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IMDbPro

Hal

  • 20182018
  • 1h 30m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
584
YOUR RATING
Hal Ashby in Hal (2018)
Although Hal Ashby directed a remarkable string of acclaimed, widely admired classics throughout the 1970s - HAROLD AND MAUDE, THE LAST DETAIL, SHAMPOO, COMING HOME, BEING THERE - he is often overlooked amid the crowd of luminaries from his generation. Amy Scott's exuberant portrait explores that curious oversight, using rare archival materials, interviews, personal letters, and audio recordings to reveal a passionate, obsessive artist. Ashby was a Hollywood director who constantly clashed with Hollywood, but also a unique soul with an unprecedented insight into the human condition and an unmatched capacity for good. His films were an elusive blend of honesty, irreverence, humor, and humanity. Through the heartrending and inspiring HAL, you feel buoyed by Ashby's love of people and of cinema, a little like walking on water.
Play trailer2:40
1 Video
11 Photos
  • Documentary
  • Biography
Hal Ashby's obsessive genius led to an unprecedented string of Oscar®-winning classics, including Harold and Maude (1971), Shampoo and Being There. But as contemporaries Francis Ford Coppola... Read allHal Ashby's obsessive genius led to an unprecedented string of Oscar®-winning classics, including Harold and Maude (1971), Shampoo and Being There. But as contemporaries Francis Ford Coppola, Scorsese and Spielberg rose to blockbuster stardom in the 1980s, Ashby's uncompromising ... Read allHal Ashby's obsessive genius led to an unprecedented string of Oscar®-winning classics, including Harold and Maude (1971), Shampoo and Being There. But as contemporaries Francis Ford 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.
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
584
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Amy Scott
  • Stars
    • Allison Anders
    • Judd Apatow
    • Rosanna Arquette
Top credits
  • Director
    • Amy Scott
  • Stars
    • Allison Anders
    • Judd Apatow
    • Rosanna Arquette
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 5User reviews
    • 29Critic reviews
    • 72Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 6 nominations

    Videos1

    Hal - Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:40
    Hal - Official Trailer

    Photos11

    Amy Scott in Hal (2018)
    Hal Ashby in Hal (2018)
    Hal Ashby in Hal (2018)
    Hal Ashby in Hal (2018)
    Hal (2018)
    Hal (2018)
    Shark Pig Producer Brian Morrow on the set of Hal
    Shark Pig Producer Brian Morrow shooting 16mm recreation footage on Hal
    Shark Pig Producer Brian Morrow with Louis Gossett Jr. on the set of Hal
    Shark Pig Producer Brian Morrow with Haskell Wexler on the set of Hal

    Top cast

    Edit
    Allison Anders
    Allison Anders
    • Selfas Self
    Judd Apatow
    Judd Apatow
    • Selfas Self
    Rosanna Arquette
    Rosanna Arquette
    • Selfas Self
    Hal Ashby
    Hal Ashby
    • Selfas Self
    • (archive footage)
    Lauren Bacall
    Lauren Bacall
    • Selfas Self
    • (archive footage)
    Warren Beatty
    Warren Beatty
    • Selfas Self
    • (archive footage)
    Tony Bill
    Tony Bill
    • Selfas Self
    Beau Bridges
    Beau Bridges
    • Selfas Self
    Jeff Bridges
    Jeff Bridges
    • Selfas Self
    Lisa Cholodenko
    Lisa Cholodenko
    • Selfas Self
    Bud Cort
    Bud Cort
    • Selfas Self
    • (archive footage)
    Nick Dawson
    • Selfas Self
    Bruce Dern
    Bruce Dern
    • Selfas Self
    • (archive footage)
    Caleb Deschanel
    Caleb Deschanel
    • Selfas Self
    Edith Evans
    Edith Evans
    • Selfas Self
    • (archive footage)
    Pablo Ferro
    Pablo Ferro
    • Selfas Self
    Jane Fonda
    Jane Fonda
    • Selfas Self
    Ben Foster
    Ben Foster
    • Hal Ashbyas Hal Ashby
    • (voice)
    • Director
      • Amy Scott
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Connections
      Features The Landlord (1970)

    User reviews5

    Review
    Top review
    It's not the computer but one of the best '70's directors and in film history.
    In the golden age of American films of the '70's, Hal Ashby was a director with nine outstanding character-driven, socially-conscious successes including Harold and Maude, The Last Detail, Being There, Coming Home, and Shampoo. (And that all happened after his acclaimed as an editor in the '60's with Oscar for In the Heat of the Night). Because I took my daughter, Thea, to see Harold and Maude, she claims its influence in directing her to writing and editing scripts because of its warmth and anarchic humor.

    The latter characterizes the independent and roguish subject of an inspiring doc by accomplished editor Amy Scott. It's as complete a biography of Ashby as could be hoped for emphasizing his creativity and zeal accompanying his recurring battles with suits who promised full support until they saw his wild conceptions and raw language.

    Insight into his outsized work and personality is shared by his long-time cinematographer Haskell Wexler; his frequent editing collaborator, Robert Jones; and devoted stars such as Jeff Bridges, Jane Fonda, Jon Voight, and Warren Beatty. Powerful testimony from Judd Apatow and Alexander Payne, among others, confirms that Hal was film royalty. They all say he inspired them as artists.

    His personal life was complicated by his five marriages (he loved women and consistently smoking weed. While the latter calmed down his raging passion for film, the former provided the drama he apparently needed to survive off his dramatic sets.

    The documentary Hal itself reflects the surreal inclinations and dark wit of its subject (see Being There for parallels to current politics and Harold and Maude for endearing eccentricity). The doc doesn't overwhelm the audience with idolatry for Ashby because its apparent purpose is to give an honest accounting about one of the best directors in Hollywood history, about whom the general audience knows little.

    Here's your chance to learn more and get an insight into filmmaking at the same time. Very few documentaries are as complete, respectful, and critical as Hal
    helpful•5
    0
    • jdesando
    • Sep 29, 2018

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 7, 2018 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official movie site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Regissören Hal Ashby
    • Production companies
      • Cartoon Network
      • Saboteur Media
      • Shark Pig
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $48,698
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $5,150
      • Sep 9, 2018
    • Gross worldwide
      • $49,045
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 30 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.78 : 1

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