have been better to suggest to the audience in Episode II that Anakin died at the hands of Obi-Wan Kenobi, with just a hint of him still being alive. That way people who watch the movies in sequential order rather than chronological order will still be surprised by the “I am your father” in Episode V.

I think Richard Marquand did more than you think in ROTJ. I haven’t seen his other work, but based on what I read of him he sounds like he was very engaged and enthusiastic about the project. It would be interesting though to see how the movie would have turned out with Speilberg directing it.

I just saw Howard the Duck (1986) last night for the first time. I wonder why Lucas took a break to work on all these bizarre projects like that movie & Willow. Indiana Jones was a good movie, but the rest of his work was pretty sparse and weird. Did his divorce with Marcia really hold him back that long from working on the prequels? I wish he wouldn’t have waited so long to make the prequels. I think they would have turned out better if he didn’t take a break & continued to make & release it in the tradition of every 3 years. If TPM was made right after Jedi & came out in 1986 or 1987 I think it would have been better. He would’ve gotten the PT done by the early '90s and missed the cheesy digital era of filmmaking.

I think Darth Vader was cooler not being a central character to the story. He just happens to take center stage in ESB & Jedi. I don’t think that the prequels should have been abut him. His story should have played in the backdrop of a bigger story about Obi Wan Kenobi, The Emperor & the rise of the Empire. I agreed with RedLetterMedia that the prophecy idea & Anakin being Space Jesus was absurd.

I was hoping to see a scene in ROTS of Anakin in a bacta tank. It’s like they just put the suit on over burned flesh without even removing the remainders of his clothing or cleaning the burned skin. I know those burns would have hurt, but a good bath with some scrubbing would have probably helped alleviate the pain of the burns overtime. I think it is also wrong that once the suit is done it is like he is just ready to go. You’d think a guy like that would need to rest in the hospital for quite some time with constant care to get over that. I could barely get out of bed for 2 weeks just after falling off my bike & scraping my hands bad.

Is this a joke or is it for real?

Yeah, but wouldn’t that only allow him to sleep sitting up? Don’t you think that would be uncomfortable?

It’s never mentioned if Darth Vader eats or uses the bathroom. I kind of assumed that he doesn’t eat or use the bathroom, but how does he sleep? I was wondering if he takes the mask off and the suit and lays down on a bed at night. I was thinking that maybe the suit supplies him with energy in a way that renders the need for sleep or his digestive system unnecessary. He’s able to be awake and feel comfortable 24/7 with no sleep or food because he gets a constant supply of energy pumped into him through the energy cells built into his suit. The cells just need changing every so often. I was always hoping to see more behind the scenes footage of Darth Vader’s suit. I was hoping to see maintenance done to his suit. You’d think with how fragile his body is being dependent on that suit that somebody that doesn’t like him at some point would just pull the plug on his suit (metaphorically speaking) when he’s not noticing and kill him.

So when will the election be held to vote for your promotion to OT.com moderator?

Excellent

Agreed, it’s like, what, he’s been wearing the same designed suit for 20+ years? How many things and fashion trends from 20+ years ago are still relevant today? Plus, Darth Vader was originally meant to be older in ROTJ meaning even more time was originally suppose to pass between episode III & IV making his suit even more dated.

I assume the breathing was because Anakin’s lung’s got burned beyond repair, but really, I thought the whole fight on the lava planet was absurd. I liked the idea that Anakin’s injuries were the cause of radiation poisoning. I don’t know if you can be protected from death of radiation poisoning though. It depends on exposure level and time.

The whole fight between Anakin & Obi Wan was nonsense. I thought that the fight might have occurred on Dagobah as that would help explain the cave scene in Empire. I thought Anakin’s injuries were more gradual and were caused by various fights with Jedi over time. The fight with Obi Wan was the most severe. But I don’t think we should have seen Anakin get surgery & put in the suit. It should have been left to assume he dies in episode II or III with maybe just a hint that he is still alive. That way it is still a surprise when we find out you know what in Empire.

What will be the new rules to socks?

I don’t even think Darth Vader’s original voice in ANH was meant to be synthesized. It was literally meant to be the voice of Darth Vader/Anakin Skywalker. I also don’t think it was originally meant to be a life supporting device. It was meant for space travel and to look menacing. Darth Vader just wore it all the time to look intimidating to imperial troops & officers.

I’ve read the first 4 pages of this thread and one thing that I don’t think was mentioned yet is that the plots of all 3 prequels films are very similar. They always have the main characters together for the first act. In the second act, they split up, and in the 3rd act they come back together. If you you think about it the plots of TPM, AOTC, & ROTS are all very similar. I think this is a common trait of directors, but especially in the case of George Lucas. I think George avoided keeping main characters together for too long because it is easier to write dialogue with strangers than people who know each other. This is why it is good that Disney is having the sequel trilogy written & directed by different people. If the same person makes the films for a film franchise for too long, they get and stale and repetitive as seen with the prequels vs. the OT.

I think asymmetry of the mask had to do more with limitations in technology back then making the mask. They didn’t have a computer to do a 3D scan of one side to be mirrored on the other. It had to be done by hand with tools & eyeballing.

I know it’s just a movie, but is it believable to think that Anakin could survive those burns even with the suit?

Darth Vader’s suit changed throughout the OT. In ANH it looked kind of clumsy and plastic like seen here: http://www.jedidefender.com/collect92/vader anh.jpg

In Empire they definitely stepped it up in looks. Gave his should plate a shinier and more polished look as well as adding illuminating buttons to his chest plate and a glossier looking helmet: http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/zz190/ThePropDen/e34d01ea.jpg

In Jedi though, I think is when Darth Vader was taken to the next level. The changes to his helmet & suit were subtle, but there is something about his look, it transcends time: http://images4.fanpop.com/image/photos/18300000/Star-Wars-Episode-VI-Return-Of-The-Jedi-Darth-Vader-darth-vader-18356369-1050-656.jpg

I have a few questions:

Does anybody know the technical differences between Darth Vader’s suit in ANH, ESB, & ROTJ?
Why did they decided to make a new suit for Empire & Jedi. Wouldn’t the ones made for ANH due fine?
Was it because they had multiple actors playing Darht Vader in ROTJ? (Sebastian Shaw is one I know of but there may have been others)

That still doesn’t explain though why they changed Darht Vader’s suit in ESB because as far as I know David Prowse played the character the whole time.

Dath Vader’s helmet was in reality made out of plastic of course, but I assume in the movies it was supposed to be interpreted as being made out of metal.