Great analogy DJ
Does anyone know if Brian Muir work on the hemet? He was on r1

Soooo... will the helmet be added to the tpd banner?

Yes but behind the white rectangle I think...

Wow lot of haters, that's okay everyone's got an opinion. I thought the film and Vader were fantastic. In still shots I do see the issues with Vader but on screen with the lighting, sound and all the action going on I'm just to drawn into the moment to be concerned with them.

We should all know by now...we get a new movie we get a new Vader.

Vader is back!

Just saw the movie this afternoon with my wife - went to the 12:30 showing Milwaukee CST. My wife is definitely a Star Wars fan - she's not a Star Wars nerd like I'm becoming.

Interesting thoughts so far, but DJ has brought a couple of unique ideas to the table. Will get to those in a minute.

When I watched the movie with my wife, when she first saw VADER she was OOOOOHHHHH!!! In a quiet throaty kind of way. ...as in, she thought this was COOL! Those "45" seconds, she said "Holy shit. Now we get to see Vader unleashing"... Did people forget Empire Strikes Back? Vader unleashed twice on Luke - throwing him out of a window, and then going apeship (in anger) in the third segment of the fight - right up until he cut Luke's hand off. That was at least Vader vs. a Jedi-in-training. Sorry - off topic. But yeah. That 45 seconds is just Epic, and I'm glad we get to see that side of Vader again. ...though this time against a bunch of helpless rebel troops.


Anyway. In my wife's eyes - that was Vader as she remembered him from ANH, ESB, and ROTJ. ...and in those movies - she doesn't really notice much of a difference between all of them. And believe me - she's watched those movies a LOT. We both have. But she's not a "student of the movies".

In my eyes, I saw Vader. In the brief moments they show Vader with Krennic, there wasn't enough time for me to go over every detail of the costume and try to compare it with ANH in my data banks. Even during the movie, I didn't even see/notice the gigantic cod piece you see in the movie stills. I didn't even notice if Spencer Wilding filled out the costume or not. I was just sucked into the movie, and I saw Vader. And dammit! I was SO glad I got to see Vader again. I certainly didn't see the original ANH Vader helmet, but I still saw Vader well enough.

The one thing I did notice were the red Vader helmet lenses - my wife noticed those as well, and so did a buddy of mine who is also a Star Wars fan, but not in a nerdy kind of way. To me it looked like it was method to give the lenses some definition instead of being black pits. I personally don't mind the black pits for eyes - as seen in ESB. I actually prefer it - that's what give it the feel of being skull.

The one thing about Vader that did catch me, was JEJ's voice over. That of all things, felt a bit more different than I was expecting. I was hoping for more of the deep hard throaty sound from ROTJ. Of all the Vader voices through the movies, ROTJ Vader voice can't be beat. ESB comes in a close second. ANH sounds like JEJ was recorded in an empty dumpster...

DJ's comment about the new production teams wanting to "do it really nice this time", is interesting. I believe it definitely resonated with George Lucas more than anyone else. And with that, when Lucas could design Vader with a computer we ended up with ROTS Vader. Yuck.

With Rogue One, I'm of the belief the team said, "we're going back to original Vader, and just give him some polish". ...and that's what we got. Maybe it's because I'm used to seeing the varied Vaders from ANH to ROTJ, that R1's Vader didn't bother me. I definitely didn't feel like this Vader looked like a modified Rubies and Gino insisted on the RPF. YMMV. I will say, I'm just glad we didn't get a ROTS Vader again.

As much as I loved the movie, I do wish they'd have spent a little more time showing the hardship of the rebels, and even Jyn. To me if felt like the movie should have been 2 hours and 40 minute epic war drama. Instead It's like the production team (read Disney) felt the need to keep the movie to two hours, so they jumped right from young Jyn fleeing Krennic and the Death Troopers to being caught and rescued by the Rebels. Because of that the writers simply gave Jyn's past a few verbal light touch points - and gave Cassian's past an even more brief verbal touch point. I really would have loved to see more of the Rebel struggles that inspired them to go for broke to try to steal the DS plans in a last ditch moment of desperation.

But all that's in a perfect world where LF would have wanted to make a war drama instead of just a war movie. I still loved the movie and I'm damn glad Disney and LF told this part of the Star Wars story. Now the comment about Disney being concerned with the "Brand". Yeah they should be. They invested billions of dollars into growing this franchise. Of course they're going to protect the Brand. BUT! When you sit down and watch this movie - it's about as unbranded as from any of the other Star Wars movies can be. ...aside from going completely Christopher Nolan, Alfonso Cuarón or Ridley Scott.

I love this new direction and I can't wait to see where they go with these anthology movies. I'm really hoping this gives Disney the green light to start a new series of trilogies based on the Star Wars universe that explores the battles between the rebels and empire prior to Rogue One.

I read an article that discussed the possibility of a Darth Vader anthology movie. I love this idea, where Vader his hunting for hidden Jedi, and in particular his hunt for Kenobi. The article did suggest it would be hard for an entire Vader movie to live up those awesome 45 seconds in R1. But I thoroughly disagree. In that scene he's fighting Rebel Troops, not going head-to-head with other Jedi. Like I mentioned above, we saw a glimpse of it in the third segment of his battle with Luke in ESB. But he totally backed off for obvious reasons. I want to seem him go all out...

This is just a fantastic still. Thanks for sharing. ...and really, to me, this is what I felt like I was seeing during the movie - while the movie is still fresh in my mind no less.

Hey, Craigjohn - it is almost RIDICULOUS that we do not have a "Vader hunting Kenobi" film in the works. By the right people. And me breaking down the door to get them a proper costume gdammit.

And it could be a simple plot - Palpatine discovers that there are remaining Jedi and sends Vader to kill them. In the course of events he finds that one of them was in contact with Kenobi but that Jedi dies protecting location of Kenobi. Vader then returns to Palpatine and gets admonished for partial success.

End film.

That would be amazing.

James Luceno should be awarded the project.

If i recall right than James Lucenco wrote the book " The rise of Darth Vader".
IMHO, just take the book and bring it on to screen.

If you don't have read it yet, do it!

Or hear it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dCiFe8ZLZg

In german they made a whole audio play out of it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApwvstfJv6s

They could even bring Yoda back for a cameo.

This could be a great movie, if made well.
They could even get McDiarmid to play or at least voice the Emperor (not too fond of the puffy ESB SE holo version) and even if some might not agree, Ewan as Obi - he was quite ok in the Prequels (minus the bad dialog he had to do forced by uncle Jorge)

McDiarmid might do it, but for sure about McGregor. Ewan has gone on record saying he's on board for reprising the roll of Kenobi. That'd be stellar, and it wouldn't take much effort to weather him up a bit.

Hoping they wouldn't go the CGI route, as Gov. Tarkin looked like a character off the Polar Express...

But that's the thing - Kenobi can be in the movie but he and Vader cannot meet. These movies are in danger of pulling the trigger over and over. Kenobi can witness Vader from a distance but that's it.

For instance, Rogue One has a giant space battle in the end. WTF?! The scope of it, in my opinion, should have been smaller - think of the raid on bin Laden or something like that tension. Rogue One should have reminded us more of Zero Dark Thirty. And it might have but for the current LFL soccer-mom mentality. I bet Gareth Edwards would have taken it more that direction if it were up to him.

So, in a Vader film, his NOT meeting Kenobi would make the reunion in ANH that much more meaningful - it would add weight to that.

Force Awakens would have been a better film if, in the end, they FAILED to blow up the station, had to flee, and HAD to find Luke because the S hit the fan.

Anyone agree/ disagree?

I say no Yoda either - not that I do not want to see him - but because I don't want these to be push button films. Emperor makes sense - he would have to be a character. Even Prince Xixor from Shadows of Empire could be hanging out.

Having looked at the R1 Vader, I'm actually thinking the biggest disservice to the costume is the cape. The opening is far too forward and gives an odd slope to the armor, but when comparing outlines, the shoulders seem to slope the same way on the R1 as in the OT. The difference was the cape opening, sitting higher and being wider, as DJ mentioned, where it gave an "open" feeling, whereas the R1 feels "closed". I've seen pictures of fan suits that had the same cape issue, which made the shoulders look American Football bulky, but where it changed when they got a new cape. I may be remembering wrong and there may be more going on with the R1 cape than just the opening being tighter.

During the movie, the only thing I scuffed at was the reddish tinted lenses, but then again... it connected it to RotS. I don't mind the connect and the helmet towards the end seemed different, so maybe the one he wore when meeting Krennick was just a throw-on piece for when he's just gotten out of the bacta tank, sorta like a "bathrobe" kinda thing or something. I didn't even notice the cod much.


Actually. From the OT we learn that Obi-Wan once thought as Luke did and try to reason with and bring Anakin back, but that he eventually lost all faith and hope in bringing back the man he once was and that he was more machine now than man. The confrontation in RotS does NOT show that at all. Obi-Wan didn't really try to bring Anakin back... that there was still good in Anakin only to eventually have that hope crushed. Again, the confrontation in RotS show Obi-Wan's regret, but there was not much of him trying to win back his friend at that point - not in the way as told in the OT. Something like that would have come later, after the initial fight and shock. Obi-Wan can and should have a confrontation with Vader, basically trying what Luke did and failing, but it would have to be not long after RotS. Vader even mentions that Obi-Wan thought as Luke did... so they had an encounter that we haven't seen that left the both of them worse for wear - Obi-Wan had his hope destroyed, but unbeknownst to Kenobi, he had managed to plant a seed of doubt, which was what Luke was able to tab into and make the push to begin Vader's turn.

It could be done really stylish. As mentioned, with Vader hunting for remaining Jedi and learning of Obi-Wan being alive, switching all his effort to find him, with Obi-Wan trying to protect other Jedi and failing. But stay clear of long-winded boring ass lightsaber battles ala RotS that go on for far too long in environments that are just rather stupid. The length and setting, so close to the lava, killed the fight for me. The drama was completely removed because of those two things.

Niiiiice -

GREAT point about Obi-Wan. Wouldn't it be great to have that movie and yes, okay - Vader can meet Obi-Wan again and have that confrontation but how bout this - NO LIGHTSABER fight. Maybe Vader wants to start one but it doesn't work out. Or something like that. But I love the point you make about us not having seen that confrontation yet: "Obi-Wan once thought as you do."

Wouldn't it be cool if Vader did find Obi-Wan but did not tell Emperor that he was still alive?!

But does that mean Vader would end up back on Tatooine? That might be pushing it a little. I think he would have to find Obi-Wan somewhere else. Like some Alderran related trip or other. And Vader is left wondering why Kenobi was doing that only to realize later: "sister..."

There is the rumor of an Obiwan movie, and perhaps that's the vehicle they push. Ben feeling remorse for his good friend Vader, so he tries to save him - turn in back to good - but fails, then he runs off into hiding once again.

Agree - no long drawn out LS dual is needed - but a clash and tension of the of the minds...

That was also a good point about ROTS. Lucas just tried to go over the top with his Kenobi Ani battle and killed the whole thing. I would have rather it been more like Highlander - a battle in an empty warehouse where it was just Anakin and Ben - so you could just focus on those two. Keeping it simple adds to the drama.

The final battle in the R1, I can understand, as they're trying to by the crew time with a diversion. But yes - the tension of sneaking in and pulling the data - then transmitting it to a far off Rebel cruiser... hence intercepted transmissions.

Personally I would like to see Obi-Wan going after Vader when he learns that Vader is out hunting Jedi. He wants to stop him. He wants to bring him back to his side. Basically... he wants his friend back. It's not a logical thing to do, but an emotional thing. When they finally meet up they should not be able to fight - Obi-Wan, like in TPM should be hindered from coming to the rescue. He should try reasoning with Anakin in order to save the life of another Jedi. Vader pauses and they have their "argument", and Vader ends it with killing the Jedi in front of Obi-Wan's eyes. This will make Obi-Wan lose all faith in bringing Anakin back - twofold: not only did he fail once again, but he is reminded of Qui-Gon's death... and he would have nothing left but hate for Vader. Seeing as hate is not the Jedi way, Obi-Wan not only goes into physical exile, but an emotional one as well.

But all this is kinda OT to the Rogue One Vader helmet discussion. LOL.