“Welcome to a Live Read of the best Star Wars movie ever made!”

So began last night’s Live Read of The Empire Strikes Back, introduced by Film Independent curator Elvis Mitchell to a wildly enthusiastic audience at the Ace Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. Mitchell explained that he and Reitman broke every rule they ever made for the Live Reads: not many characters, no shootouts, no robots… But The Empire Strikes Back, which was not celebrated by critics upon its initial release in 1980, deserves this recognition as a classic.

Reitman has been known to shake up beloved movies with unorthodox casting, and last night was no exception, with one particularly surprising choice. “I am so excited to say these words,” Reitman said during his cast introductions. “In the role of Han Solo, originated by Harrison Ford, Ellen motherfuckin’ Page.”

The whole cast of the Live Read was:

Stephen Merchant as C-3PO, the role originated by Anthony Daniels
Dennis Haysbert as Lando Calrissian, the role originated by Billy Dee Williams
Kevin Pollak as Yoda, the role originated by Frank Oz
Jessica Alba as Princess Leia, the role originated by Carrie Fisher
Ellen Page as Han Solo, the role originated by Harrison Ford
Aaron Paul as Luke Skywalker, the role originated by Mark Hamill
J.K. Simmons as Darth Vader, the role originated by David Prowse and James Earl Jones

Upon Vader’s introduction, the lights went up on the house and the Imperial March filled the room as Stormtroopers escorted Simmons, dressed all in black, through the audience to the stage. When the applause died down, Reitman surveyed his cast and frowned. “It kind of feels incomplete,” he said. “One more?”

Rainn Wilson as Chewbacca, the role originated by Peter Mayhew

The audience expressed its hearty approval at the inclusion of Solo’s Wookiee copilot. The actors in Live Reads normally read the small parts in scenes that don’t feature their main roles, but Reitman insisted that Wilson would read (or at least grunt and/or moan) for Chewbacca and only Chewbacca. After Wilson took his seat, Reitman looked at his cast again and finally said, “Screw it, one more!” The house absolutely exploded upon the final cast member’s appearance:

Mark Hamill as the Emperor, the role originated by Clive Revill, and Obi-Wan Kenobi, the role originated by Alec Guinness

“Alright!” Reitman said once the screaming stopped. “Now I think we got a cast!”

Hamill was obviously a favorite; every scene he read got thunderous applause. In another special twist, Reitman himself read a part for the first time: he whistled admirably as R2-D2. Pollak was also a standout—his Yoda voice was incredible, and he was hilarious reading for various Imperial officers as well as supplying some lightsaber sound effects. But from his very first line, Simmons stole the show. Predictably, his “No, I am your father” got a huge cheer, as did Han and Leia’s “I love you,” “I know” exchange and Pollak’s perfect delivery of “Do, or do not. There is no try.”

As Reitman read the final stage direction, ending in the tableau of Luke, Leia and their robots looking out the window at the Millennium Falcon flying away, John Williams’s beloved theme came on, slowly building in volume. Reitman called the names of each member of his cast again, and the house went wild for them. We screamed; we clapped; we cheered; we cried—we loved them. They knew.

Mary Sollosi / Film Independent Blogger

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