‘I think it was used very skillfully’
Harrison Ford has defended the use of de-aging technology in flashback sequences in the latest entry in the Indiana Jones franchise.
The 80-year-old is subjected to controversial technology in the opening sequence of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Robert DeNiro and Samuel L. Jackson also aged in The Irishman and Captain Marvel, respectively, which led to discussion about whether older actors should be playing younger versions of themselves.
“The technology has developed to the point that it looks very realistic to me and I know that’s my face,” Ford said in an interview at the Cannes Film Festival.
“It’s not some kind of Photoshop magic, 35 years ago that’s how I looked because Lucasfilm has every frame of the movie that we’ve made together all these years. And this process, this scientific mining of this library to be done [use],
The technique has come under a lot of criticism since it gained prominence in Hollywood in the past decade. Many viewers refer to the uncanny and disturbing nature of the effects, which, while impressive, do not seem to replicate the real thing in a believable way.
The discussion has also been linked to the rise of AI generated content in recent years.
Ford continued, “It’s just a ploy unless it’s backed up by a story and if it’s not honest, it’s not real… I mean, emotionally real. And so I think That it was used very efficiently.
The actor also seems fine with his actual aging process, “I don’t look back and say, ‘I wish I was that guy again,’ because I don’t. I’m really happy to age. I don’t want to grow old.” It was great to be young, but I could be dead, and I’m still working.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny First Reaction
Debuting at Cannes this week, Indiana Jones 5 received a five-minute standing ovation. That may seem like a lot, but in ear terms it’s fairly monotonous.
Even more boring are the first reviews. The adventure flick currently has a lukewarm 52% at Rotten Tomatoes based on 29 reviews.
James Mangold takes the helm for the fifth installment, which sees Steven Spielberg stepping away from directing duties for the first time since the original entry in 1981.
When Ford was asked if this was the last time he would be wearing the famous fedora, the actor responded with a laugh and said, “Isn’t it obvious? I need to sit down and get some rest. I love working, and I love this character, and I love what it brought to my life, and that’s all I can say.
Don’t worry Harrison, de-aging can take over from here.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny will hit theaters on June 30, 2023.
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