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Filmgroup
The Filmgroup was a production and distribution company founded by filmmakers Roger Corman and Gene Corman in 1959. Corman used it to make and distribute his own movies, as opposed to ones he was making for American International Pictures. (The reason is that AIP required films to be shot using union crews; working on his own, Corman could save money by going non-union.) The company ultimately folded, however, lessons from running the company helped Corman make a success later of New World Pictures. Filmgroup also produced early feature work of Francis Ford Coppola, Peter Bogdanovich, Charles B. Griffith, Curtis Harrington, Jack Hill, Monte Hellman, Robert Towne and Jack Nicholson. History Corman established his own company, Palo Alto Productions, in 1954, which was responsible for his first two movies. Filmgroup came out of a desire for Corman to move into distribution. In February 1959 Filmgroup announced they would release ten films. Their first movies were ''High School Big ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Roger Corman
Roger William Corman (born April 5, 1926) is an American film director, producer, and actor. He has been called "The Pope of Pop Cinema" and is known as a trailblazer in the world of independent film. Many of Corman's films are based on works that have an already-established critical reputation, such as his cycle of low-budget cult films adapted from the tales of Edgar Allan Poe. In 1964, Corman—admired by members of the French New Wave and '' Cahiers du Cinéma''—became the youngest filmmaker to have a retrospective at the Cinémathèque Française, as well as in the British Film Institute and the Museum of Modern Art. He was the co-founder of New World Pictures, the founder of New Concorde and is a longtime member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. In 2009, he was awarded an Honorary Academy Award "for his rich engendering of films and filmmakers". Corman is also famous for distributing in the U.S. many foreign directors, such as Federico Fellini (Ital ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Atlas (1961 Film)
''Atlas'' is a 1961 action-adventure peplum film directed by Roger Corman and starring Michael Forest and Frank Wolff. It was filmed in Greece. Corman called it "my last attempt to do a big picture on a low budget." Writer Charles B. Griffith said "''Atlas'' was a mess. It was a doomed project. " Plot The Greek of Thenis is under siege for three months from the army of Praximedes, the ruler of Seronikos. The two armies agree that the fate of the city will be decided by a battle fought by two men, one champion representing each side. Praximedes and his mistress Candia watch the warrior Atlas defeat an opponent in a fight. They persuade Atlas to be Praximedes' champion using the argument that the combat will save lives, but only on the condition that he will kill no one. Atlas defeats the champion of Thenis in combat and the city is handed to Praximedes. Atlas then realises how villainous Praximedes is and flees the city with Candia, whom he has fallen in love with, and joins ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Wasp Woman
''The Wasp Woman'' (also known as ''The Bee Girl'' and ''Insect Woman'') is a 1959 American independent science-fiction horror film produced and directed by Roger Corman. Filmed in black-and-white, it stars Susan Cabot, Anthony Eisley, Michael Mark, and Barboura Morris. The film was originally released by Filmgroup as a double feature with '' Beast from Haunted Cave''. To pad out the film's running time when it was released to television two years later, a new prologue was added by director Jack Hill. Plot In Hill's prologue, a scientist, Dr. Eric Zinthrop ( Michael Mark), is fired from his job at a honey farm for experimenting with wasps. The founder and owner of a large cosmetics company, Janice Starlin ( Susan Cabot), is disturbed when her firm's sales begin to drop after it becomes apparent to her customer base that she is aging. Zinthrop has been able to extract enzymes from the royal jelly of the queen wasp that can reverse the aging process. Janice agrees to fund ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
T-Bird Gang
''T-Bird Gang'' is a 1959 American film directed by Richard Harbinger in his first and final film. It was co-written by and starring John Brinkley and Tony Miller with Edwin Nelson; all of them had appeared in several of Roger Corman's films. Plot A group of criminals rob a warehouse where they cosh the elderly night watchman. The watchman's ex-G.I. son Frank finds his barely conscious father who soon dies from the injury; his last words being that the group drove a white T-Bird. Frank tracks the gang down with the idea of vengeance, but the police apprehend him and force him into getting his revenge by infiltrating the gang of robbin' hoods. Production Shot in 1958 under the title of ''Cry Out in Vengeance'', it was released by executive producer Roger Corman as a double feature with ''High School Big Shot'' as the first release of his Filmgroup company. Corman financed the film.Ed. J. Philip di Franco, ''The Movie World of Roger Corman'', Chelsea House Publishers, 1979 p 1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
High School Big Shot
''High School Big Shot'' is a 1959 film starring Tom Pittman (actor), Tom Pittman as Marv Grant, a smart high school student whose plans for getting a college scholarship are threatened by his alcoholic father played by Malcolm Atterbury, and his relationship with the most popular girl in school. The plot is remarkably similar to that of Stanley Kubrick's ''The Killing (film), The Killing'', released only three years prior. Filmed in 1958 under the title ''Blood Money'', it was released by executive producer Roger Corman as a double feature with ''T-Bird Gang'' in his first Filmgroup release. ''High School Big Shot'' was featured on an episode of the comedy series ''Mystery Science Theater 3000''. Plot Marv Grant is a high school student who lives with his deadbeat, alcoholic father. At school he begins dating the attractive Betty Alexander (Virginia Aldridge), who eventually manipulates him into writing her English class term paper for her. Marv does this, but the subterfuge is e ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Beast From Haunted Cave
''Beast from Haunted Cave'' is a 1959 horror/ heist film directed by Monte Hellman and starring Michael Forest, Frank Wolff and Richard Sinatra. It was produced by Gene Corman, Roger Corman's brother. Filmed in South Dakota at the same time as '' Ski Troop Attack'', it tells the story of bank robbers fleeing in the snow who run afoul of a giant spider-like monster that feeds on humans. The film was released as a double feature with ''The Wasp Woman'' (1959). The movie began an association between Roger Corman and Monte Hellman that lasted for fifteen years. Hellman would work on several of Corman's films and he would finance several movies that Hellman would direct. Plot A group of criminals, led by the ruthless Alexander Ward, hatch a plan to steal gold bars from a bank vault in Deadwood, South Dakota. Ward sends one of his henchmen, Marty Jones, to set an explosion in a nearby gold mine; the detonation will act as a diversion for their heist. Although Marty, accompanied by ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Creature From The Haunted Sea
''Creature from the Haunted Sea'' is a 1961 horror comedy film directed by Roger Corman. Written by Charles B. Griffith, the film is a parody of spy, gangster, and monster movies (mostly ''Creature from the Black Lagoon''), concerning a secret agent, XK150 (played by Robert Towne under the pseudonym Edward Wain), who goes under the code name "Sparks Moran" in order to infiltrate a criminal gang led by Renzo Capetto (Antony Carbone), who is trying to transport an exiled Cuban general with an entourage and a large portion of the Cuban treasury out of Cuba. Filmgroup released the film as a double feature with ''Devil's Partner''. Plot During the Cuban Revolution, deported American gambler and racketeer Renzo Capetto (Anthony Carbone) comes up with a get-rich-quick scheme and uses his yacht to help a group of loyalists headed by General Tostada (Edmundo Rivera Alvarez) escape with Cuba's national treasury, which they plan to use to stage a counterrevolution. American secret agent X ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Battle Of Blood Island
''Battle of Blood Island'' is a 1960 American World War II war film filmed in Puerto Rico and directed by Joel Rapp. It was based on the 1958 short story ''Expect the Vandals'' by Philip Roth.Derek Royal, 'The Blood before the Stain: An Interview with Joel Rapp', ''Philip Roth Studies'' 2.1 (2006): 3-11. accessed 15 June 2012 released the film, as a with '' [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Wild Ride
''The Wild Ride'' is a 1960 American film directed by Harvey Berman and starring Jack Nicholson as a rebellious punk named Johnny, of the Beat generation, who spends his days as an amateur dirt track driver in between partying and troublemaking. It was released by Filmgroup as a double feature with ''The Girl in Lovers Lane''.The film has become part of the public domain and is considered by some to be a cult classic. Plot A rebellious punk of the beat generation spends his days as an amateur dirt track driver in between partying and troublemaking. He eventually kills a police officer, kidnaps his buddy's girlfriend, and sees his friend's life end in tragedy. Re-cut version In 1999, ''The Wild Ride'' was re-edited with new footage that makes the original film a long flashback sequence. Running 88 minutes and titled ''Velocity'', the new scenes feature Jack Nicholson impersonator Joe Richards playing an older version of the character originally played by Nicholson, as well ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
High School Caesar
''High School Caesar'' is a 1960 American film directed by O'Dale Ireland. Matt Stevens ( John Ashley) as the "guy with the power" at his high school but everyone despises him. He isn't, after all, known for his fairness and generosity. The tables are turned, however, when his fellow students resent his power and show him up at a drag race.HIGH SCHOOL CAESAR Monthly Film Bulletin; London Vol. 28, Iss. 324, (Jan 1, 1961): 81. Filmgroup released the film as a double feature with '' Date Bait''. Plot Movie opens with Matt Stevens and his leather-jacket gang looking over a boy they just beat up for failing to pay his protection money. Matt is running for class president of Wilson High School and he tears down his opponents campaign sign. He wins the election by fixing the results. He announces that there will be more dances but they will each pay 25¢ collected by class treasurer Crickett who idolizes Matt. They will buy a Boxer dog, the school's mascot. Matt charges for sch ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ski Troop Attack
''Ski Troop Attack'' is a 1960 American war film directed by Roger Corman and starring Michael Forest, Frank Wolff, Richard Sinatra, and Wally Campo. Filmgroup released the film as a double feature with ''Battle of Blood Island'' (1960). Joe Bob Briggs called it "the best movie ever made in Deadwood, South Dakota." Premise In 1944, five American soldiers led by Lt. Factor are skiing on a reconnaissance mission behind enemy lines in Germany's Hürtgen Forest during World War II. The film starts with a fight between the Americans and Germans which has been ordered by Sgt Potter, to the annoyance of Lt Factor, who wants the patrol to be reconnaissance only. The next morning the troops see a large German unit with tanks. Factor radios back the information and discover the Allies are under attack. The patrol runs into some Germans and a fight ensues in which an American is killed. The group finds a cabin, and order a young woman, Ilse to cook for them. She tries to poison the men ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Girl In Lovers Lane
''The Girl in Lovers' Lane'' is a 1960 American film directed by Charles R. Rondeau following the adventures of two drifters who get involved with the residents of the little town of Sherman. The working title of the film was ''The Young and the Damned''. It was released by Filmgroup as a double feature with ''The Wild Ride''. Plot summary Danny is a young adult from a wealthy family. He runs away from home because his parents are divorcing. Hopping into a railroad boxcar, Danny meets Bix Dugan, a long-time drifter who agrees to mentor Danny. Danny's naivete leads him to a variety of precarious situations from which Bix must extract him. Stopping in small town, Danny and Bix get jobs in a diner. Bix becomes romantically involved with the waitress Carrie and re-examines his lifestyle. This earns him the ire of Jesse, a troubled character in the town who is fixated on Carrie. In a fit of jealousy, Jesse assaults Carrie, but Bix is accused of her subsequent death. Carrie's father Ca ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
