MovieChat Forums > I Am Your Father (2017) Discussion > Too little credit to James Earl Jones

Too little credit to James Earl Jones

posted 7 years ago by silver929
10 replies | jump to latest

The fact that the film dismissed Jones' contribution as merely voice effects really struck a sour note. James Earl Jones is as much if not more so responsible for the iconic nature of Darth Vader as Prowse. Simply put, Jones was the absolute perfect voice for the character. If Prowse was allowed to voice Vader, the character would have sounded just like another evil Brit. In every sense, the success of Darth Vader as the greatest movie villain of all time deserves to be shared by both Jones and Prowse.

[–] chris-wulfers 7 years ago

I might put the costume designer over Prowse.

[–] memayse1701 7 years ago

Yeah...RALPH MCQUARRIE the man that essentially created DARTH VADER because originally he was just a minor human character in the script until he read that he had to enter the ship from space and gave him a BREATH MASK. That did it and it all evolved from there.

Lucas didn't have it all planned out...there were a lot of talented people that came together to create the magic of the first STAR WARS.

[–] Dr_Julius_Strangepork 7 years ago

george lucas is not someone who ever has allowed something like facts to get in the way of his own constantly changing revisionist history.

[–] jamalinoski 7 years ago

For crying out loud, if it wasn't for Lucas there wouldn't even be Star Wars. Give the man at least that much respect.

[–] crunkangel3 7 years ago

JEJ, gets ALL the credit, thats the POINT of this doc. This doc is about David and the wrong done to him and the misunderstandings that got him shut out. We all know JEJ did the voice, must people until recently don't know about David. Trust me, JEJ is not hurting from lack of attention.

[–] leiastarkiller 7 years ago

It was Jones himself that referred to himself as just special effects. I don't remember anyone else saying that about him.

[–] xsomanymoviessolittletimex 7 years ago

Thanks Leia, I was going to point that out. I think it was very nice of JEJ to say that and it made me think that he might have been someone who felt Prowse was wronged.

[–] ceebeegee 7 years ago

Jones himself said he was just "special effects" but I am thinking he was being very gracious, because he (rightfully) has gotten the lion's share of the attention. Face it, that voice IS Darth Vader, much more so than the person who fits the costume. "I want them ALIVE!" "I.......am your father." "He is as clumsy as he is stupid." Every line reading is etched into legend.

IMO Prowse, while likely a competent enough actor for Hammer, horror films was the weakest portrayer of the three performers (Shaw, Jones and Prowse) who played Vader. In actor terms he does what is called "indicating"--he gestures too much, in unnatural ways. One example is his first conversation with Leia aboard the Tantive--he is constantly pointing in her face, making him seem weak and inadequate. Someone as badass as Vader would simply LOOM over Leia, not waggle his finger in her face (watch the scene again, he keeps pointing to her on "you are part of the Rebel Alliance and a traitor" and it is just bad acting--it looks as though he is demanding attention from her and Vader WOULD NOT do that). I noticed this a long time ago and it's always driven me crazy. Honestly I can see why they cast Sebastian Shaw for the big reveal.

He's not this bad in all his scenes but it's apparent he's just not as strong an actor as he could be.

[–] fjk1138-731-161881 7 years ago

Agreed. JEJ has a lot of class and would never try to hog the spotlight, hence his comments.

Regardless, if we are going to give Prowse credit for his "acting" and downgrade JEJ to "special effects" then don't we have to say that Ben Burtt is part of the "acting" as well with his scuba tank sounds?

No disrespect to David Prowse, but it seems like he never could accept the fact that he was basically hired for what he was asked.

[–] prometheus1816 (1051) 7 years ago

What, like Jones hasn't gotten enough credit for his actually small contribution? All he had to do was stand in a booth for a few days recording his dialogue. It's the same with Douglas Rain who did the voice of HAL-9000 in Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey". He stood in a recording booth for nine hours one day, with breaks. While Keir Dullea and Gary Lockwood were on set for close to two years. Should Rain get more credit than Dullea or Lockwood?

The one who brought Vader to life is David Prowse. That this film set the record straight and Lucasfilms, George Lucas, Kathleen Kennedy and JJ Abrams refuse to invite this maligned man to Star Wars Celebration is a stain on all of them. And to the fans who do not speak up for this travesty.