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A Dacor scuba reg was used to create Darth Vader’s heavy breathing.
Even Star Wars nonfans (really????) know the sound. It is the heavy breathing that sets apart the iconic villain Darth Vader (well, that and his theme music and evil-looking mask).
Ben Burtt, Jr., the American sound designer, film editor, director, screenwriter and voice actor, created many of the sound effects heard in the Star Wars film franchise, including R2-D2’s “voice,” the lightsaber hum, the sound of the blaster guns, and Darth Vader’s sinister-sounding heavy breathing. Burtt used an old Dacor scuba regulator to create the heavy breathing of Darth Vader.
Dacor was one of the five original United States diving gear makers: U.S. Divers, Healthways, Voit, Dacor and Swimaster. Dacor is now merged with Mares.
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