Innocence (Not) Lost on Anyone

Getting to know more about Austin you find out not only is he a devoted cinephile but a fan of several directors. One of them is Hal Ashby, is best remember by many for his movie, the cult classic, Harold and Maude. Ashby went on to do other remarkable movies during his short career with a later start as a director at age 40, after many successful years as exceptional film editor. He not only did Harold and Maude, but directed, The Landlord, The Last Detail, Shampoo, Bound For Glory, Coming Home, and Being There. He had a streak of films in the 1970's that rivaled his contemporaries, Francis Ford Coppola and Robert Altman.

Ashby's films showed a remarkable visual sense of black humor and irony, a consistency of theme and characterization, and an innovative use of music and editing. There is so much to focus on Ashby with topics on his editing and ironic use of music for future discussions. But there is one theme of many that surfaces in Ashby's films, and probably is the predominate one, the one that I think speaks to Austin.

Ashby's quintessential protagonist is an innocent man-child, who is influenced by free-spirited individuals to overcome the tyranny of a domineering parent figure and break away to gain from life's experience. It is evident in The Landlord, Harold and Maude, and Being There. In his film, Shampoo, we see a twist to the innocent in Warren Beatty's character George Roundy and in Coming Home, Ashby's critical best film, we see the innocence of a wife who has no idea of what is happening in Vietnam. But it is through meeting people and that all his characters find a way to new experience, a new life. When Austin got a role like John, you can see how Austin immediately gravitate to toward the role and went to one of his favorite directors for inspiration.

That break away to gain life experiences is not just on screen either it seems to touch different parts of Austin's life as well. Who's to say, maybe his somewhat love for the 70's came some what out of watching Ashby. Think he appreciates how Ashby created scenes with music as much with acting, often working in poetic irony to each other.

But the one thing that still predominates is Ashby's films are a call for joy and a cry for the triumph of life's experience over innocence. If that isn't the Austin we've seen what is? And that's not to say his journey is over by a long shot.