Hollywood tension over art and commerce highlighted by 'Hal'

"Hal," a documentary about Ashby directed by Amy Scott, basically wonders why the director isn't a bigger name given the cinematic legacy he left behind. In addition to "Being There" -- a 1979 movie about politics, media and mythmaking, starring Peter Sellers, which has been hailed for its prescience -- he directed the anti-Vietnam war drama "Coming Home," "The Last Detail" and "Shampoo."

Ashby's career, however, foundered after that run of classics, a situation that friends attribute in part to the fact that he had "problems with authority." That included frequent clashes with studio executives, as Ashby hit a fallow period before dying of pancreatic cancer 30 years ago, at the age of 59.

What comes through in "Hal" is that the kind of movies Ashby excelled at making were a challenge to get made even then, and face more formidable hurdles -- certainly in terms of earning a wide theatrical release -- given the priorities today of the major studios, where character-driven films have taken a back seat to the pursuit of global hits.

Norman Jewison, who directed "In the Heat of the Night" (which Ashby edited before embarking on his own directing career), recalls telling his protégé, "The studio is not your friend. The studio is the enemy of the artist. Because the studio is only interested in money." Beyond those who worked with Ashby, contemporary filmmakers who weigh in on his career include Judd Apatow, Lisa Cholodenko, Alexander Payne and David O. Russell.

In some respects, the central theme of "Hal" in considering questions about the balance between art and commerce has been revisited on several fronts. Recent conversations surrounding those issues range from the decision to create an Oscar category honoring "popular film" -- after a string of art-house-type winners -- to actor/director Ethan Hawke generated headlines by appearing to deride the emphasis on superhero movies, at least compared to higher-minded fare. (Responding to criticism, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences scrubbed those plans, at least temporarily.)

In an interview, Hawke talked about being urged to see the Wolverine sequel "Logan," having been told that it was a great movie. Hawke characterized the film as "a fine superhero movie" but not a great film, adding, "There's a difference, but big business doesn't think there's a difference. Big business wants you to think that this is a great film because they wanna make money off of it."

The modern blockbuster, notably, made its debut toward the end of Ashby's heyday in the 1970s, as the success of "Jaws" and "Star Wars" ushered in an age of heightened box-office expectations, particularly during the summer.

Obviously, movies of the sort that Ashby championed still get made, with more platforms to showcase them -- including streaming services -- than ever before. But the question of whether movies can pursue high art while satisfying the demands of big business still lingers, as does the perception among many filmmakers that the studios, if not necessarily their enemies, aren't their friends.

"Hal" opens in limited release in New York on Sept. 7, Los Angeles on Sept. 14 and additional cities thereafter.

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