Star Wars quest to pull Malaysian art form out of shadows

Traditionally based on Hindu epics, shadow puppetry was introduced to Southeast Asia in the 15th century and promoted by Java's Hindu rulers.

Kuala Lumpur (AFP) - Darth Vader's distinctive helmet-headed silhouette swoops in to seize control of a spaceship, but this is not the movies -- instead his movements are being brought to life by a Malaysian shadow-puppet master behind a back-lit screen.

"Tell me, where are the plans that have been intercepted?," the puppeteer intones in the Malay language, drawing cheers from hundreds of spectators as they recognise Vader's baritone.