‘Dazed and Confused’ Live Read: Nostalgia and Novelty Provide a New Look at Classic Characters

Posted on Friday, March 20th, 2015 by Germain Lussier

The great thing about Dazed and Confused? I get older and it stays the same age.

Twenty-two years after Richard Linklater‘s ’70s slice of life film hit theaters, listening to it read by a group of actors still feels as poignant and relevant as ever. Maybe the music and references have changed a bit but a teenager’s insecurities, rebellious nature and mischievousness are and will continue to be universal. In Linklater’s script those ideas are delivered with an almost unfairly simple and eloquent precision.

At Thursday’s Live Read, presented by Film Independent at LACMA, Jason Reitman brought together a group of actors to read the script and, yes, the huge cast of characters made things a little confusing. In back-to-back scenes, an actor might have to jump from nerd to cool guy to stoner, giving the whole evening an unpredictable energy. It was even more unpredictable as they were reading an earlier version of the script that had some huge differences from the final film.

Below, we’ll break down those script changes, the cast, some of the crazy performances, and talk about how even in a form that’s unfamiliar to most of us, Dazed and Confused remains as good as ever. Read More »

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Seth Rogen is The Dude in Jason Reitman’s ‘Big Lebowski’ Live Read

Posted on Thursday, March 29th, 2012 by Germain Lussier

Thursday marks the end of Jason Reitman‘s series of live readings at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and, for most of us, that’s a relief. It’s a relief because we can finally stop being insanely jealous of the small group of people who’ve gotten to experience these incredible events which will never be released to the public. There’s still one to go, though, and it really ties the room together.

Of course, the final live reading is Joel and Ethan Coen‘s The Big Lebowski, one of the most beloved films in recent memory. And while no one could match the perfection the Coens achieved with their casting, Reitman will bring his own unique and fun actors to the material. At the top of the list, Seth Rogen as The Dude, originated by Jeff Bridges. Who’s playing Walter, Donnie, Maude, The Jesus, Bunny, Brandt, Jackie Treehorn and more? Find out after the jump. Read More »

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