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Harrison Ford is back as an 80-year-old Indiana Jones – and a 40-something Indy. The highs (and lows) of returning to iconic roles

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ben-mccann-398197">Ben McCann</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-adelaide-1119">University of Adelaide</a> Saddle up, don the fedora and crack that whip: Harrison Ford is back as the intrepid archaeologist in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. The film premiered at Cannes, where Ford was <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/harrison-ford-honorary-palme-dor-cannes-1235495463/">awarded</a> an Honorary Palme d’Or in recognition of his life’s work. Reviews for the fifth film in the franchise <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/indiana-jones-5-review-roundup-1235495961/">have been mixed</a>, and it is the first Indy film not to be directed by Steven Spielberg (this time, it’s James Mangold, best known for his motor-racing drama Ford v Ferrari). But this is “event” cinema that combines nostalgia, old-school special effects and John Williams’ <a href="https://theconversation.com/from-jaws-to-star-wars-to-harry-potter-john-williams-90-today-is-our-greatest-living-composer-176245">iconic score</a>. So, Ford is back, aged 80. What draws actors back after all this time? <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eQfMbSe7F2g?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <h2>Role returns</h2> Ford first played Indy in 1981 and last played him in 2008. That is a full 15 years since the most recent film in the series, and 42 years since his first outing in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Ford has form in returning to celebrated characters. One of the great pleasures of watching The Force Awakens back in 2015 was seeing Ford play Han Solo again for the <a href="https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3j2j09">first time in over 30 years</a>. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0xQSIdSRlAk?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> Actors return to roles for numerous reasons: <ul> <li>financial (Ford was reportedly paid <a href="https://okmagazine.com/exclusives/harrison-ford-paid-indiana-jones-5-plagued-with-problems/">US$25 million</a> for Dial of Destiny)</li> <li>protection of their brand, image and star persona (Michael Keaton <a href="https://www.fortressofsolitude.co.za/the-flash-movies-biggest-hero-how-michael-keaton-saved-the-film/">returning to play Batman</a> after three decades and three other actors who have embodied the role)</li> <li>professional (Tom Cruise admitted over the 36 years between Top Gun films he wanted to make sure the sequel <a href="https://screenrant.com/top-gun-maverick-tom-cruise-return-how-explained/">could live up to the original</a>)</li> <li>personal (once-huge stars are working less and less, and only feel the need to return to a built-in fan base every few years – Bill Murray in the 2021 Ghostbusters sequel springs to mind).</li> </ul> It’s not always a successful endeavour. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone – two of the biggest action stars of the 1980s off the back of iconic roles as The Terminator, Rocky Balboa and John Rambo – have repeatedly returned to those roles, and critics have been <a href="https://screenrant.com/terminator-dark-fate-undermined-john-connor-storyline-franchise-bad/">particularly harsh</a>. It did not work for Sigourney Weaver in <a href="https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/alien-resurrection-1997">Alien: Resurrection</a> in 1997, 18 years after her first time as Ripley; nor for Keanu Reeves in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/dec/21/the-matrix-resurrections-review-keanu-reeves">The Matrix Resurrections</a> in 2021, 23 years after the original. And still, I’m intrigued to see what Michael Mann could do with his long-rumoured sequel to Heat, his definitive 1995 crime film. Ever since Mann published his novel Heat 2 last year – a kind of origin story for Heat’s key protagonists – fans have been hoping a de-aged Al Pacino (now aged 83) <a href="https://deadline.com/2023/04/michael-mann-heat-2-warner-bros-adam-driver-young-neil-mccauley-1235316777/">might return</a> as LA cop Vincent Hanna. <h2>Undoing time</h2> “Digital de-ageing” first entered the Hollywood mainstream in 2019 with The Irishman and Captain Marvel. <a href="https://www.indiewire.com/features/craft/de-aging-actors-history-benjamin-button-dial-of-destiny-harrison-ford-1234863938/">Via this process</a>, older actors (Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Samuel L. Jackson have all been subject to the technology) move back and forwards in time without younger actors having to play them. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OF-lElIlZM0?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> Films still tend to cast two actors to play older and younger versions of the same character, a choice that dates back at least to 1974’s The Godfather Part II, in which a young Robert de Niro plays Vito Corleone, portrayed by the much older Marlon Brando in the first film. In 1989, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade features a delightful opening scene where River Phoenix plays the young version of Indiana Jones, before Ford takes over for the rest of the film. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AwH6-Yh7_SM?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> Actors used to just play characters of their own age when reprising earlier roles. Paul Newman finally won a Best Actor Oscar for his role as “Fast Eddie” Felson in The Color of Money (1986), a quarter of a century after first playing him in The Hustler. The sequel plays on Newman’s age, and his role as a mentor to an upcoming Tom Cruise, and bathes viewers in nostalgia and memories of <a href="https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/paul-newman-schooled-tom-cruise-the-color-of-money/">a younger Newman</a>. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/k7gmrKAFshE?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> But actors no longer have to exclusively play their age. The first part of Dial of Destiny is an extended flashback, set in 1944, in which Ford has been digitally de-aged to appear in his 40s. This process used an AI system that scanned used and unused reels of footage of Ford from <a href="https://www.cbr.com/harrison-ford-de-aging-indiana-jones-dial-of-destiny/">the first three Indy films</a> to match his present-day performance. Here, it is as if we are getting two Fords for the price of one: the “younger”, fitter Indy and the older, more world-weary version. It makes for a powerfully emotional connection on screen. Yet there are some <a href="https://variety.com/2023/film/awards/indiana-jones-5-harrison-ford-de-aging-not-working-1235618698/">pitfalls to de-ageing</a>. Some viewers complain that the whole process is distracting and that the hyper-real visual look of de-aged scenes resembles a video game. Even so, de-ageing in Hollywood cinema is here to stay. Tom Hanks’s <a href="https://variety.com/2023/film/news/tom-hanks-robin-wright-digitally-deaged-robert-zemeckis-movie-1235507766/">next film</a> is using AI-based generative technology to digitally de-age him. Given its reduced cost, speed and reduced human input, AI-driven innovation might have <a href="https://filmstories.co.uk/news/new-ai-driven-de-ageing-tools-to-be-used-in-tom-hanks-project/">industry-changing ramifications</a>. <h2>The star of Ford</h2> Harrison Ford remains a bona fide “movie star” in an industry profoundly buffeted by COVID, the rise of streaming platforms, the demise of the monoculture, and the changing nature of who constitutes a star. In the midst of all this industry uncertainty, it seems there is no longer a statute of limitations on actors returning to much-loved characters. The next big ethical issue for the film industry as it further embraces AI is whether to <a href="https://collider.com/james-dean-digital-cgi-performance-in-new-movie/">resurrect deceased actors</a> and cast them in new movies. Still, I’m looking forward to seeing more actors de-aged as the technology improves and audiences acclimatise to watching older actors “playing” younger versions of themselves. We are only at the start of Hollywood’s next big adventure.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/202357/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ben-mccann-398197">Ben McCann</a>, Associate Professor of French Studies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-adelaide-1119">University of Adelaide</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/harrison-ford-is-back-as-an-80-year-old-indiana-jones-and-a-40-something-indy-the-highs-and-lows-of-returning-to-iconic-roles-202357">original article</a>.

Movies

“It means the world to me”: Harrison Ford’s emotional take on final Indiana Jones film

Harrison Ford, the actor best known as the face and heart of some of Hollywood’s most iconic characters, has opened up about his final appearance as Indiana Jones. In an interview with BBC Radio 1 with his Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny co-star Phoebe Waller-Bridge about their upcoming film, the 80-year-old actor confessed that his time spent as Jones, and the love of his fans all around the world, means everything to him. Ford has been portraying Jones since 1981, when the series' first film, Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, was released. And while they all might hold a special place in his heart, it’s his fifth and final film - set to release June 2023 - as Jones that has resonated with him. As he told host Ali Plumb, “I think the thing that I most admire about them is the depth and subtlety of the emotion, and the importance of emotion in these films. “As this last one concerns age and frailty and [the] changing nature of life, it was especially compelling to me, because I am of that age and I wanted it to feel real for the audience. “I wanted them to see the complexity of that experience with someone they've spent 40 years with.” Plumb then took the opportunity to tell an emotional Ford that “it’s been such an adventure”, and thanked him on behalf of fans all over for everything he’d put into the character and his various adventures. “We love you so much,” he added. “I don’t want to make you blush or anything, but you mean the world to us and thank you.” Ford appeared moved by the sentiment, but gathered himself to offer his own sincere thanks to his supporters, before sharing that “it means the world to me.” It isn’t the first time that Ford has addressed his final venture in Jones’ hat - though it’s the first not to be directed by Steven Spielberg - or what it means to him, with the star previously having shared with Told Film that he had been “able to deliver amazing films developed by Steven and George [Lucas] over a 40-year period. “And to end it not with a whimper, but a bang, has been my greatest ambition for this excursion.” Images: BBC Radio 1 / Youtube

Movies

“That is my face”: Harrison Ford takes pro-de-ageing stance

Harrison Ford has come to the defence of the de-ageing technology used in the upcoming fifth instalment in the Indiana Jones series: Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. The film drew criticism from reviewers over its application of the technology, with many wondering why the studio hadn’t opted to instead support younger actors and cast them in the role, while others simply questioned the “believability” of the tech. But Ford, who has been the face of Indiana Jones since the professor’s first film in 1981, is having none of that. During a press conference at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, the actor moved to silence critics, telling them “I know that that is my face. “It’s not a kind of Photoshop magic - that’s what I looked like 35 years ago. Because Lucasfilm has every frame of film that we’ve made together over all of these years. “This process, this scientific mining of this library, this was put to good [use] … It’s just a trick unless it’s supported by a story, and it sticks out like a sore thumb if it’s not honest, it’s not real… I mean, emotionally real. “And so I think it was used very skillfully.” And for those concerned that the 80-year-old’s take might carry across into his stance on the process of ageing itself, he was quick to note that when it comes to growing older, he is “very happy with it, but I don't look back and say, 'I wish I was that guy again,' because I don't. "I'm real happy with age. I love being older. It was great to be young, but s***fire I could be dead, and I'm still working." Despite this, Ford has confirmed that this film will be the last time fans can expect to see him in the iconic role, and he’ll be hanging up Jones’ hat for good. And when asked why, Ford’s answer was simple, with the actor confessing “I need to sit down and rest a little bit. I love to work, and I love this character, and I love what it brought into my life, and that's all I can say.” Fans of the star and the franchise have come out in support of his decision, most recently during a standing ovation at the same festival he’d spoken at - applause that had moved Ford to tears. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Harrison Ford with tears in his eyes during the standing ovation for ‘INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY’. <a href="https://t.co/mJtRv4wLKk">pic.twitter.com/mJtRv4wLKk</a> — DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) <a href="https://twitter.com/DiscussingFilm/status/1659294979485757486?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2023</a></blockquote> However, as one user pointed out, that didn’t necessarily mean smooth sailing for fans, with the fifth film likely to get them talking - de-ageing technology aside. “Oh my god. no bc if HE is crying it means the movie is really gonna be something special,” one wrote. “i'm gonna be sick”. “Thanks for the last adventure,” another said. “Surreal that this moment in cinema is here. The last time we will ever get an Indiana Jones film with Harrison Ford.” And as someone else put it, “seeing him get emotional for getting praise for a role that he loves so dearly has me emotional too.” “And there is proof Harrison Ford loves what he does,” one other declared. “A proper movie star who just wants to act. That's genuine pride.” Images: Lucas Film Ltd

Movies

Giving out flowers on TikTok: is this a ‘random act of kindness’ or just benevolent ageism?

In June, 22-year-old Harrison Pawluk filmed himself staging a “random act of kindness”, giving a bunch of flowers to an older woman sitting alone in a Melbourne food court. His <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@lifeofharrison/video/7111321730773175553?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video</a> went viral on TikTok, attracting 57 million views within a week. Comments on the post included, “when she started crying, I couldn’t hold it back” and “wow that was so beautiful I swear I would cry”. Acts of kindness can boost <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022103117303451" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wellbeing</a> for the giver, the recipient, and even the viewers of selfless acts. Social media influencers have found ways to commodify this by presenting them as random and unexpected. <div data-id="17"> </div> But this gesture was interpreted by Maree, the woman targeted for the video, as an artificially staged production that left her feeling “<a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-07-14/tiktok-video-maree-melbourne-flowers/101228418" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dehumanised</a>” and like “clickbait” for tabloid fodder. In the media, individuals aged over 60 are often depicted as a homogeneous group of elderly people who lack personality, social identity or individuality. It’s not just a “random act of kindness”. Pawluk’s actions – and some of the media coverage – unearths a much bigger problem of “benevolent ageism”. <h2>What is benevolent ageism?</h2> When we talk about ageism, people often think of overt acts such as older people being explicitly told they are dressed “<a href="https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/louise-di-francesco-ageism-at-work-200031282.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">inappropriately</a>” for their age, or an employer refusing to hire someone for a job because of their age. But not all ageism is overt. “<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2793359" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Everyday ageism</a>” is a more subtle yet pervasive component that informs our impressions of older people. This could be assumptions about what older people’s preferences are because of their age group, or that by a certain age most people should be “slowing down”. Benevolent ageism is where these every day biases manifest in the belief that older people need special “help” or “support”. Benevolent ageism manifests in the way people sometimes use pet names or <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/ageism#ageism-in-healthcare" target="_blank" rel="noopener">baby talk</a> to address older people; an emphasis on <a href="https://spssi.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1540-4560.2005.00405.x" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pitying</a> people above a certain age; or the importance placed on “<a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.587911/full" target="_blank" rel="noopener">protecting</a>” older people during the COVID pandemic. Commenters on Pawluk’s video said “[the flowers] made her feel so good and it looks like she might have needed it”, “she is so cute” and “I miss my grandma!”. Benevolent ageism leads to false assumptions or inaccurate and limiting stereotypes about older people being “warm but not competent” and lacking individuality. In Pawluk’s video, Maree is framed as being sad and alone. Speaking to <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-07-14/tiktok-video-maree-melbourne-flowers/101228418" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC Radio</a>, Maree expressed frustration at being presented as “the elderly woman who drank a takeaway cup of coffee”. “It’s the patronising assumption that women, especially older women, will be thrilled by some random stranger giving them flowers,” she told the ABC. <h2>Our implicit biases</h2> Benevolent ageism is hiding in plain sight. Our own ageist biases can show up in everyday judgements we make about people’s capacity to work, how they dress or whether they are in need of assistance or attention because of their age. Ageist characterisations are culturally reinforced by media portrayals, and have the effect of categorising “older people” – <a href="https://spssi.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/josi.12162" target="_blank" rel="noopener">particularly women</a> – as being lonely and in need of pity. A <a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/18-03-2021-ageism-is-a-global-challenge-un" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent report</a> from the World Health Organization shows one in every two people shows moderate to high levels of ageist attitudes, with their definition of ageism encompassing stereotypes (how we think), prejudice (how we feel) and discrimination (how we act) towards others or oneself based on age. The Australian Human Rights Commission found that <a href="https://humanrights.gov.au/about/news/new-research-finds-ageism-most-accepted-form-prejudice-australia-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">90% of Australians</a> agree that ageism exists in Australia. Age discrimination commissioner Kay Patterson calls ageism “the least understood form of discriminatory prejudice” and “more pervasive and socially accepted than sexism and racism”. Internalised ageism, in which we unconsciously hold these own ageist attitudes against ourselves, negatively impacts our functional health as we age and can even <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S009174350400115X" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shorten our own lifespan</a>. <h2>Stereotypes facing older women</h2> These TikTok random acts of kindness can have the unfortunate overtone of the <a href="https://www.britishgerontology.org/content/22875/Live/pdf/Generations_Review%2025%202%20July%202015.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">twin prejudices</a> of ageism and sexism. Older women targeted in this way can be left feeling like their identity is reduced to being just an older lady in need of pity. When interviewed by The Project, Pawluk <a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/current-affairs/aussie-tiktok-star-sorry-but-wont-stop-controversial-acts-of-kindness/news-story/347c18457d80a961e27c6b31f42b2507" target="_blank" rel="noopener">apologised</a> to Maree. He claims he does not target people based on their age. But the assumptions made about Maree – and other women to whom he has offered flowers – are embedded in age-old stereotypes about older women: that they are sad or lonely, and in need of support. There is nothing wrong with greeting another person regardless of their age. But the framing of this TikTok video is a clear example of ageist stereotypes manifesting as a show of concern. Much of the news reporting and comments surrounding the event were also examples of everyday ageism. The Daily Mail <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10967869/Melbourne-TikToker-Harrison-Pawluk-gives-woman-bunch-flowers.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">described the video</a> as a “heartwarming moment [where] a total stranger gives an elderly woman a bunch of flowers before she bursts into tears”. Although likely not the initial intention of the gesture, this social media craze of capturing supposed “random acts of kindness” can have the undesired effect of diminishing the perceived social value of the target to whom the protagonist is trying to show kindness. We should take this as a moment to pause and address our own unconscious biases and our subtle forms of everyday ageism of the benevolent kind. This article originally appeared on The Conversation. Image: TikTok

Retirement Life

Harrison Ford’s childhood Tudor home hits the market

The childhood home of Indiana Jones star Harrison Ford has hit the market for the third time in four years for just $USD 749,000 ($NZD 1.21 million). The 1922-era Tudor house in Park Ridge, Illinois, was home to the Ford family in the 1950s, per <a href="https://www.realtor.com/news/celebrity-real-estate/harrison-ford-remodeled-childhood-home-on-the-market/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Realtor.com</a>, though it has been significantly renovated since. After nearly 50 years off the market, the home was listed for sale in 2018 with its original windows, plumbing, and electrical, with interior spaces that needed a serious refresh. Selling in February 2019 for $USD 350,000 ($NZD 566,000), its new owners undertook some major changes, replacing the dated wallpaper with a neutral grey and white colour scheme and transforming the avocado-green kitchen into a space filled with stainless steel appliances, a butcher block island, a tiled backsplash, and a breakfast nook. A formal dining area that connects to the large family room with views of the backyard now features pendant lighting, while in the living room, the built-ins and fireplace remain, with the wall-to-wall carpet being ripped out to show the original, refinished hardwood floors. Other updates include new windows, recessed lighting, baseboard heaters, and a completed basement, which features a bar and rec area, a home office, and a laundry. After the renovations were complete, the 198-square-metre home was sold for $USD 600,000 ($NZD 970,000) in July 2020. With the current owners looking to upsize, it’s back on the market with a 25 percent price bump, according to listing agent Peter Bellert of @properties Park Ridge. Bellert says the home is basically move-in ready, with just the driveway needing to be repaved. He also notes that the home’s style is unusual for the area. “English Tudors are not common. There are not too many in Park Ridge,” Bellert says. Other features of the two-storey home include a powder room on the first level and four bedrooms on the second, with an original balcony connected to the bedroom that reportedly belonged to a young Ford. Images: Getty Images / Realtor.com

Real Estate

Melrose Place star's son found dead at 27

The son of General Hospital and Melrose Place actor Jack Wagner has been found dead in a car park. Harrison Wagner was only 27 years old when his body was found in a carpark in Los Angeles, California at 5.14am on Monday. His cause of death remains unknown as investigations continue. Jack, 64, declined to comment about his son’s death when Page Six contacted him. It was no secret that Harrison previously struggled with drugs and alcohol and it is unclear if that contributed to his death. Jack said his son had disappeared for a week back in 2016 and was worried about his addiction. "I'm going to ask those who want to share their fears, addictions & struggles to do so w me via Twitter. We can face them 2gether, I'll start," Jack wrote on Twitter at the time. "I fear for my youngest sons safety. "Harrison has struggled w drugs & alcohol just as I did when I was younger. He's relapsed & is MIA 5days." Images: Instagram

News

Kennedy and Ford's former estate hits the market

A gorgeous mid-18th century mansion previously owned by Henry Ford II has hit the market for £18.75 million ($33 million). Henry Ford II, the grandson of the founder of the Ford Motor Company, is one of the few famous people who have lived in the stunning two-storey estate known as Turville Grange. He purchased the home from former US President John F Kennedy’s sister-in-law, Princess Lee Radziwill in 1974. Among those who have lived in the beautiful home are President Kennedy and his wife Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis - Radziwill’s sister, Sir Evelyn de Rothschild and Michael Caine The five-bedroom home located just an hour away from London has been constantly renovated over the years to help create an “ideal family home”. Boasting a lavish lifestyle, the estate has four reception rooms, a beautiful marble kitchen, luxurious bedrooms, and offices to work in. To get to the backyard is one walks under a covered walkway to the courtyard where there is a one bedroom apartment perfect for staff or guests with its own kitchen and bathroom. Outside also includes a swimming pool for a cheeky dip during the warmer weather, a spa, as well as a gym. Images: Knight Frank

Real Estate

“I am one of the group”: Francis Coppola reflects as ‘The Godfather’ turns 50

American writer and director Francis Ford Coppola has made dozens of films and gone on to win five Academy Awards and six Golden Globes, but The Godfather may just be his crowning achievement. With the first film in the trilogy celebrating its 50th anniversary, the acclaimed director shared the dramatic effects its success had on his life in an exclusive interview with <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/francis-ford-coppola-godfather-at-50-changed-my-life-exclusive/" target="_blank">Empire</a> magazine. “Well, it’s odd, of course. To think that 50 years has gone by since the adventure of The Godfather, and when that changed my life so dramatically,” he told the publication. “Because now the Coppola family is considered synonymous with [the film by] many people, [but] when I came to LA, to UCLA Film School, I just dreamed to get a peek inside a studio. “Movies were an exotic fairyland.” While making the film and in the leadup to its initial release, Coppola was under financial pressure to support his wife and kids. But, its debut in 1972 - prompting lengthy queues just to buy tickets - saw Coppola’s fortunes change drastically. “I went from having zero money at all and a family to support, to having several million dollars, which was astonishing,” he recalled. “No one in my family had that kind of money. I went from being unknown and poor with a lot of family responsibilities - I was married young and I loved my kids and my family - to having some money and acclaim. I was famous, everyone knew about The Godfather and everyone knew about me.” Though The Godfather certainly provided Coppola with fame and wealth, the 82-year-old says it gave him something else he had always wanted: a sense of belonging. “The way I look at it, I always wanted to be one of the group,” he said. “As first, I was an outsider, and I wasn’t included in the group because I was a new kid, or I was poor. Then I became famous, and a success, so I still wasn’t one of the group. “In my heart, all I ever really wanted was to be considered one of the group, which I am now because when they talk about all the big directors of the ‘70s, they say George Lucas and Francis Coppola and Marty Scorsese and Steven Spielberg and Brian De Palma and Paul Schrader. “So I have what I want - I am one of the group.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Trailer for the 50th anniversary of Francis Ford Coppola's masterpiece ‘The Godfather’, which will be released in select theatres on February 25 <a href="https://t.co/7vgsBADsF1">pic.twitter.com/7vgsBADsF1</a> — Lost In Film (@LostInFilm) <a href="https://twitter.com/LostInFilm/status/1481648113307701259?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 13, 2022</a></blockquote> To celebrate the film’s milestone, Paramount Pictures and Coppola’s production company American Zoetrope have restored the trilogy - which will be released in 4K Ultra HD for the first time in March this year. “We felt privileged to restore these films and a little in awe every day we worked on them,” <a rel="noopener" href="https://thelatch.com.au/the-godfather-50th-anniversary-australia/" target="_blank">said</a> Andrea Kalas, the senior vice president of Paramount Archives. “We were able to witness first-hand how the brilliant cinematography, score, production design, costume design, editing, performances, and, of course, screenwriting and direction became famously more than the sum of their parts. “It was our commitment to honour all of the filmmakers’ exceptional work.” The Godfather 50th Anniversary will be released in select cinemas from February 25, 2022. Image: Vivien Killilea (Getty Images) / Silver Screen Collection (Getty Images)

Movies

Lost song featuring The Beatles unearthed

A previously unheard song featuring George Harrison and Ringo Starr has been discovered in a Birmingham loft during lockdown. The song, titled Radhe Shaam, was written and produced by broadcaster Suresh Joshi in 1968 and features George on guitar and Ringo on drums at the height of their fame. The track was unearthed in Suresh’s home by a friend who was checking up on him during lockdown, and was played for 100 people at the Liverpool Beatles Museum. Mr Joshi was a good friend of George Harrison’s and was the one who introduced him to Ravi Shankar: one of India’s most celebrated musicians. He was a big influence on the Beatle and famously taught him to play the sitar. The broadcaster was working on music for a documentary film in London at the time the song was recorded, when George Harrison and Ringo Starr turned up and offered to play. The pair were taking a break from recording Hey Jude at the same Trident Studios in London’s Soho at the time. The track also featured renowned Indian classical musician Aashish Khan, but Suresh Joshi said he never got round to releasing it to the public. "Time had gone on, [then] The Beatles were breaking up and had various problems so no-one wanted to [release it]," he said to the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-merseyside-59233136">BBC</a>. However he said the coronavirus lockdown was a "blessing in disguise as we had nothing to do". Despite the track being locked away, Mr Joshi said the song is still relevant to today’s audiences. "The song itself revolves around the concept that we are all one, and that the world is our oyster," he said. "[That is] something that we have all realised during this pandemic." Image credits: Getty Images

Music

George Harrison’s childhood home goes under the hammer

The home where Beatles guitarist George Harrison spent many of his formative years is due to go under the hammer. The three-bedroom home in Liverpool has an <a rel="noopener" href="https://bid.omegaauctions.co.uk/auction/lot/lot-240---george-harrison-childhood-home---25-upton-green-speke/?lot=16731&so=2&st=&sto=0&au=47&ef=&et=&ic=False&sd=0&pp=48&pn=1&g=1" target="_blank">estimated price</a> between £160,000 and £200,000 ($NZD 302-378,000), with auctioneer Paul Fairweather describing it as “a steal”. Harrison moved into the house with his family in 1949, when he was six-years-old, and lived there until 1962. He rehearsed with John Lennon and Paul McCartney in the house while the trio were called The Quarrymen - the band that eventually became The Beatles. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> On November 30th we'll offer Geoge Harrison's childhood home at auction. View and bid here > <a href="https://t.co/tgykaIDTpK">https://t.co/tgykaIDTpK</a> <a href="https://t.co/70YFLNr45f">pic.twitter.com/70YFLNr45f</a> — Omega Auctions (@OmegaAuctions) <a href="https://twitter.com/OmegaAuctions/status/1456574637664608261?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2021</a></blockquote> The house has undergone renovations since Harrison lived there, but some original features still remain, including the bath, sink, some original doors, outbuildings, and a large dresser that would have been there during Harrison’s time. “George will have learned to play the guitar in this house and the photos of the group gathering there in the early 1960s are amazing to see,” Mr Fairweather <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-merseyside-59197931" target="_blank">said</a>. He is also expecting interest in the property to grow following the release of Peter Jackson’s documentary <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/movies/unseen-beatles-footage-to-feature-in-new-docu-series" target="_blank">The Beatles: Get Back</a>. Potential owners of the home can also apply for a blue heritage plaque to be displayed at the property. Images: Omega Auctions

Real Estate

Indiana Jones 5 crew member reportedly found dead

A crew member on the fifth Indiana Jones film has died during an already trouble-plagued production. Industry veteran and second unit grip Nic Cupac was found dead in his hotel room in the city of Fes, Morocco, while working on the as-yet-untitled fifth film in the Indiana Jones franchise. Walt Disney Studios confirmed his passing to the <a rel="noopener" href="https://nypost.com/2021/11/04/indiana-jones-5-crew-member-dies-on-location-in-morocco/" target="_blank">New York Post </a>on Thursday, with a representative telling the Post, “Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Nic Cupac, an incredibly talented colleague and member of the film community who will be greatly missed. “His sudden passing was not production related. Nic was a grip on 2nd unit.” The 54-year-old’s cause of death has not been released to the public, but The Sun reported that he is thought to have died of natural causes. Cupac had also worked on films in the Jurassic Park, Harry Potter and Star Wars franchises, and had only recently arrived in Morocco to work on the fifth Indiana Jones film starring Harrison Ford and Phoebe Waller-Bridge. The production has faced numerous problems since it began. In June, residents of Hackney in London revealed that production was making life “a living hell” for them; one resident had been paid $75,000 for the opportunity to film in their home, but the entire street was blocked off for days as a result. Just last week, Morocco banned flights to and from the UK because of rising COVID-19 cases in the UK. Plus, production had to be halted for three months during the summer after Ford suffered a severe shoulder injury in June, returning to set in Italy just two weeks ago. The fifth film in the Indiana Jones franchise will serve as a sequel to 2008’s Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. It is the first film in the franchise that will not be directed by Steven Spielberg, with Spielberg stepping back in 2020 to serve as producer while handing over directing responsibilities to James Mangold. Mangold has previously directed films such as Ford v Ferrari, Logan, and Walk the Line. <a rel="noopener" href="https://ew.com/movies/indiana-jones-5-delayed-2023-marvel-movie-premieres/" target="_blank">Initially scheduled to premiere </a>in 2022, the film now has a June 2023 release date. Image: Robino Salvatore/GC Images

Movies

Meet the British woman tipped to replace Indiana Jones

Images: Getty Rumour has it British actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge may replace Harrison Ford as lead in the fifth Indiana Jones movie. The Fleabag star is tipped to step into Ford’s shoes and take the lead in the next upcoming instalment of the popular franchise, which is set to hit cinemas next year. According to the Daily Mail, Hollywood producer Kathleen Kennedy – the bigwig behind the franchise is looking to make “Big, Bold” changes and that could mean replacing the lead character with a woman. “It would be a huge statement, and a great role for Phoebe”, the source said of Waller-Bridge, winner of multiple awards for her starring role in British comedy Fleabag. Should the 36-year-old actress take the lead, it would make her the first ever female lead since the first movie, Raiders Of The Lost Ark, which premiered in 1981. Although it remains unclear who Phoebe will portray in the upcoming movie. “The gossip on set is that this character will slot into the leading role” said the source. During an interview in 2019 on the US Today Show, Ford – who played the iconic role in all four previous films – said there’s really no replacing his character, per se. “Nobody else is gonna be Indiana Jones! Don’t you get it? I’m Indiana Jones. When I’m gone, he’s gone. It’s easy” the 79-year-old said, before joking, “This is a hell of a way to tell Chris Pine this”. This was said at the time surrounding rumours Pine was set to be the new Indiana Jones.

Movies

Would you climb a 47-metre tower for a free car lease? In Norway, you can

At 47 metres high, the tallest free-standing climbing tower in the world has opened in Norway, and car company Ford’s new campaign has brought it additional attention. After opening in June this year, professional climbers were invited to try and reach the top of the tower, with the fastest climber taking home a free two-year lease on a Ford Explorer PHEV. The company even crane-lifted their newest model onto the top of the tower, sitting on top of a special platform that supports the weight of the plug-in hybrid car. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CR8cy0XgSIy/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CR8cy0XgSIy/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Ford Norge (@fordnorge)</a> </div> </blockquote> Ford’s Explore New Heights challenge saw 14 climbers compete after successfully completing a qualifying test. Sharing the footage to their Instagram page, Ford eventually found a winner. In the clip, many of the climbers can be seen losing their grip and combating the jumps and obstacles designed by champion climber Martin Mobråten. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSG0pIUAPUZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSG0pIUAPUZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Ford Norge (@fordnorge)</a> </div> </blockquote> Eventually, Leo Ketil Bøe, 21, managed to score the free lease with a time of three minutes and 33 seconds. Any who made it to the top alongside Leo were rewarded with breathtaking views across the Skagerrak, a strait running between Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. Image: Visit Norway

International Travel

Diana’s car up for sale after decades in hiding

The Princess of Wales’ old car, given as an engagement gift from Prince Charles, will soon be sold after being kept in hiding for 20 years. The anonymous owner says she bought the vehicle because she is a “big fan” of Diana, and kept the 1981 Ford Escort Ghia Saloon as a second car, only driving it around her local town for years. The woman also says she refused to tell locals and neighbours who the vehicle originally belonged to. A car given to Princess Diana as an engagement present from Prince Charles will soon be sold at auction after its origins were kept secret for 20 years. Prince Charles gifted the car to his future bride in May 1981, and Diana drove it around until August 1982. It is expected to fetch between $54,000 - $73,000 when it goes under the hammer at the Reeman Dansie's Royalty, Antiques and Fine Art Sale in Essex on June 29. The car still holds its original registration WEV 297W, 83,000 miles (133,575 kilometres) on the clock and has meticulously retained its original paintwork and upholstery. A silver frog mascot given as a gift to the Princess of Wales by her sister, Lady Sarah Spencer still sits on the hood of the car, but is sadly just a replica. It was reportedly meant to represent the fairy tale of the girl who kisses a frog that later turns into a prince. Diana chose to keep the original frog when she sold the car. The woman who currently owns the car bought it for $10,000 in 1995 by an antiques dealer as a birthday present for his daughter, before it was passed on to the Diana-crazed fan. "Of course I knew when I bought it that it once belonged to Princess Diana, that is why I wanted it," the woman said to The Sun. "I was a big fan of hers. "I have driven it around as a second car ever since. A lot of people ask me why I had it and I used to tell them that it was my first car I passed my test in and that I was attached to it. "I felt that its history and provenance were so unique and I didn't want many people knowing."

Money & Banking

How to activate your pelvic floor muscles

A lot of people over the age of 60 suffer from pelvic floor issues. In this video, Taylor Harrison – author, senior’s health expert and Director of <a href="http://www.activeseniors.net.au/">Active Seniors Health Centre</a> – shows you how to active your pelvic floor muscles. <iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/301767440" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen="" mozallowfullscreen="" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <a href="https://vimeo.com/301767440">How to activate your pelvic floor muscles</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/oversixty">OverSixty.com.au</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>. To see more videos and articles on improving your health and fitness from Taylor Harrison, <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/search.aspx?Keyword=taylor+harrison">click here</a>. Will you be trying out this exercise? Let us know in the comments below.

Caring

How to strengthen your stomach muscles safely

It’s important to strengthen stomach muscles but often exercises like sit-ups can leave people putting an unhealthy strain on their neck or spine. In this video, Taylor Harrison – author, senior’s health expert and Director of <a href="http://www.activeseniors.net.au/">Active Seniors Health Centre</a> – shows you how you can strengthen your stomach muscles in a safe and effective way. <iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/298935142" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen="" mozallowfullscreen="" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> To see more videos and articles on improving your health and fitness from Taylor Harrison, <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/search.aspx?Keyword=taylor+harrison">click here</a>. Will you be trying out this exercise? Let us know in the comments below.

Caring

The stretch to correct your posture

If you spend a lot of time at the computer, at a desk or looking down, chances are that your posture has been impacted. Active Senior’s Taylor Harrison says that the worse your posture is, the worse your balance will be. In this video, Taylor Harrison – author, senior’s health expert and Director of <a href="http://www.activeseniors.net.au/">Active Seniors Health Centre</a> – shows you how to correct your posture against a wall to help improve your balance. <iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/296347369" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen="" mozallowfullscreen="" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <a href="https://vimeo.com/296347369">The stretch to correct your posture</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/oversixty">OverSixty.com.au</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>. To see more videos and articles on improving your health and fitness from Taylor Harrison, <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/search.aspx?Keyword=taylor+harrison">click here</a>. Will you be trying out this exercise? Let us know in the comments below.

Caring

The exercise that will challenge your balance

If you want to enjoy gardening, bushwalking and remain active, it is important to maintain good balance. In this video, Taylor Harrison, author, senior’s health expert and Director of <a href="http://www.activeseniors.net.au/">Active Seniors Health Centre</a>, shares a challenging exercise that will help you to improve your balance. <iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/293874485" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen="" mozallowfullscreen="" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> To see more videos and articles on improving your health and fitness from Taylor Harrison, <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/search.aspx?Keyword=taylor+harrison">click here</a>. How long can you do the exercise for? Let us know in the comments below.

Caring

How to relieve tightness in your chest and shoulders

The front of the shoulders commonly become tight, but this easy stretch will target your muscles – and all you need is a doorway! In this video, Taylor Harrison, author, senior’s health expert and Director of <a href="http://www.activeseniors.net.au/">Active Seniors Health Centre</a>, shares the simple stretch to target tightness in your chest and shoulders. <iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/291443182" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen="" mozallowfullscreen="" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> To see more videos and articles on improving your health and fitness from Taylor, <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/search.aspx?Keyword=taylor+harrison">click here</a>.

Caring

10 unforgettable quotes from George Harrison

Music lovers around the world wept when George Harrison passed away at the age of 58 in 2001 after a battle with cancer. Today, however, on what would have been his 75th birthday, we’re celebrating his life by revisiting some of his wisest quotes and lyrics. Scroll through the gallery above to see them and tell us in the comments below, what’s your favourite song by George Harrison, either solo or as part of the Beatles?

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Lost song featuring The Beatles unearthed

George Harrison’s childhood home goes under the hammer

Indiana Jones 5 crew member reportedly found dead

Meet the British woman tipped to replace Indiana Jones

Would you climb a 47-metre tower for a free car lease? In Norway, you can

Diana’s car up for sale after decades in hiding

How to activate your pelvic floor muscles

How to strengthen your stomach muscles safely

The stretch to correct your posture

The exercise that will challenge your balance

How to relieve tightness in your chest and shoulders

10 unforgettable quotes from George Harrison