10 Ridiculously Good Decisions Which Saved Your Favourite Movies
5. Star Wars - Dubbing Darth Vader's Voice
Tall, check. Imposing costume, check. Dangerous spiritual powers, check. Soft spoken west country accent.... check? Darth Vader actor David Prowse was three quarters of the way towards the legendary villain we know today, but "Darth Farmer" as the crew had taken to nicknaming him, was falling short of perfection.
Complaining that he was struggling to be heard through the helmet, Prowse was always told by George Lucas that his lines would be re-dubbed later to improve quality. This was technically true, he just wasn't told it was going to be someone else's.
Originally Orson Welles was considered, but after realising his voice was too recognisable Lucas eventually settled on the deep baritone of James Earl Jones. The voice instantly commands your attention when Vader appears on screen and is easily the most memorable impression he leaves upon an audience.
Without his voice Darth Vader is just a big guy dressed in plastic, and without the authoritative counterpoint to Luke's calmer manner the main conflict of the trilogy is lost.