DAILY STAR
By Jessica Brown/Published 27th August 2013
IT can’t be often Leonardo DiCaprio has to explain to folk who he is.
But when he met Downton Abbey actor Hugh Bonneville at a New York bash, the Titanic star, 38, had to get out pictures of himself with director Martin Scorsese.
Hugh, 49, revealed: “I shook hands with this younger guy at a party. This pipsqueak then started showing off pictures of him and Martin.
“I later asked my friend who the guy was and he said: ‘You did not realise it was Leonardo DiCaprio?’”
“George Harrison: Living in the Material World,” the Martin Scorsese documentary that profiled the human and spiritual sides of the former Beatle, was nominated in six categories in “The 64th Primetime Emmy Awards” it was announced this morning.
The program, which first aired on HBO last year, was nominated for “Outstanding Nonfiction Special,” “Outstanding Cinematography For Nonfiction Programming,” “Outstanding Directing For Nonfiction Programming,” “Outstanding Picture Editing For Nonfiction Programming,” “Outstanding Sound Editing For Nonfiction Programming (Single or Multi-Camera)” and “Outstanding Sound Mixing For Nonfiction Programming.”
Even the acid-tongued Dowager Countess would find little fault with Elizabeth McGovern’s Cannes attire. The actress, who plays Lady Cora Crawley on Downton Abbey, feted the remastered version of Once Upon a Time in America in an ivory certified-organic silk gown by Gucci, which funded the 1984 film’s restoration with Martin Scorsese’s Film Foundation.
A two-time veteran of Livia Firth’s Green Carpet Challenge—she’s worn outfits by Henrietta Ludgate to both the Royal Television Awards in 2011 and a Golden Globes party earlier this year—McGovern was squired by none other than Firth herself, who played counterpoint in a Gothic black version with an open back and neck ruffle.
George Harrison: Living in the Material World won the Best Documentary Feature, and director Martin Scorsese was chosen as the Music and Film honouree at MTV Critic's Choice awards on Thursday, 12th January. Bob Dylan paid tribute to Scorsese with a performance of 'Blind Willie McTell', a song featured in his famous The Blues documentary, while Leonardo DiCaprio and Olivia Harrison presented the director with the prestigious awards.
'Marty, it's no wonder musicians and composers revere you, because you illustrate the timeless power of their art. May you continue to influence and inspire, educate filmmakers and film lovers with your extraordinary knowledge and appreciation of music.' - Olivia Harrison
As well as his award winning 2011 George Harrison biopic, Scorsese has made documentaries on The Rolling Stones, Shine a Light, and Bob Dylan, No Direction Home, together with a magnitude of critically acclaimed movies including new release, Hugo.
'Before anything for me, there was music and conversation, and for me they were both the same thing'
DGA feature documentary noms also include "Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory," "The Interrupters," "Project Nim" and "Bill Cunningham New York."
Martin Scorsese, who is nominated by the Directors Guild of America for his feature Hugo, has also received a nomination in the DGA's feature documentary category for George Harrison: Living in the Material World.
Scorsese's nomination for his documentary about musician Harrsion is his 10th DGA nom. He is a previoius winner for best feature in 2006 for The Departed and dramatic TV for Boardwalk Empire. It is the third nomination for Berlinger and Sinofsky, who won in the category for in 1992 for Brother's Keeper and also were nominated for Paradise Lost, the first film in their current trilogy. It is also the third nom for James, who won in the doc category in 1994 for Hoop Dreams. It is the second nomination for Marsh and a first-time nomination for Press.
The 64th annual DGA Awards, hosted by Kelsey Grammer, will be held Jan. 28 at the Grand Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland.
The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary for 2011 are (in alphabetical order):
Everyone from Sony and The Weinstein Co. to Paramount and Warner Bros./InStyle will be celebrating, and THR's created a guide to the award show's pre, during and after-parties.
Both the beauty and the madness of the Golden Globe after-parties is there are between 4,000 and 5,000 guests shuttling around the Beverly Hilton to the six fiestas on multiple levels being thrown around the hotel. Intimate and quiet it is not. “There’s too many parties,” says Jackie Collins. “You always feel you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time.” On the other hand, what’s wrong with an excess of riches? Globe night offers that rare mixing of the TV and film tribes; the annual struggle by the BevHilton to come up with reasonable quality of food for an unreasonable amount of people (mass produced sushi has become the staple); plus a chance to use texting and Twitter for the use God intended: determining when each party is hitting it’s peak.
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Here are some of the events happening during the week and on the night of the Globes:
The Weinstein Co. – at the Chateau Marmont. They’ve got the strongest roster of award contenders (The Artist, My Week With Marilyn, Iron Lady), plus Harvey Weinstein has always been a big believer in parties as an integral part of an award campaign.
People's Choice Awards – at the Nokia Theater. This is primarily for the fans. It draws a decent mix of film, music and televisions stars. It airs live on CBS. Not an event execs usually attend. There’re no after-parties.
The Broadcast Film Critics Association’s Critics' Choice Awards -- at the Palladium. This is now established as a major event with a strong turnout of both execs and stars. It hasn’t spawned any major after-parties yet, but that should develop in the next few years.
Friday, Jan. 13
Paramount Pictures – on the lot. This is the studio’s Globe party that topper Brad Gray hosts. They don’t have one on the night-of. The big draws will be Martin Scorsese (Hugo) and Steven Spielberg (The Adventures ofTin Tin.)
Rosa Loy Art Opening Private Dinner – at the Michael Kohn Gallery. The Gagosian gallery has been doing this for years during Oscars week. Now the Kohn Gallery is doing it for Globes week: have a big opening dinner while all the heavy hitters are in town for an awards night. Mike Ovitz is said to be making a rare appearance, as is Will Kopelman, who is now Drew Barrymore's fiance.
Vanity Fair – at Cecconi's. This is for DreamWorks’ The Help and War Horse. The party is put on by the magazine's advertising side, so it doesn’t have the same cache – or guestlist -- as its Oscar party.
BAFTA
W Magazine – at Chateau Marmont. This is the fashion magazine's annual pre-Globes party. It ties in with their Best Performances issue. Emphasis is on stars with a fashion sense; not as big with execs.
American Film Institute's AFI Awards -- at the Four Seasons. This is the luncheon at which the AFI presents the certificates for best creative ensembles of 2011 in film and TV. It's a relatively small, but classy event.
BAFTA Tea – at the Four Seasons Hotel. This is the organization’s annual Award Season Tea Party. Obviously, it’s a big event for Brit nominess. Relatively low-key with a guest list that highlights how many UK workers there are in Hollywood.
Green Carpet Challenge – Brunch at the SoHo house for the environmental group Colin Firth and his wife, Livia, support.
Spirit Award Brunch – BOA Steakhouse. It’s for the nominees at the Film Independent Spirit Awards, which is held Feb. 25. Grants will be made to filmmakers.
Sunday, Jan. 15 (After the Globes) The Weinstein Co. -- This should be a hot party, held in the former Trader Vic's. Harvey’s got a strong list of nominees and has the best shot at having reason to celebrate.
Warner Bros.InStyle – In a tent set near the conference area, this is always a lavishly done party. It probably has the largest budget of any of the after-parties. The star guest list goes out to the Warner nominees (Ryan Gosling and Leonardo DiCaprio top the list) and to actors who have a relationship with the magazine.
Sony – In the 8th floor Stardust Room. This includes Sony Classics, which has 10 nominations and a good shot to win with A Separation for Best Foreign Film. The parent studio’s big film is Moneyball. This can be the most problematic space for a party (taking elevators and the shape of the room) but if they win, as the studio did last year with Social Network, none of that matters.
HBO – Poolside. The cable company has used this outdoor space for years and it works perfectly for them. Plus they have a loyal group of stars who always come here first. Steve Buscemi, Laura Dern and Paul Giamatti are some of them, with the big draw being Martin Scorsese (Boardwalk Empire) who talent love to meet.
NBC Universal – Held on the garage roof, the party's big draw is Bridesmaids, which looks strong in the Film Comedy/Musical category. Also the NBC side has Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin. This is also a viewing party.
Fox – Celebrating Fox Broadcasting (Glee), 20th Television (Modern Family, Homeland) and Fox Searchlight (six film noms), the party is set in a tent adjacent to the former May Co. The downside is it’s a ways to walk to. The upside is the catering can be done by someone other than the Hilton, which can add some variety to the night’s dining.
CAA – the agency has a major guestlist of nominees and many of them want to get out of the Hilton as soon as the award show is over, so they'll escape to the Sunset Tower. This is as much of a safe haven as it is a post-party.
The first recipient of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts' Fellowship, "awarded in recognition of outstanding achievement in the art forms of the moving image," was director Alfred Hitchcock in 1971. Dozens of film, television, and assorted media personalities have become BAFTA Fellows since then, though the pattern here — as most elsewhere — is that achievements by men are deemed much more important than those by women. [Full list of BAFTA Fellowship recipients.]
The only woman to become a BAFTA Fellow in the Fellowship's first 25 years was television producer Grace Wyndham Goldie, a pioneer of Current Affairs programs on the BBC. Since then, that quite short list has gone on to include actresses Vanessa Redgrave, Julie Christie, Maggie Smith, Elizabeth Taylor, and Judi Dench; actress and sometime director Jeanne Moreau; editor Anne V. Coates; and actresses/writers Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders (whose latest Absolutely Fabulous episodes can be found online).
Also of lesser importance to the British Academy are achievements by those outside either the United Kingdom or Hollywood. Exceptions to this particular rule — all but one from Continental Europe — include the aforementioned actress/director Jeanne Moreau, French oceanographer/documentary filmmaker Jacques Cousteau, Japanese Nintendo video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, and the following filmmakers: Andrzej Wajda (Poland), Federico Fellini (Italy), Ingmar Bergman (Sweden), and Abel Gance and Louis Malle (France).
Also of note is that comedians Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise (1999) and Stanley Kubrick (2000) received their Fellowship after they were already dead. Steven Spielberg, on the other hand, got his Fellowship in 1986 — after being in the business for less than two decades. Spielberg, in fact, became a BAFTA Fellow before the likes of Federico Fellini, Ingmar Bergman, Alec Guinness, and Billy Wilder — who began his film career in the late 1920s.
It's also worth pointing out that in order for someone to be named a Fellow for his/her film achievements, it helps to either have a movie out or one about to come out. In 1986, Steven Spielberg had The Color Purple, his first "real" drama (i.e., not featuring sharks, high-speed chases, or outer-space creatures); 1978 Fellow Fred Zinnemann had Julia; 1982 Fellow Andrzej Wajda had Man of Iron (and the Solidarity Movement going on); 1989 Fellow Alec Guinness had Little Dorritt; 2001 Fellow Albert Finney had Erin Brockovich; and 2012 Fellow Martin Scorsese has Hugo. Even Alfred Hitchcock had Frenzy coming out in 1972, the year after he became a Fellow
Martin Scorsese has won critical acclaim for his latest movie, Hugo
Director Martin Scorsese is to be honoured with the British Academy fellowship at the Bafta Film Awards ceremony next month.
The annual award is Bafta's highest accolade and was bestowed to actor Christopher Lee last year.
Bafta chair Tim Corrie called Scorsese "a legend in his lifetime, a true inspiration to all young directors".
The film-maker will collect his accolade at the Bafta Awards in London on 12 February.
Scorsese, whose latest movie Hugo has been applauded by the critics, said: "It is a great honour to be recognized by the British Academy and to join the ranks of such an esteemed group of industry colleagues and friends."
Previous recipients from the discipline of film-making to gain the award include Steven Spielberg, Alfred Hitchcock and Stanley Kubrick.
Scorsese's film career spans six decades, with work including Taxi Driver, Gangs of New York and The Aviator.
He has picked up nine Bafta nominations for directing, winning in 1991 for Goodfellas.
The film-maker, 69, picked up a string of Oscar nods during a long wait to finally win best director for The Departed in 2007.
In 1990,he founded The Film Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to film preservation.
Previous honorary accolades for his life's work have included a Cesar in France, a life achievement from the American Film Institute in 1997 and recognition from the Director's Guild of America in 2003.
Scorsese's most recent film Hugo marks his first foray into 3D movie-making in the family film genre.
It has been an excellent year for British film, with the big screen playing host to some intriguing debuts from new directors and writers as well as giving some of the country’s finest new actors a chance to shine.
Just over a year since the disbanding of the UK Film Council it is gratifying that the foundation remains for new talent to find its way to an eager public and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts are a key component in the encouragement, nurturing and celebration of this talent.
Though best known for their awards the range of work BAFTA does encompasses all levels of Film, Television and Video Game production and with these industries growing, and arguably with technological advancements making it easier to get started, the next year looks to be better than ever.
If you’ve not already done so do check out the excellent online resource from BAFTA, the BAFTA Guru site, for some excellent video interviews with directors, screenwriters and actors as well as a huge amount of handy information about the work they do and how you can get involved.
If you find yourself staring at a list of resolutions this time tomorrow and top of the list is to get that screenplay finished, or really, actually, for real this time, get that film project off the ground make the Guru site a port of call.
Here’s a short video of the work BAFTA did in 2011 and, providing the Mayans and Roland Emmerich are wrong, 2012 should be a fine year for British cinema. Happy New Year all.
Asa Butterfield as the eponymous 'crafty Dickensian orphan' in Hugo.
The families we most associate with Martin Scorsese are the five criminal ones that make up the mafia in the United States, and both they and Scorsese's films deal in violence involving pain and death. His new film, however, aims to entrance every member of every family, and it centres on the great art form that over the past century became the great family entertainment: the cinema. A dramatic pursuit many see as essentially violent and once described by the art theorist Herbert Read as "a chisel of light cutting into the reality of objects", it is created with a demand for "Action!" and ends with the order "Cut!". Based on The Invention of Hugo Cabret, a beautiful book, half graphic novel, half prose tale, by Brian Selznick, the movie is a delightful fable. Its various subjects include magic, tradition, respect for the past and affection between generations, all bound up in the history of the cinema and the machinery invented to capture images on strips of film and project them on screens.
Hugo
Production year: 2011
Countries: France, USA
Cert (UK): U
Runtime: 126 mins
Directors: Martin Scorsese
Cast: Asa Butterfield, Ben Kingsley, Chloe Grace Moretz, Chloe Moretz, Christopher Lee, Emily Mortimer, Frances de la Tour, Helen McCrory, Jude Law, Ray Winstone, Richard Griffiths, Sacha Baron Cohen, Sir Ben Kingsley
Hugo is set in Paris in 1931 and begins with a breathtaking shot of the city, as the camera swoops down on to a busy railway station. It flies along a narrow platform between two steam trains, crosses a busy concourse and ends up on the 12-year-old Hugo, who is peering at the world from behind the figure "4" of a giant clock. Hugo (Asa Butterfield) has inherited a love of tinkering with machinery from his late father, and has quite recently taken over the job of superintending the station's clocks from his drunken uncle. The boy lives in the hidden tunnels and passageways of the building, where he's repairing a 19th-century automaton. He's a crafty Dickensian orphan, a benign phantom of the opera, a blood brother of Quasimodo, a cinematic voyeur looking out on the world like the photographer in Hitchcock's Rear Window. Fate has brought him there, and it then draws him into the orbit of a querulous old man, Georges (Ben Kingsley), who runs an old-fashioned shop on the station selling toys and doing mechanical repairs, assisted by his 12-year-old god-daughter, Isabelle. Hugo becomes involved with the old man when he's accused of theft and has a cherished book of drawings confiscated. He is then assisted by Isabelle in retrieving the book, and in turn, when he discovers she's forbidden to go to the movies, he takes her on a great "adventure", a visit to the lost world of silent movies at a season of old films. She is overwhelmed.
Hugo is a moving, funny and exhilarating film, an imaginative history lesson in the form of a detective story. The film is a great defence of the cinema as a dream world, a complementary, countervailing, transformative force to the brutalising reality we see all around us. It rejects the sneers of those intellectuals and moralisers who see in film a debilitating escapism of the sort the social anthropologist Hortense Powdermaker impugned by calling her study of the movie industry Hollywood: The Dream Factory. As a commentary on this, Hugo at one point has a double dream, waking from one into the other, both of them forms of nightmares connected to the cinema.
Appropriately for a medium initially launched in France (where it is still taken more seriously than anywhere else) but developed almost simultaneously in a variety of countries, Hugo is an international movie with a wonderfully gifted team behind it. The photographer (Robert Richardson), editor (Thelma Schoonmaker) and screenwriter (John Logan) are American, the production designer (Dante Ferretti) Italian, the costume designer (Sandy Powell) and the cast British (except for the delightful young American Chloë Grace Moretz as Isabelle), and it was made in this country.
For the first time in recent years, this year’s holiday movie season may end up offering more high quality films than those released during the summer.
This winter, both major franchise and independent films will be competing against each other in the last month of 2011. December is the month that typically sees the most Oscar contenders released, as studios want their films to be fresh on the minds of the Academy Award voters for the final stretch of the year.
Several major filmmakers have pictures coming out this winter, most notably Martin Scorsese, David Fincher and Steven Spielberg. Scorsese’s family film “Hugo” is already in theaters, and has received favorable reception from critics. Spielberg has not one, but two films coming out around Christmas.
Here are five films that should be well worth a trip to the theater for this winter.
The Adventures of Tintin
Spielberg’s first directed film to be released this winter is “The Adventures of Tintin,” which will be released on Dec. 21. After Spielberg’s “Raiders of the Lost Ark” hit theaters in 1981, a critic compared the film to the European “Tintin” comic strips. Spielberg’s work has come full circle, as early reviews for “Tintin” are calling it Spielberg’s most exciting film since “Raiders.”
“The Adventures of Tintin” is a major collaboration between Spielberg and producer Peter Jackson (“The Lord of the Rings” trilogy). The film follows the young titular reporter Tintin and his globe-trotting adventure in search of a lost treasure. “Tintin” is Spielberg’s first directed animated film, as it was filmed using motion capture and has an animated style akin to “The Polar Express” and “Beowulf.” Spielberg and Jackson foresee this as the first film in a trilogy, where Jackson would direct the second and the third as a possible co-direction between the two masterful filmmakers. “Tintin” should offer relentless action that will be sheer entertainment for all ages.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
A Swedish adaptation of the “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” was made in 2009, and was considered a success from loyal fans of the best-selling novel. Producer Scott Rudin was smart enough to know there could still be a major market for an American remake, and brought on the brilliant David Fincher (“Fight Club,” “The Social Network”) to direct.
The trailers for “Dragon Tattoo” have been loud, fast paced and visually arresting. Fincher is one of the best active directors in creating an uncomfortable mood for a film, and it certainly appears he has done it again with “Dragon Tattoo.” The tagline “The feel bad movie of Christmas” says everything potential audience members need to know – the film will be violent and disturbing, but will be one heck of a ride. “Dragon Tattoo” will be released on the same day as “Tintin,” Dec. 21.
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
The first two installments of the “Mission: Impossible” franchise were perfect examples of style over substance. Both films were sporadic and filled with over-the-top action without a sense of story.
“Mission: Impossible III,” however, took a different approach than the first two films. Director J.J. Abrams (“Lost,” “Star Trek”) firmly believes that a film or television series is nothing without strong characters. He made the third film more about these interesting characters than about the gadgetry and explosions. While Abrams is not directing the fourth installment, “Ghost Protocol,” he supervised over the script writing process and remained on as an executive producer.
Brad Bird (“The Incredibles,” “Ratatouille”) is making his live-action directorial debut with “Ghost Protocol.” Like Abrams, Bird likes to focus his stories on the characters. His animated features were outstanding technical feats, but are most memorable due to their emotional impact and intelligent narratives. The look and cast of this new film are both impressive, and “Ghost Protocol” has a good chance of being the action hit of the winter. “Ghost Protocol” gets a theatrical release on Dec. 21 as well, but can be seen on IMAX screens on Dec. 16. Those who see the film in IMAX will be privileged with the special treat of seeing the opening sequence to next summer’s highly anticipated “The Dark Knight Rises.”
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
The British production “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” may be a key player at the Oscars this year, like “The King’s Speech” in 2010. Adapted from the novel by the same name, the film version looks to be an intense political thriller akin to Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Conversation.” With an outstanding cast led by Gary Oldman, Oscar-winner Colin Firth, John Hurt and Tom Hardy, “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” will be sure to feature memorable performances. Based on the novel, the film will likely be a thought-provoking story that will reflect contemporary political issues. “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” will arrive to theaters on Dec. 9.
War Horse
Steven Spielberg has used the phrase “one for them and one for me” in years where he has directed two films. He first accomplished this feat in 1993 with the release of “Jurassic Park” and “Schindler’s List.” “Jurassic Park” wowed audiences and was a blockbuster smash, while “Schindler’s List” represented the maturity in Spielberg as a filmmaker as he offered one of the most impressive cinematic feats in history with the harrowing tale set during the Holocaust. The “one for them” is a crowd pleaser and the “one for me” is a film Spielberg has a deep personal connection with that he wishes to present on screen.
“The Adventures of Tintin” is the 2011 version of the “one for them” and “War Horse” is the one for Spielberg. Set in the backdrop of World War I, “War Horse” follows a young boy and his horse as they survive in the war torn European theater. The cinematography of this film seen in the trailers looks beautiful, with wide shots of the European landscape and the countless soldiers spread throughout. “War Horse” can be seen on the big screen beginning on Christmas day.
Episode 1. Arena: George Harrison - Living in the Material World
Radio Times
Review by:
Terry Payne
George Harrison was the Quiet Beatle. Posthumously, and poignantly, he finds his voice. Director Martin Scorsese has pieced together a cinematic love letter to Harrison. And, boy, can you feel the love. The surviving Beatles, his two wives and countless friends all form a respectful queue paying tribute in this two-part TV premiere of the recently released film. It’s not, though, a symphony of sycophancy.
Their memories – spliced together with archive interviews, evocative home-movie film and some captivating early Beatles studio footage – are preserved, you sense, by the deep affection they clearly felt for him. But it’s the music – oh what joyous, uplifting music – that provides the stitching in this immaculately crafted tapestry. The moment you hear the opening drumline to Something or the jaunty acoustic intro to Hear Comes the Sun, you realise you’re in the company of genius. The Quiet Beatle is silent no longer.
About this programme
Part one of two. Martin Scorsese documentary tracing Harrison's early life in Liverpool, the Beatles' first gigs in Hamburg, the advent of Beatlemania, his psychedelic phase and his increasing fascination with Indian culture, both musical and spiritual. Featuring contributions from fellow group members Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, John Lennon's widow Yoko Ono, producers George Martin and Phil Spector, and musician Eric Clapton. Concludes tomorrow.
Thursday, October 13, 2011; Posted: 05:10 AM - by BWW News Desk
DGA President Taylor Hackford today announced the host and presenters for the eighth Directors Guild of America Honors, to be held at the DGA Theater in New York City today and followed by an after-party at Nobu 57.
Comedian, actor, talk-show host and author Richard Belzer will serve as the event's Master of Ceremonies. Belzer returns for his thirteenth season as Detective John Munch on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, after first portraying Munch on NBC's critically acclaimed drama series Homicide: Life on the Street for seven years. He previously hosted DGA Honors in 2002, 2003 and 2008.
DGA Honors celebrates individuals and institutions that have made distinguished contributions to American culture through the world of film and television. The membership of the DGA, other top entertainment industry professionals, and union, government and business leadership from across the nation are expected to attend.
The lineup of presenters for the Directors Guild of America's 2011 DGA Honors ceremony have been announced. Richard Belzer will host the event which will be held on Thursday, October 13 at DGA Theater in New York City.
Meryl Streep is scheduled to present the DGA Honor to screenwriter and director Nora Ephron. Other presenters will include Taylor Hackford, Helen Mirren, Jay D. Roth, Steven Soderbergh and Martin Scorsese.
By the time he was 21 years old, George Harrison — along with John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr — had conquered the pop world. Within a few years, when the so-called “Summer of Love” swept over the world, the Beatles had invaded Western consciousness to a degree unmatched before or since. In June 1967, the Beatles released their legendary Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album to worldwide acclaim. As author Langdon Winner remarked: “The closest Western Civilization has come to unity since the Congress of Vienna in 1815 was the week the Sgt. Pepper album was released.”
However, while the world was captivated with the Beatles, the foursome was less enchanted with life in the fishbowl. George, the so-called “quiet one,” was so bothered by the trappings of fame that he began to disentangle himself from the group. In fact, in later years George seemed determined to leave his Beatle past in the past.
George’s nonchalant attitude about his near-mythic experiences as a Beatle was indicative of his overall approach to life. “He had karma to work out,” his wife Olivia said of George. “He wasn’t going to come back and be bad. He was going to be good and bad and loving and angry and everything all at once. You know, if someone said to you, ‘Okay, you can go through your life and you can have everything in five lifetimes, or you can have a really intense one and have it in one, and then you can go and be liberated,’ he would have said, ‘Give me the one, I’m not coming back.’”
Olivia Harrison’s fascinating book George Harrison: Living in the Material World (Abrams, 2011), published in conjunction with Martin Scorcese’s two-part HBO documentary, takes readers on a visual and archival journey of Harrison’s life pattern. Drawing from Harrison’s own photographs, letters, diaries, and memorabilia, Olivia traces George’s life arc from his boyhood in Liverpool through the Beatle years to his discovery of and eventual conversion to Hinduism, his later interest in film producing and as an independent musician, and finally his years as a recluse and avid gardener.
With quotes from Paul McCartney, Ravi Shankar, Eric Clapton and others, Harrison’s intriguing sojourn in the material world is laid bare before our eyes, revealing a complex character who confronted the reality of a world gone mad.
Harrison’s influence as a great musician is equaled only by his spiritual influence, which extended to his band members. It is difficult to imagine Lennon’s “Across the Universe” or “Instant Karma” or McCartney’s “Let It Be” without George Harrison. Even Ringo was impacted. “Over the years, I got to love the music myself and now I’m a Christian Hindu with Buddhist tendencies,” says Starr. “Thanks to George, who opened my eyes as much as anyone else’s.” And as Olivia Harrison recognizes in her book, George not only made great music but music with an amazing, uplifting spiritual message.
Besides writing such great songs as “Something” (which Frank Sinatra called the greatest love song ever written), Harrison wanted to teach his listeners about the truths of eastern spirituality. From “Within You Without You” (which forms the center of the Sgt. Pepper’s album) to “Rising Sun,” George knew something most of us didn’t and still don’t: there is a reality beyond the material world and what we do here and how we treat others affects us eternally. As Harrison explains, we can choose to do good or bad, but our present state of being in this world is controlled by such choices.
George Harrison was 58 when he died from cancer on November 29, 2001. While he blamed his life-long cigarette addiction for his early demise, he was obviously traumatized by a knife attack in late 1999 from an intruder in his home who believed he was on a “mission from God” to kill George. Although Olivia fended off the assailant by striking him repeatedly with a fireplace poker and a lamp, Harrison suffered seven stab wounds and a punctured lung.
Against all odds, George Harrison survived long enough to give us hope and preach love and peace on Earth. Harrison, the Liverpool kid who survived Hitler’s blitzkrieg and the pressures of celebrity as a Beatle and found comfort in spirituality, left an amazing legacy. In the end, Harrison knew that a life lived well and with purpose can overcome the pain and travails of this world.
