Cancer Research UK will be one of the main beneficiaries of a rather unusual auction that will be taking place at Christie’s. A Darth Vader suit, worn by David Prowse in the Empire Strikes Back, will be going under the hammer and could fetch up to an estimated £230,000!
The black outfit, including the famous helmet and mask, is one of the most iconic symbols of 20th Century cinema, and certainly sent a shiver down my spine as a child. Worn by Prowse, also the Green Cross Code man in the UK, and voiced by James Earl Jones, Darth Vader was the symbol of evil across the galaxy, though in the end he turned out to be quite nice. If you don’t believe me, watch the video below, about how even the leader of The Empire can fall in love –
Head of the popular culture department at Christie’s, Neil Roberts, said –
Darth Vader is defined by his costume, which has made him one of the most recognised characters from the history of film. The global appeal of the Star Wars films, and the interest that the series has attracted from a number of generations, is perhaps unprecedented in the world of cinema. Christie’s have sold some incredible relics from popular culture in the past from Dorothy’s red slippers from The Wizard Of Oz to a dress made for Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast At Tiffany’s; arguably the Darth Vader costume is the most iconic of all.
Who would have thought that for all the evil that Darth committed across the universe that one day he would be helping out a charity such as Cancer Research UK, but he is. Plus if you watched the above video, you will see that even The Dark Side has feelings too!
