Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/11/29/vader-star-david-prowse-dead-at-85.html
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How I yearn for the days when Darth Vader was merely a powerful cinematic villainous presence and not a child-murdering, whiny moron.
RIP Mr. Prowse.
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I met David Prowse at a convention many years ago. Class act. Rest in Power, sir.
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I had no idea it was the same guy
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In hindsight I’d say Vader’s past is fitting. Look at how many of today’s right wing villains are whiny morons. Just imagine Koch or Thiel as Palpatine.
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I see what you mean, and you’re right. Ultimately, fascists are lame.
I think that he (and the whole franchise really) was better served when there was still some mystery ingrained. It’s one thing to see Vader as a dark and powerful fallen Jedi, it’s another thing entirely to watch him spark his lightsaber to take out the younglings.
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In later years I realized that, absent a face or even a voice, Prowse put a lot of character into Vader. He wasn’t scary because he was big and tall and skull-faced, lumbering around like Tor Johnson. Instead his arms and hands moved like someone used to causing physical harm, and his stride would suddenly switch to a boxer’s bounce when his menace needed to be amplified.
I think it was @beschizza who pointed out that Hayden Christiansen’s casting was a brilliant tribute to Prowse.
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I just rewatched “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” (the 1981 BBC production) two weeks ago, and had totally forgotten that he had a bit part as a thug:
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Indeed. The Hayden/Prowse resemblance suggests that Prowse is truly the Vader archetype. Which is fascinating when you consider that you never see Prowse’s face. It strikes me as very “George Lucas” to insist on casting someone who resembled an actor you never actually see.
Hayden is a fine actor but it’s probably for the best that Shaw was irreplaceably good in the speaking part in RoTJ. I bet they filmed Hayden doing it, though, just to see. And there’s always the … danger? … they might again.
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I got to meet him once for an autograph and he was a delightful guy. So dad to hear. 
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great voice, too.
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Kind of trippy that there have been at least eight actors playing Vader in the official film continuity now: David Prowse, James Earl Jones, Sabastian Shaw, Bob Anderson, Jake Lloyd, Hayden Christensen, Spencer Wilding, and Daniel Naprous. And that’s not even counting any of the voice actors who portrayed the character in the cartoons or video games.
But Prowse will always be the first. Even before James Earl Jones’ booming voiceover, we knew that guy was going to be a badass the second we saw his hulking frame storm into Leia’s ship.
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He didn’t “storm” into the ship. He walked calmly into it, but with the air of an unstoppable force, like a tidal wave. Way more menacing that way.
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My favorite Vader moment is when the Falcon jumps to hyperspace in ESB when it was supposed to be disabled.
His body langues just oozes “seething anger and frustration”. We can tell his mood and emotions within the context of the scene and the body language. No need to throw a tantrum like Kylo Ren would have.
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His acting was horrid in Jumper and Awake, and anything else I was unfortunate enough to see him in.
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Well, you’ll still need a tray.
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Not to mention the custodial staff. Will you just LOOK at this mess??
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