I don't own any Vader at all right now.
Without offending anybody here, I always felt the movie ANH Vader looks like a "work in progress" costume, there's something slightly rough about it, with an unfinished quality to it (as though they got it to an acceptable level in order to shoot it for the movie). By the time ESB + ROTJ came out they had nailed it in the costume dept and finalized it.
So I always was more drawn to the ESB/ROTJ look.
That's very kind of you - to offer follow up photos. I appreciate it.
I think the new SSC Vader will be my next purchase. I may get a HT lightsaber instead of the stock one.
ANH Vader
The suit is definately rougher, more unpolished than the ESB/ROTJ version...but a lot of ppl like that about it. Very gritty,
looks a bit more menacing...but sometimes it does seem a bit unfinished when comparing to the later versions. I think it had a lot to do with standards and money allotted for Sci-Fi movies at the time. I think the biggest gap in the original films occurs between ANH and ESB...the shots they were able to do, especially action, the increased detail and scope of the locations, ships ect...and that goes into the suits, costumes as well. ANH probably didn't have the funding or all the prop making talent invested in the movie. ESB would have had a bigger backing and this would make for better production.
I think they had to remake the suit for ESB because the ANH helmet mold was destroyed. So starting over they made a more polished suit with all that added money and talent.
ESB suit
I'll preface this by saying The Empire Strikes Back is my Favorite Star Wars movie, one of my top movies of all time. To me it best depicts the main characters, factions, and themes of the entire original trilogy. I think Vaders ESB depiction in particular had a profound effect on my view of the character. Along with the dialogue, the imperial march, his rule over his Imperial officers, his hiring of bounty hunters, his battle with and revelation to Luke...the suit played its part in making Darth Vader seem larger than life. I cannot see the ANH Vader suit having quite the same impact if it had been worn instead of the ESB suit. Now I know a lot goes to how the suit is shot (and ESB shot Vader extremely well)...but I think he better mirrored the cold menacing Empire in the new suit. It was a bit more polished...and I'd expect that from the second highest ranking Imperial. Also I liked that the helmet "face" isn't as angry looking...more of a blank face...like a skeleton..doesn't have a disposition. This is the movie when Vader begins to be more than a machine...he is more developed and i find has a better connection with the audience. He's set up to have a human side in the movie, culminating with the reveal that he is Lukes father. I actually think the helmet works better having that neutral look rather than the angry ANH to characterize the human side of Vader.
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