Hal

Hal is a 2018 documentary film dedicated to the life, craft, and legacy of the one of the greatest American filmmakers of his generation, Hal Ashby (1929–1988). Directed and produced by Amy Scott, the film extensively utilizes archival footage, photos, correspondences, and interviews to paint a detailed portrait of Ashby, recounting his significant influence on the Golden Age of Hollywood and digging deep into his personality, eccentricities, and his unwavering commitment to an ethical, compassionate view of humanity.

Set against the backdrop of late 1960s to 1970s Hollywood, the docudrama shines a staunch spotlight on Ashby, notably known for his films like "Being There," "Harold and Maude," and "Shampoo"; works which subtly intertwined humor and politics, compassion and cynicism. Despite being lesser known than his contemporaries such as Coppola, Scorsese, and Spielberg, Ashby was a unique creative force—an influential director with a distinctive cinematic style, a rebellious streak, and a compelling humanist vision.

The documentary builds an expansive narrative around Ashby’s spirited journey in Hollywood, enriched by a plethora of archival materials and interview segments featuring notable industry personalities. We hear from Ashby himself as well, through audiotapes and personal letters read by actor Ben Foster. Personal anecdotes, memories, and reflections from industry veterans like Norman Jewison, Haskell Wexler, Robert Towne, Jane Fonda, and Rosanna Arquette, among others, help in painting an intimate picture of Ashby the innovator, Ashby the iconoclast, and Ashby the human.

Hal delves into Ashby’s humble childhood in Utah, his early beginnings as an editor, the rise to the zenith of his creative prowess, and the subsequent slide due to a collision with studio systems and personal troubles. Ashby began his career as an editor, most notably for Norman Jewison, with whom he formed a long-lasting professional camaraderie. As an acclaimed editor, he won an Oscar for In the Heat of the Night (1967).

His transition into filmmaking bore the stamp of his innovation and fearlessness, embracing themes that were thought-provoking and challenging. He was a counter-culture auteur, weaving narratives around sharp satires, radical politics, ideological struggles, dark humor, and beautiful oddball characters. At the same time, the film does not shy away from exploring his personal battles—his issues with drug use and the detrimental effect that his strained relations with Hollywood studios had on his career.

In many ways, Hal is not just a eulogy for a departed filmmaker—it is also a meditation on the liberating, tenacious spirit of 1970s American cinema. The film is an education on Ashby's singularly empathetic and realistic cinematic universe where he seamlessly blended the personal, the political, and the social. It’s also an exploration of his profound engagement with his times, his immersive working style, his meticulous attention to detail, his creativity, and the resilience with which he navigated the shifting landscapes of Hollywood.

The film also highlights Ashby’s deeply humanistic value system, reflected in his engagement with anti-war sentiments, the civil rights movement, and his chronicles of sexual politics and counterculture. His films often championed the outsiders, the oddballs, the marginalized—a value system that was not only ahead of its time but continues to resonate today.

Hal is a love letter to Ashby, embodying his spirit, his ethos, and his craft. Amidst sequences of testimonials and biographical elements, the documentary caters to both movie enthusiasts familiar with his work and newcomers who might not have previously been exposed to his genius.

At its heart, the film is a tribute to a visionary filmmaker, known for his ability to create films with a compelling mix of humor, humanity, and a fearlessly rebellious spirit. Hal not only serves as a retrospective examination of a complex, gifted filmmaker’s exemplary body of work, but it also shines a light on wholehearted, uncompromising creativity that pushed the boundaries of conventional cinema. In this winning and affectionate portrait, Amy Scott invites us to appreciate the genius and the artistry of one of the true mavericks of American cinema—Hal Ashby.