10 Unbelievable Origins Of Iconic Star Wars Sound Effects
4. Vaders Breath - A Scuba Mask
The Sound Effect: Darth Vader, the character whose journey Star Wars has melded into over time, started life very differently. Originally just an Imperial General, concept artist Ralph McQuarrie thought it was logical for Vader to wear a breathing mask when boarding the Tantive IV at the start of A New Hope; wasnt he coming in from space? The idea caught on, with the notion of a helmet and mask sticking as a key part of his design. With this change came a whole new area of sound, with a simple character suddenly becoming a technical delight. Lots of different sounds were tested on Vader, but in the end it was the deep breathing that won out. The Crazy Origin: It initially sounds rather simple; Burtt recorded himself breathing through a scuba mask. However, placing the microphone in the regulator created a deeper sound that had a slightly inhuman feel. Alternate takes of the breathing were used at various points in the films, such as a scratchier version being used when Vader was mortally wounded at the end of Return Of The Jedi.
