Hal Ashby's obsessive genius led to an unprecedented string of Oscar®-winning classics, including Harold and Maude, Shampoo and Being There. But as contemporaries Coppola, Scorsese and Spielberg rose to blockbuster stardom in the 1980s, Ashby's uncompromising nature played out as a cautionary tale of art versus commerce.
Direction
Amy Scott lets Ashby's work speak louder than gossip.
Editing
Brilliant montage of '70s cultural chaos and cinematic gold.
Production
Archive footage so pristine you'll weep for lost film culture.
Director
Amy Scott
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Ashby edited The Thomas Crown Affair and won an Oscar for In the Heat of the Night before directing — he understood rhythm better than almost anyone.
The documentary's release in 2019 coincided with a critical reassessment of Ashby, with Criterion finally releasing his full catalog — timing that feels almost cosmically appropriate.
US
