1/6 Hot Toys - MMS 279 - Star Wars Episode IV: 1/6th scale Darth Vader

[loki2371]

I know everyone is tired of the height aspect, but something just occurred to me.
As it's been mentioned before Disney/LFL have final say about products before they are released. Could it be that they have decided that this is how he should scale compared to everyone else in 1/6? In other words, regardless of how he stands in various shots of the movie, perhaps in their "official" canon, Vader is supposed to be 6'7" or so, and therefore, the SSC and HT figures are all as tall as they are...
Maybe they just disagree with the fans on this point.

I've really never had a problem with the height because I think Lucas always envisioned him to be that way but perhaps was unable to find an actor to portray his proper scale. Also so many photos show different heights to scale due to some actors sometimes being heightened from standing on boxes for certain shots. I believe this has been documented in interviews and set photos. I love Darth Vader as a character and have since 1977 when I saw Star Wars when it was first released in the theater at age 5. I think most peoples frustration comes from the fact that with today's amazing quality and technology, and with 37 years of Vader merchandise that their still is not at least 1 definitive collectible. In any scale or at any price point (I don't consider life size replicas as those are a completely different category). I own more crappy looking stuff that resembles Vader than I probably own of near perfect stuff. But I like the crappy stuff too. But if I told someone the history of each item, the quality is better as the stuff gets newer, which should be. I think if Hot Toys just said "Look at our new 1/6 scale Darth Vader!" instead of labeling as "A New Hope" Vader this would be a much different duicussion.

 

[TaliBane]

Now that is a '77 Darth. Great looking figure.

That and these (modded and owned by fellow freaks on here) is how it's done.



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They look terrific but none of those show the helmets straight on, which (to me) is a significant test of a Vader helmet's correct look. The SSC Vaders both look great in profile and in three quarter, but (due to facemask issues) look less so straight on. The SSC V1 to me with the Hasbro dome looks better, but overall Hurricane's custom figure (wor-gar's is often pictured on these boards) looks the best, though that uses customized Kaiyodo recasts and the Hasbro dome/armor bits.

 

[momaw]

I would prefer a dome that wasn't crooked. . . that looks like an assembly error to me.

I look at people complain that their Superman logo is slightly off center or their 66 Batman logo is crooked, and talk about how HT has poor QC because of these issues, and then I come into this thread and people are saying "It's not crooked, HT sucks." It feels like complaining just to keep the conversation going. Like I said before, it feels obvious to me that it wasn't supposed to be crooked, it was only because of the cobbled-together nature of the production that the mask ended up looking like this.

I mean, on the assembly line, I can't imagine trying to communicate to the factory workers that you're supposed to glue the dome on slightly crooked. In a situation like that, you're going to get variances in either direction, some are going to be too far off, and look too crooked, or some will be glued on straight. It just seems like a safer proposition overall, to make sure the dome is on straight.

But this eFX helmet I think is a different beast altogether, you're paying for an $1000 prop replica, so you expect it to be a replica of the actual prop. This figure is not a prop replica, so I don't want or need it to have those idiosyncrasies in the helmet

With respect, they have labelled it ANH Vader. It should be a representation of that Vader and not a stylized one. I know a lot of people want the stylized look, they want the symmetry and the shine and polish and when Hot Toys eventually does a Revenge of the Sith Vader, they'll get it. But don't dump on those wanting a representation of the Vader they have labelled this release as. Dome and mask shape are essential to getting that look right (among other things such as the chest box).

I've been in enough Iron Man threads to know those guys go even more nuts over even smaller details, so it's not just a Star Wars issue. If they want to put specific labels on figures, they need to deliver that figure. Otherwise just call it generic Vader 1.0.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

For a figure this expensive, some level of hardcore accuracy is required. Otherwise, why go back to a character other companies has already done and which cost less. I don't understand anyone who's willing to throw $300+ after a figure and not even demand that it has THE LOOK.

 

[TaliBane]

I wonder if Lucas / Disney (whoever is determining licensing rights) is attempting to erase the inconsistent appearance of Vader throughout the film and mandated it look like x. Too me it looks like Vader but it is obvious with all the complaints folks who study the suit have a different opinion.

I know everyone is tired of the height aspect, but something just occurred to me.
As it's been mentioned before Disney/LFL have final say about products before they are released. Could it be that they have decided that this is how he should scale compared to everyone else in 1/6? In other words, regardless of how he stands in various shots of the movie, perhaps in their "official" canon, Vader is supposed to be 6'7" or so, and therefore, the SSC and HT figures are all as tall as they are...
Maybe they just disagree with the fans on this point.

Yeah, I was saying a few days ago that it's suspicious that this is the THIRD 1/6 Vader that has the overscale height. It's possible they've decided this is how tall he should be, regardless of relative heights in the movies.

Honestly I'm more excited by the offerings by SS so far than by anything from HT. The Hoth Han and Luke, the Tauntaun, the Boba Fett PF, the X-wing Luke, the R2 and 3PO, and even the Scout Trooper and Speeder Bike.

Even if they may all have their issues, they're at least not as immediately disappointing as the HT offerings have been so far. And they're the only figures I find myself seriously tempted to get right now.

And ultimately it's a lot easier to get excited about something that at least looks cool now, instead of something that might hopefully look better in-hand down the line, after it's been maybe/possibly/hopefully "reworked".

He's black. He's bald.

Does he look like a *****?

What?

(Cuts off arm with lightsaber)

Then why is HT trying to **** us like a *****?

There's a really bizarre vintage clip on youtube where David Prowse is talking about why they had to go with a "black" voice for Vader. It's something you'd NEVER see in an interview today.

I've really never had a problem with the height because I think Lucas always envisioned him to be that way but perhaps was unable to find an actor to portray his proper scale. Also so many photos show different heights to scale due to some actors sometimes being heightened from standing on boxes for certain shots. I believe this has been documented in interviews and set photos. I love Darth Vader as a character and have since 1977 when I saw Star Wars when it was first released in the theater at age 5. I think most peoples frustration comes from the fact that with today's amazing quality and technology, and with 37 years of Vader merchandise that their still is not at least 1 definitive collectible. In any scale or at any price point (I don't consider life size replicas as those are a completely different category). I own more crappy looking stuff that resembles Vader than I probably own of near perfect stuff. But I like the crappy stuff too. But if I told someone the history of each item, the quality is better as the stuff gets newer, which should be. I think if Hot Toys just said "Look at our new 1/6 scale Darth Vader!" instead of labeling as "A New Hope" Vader this would be a much different duicussion.

Vader's true height is readily visible in the movies though. In the movies, the stomies come up to his chin, in 1/6, the stormies are below his shoulder.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Actually... most troopers come up to the upper eyebrow level.

 

[YankeesFanboy]

There's a really bizarre vintage clip on youtube where David Prowse is talking about why they had to go with a "black" voice for Vader. It's something you'd NEVER see in an interview today.



Vader's true height is readily visible in the movies though. In the movies, the stomies come up to his chin, in 1/6, the stormies are below his shoulder.

Really? What'd he say? This I gotta hear.

As for height, if Prowse is listed as 6-5, then Vader, with the boots and the helmet, should be around 6-7 or 6-8. So just over 13 inches in 1/6 figure form.

 

[loki2371]

Vader's true height is readily visible in the movies though. In the movies, the stomies come up to his chin, in 1/6, the stormies are below his shoulder.

Ep5 - ESB promo pic... Both stormtroopers are different heights. Even the taller one Vader is still a full helmeted head taller

 

[TaliBane]

Actually... most troopers come up to the upper eyebrow level.

Yeah, just glanced at a pic on my desktop and it was closer to chin, but the point is, Vader is only a bit taller than regular 6' tall guys - not this guy who's a foot taller an towering over everyone in the room. He's a regular guy who's a bit taller. I blame that shot of Leia next to his chest in ANH - but Fisher's like R2's height in reality.

 

[YankeesFanboy]

Why didn't they just go with Prowse's voice?

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Ep5 - ESB promo pic... Both stormtroopers are different heights. Even the taller one Vader is still a full helmeted head taller

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They are also standing behind him, which makes them appear smaller.

 

[davejames]

I care....


Btw I forget who posted this ,
So I apologize for not giving credit,
but it is an example of how to average the sides to make a symmetrical vader that still looks like the ot vader....
Vs choosing one side to favor and then mirror

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Yeah that makes it clear that you can still have a symmetrical helmet that still looks very much like ANH Vader.

And like I've said before, at this small scale the lack of symmetry should not really be that noticeable anyway. I think way too much is being made out of that issue myself. It's the lowered helmet, reddish lenses, and duller paintjob that really makes a difference here.

 

[loki2371]

They are also standing behind him, which makes them appear smaller.

And Vader's right knee is crouching forward as well... Maybe he has bad posture and is slouching.

 

[YankeesFanboy]

Vader is several inches taller than a 6-foot-tall man. This isn't rocket science.

 

[TaliBane]

Really? What'd he say? This I gotta hear.

As for height, if Prowse is listed as 6-5, then Vader, with the boots and the helmet, should be around 6-7 or 6-8. So just over 13 inches in 1/6 figure form.

You'll have to watch the whole thing - I was just pulling pics of the helmet and not sure where the "black voice" thing comes in.



By the way, this video has some great behind the scenes footage of the making of Empire (England soundstages) and is actually a pretty interesting show about the film business as it existed in 1980:

 

[TaliBane]

And Vader's right knee is crouching forward as well... Maybe he has bad posture and is slouching.

Ep5 - ESB promo pic... Both stormtroopers are different heights. Even the taller one Vader is still a full helmeted head taller

View attachment 155732

I love that pic, but yeah - taken from a low angle and stormies standing behind him.

Interestingly, if you placed the SSC or HT Vaders right up in foreground, they'd appear taller than the real Vader.

 

[YankeesFanboy]

You'll have to watch the whole thing - I was just pulling pics of the helmet and not sure where the "black voice" thing comes in.



By the way, this video has some great behind the scenes footage of the making of Empire (England soundstages) and is actually a pretty interesting show about the film business as it existed in 1980:

Thank you, mate.

Edit: Yeah, if he said that nowadays, it'd be all over social media. Twitter would crash.

 

[davejames]

Cool videos. Never realized before that the extra grill at the bottom of the mask was to help him see. I just assumed they were extra holes for breathing.

 

[TaliBane]

Thank you, mate.

Edit: Yeah, if he said that nowadays, it'd be all over social media. Twitter would crash.

"...a very obvious negro voice" You'd think that would been over the edge even back then. The interviewer's like "ANYWAY... let's move on to this lightsaber..."

"The character being a big black character that he is, George felt he needed a black voice..." Truly bizarre.

 

[TonTon]

Makes me think of Chasing Amy where the black militant comic writer is talking about Vader being the blackest guy in the galaxy.
Would be hilarious to watch the entire movie with the muffled original Prowse audio. The JEJ voice is obviously phenomenal and I would guess most wouldn't even necessarily think it's a black voice. I never did, but I was a stupid kid. Curious to know who else Lucas considered.