Film fans in Perth have voted Darth Vader’s heavy breathing the most iconic sound of the Star Wars movies.
The sound of the Sith Lord’s breathing beat R2-D2’s whistles and beeps and Chewbacca’s roar to take first place in the survey.
Perth’s movie-goers voted the Star Wars theme tune the second-most quintessential sound, with the humming noise of lightsabers coming third in the vote.
Gavin Turnbull, an audiologist at the Perth branch of hearing specialists Amplifon, who commissioned the survey of 2,000 people, said: “Some of the sounds from the Star Wars movies are amongst the most recognisable in cinema history and really enhance our enjoyment of the films.
“Darth Vader is synonymous with that heavy breathing sound and there’s no question it makes him a more intimidating character. It emphasises he’s more machine than man.”
He continued: “Amplifon customers often tell us one of the best parts of having their hearing difficulties addressed is being able to hear and enjoy their favourite films again.”
It’s estimated around 11 million people in the UK suffer from hearing loss. Darth Vader’s heavy breathing sound was created by placing a microphone inside a regulator on a scuba breathing apparatus and breathing into it.