Hal Ashby is one of those directors that I hold dear to my heart.
Harold and Maude has a permanent place in my “Top Five.” The Last Detail is endlessly watchable, subtle, and heartfelt. Being There is one of the smartest comedies of all time, and perhaps, Peter Sellers finest hour. Coming Home is one of the most honest portraits of Vietnam ever committed to film. And, The Landlord, is an underrated cult masterpiece.
Not to mention, he was an Oscar-winning editor of such films as In the Heat of the Night, The Thomas Crown Affair, and The Russians Are Coming the Russians Are Coming.
Thank the cinema gods that Hal is finally getting his due in a new book, “Being Hal Ashby,” by Nick Dawson. If you’re a fan of great movies, and you’d like to learn about this fascinating Hollywood outsider, pick it up. And if you want to hear more, KCRW’s Elvis Mitchell recently interviewed Dawson on his fantastic show, “The Treatment.”
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Thanks Chris! It’s unfortunate Ashby spent his latter career on the downside of Hollywood doing TV projects and dated 80s movies. This book should do him justice.
P.S. How’s the European vacation?
I love this guy! Thanks for the interview head’s up! I look forward to hearing it.
I didn’t know they had the internets in Europe. huh.
I love Hal Ashby. The book is terrific.
This won’t be cool to people from California. But I grew up in Utah, so it’s bad ass. I grew up in the same town as Hal Ashby. That would be Ogden, Utah. We were several decades apart. But recently I found out my Grandpa in Law, who also grew up in Ogden, was friends with Hal all through their childhood and up through high school.
It’s been interesting talking to him, getting personal stories about an artist I truly look up to.
Matt…that is SUPER COOL to someone from California.
Any Hal Ashby connection is gold in my book.
“Harold and Maude” has a permanent place in my Top Five.