Before The Empire Strikes Back arrived, Selfridges in London held a couple of special preview events, first with costumes from the film, Ralph McQuarrie pre-production artwork and on 5th May a book signing by the cast, including Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Dave Prowse, Anthony Daniels, and Billy Dee Williams before the following day a preview of the film at the Dominion, the cinema where just two and a half years before, the original film had debuted in the UK on 27th December 1977.
TEmpire Strikes Back Exhibition plus meet & greet by cast at Selfridges Department Store, London (Monday May 5th 1980). Special Preview performance of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back attended by the cast and both Director Irvin Kershner & Producer Gary Kurtz (Tuesday May 6th 1980) Dominion Theatre, London.
Also while we’re in an Empire kind of mood, check out this pre-reel, created by Odeon for the May 6th screening at the Dominion.
Released in UK cinemas in May 1980, this is a custom, recreated pre-reel for an Odeon Cinema presentation of ‘The Empire Strikes Back’, starring Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams and Frank Oz.
Director: Irvin Kershner
Writers: Leigh Brackett, Lawrence Kasdan & George Lucas
BBFC Certificate: U
Production Company: LucasFilm Ltd.
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
