Hal Ashby‘s name is among the most respected names of Hollywood, including Francis Coppola, Martin Scorsese, and Steven Spielberg. However, Ashby is the unsung hero, whose compassionate and funny humanist dramas and gentle approach to directing endeared him to everyone he worked with.

Amy Scott‘s new documentary, “Hal,” tells the story of how Hal Ashby inspired Hollywood.

Continue reading ‘Hal’: Adam McKay & Others Talk The Changing Industry In The ’80s In This Exclusive Clip From Hal Ashby Doc at The Playlist.

The 1970s was a watershed decade for young directors that would come to define the artistic medium for the next forty years. Whether one is looking at the “New Hollywood” crop (Coppola, Spielberg, Scorsese, Lucas), or the auteurs (Altman, Allen, Lumet, Friedkin), it’s hard to overstate just how profound a shift took place at this time. One director has arguably overshadowed them all, however, both via his output during this period and in the influence he cast upon a generation of filmmakers to follow.

Continue reading New Hal Ashby Doc Treads on ‘Hal’-lowed Ground [Review] at The Playlist.

A challenging film is not inherently interesting or, you know, enjoyable. On this episode of Adjust Your Tracking, Joe and I dig deep into our beloved 1970s-era cinema, but we find out the hard way that not all auteurs of the era made one blazing masterpiece after another. We use this realization, and the episode that follows, as a way to check our own, often misplaced and highly curated nostalgia for the movies of that time.

Continue reading ’70s Cinema Flashback: ‘The Last Movie’, Dennis Hopper & Hal Ashby [AYT Podcast] at The Playlist.

When talking to filmmakers and aspiring filmmakers about who influences and inspires them you often hear the same well-known names being thrown around, names such as Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, and Christopher Nolan. However, among the glorified names of Hollywood, there is one unsung hero who’s compassionate and funny humanist dramas and his gentle approach to directing endeared him to everyone he worked with— Hal Ashby.

Ashby loved filmmaking and throughout his time in Hollywood wore the hats of director, writer, producer, and editor; the last of which earned him an Academy Award for Best Film Editing for the 1967 film “In the Heat of the Night.”

READ MORE: The Essentials: The Films Of Hal Ashby

Despite his love of the craft, his three Oscar nominations (one win), and a string of well-received and successful films, Ashby flew under the radar for most of his career, at least from the mainstream, and it still baffles the people who admire and have worked with him why he hasn’t received the attention he deserves. 

Continue reading ‘Hal’ Trailer: Acclaimed, Influential Filmmaker Hal Ashby Is Remembered In Fascinating New Doc at The Playlist.