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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 Edgar Allan Poe (; Edgar Poe; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic. Poe is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre. He is wid ...
. In 1964, Corman—admired by members of the
French New Wave French New Wave (french: La Nouvelle Vague) is a French art film movement that emerged in the late 1950s. The movement was characterized by its rejection of traditional filmmaking conventions in favor of experimentation and a spirit of iconocla ...
and ''
Cahiers du Cinéma ''Cahiers du Cinéma'' (, ) is a French film magazine co-founded in 1951 by André Bazin, Jacques Doniol-Valcroze, and Joseph-Marie Lo Duca.Itzkoff, Dave (9 February 2009''Cahiers Du Cinéma Will Continue to Publish''The New York TimesMacnab ...
''—became the youngest filmmaker to have a retrospective at the Cinémathèque Française, as well as in the
British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves film-making and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...
and the
Museum of Modern Art The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It plays a major role in developing and collecting modern art, and is often identified as one of t ...
. He was the co-founder of
New World Pictures New World Pictures (also known as New World Entertainment and New World Communications Group, Inc.) was an American independent production, distribution, and (in its final years as an autonomous entity) multimedia company. It was founded in 19 ...
, the founder of New Concorde and is a longtime member of the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS, often pronounced ; also known as simply the Academy or the Motion Picture Academy) is a professional honorary organization with the stated goal of advancing the arts and sciences of motion ...
. In 2009, he was awarded an
Honorary Academy Award The Academy Honorary Award – instituted in 1950 for the 23rd Academy Awards (previously called the Special Award, which was first presented at the 1st Academy Awards in 1929) – is given annually by the Board of Governors of the Academy of M ...
"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 Federico Fellini (; 20 January 1920 – 31 October 1993) was an Italian film director and screenwriter known for his distinctive style, which blends fantasy and baroque images with earthiness. He is recognized as one of the greatest and most ...
(Italy),
Ingmar Bergman Ernst Ingmar Bergman (14 July 1918 – 30 July 2007) was a Swedish film director, screenwriter, producer and playwright. Widely considered one of the greatest and most influential filmmakers of all time, his films are known as "profoun ...
(Sweden),
François Truffaut François Roland Truffaut ( , ; ; 6 February 1932 – 21 October 1984) was a French film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film critic. He is widely regarded as one of the founders of the French New Wave. After a career of more th ...
(France) and
Akira Kurosawa was a Japanese filmmaker and painter who directed thirty films in a career spanning over five decades. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema. Kurosawa displayed a bold, dyna ...
(Japan). He mentored and gave a start to many young film directors such as
Francis Ford Coppola Francis Ford Coppola (; ; born April 7, 1939) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is considered one of the major figures of the New Hollywood filmmaking movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Coppola is the recipient of five ...
,
Ron Howard Ronald William Howard (born March 1, 1954) is an American director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. He first came to prominence as a child actor, guest-starring in several television series, including an episode of '' The Twilight Zone''. ...
,
Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November 17, 1942) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. Scorsese emerged as one of the major figures of the New Hollywood era. He is the recipient of many major accolades, incl ...
,
Jonathan Demme Robert Jonathan Demme ( ; February 22, 1944 – April 26, 2017) was an American filmmaker. Beginning his career under B-movie producer Roger Corman, Demme made his directorial debut with the 1974 women-in-prison film '' Caged Heat'', befo ...
,
Peter Bogdanovich Peter Bogdanovich (July 30, 1939 – January 6, 2022) was an American director, writer, actor, producer, critic, and film historian. One of the " New Hollywood" directors, Bogdanovich started as a film journalist until he was hired to work on ...
,
Joe Dante Joseph James Dante Jr. (; born November 28, 1946) is an American film director, producer, editor and actor. His films—notably '' Gremlins'' (1984) alongside its sequel, '' Gremlins 2: The New Batch'' (1990)—often mix 1950s-style B movies with ...
, John Sayles, and
James Cameron James Francis Cameron (born August 16, 1954) is a Canadian filmmaker. A major figure in the post- New Hollywood era, he is considered one of the industry's most innovative filmmakers, regularly pushing the boundaries of cinematic capability ...
, and was highly influential in the New Hollywood filmmaking movement of the 1960s and 1970s. He also helped to launch the careers of actors like
Peter Fonda Peter Henry Fonda (February 23, 1940 – August 16, 2019) was an American actor. He was the son of Henry Fonda, younger brother of Jane Fonda, and father of Bridget Fonda. He was a prominent figure in the counterculture of the 1960s. Fond ...
, Jack Nicholson,
Dennis Hopper Dennis Lee Hopper (May 17, 1936 – May 29, 2010) was an American actor, filmmaker and photographer. He attended the Actors Studio, made his first television appearance in 1954, and soon after appeared in '' Giant'' (1956). In the next ten year ...
,
Bruce Dern Bruce MacLeish Dern (born June 4, 1936) is an American actor. He has often played supporting villainous characters of unstable natures. He has received several accolades, including the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor and the Silver ...
,
Sylvester Stallone Sylvester Enzio Stallone (; born Michael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone, ) is an American actor and filmmaker. After his beginnings as a struggling actor for a number of years upon arriving to New York City in 1969 and later Hollywood in 1974, h ...
,
Diane Ladd Diane Ladd is an American actress. She has appeared in over 120 film and television roles. For the 1974 film ''Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore'', she won the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role and was nominated for the Academy A ...
, and
William Shatner William Shatner (born March 22, 1931) is a Canadian actor. In a career spanning seven decades, he is best known for his portrayal of James T. Kirk in the ''Star Trek'' franchise, from his 1965 debut as the captain of the starship ''Enterpris ...
. Corman has occasionally taken minor acting roles in the films of directors who started with him, including '' The Silence of the Lambs'', '' The Godfather Part II'', ''
Apollo 13 Apollo 13 (April 1117, 1970) was the seventh crewed mission in the Apollo space program and the third meant to land on the Moon. The craft was launched from Kennedy Space Center on April 11, 1970, but the lunar landing was aborted aft ...
'', '' The Manchurian Candidate'', and ''
Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...
''. A documentary about Corman's life and career entitled '' Corman's World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel'', directed by Alex Stapleton, premiered at the
Sundance A Sun Dance is a Native American ceremony. Sun dance or Sundance may also refer to: Places ;Canada * Sundance, Calgary, Alberta, a neighbourhood * Sundance, Manitoba, a ghost town ;United States * Sundance, New Mexico, a census-designated pla ...
and
Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films ...
s in 2011. The film's TV rights were picked up by A&E IndieFilms after a well-received screening at Sundance.


Early life

Corman was born in Detroit, Michigan, the son of Anne (née High) and William Corman, an engineer. His younger brother,
Gene In biology, the word gene (from , ; "...Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''generation'' or ''birth'' or ''gender'') can have several different meanings. The Mendelian gene is a b ...
, produced numerous films, sometimes in collaboration with Roger. Corman and his brother were raised Catholic. Corman went to Beverly Hills High School and then to
Stanford University Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is conside ...
to study industrial engineering. While at Stanford, Corman realized he did not want to be an engineer. He enlisted in the
V-12 Navy College Training Program The V-12 Navy College Training Program was designed to supplement the force of commissioned officers in the United States Navy during World War II. Between July 1, 1943, and June 30, 1946, more than 125,000 participants were enrolled in 131 colleg ...
with six months of study to complete. After serving in the
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
from 1944 to 1946, he returned to Stanford to finish his degree, receiving a Bachelor of Science in
industrial engineering Industrial engineering is an engineering profession that is concerned with the optimization of complex processes, systems, or organizations by developing, improving and implementing integrated systems of people, money, knowledge, information an ...
in 1947."The Award of a Lifetime for Roger Corman"
''Stanford Alumni Magazine'', January/February 2010.
While at Stanford University, Corman was initiated in the fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon. In 1948, he worked briefly at U.S. Electrical Motors on
Slauson Avenue Slauson Avenue is a major east–west thoroughfare traversing the central part of Los Angeles County, California. It was named for the land developer and Los Angeles Board of Education member J. S. Slauson. It passes through Culver City, Lad ...
in Los Angeles, but his career in engineering lasted only four days; he began work on Monday and quit on Thursday, telling his boss "I've made a terrible mistake." Gene Corman was already working in the film industry as an agent, and Roger decided to go into filmmaking instead.


Early film career

Corman found work at
20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Disn ...
initially in the mail room. He worked his way up to a story reader. The one property that he liked the most and provided ideas for was filmed as ''
The Gunfighter ''The Gunfighter'' is a 1950 American Western film directed by Henry King and starring Gregory Peck, Helen Westcott, Millard Mitchell and Karl Malden. It was written by screenwriters William Bowers and William Sellers, with an uncredited rewri ...
'' with
Gregory Peck Eldred Gregory Peck (April 5, 1916 – June 12, 2003) was an American actor and one of the most popular film stars from the 1940s to the 1970s. In 1999, the American Film Institute named Peck the 12th-greatest male star of Classic Hollywood ...
. When Corman received no credit at all, he left Fox and decided he would work in film by himself. Under the G.I. Bill, Corman studied English literature at
Oxford University Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
and lived in Paris for a time. He then returned to Los Angeles and tried to re-establish himself in the film industry. He took various jobs, including television stagehand at KLAC and a messenger at Fox. He worked as an assistant to agent Dick Hyland, a literary agent.


''Highway Dragnet''

Corman wrote a script in his spare time and sold it to
William F. Broidy William F. Broidy (1915–1959) was an American film and television producer. Early life William F. Broidy was born on April 12, 1915, in Chelsea, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston. He had a brother, Steve Broidy, who later became the head of Al ...
at Allied Artists for $2,000. "Dick thought it was funny and let me pay myself a commission," said Corman. Originally called ''House in the Sea'', it was retitled '' Highway Dragnet'' (1953) and starred Richard Conte and
Joan Bennett Joan Geraldine Bennett (February 27, 1910 – December 7, 1990) was an American stage, film, and television actress. She came from a show-business family, one of three acting sisters. Beginning her career on the stage, Bennett appeared in more t ...
. Corman also worked as associate producer on the film for nothing, just for the experience.


Producer

Corman used his script fee and personal contacts to raise $12,000 to produce his first feature, a science-fiction film, '' Monster from the Ocean Floor'' (1954). It was produced by Corman's own company, Palo Alto, and released by
Robert L. Lippert Robert Lenard Lippert (March 31, 1909 – November 16, 1976) was an American film producer and cinema chain owner. He was president and chief operating officer of Lippert Theatres, Affiliated Theatres and Transcontinental Theatres, all based in ...
. The film did well enough to encourage Corman to produce another film, the racing-car thriller ''
The Fast and the Furious ''Fast & Furious'' (also known as ''The Fast and the Furious'') is a media franchise centered on a series of action films that are largely concerned with street racing, heists, spies, and family. The franchise also includes short films, ...
'' (1955), directed by its star, John Ireland, and co-starring Dorothy Malone. Decades later, producer Neal H. Moritz and
Universal Pictures Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Americ ...
licensed the title for the 2001 franchise-launching film, ''The Fast and the Furious''. Moritz had difficulty choosing between proposed titles ''Racer X'', ''Redline'', ''Race Wars'', and ''Street Wars'', and was inspired by a documentary on American International Pictures that included Corman's film. Moritz was able to trade the use of some stock footage to Corman for use of the title. Corman sold the movie to a new independent company, the American Releasing Company (ARC), run by
James H. Nicholson James Harvey Nicholson (September 14, 1916 – December 10, 1972) was an American film producer. He is best known as the co-founder, with Samuel Z. Arkoff, of American International Pictures. Early life Nicholson was born on September 14, 1 ...
and Samuel Z. Arkoff. Although Corman had a number of offers for the film from Republic and Columbia, he elected to go with ARC because they undertook to advance money to enable him to make two more movies.


Director

Corman's second film for ARC was one he decided to direct, '' Five Guns West'' (1955), a Western, made in color for around $60,000, with Malone and John Lund. The script was written by
Robert Wright Campbell Robert Wright Campbell (June 9, 1927–September 21, 2000), often credited as R. Wright Campbell or Robert Campbell, was an American screenwriter, author and occasional actor. He was the brother of actor William Campbell and brother in law o ...
, who worked with Corman on several more occasions. Corman announced he would make four more projects for ARC: ''High Steel'', ''Cobra'', ''Fortress Beneath the Sea'', and an untitled film from Campbell. Instead, Corman did some uncredited directing on ''
The Beast with a Million Eyes ''The Beast with a Million Eyes'' (a.k.a. ''The Unseen'') is a 1955 independently made American black-and-white science fiction film, produced and directed by David Kramarsky, that stars Paul Birch, Lorna Thayer, and Dona Cole. Some film sources ...
'' (1955), then made another Western, '' Apache Woman'' (1955), starring Lloyd Bridges, written by
Lou Rusoff Lou Rusoff (August 3, 1911 – June 29, 1963) was a Canadian-born screenwriter and producer best known for his work with American International Pictures. He was brother-in-law to Sam Arkoff and was the screenwriter for many of Roger Corman's f ...
. Rusoff and Corman reunited on '' Day the World Ended'' (1955), a postapocalyptic science-fiction film, which was popular. Corman was to make ''The Devil on Horseback'' by
Charles B. Griffith Charles Byron Griffith (September 23, 1930 – September 28, 2007) was an American screenwriter, actor and film director, son of Donna Dameral, radio star of ''Myrt and Marge'', along with Charles' grandmother, Myrtle Vail, and was best know ...
about the Brownsville Raid, but it was too expensive. The
Woolner Brothers The Woolner Brothers were an American film releasing company formed in 1955, made up of Lawrence (April 22, 1912 – July 21, 1985), Bernard (June 9, 1910 – February 21, 1977), and David Woolner. History After US Army service in World ...
, Louisiana drive-in owners, financed Corman's '' Swamp Women'' (1956), a girls-on-the-lam saga. He returned to ARC for two Westerns, ''
The Oklahoma Woman ''The Oklahoma Woman'' is a 1956 American Western film directed by Roger Corman. Plot The film involves the return of Steve Ward, a former gunslinger recently released from federal prison, to his hometown to claim a ranch he has inherited. Up ...
'' (1956) and ''
Gunslinger Gunfighters, also called gunslingers (), or in the 19th and early 20th centuries gunmen, were individuals in the American Old West who gained a reputation of being dangerous with a gun and participated in gunfights and shootouts. Today, the t ...
'' (1956) (with Ireland); ''Gunslinger'' was co-written by Griffith, who became a crucial collaborator with Corman over the next five years. He bought a script from Curtis Harrington, ''The Girl from Beneath the Sea''. Harrington made it for Corman years later as '' Night Tide'' (1961).


American International Pictures and Allied Artists

ARC changed its name to American International Pictures. Corman was established as their leading filmmaker. They financed Corman's next film as director, the science-fiction story '' It Conquered the World'' (1956). Co-written by Griffith, it was a follow-up to ''The Day the World Ended''. It was a big hit. He optioned a TV play ''The Stake'' and hoped to get Dana Andrews to star. It was never made. Instead,
Walter Mirisch Walter Mortimer Mirisch (born November 8, 1921) is an American film producer. He is president and executive head of production of The Mirisch Corporation, an independent film production company, which he formed in 1957 with his brother Marvin ...
of Allied Artists hired Corman to make '' The Undead'' (1957), inspired by ''
The Search for Bridey Murphy ''The Search for Bridey Murphy'' is a 1956 American drama film directed by Noel Langley and starring Teresa Wright, Louis Hayward and Nancy Gates, based on the best-selling book by Morey Bernstein.Indick p.172 It is inspired by the story of Ameri ...
''. Griffith wrote the script. In June, Corman made a science-fiction film for Allied Artists, '' Not of this Earth'' (1957), written by Griffith. In August 1956, AIP financed a Corman heist movie shot in Hawaii, ''
Naked Paradise ''Naked Paradise'' (sometimes credited as ''Thunder Over Hawaii'') is a 1957 drama film directed by Roger Corman. It stars Richard Denning and Beverly Garland. Corman later asked Charles Griffith, who worked on the script, to reuse his screenplay ...
'' (1957), co-written by Griffith. Corman shot it back-to-back with a movie made with his own money, ''
She Gods of Shark Reef ''She Gods of Shark Reef'' is a 1958 B-adventure film directed by Roger Corman that was partially filmed on location in Kaua'i back to back with '' Thunder over Hawaii'' in 1956. The film was distributed in 1958 by American International Pictures ...
'' (1958) – Corman wound up selling the movie to AIP. Corman and Griffith reunited in '' Attack of the Crab Monsters'' (1957) for Allied, which wound up being one of his most successful early films. For his own production company, Corman made a rock-and-roll "quickle", ''
Carnival Rock ''Carnival Rock'' is a 1957 film directed by Roger Corman with musical performances by The Platters, David Houston, Bob Luman and His Shadows, and the Blockbusters. Plot A nightclub owner, Christopher 'Christy' Cristakos, falls in love with the ...
'' (1957), released by Howco. ''
Rock All Night ''Rock All Night'' is a 1957 crime drama film produced and directed by Roger Corman. Distributed by American International Pictures, it is based on a 25-minute television episode of '' The Jane Wyman Show'' from 1955 called "The Little Guy." It s ...
'' (1957) was a heist film written by Griffith expanded from a TV play, "The Little Guy", with musical acts inserted. He was meant to make ''Rock'n'Roll Girl'' for AIP in December 1957. In April 1957, Corman announced he would try to make two films back-to-back from then on to save costs. Corman made two "teen girl noirs", ''
Teenage Doll ''Teenage Doll'' is a 1957 film noir directed by Roger Corman, starring June Kenney and John Brinkley. It was financed by Lawrence Woolner, who had previously made ''Swamp Women'' with Corman. One writer called it Corman's "most impressive teen f ...
'' (1957) for the
Woolner Brothers The Woolner Brothers were an American film releasing company formed in 1955, made up of Lawrence (April 22, 1912 – July 21, 1985), Bernard (June 9, 1910 – February 21, 1977), and David Woolner. History After US Army service in World ...
and ''
Sorority Girl ''Sorority Girl'' (also known as ''Sorority House'' or ''The Bad One'') is a 1957 film noir exploitation film directed by Roger Corman. It stars Susan Cabot as Sabra, a sociopath who plays a very disruptive role in a sorority, with Barboura Mo ...
'' (1957), starring
Susan Cabot Susan Cabot (born Harriet Pearl Shapiro; July 9, 1927 – December 10, 1986) was an American film, stage, and television actress. She rose to prominence for her roles in a variety of Western films, including '' Tomahawk'' (1951), ''The Duel at Si ...
for AIP. For AIP, he made ''
The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent ''The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent'' (also known as ''The Viking Women and the Sea Serpent'') is a 1958 American action-adventure horror film directed by Roger Corman. It stars Abby Dalton, Susa ...
'' (1957), shot in August 1957. He was meant to follow this with ''Teenage Jungle'' by Tony Miller. The success of ''Not of this Earth'' and ''Crab Monsters'' led to Allied offering Corman a four-picture deal for 1958.


''Machine Gun Kelly'' and producing

Corman received his first serious critical praise for '' Machine-Gun Kelly'' (1958), an AIP biopic of the famous gangster, which gave
Charles Bronson Charles Bronson (born Charles Dennis Buchinsky; November 3, 1921 – August 30, 2003) was an American actor. Known for his "granite features and brawny physique," he gained international fame for his starring roles in action, Western, and wa ...
his first leading role and co-starred Cabot. Campbell wrote the script. Also for AIP, he did '' Teenage Caveman'' (1958), with Robert Vaughn, originally titled ''Prehistoric World''. He helped produce two films for Allied Artists, both from scripts by
Leo Gordon Leo Vincent Gordon (December 2, 1922 – December 26, 2000) was an American character actor and screenwriter. During more than 40 years in film and television he was most frequently cast as a supporting actor playing brutish bad guys but oc ...
: '' Hot Car Girl'' (1958), directed by
Bernard Kowalski Bernard Louis Kowalski (August 2, 1929 – October 26, 2007) was an American film and television director of Polish descent, nominated for two Primetime Emmys. Selected filmography * ''Frontier'' (1956) Season 1, Episode 19 ''The Assassin'' ...
and produced by his brother Gene (the first film they made together) from a script by Gordon; and '' The Cry Baby Killer'' (1958), which gave Jack Nicholson his first starring role. He had his biggest budget yet for '' I Mobster'' (1958), a gangster story, co-produced by
Edward L. Alperson Edward Lee Alperson (November 13, 1895 - July 3, 1969) was an American film producer who started Grand National Films Inc. and later released his productions through 20th Century Fox. He was the father of Edward L. Alperson Jr. (April 3, 1925 � ...
and Corman's brother Gene for 20th Century Fox. In September 1958, he was reported as scouting locations in Australia to do a remake of
H. Rider Haggard Sir Henry Rider Haggard (; 22 June 1856 – 14 May 1925) was an English writer of adventure fiction romances set in exotic locations, predominantly Africa, and a pioneer of the lost world literary genre. He was also involved in land reform t ...
's ''
She She most commonly refers to: *She (pronoun), the third person singular, feminine, nominative case pronoun in modern English. She or S.H.E. may also refer to: Literature and films *'' She: A History of Adventure'', an 1887 novel by H. Rider Hagga ...
''. ''
War of the Satellites ''War of the Satellites'' is a 1958 independently made American black-and-white science fiction film drama, produced and directed by Roger Corman, and starring Richard Devon, Dick Miller and Susan Cabot. It was distributed in the U.S. and the U. ...
'' (1958) was conceived and shot in record time to take advantage of the Sputnik launch; it was his first collaboration with art director
Daniel Haller Daniel Haller (born September 14, 1929) is an American film and television director, production designer, and art director. Life and career Haller was born in Glendale, California on September 14, 1929. He studied at the Chouinard Art Institu ...
. Corman also produced, but did not direct, '' Stakeout on Dope Street'' (1958), directed by Irvin Kershner, ''
Night of the Blood Beast ''Night of the Blood Beast'' is a 1958 American science-fiction horror film about a team of scientists who are stalked by an alien creature, which implants its embryos in an astronaut's body during a space flight. Produced by exploitation filmmak ...
'' (1958), directed by Kowalski for AIP, using leftover costumes from ''Teenage Caveman'', and '' Crime and Punishment U.S.A.'' (1959), directed by Dennis Sanders with George Hamilton in his first lead role.


The Filmgroup

In January 1959, Corman announced he would be moving into distribution. In 1959, Corman founded The Filmgroup with his brother Gene, a company producing or releasing low-budget black-and-white films as
double feature The double feature is a motion picture industry phenomenon in which theatres would exhibit two films for the price of one, supplanting an earlier format in which one feature film and various short subject reels would be shown. Opera use Opera h ...
s for drive-ins and action houses. In February 1959, Filmgroup announced they would release 10 films. Their first movies were '' High School Big Shot'' (1959) and ''
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. P ...
'' (1959) produced by Stanley Bickman. For AIP, Corman and Griffith made a black comedy, '' A Bucket of Blood'' (1959). Corman announced he would follow it with a similar comedy, ''The Bloodshot Private Eye''. It does not seem to have been made. Instead, Griffith reused the same script structure and Corman employed many of the same cast in '' The Little Shop of Horrors'' (1960). This film was reputedly shot in two days and one night. For Filmgroup, Corman directed '' The Wasp Woman'' (1959), starring Cabot from a script by Gordon. His brother and he made two films back-to-back in South Dakota: ''
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 ...
'' (1960), a war movie written by Griffith and directed by Corman, and ''
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 ...
'' (1959), the first film directed by Monte Hellman. Corman went to
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...
and produced another two films back-to-back: ''
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.
'' (1960), directed by Joel Rapp, and ''
Last Woman on Earth ''Last Woman on Earth'' (often referred to as ''The Last Woman on Earth'', but it appeared without the word ''The'' in the film's title card) is a 1960 American science fiction film that was produced and directed by Roger Corman. It tells the stor ...
'' (1960), directed by Corman from a script by Robert Towne. Filming on these two films went so quickly that Corman commissioned Griffith to write a third, which was shot at the same time: ''
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 ...
'' (1961). Corman was going to make ''Part Time Mother'' from a script by Griffith but it appears to have never been made.


''House of Usher''

AIP wanted Corman to make two horror films for them, in black and white, at under $100,000 each on a 10-day shooting schedule. Corman, however, was tired of making films on this sort of budget and was worried the market for them was in decline. He proposed making a film in colour for $200,000, shot over 15 days. Corman proposed an adaptation of " The Fall of the House of Usher" by
Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe (; Edgar Poe; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic. Poe is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre. He is wid ...
and AIP agreed. The film was announced in May 1959. Richard Matheson was hired to do the adaptation and
Vincent Price Vincent Leonard Price Jr. (May 27, 1911 – October 25, 1993) was an American actor, art historian, art collector and gourmet cook. He appeared on stage, television, and radio, and in more than 100 films. Price has two stars on the Hollywood Wal ...
was brought in to star; Haller did the art direction. The resulting film, '' House of Usher'' (1960), shot in early 1960, was a critical and commercial hit. Following this, Corman bought two scripts, ''Sob Sisters Don't Cry'' and ''Cop Killer''. In March 1960, Corman announced that Filmgroup would be part of an international production group, Compass Productions. He directed a peplum in Greece, ''
Atlas An atlas is a collection of maps; it is typically a bundle of maps of Earth or of a region of Earth. Atlases have traditionally been bound into book form, but today many atlases are in multimedia formats. In addition to presenting geogra ...
'' (1961) in August. He was going to direct a thriller from a script by Robert Towne, ''I Flew a Spy Plane Over Russia''. It was not made; neither were two comedies he was to make with Dick Miller and Jon Haze, ''Murder at the Convention'' and ''Pan and the Satyrs''. ''House of Usher'' had been so successful that AIP wanted a follow-up, and Corman, Haller, Matheson and Price reunited on '' The Pit and the Pendulum'' (1961). It was another sizeable hit, and the "Poe cycle" of films was underway. Corman hired Charles Beaumont to write ''Masque of the Red Death'' and announced two films, ''Captain Nemo and the Floating City'' and ''House of Secrets''.


''The Intruder''

Following ''The Pit and the Pendulum'', Corman directed one of
William Shatner William Shatner (born March 22, 1931) is a Canadian actor. In a career spanning seven decades, he is best known for his portrayal of James T. Kirk in the ''Star Trek'' franchise, from his 1965 debut as the captain of the starship ''Enterpris ...
's earliest appearances in a lead role with '' The Intruder'' (a.k.a. ''The Stranger'', 1962). Based on a novel by Charles Beaumont, the film was co-produced by Gene Corman and was shot in July and August 1961. It took a while for the film to be released and it lost money. Corman was unhappy with his profit participation on the first two Poe films, so he made a third adaptation for different producers, '' The Premature Burial'' (1962), written by Charles Beaumont and starring
Ray Milland Ray Milland (born Alfred Reginald Jones; 3 January 1907 – 10 March 1986) was a Welsh-American actor and film director. His screen career ran from 1929 to 1985. He is remembered for his Academy Award and Cannes Film Festival Award-winning ...
. The film was co-financed by Pathe labs; AIP put pressure on Pathe and ended up buying out their interest. For producer
Edward Small Edward Small (born Edward Schmalheiser, February 1, 1891, Brooklyn, New York – January 25, 1977, Los Angeles) was a film producer from the late 1920s through 1970, who was enormously prolific over a 50-year career. He is best known for the movi ...
, Corman made a historical horror piece about
Richard III Richard III (2 October 145222 August 1485) was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 26 June 1483 until his death in 1485. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat and death at the Bat ...
, ''
Tower of London The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, which is sep ...
'' (1962), starring
Vincent Price Vincent Leonard Price Jr. (May 27, 1911 – October 25, 1993) was an American actor, art historian, art collector and gourmet cook. He appeared on stage, television, and radio, and in more than 100 films. Price has two stars on the Hollywood Wal ...
. It was meant to be the first in a three-picture deal with Small, but Corman did not enjoy working with the producer. For Filmgroup, he also bought the rights to a Soviet science-fiction film, ''
Nebo Zovyot Nebo Zovyot (russian: Небо зовёт, translit. Nebo zovyot, lit. ''The Sky Beckons'' or ''The Heavens Beckon'') is a Soviet science-fiction feature film, produced by Aleksandr Kozyr and Mikhail Karyukov, and filmed at the Dovzhenko F ...
'' (1959) and had some additional footage shot for it by his then-assistant, Francis Ford Coppola; the result was ''
Battle Beyond the Sun ''Battle Beyond the Sun'' is the English-dubbed and re-edited U.S. version of ''Nebo Zovyot'', a 1959 Soviet science fiction film. Roger Corman acquired the Soviet film for US distribution and hired a young film-school student named Francis Ford ...
'' (1962). He also released ''
The Magic Voyage of Sinbad ''Sadko'' (russian: Садко) is a 1953 Soviet adventure fantasy film directed by Aleksandr Ptushko and adapted by Konstantin Isayev, from Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's eponymous opera, which was based on a Russian ''bylina ''(epic tale) with the sa ...
'' (1962), dubbed from a Soviet film. The fourth Poe was an anthology, ''
Tales of Terror ''Tales of Terror'' is a 1962 American International Pictures horror film in colour and Panavision, produced by Samuel Z. Arkoff, James H. Nicholson, and Roger Corman, who also directed. The screenplay was written by Richard Matheson, and the ...
'' (1962), shot in late 1961. One of the installments, "The Black Cat", was a comedy, inspiring Corman to do a whole Poe story comedically next: '' The Raven'' (1963). Later, Corman used the sets for that film for '' The Terror'' (1963), made for Filmgroup but released by AIP, and starring
Boris Karloff William Henry Pratt (23 November 1887 – 2 February 1969), better known by his stage name Boris Karloff (), was an English actor. His portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in the horror film ''Frankenstein'' (1931) (his 82nd film) established ...
(whose scenes were all shot in two days) and Jack Nicholson. Corman did not direct all of this film; additional scenes were shot by Monte Hellman, Coppola, and Jack Hill, among others. ''
The Young Racers ''The Young Racers'' is a 1963 sports drama film directed by Roger Corman and starring Mark Damon, William Campbell, Luana Anders and Patrick Magee. It is based on the Formula One races in Europe. Plot Joe Machin ( William Campbell), an Ameri ...
'' (1963) was produced and directed by Corman in Europe for AIP, starring and written by Campbell. Working on the film was Francis Ford Coppola, whom Corman financed to make his directorial debut, '' Dementia 13'' (1963). Back in the U.S., Corman made '' X: The Man with the X-ray Eyes'' (1963), a contemporary science-fiction film for AIP starring
Ray Milland Ray Milland (born Alfred Reginald Jones; 3 January 1907 – 10 March 1986) was a Welsh-American actor and film director. His screen career ran from 1929 to 1985. He is remembered for his Academy Award and Cannes Film Festival Award-winning ...
. He followed it with '' The Haunted Palace'' (1963), ostensibly part of the Poe cycle—it featured Price and was made for AIP, written by Beaumont—but was actually based on a story by H. P. Lovecraft. Corman directed a war film in Yugoslavia with his brother, '' The Secret Invasion'' (1964), with
Stewart Granger Stewart Granger (born James Lablache Stewart; 6 May 1913 – 16 August 1993) was a British film actor, mainly associated with heroic and romantic leading roles. He was a popular leading man from the 1940s to the early 1960s, rising to fame thr ...
and
Mickey Rooney Mickey Rooney (born Joseph Yule Jr.; other pseudonym Mickey Maguire; September 23, 1920 – April 6, 2014) was an American actor. In a career spanning nine decades, he appeared in more than 300 films and was among the last surviving stars of the ...
, from a script by Campbell. Following this, he announced he would make ''The Life of Robert E. Lee'' as part of a four-picture deal with Filmgroup worth $3.75 million. Other movies were ''Fun and Profit'' by Joel Rapp, ''The Wild Surfers'' by John Lamb, and ''Planet of Storms'' by Jack Hill. None of these films was made, nor was ''The Gold Bug'', a Poe adaptation written by Griffith.


End of the Poe cycle and filming in Europe

Corman made two Poes in England starring Price, the much-delayed ''
The Masque of the Red Death "The Masque of the Red Death" (originally published as "The Mask of the Red Death: A Fantasy") is a short story by American writer Edgar Allan Poe, first published in 1842. The story follows Prince Prospero's attempts to avoid a dangerous plag ...
'' (1964), with Campbell rewriting Beaumont's scripts, and '' The Tomb of Ligeia'' (1965), from a script by Robert Towne. Corman made no further Poes; AIP started up a fresh Poe cycle in the late 1960s, but Corman was not part of it. Corman got Towne to write a script called ''The Red Baron''. He bought the rights to another Soviet science-fiction film, ''
Planeta Bur ''Planeta Bur'' (russian: Планета бурь) is a 1962 Sovcolor Soviet science fiction film scripted by Alexander Kazantsev from his novel, and co-scripted and directed by Pavel Klushantsev. In English, the film is often informally refer ...
'' (1962), and had some additional footage added to it by Curtis Harrington. The result was ''
Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet ''Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet'' is a 1965 American science fiction film, one of two versions adapted for Roger Corman from the Soviet science fiction film '' Planeta Bur'' (''Planet of Storms''), scripted by Aleksandr Kazantsev (from his n ...
'' (1965). Harrington used footage from ''Planeta Bur'' in another film financed by Corman, ''
Queen of Blood ''Queen of Blood'' (a.k.a. ''Planet of Blood'') is a 1966 science fiction horror film produced by George Edwards and Samuel Z. Arkoff, directed by Curtis Harrington, that stars John Saxon, Basil Rathbone, Dennis Hopper, and Judi Meredith. The ...
'' (1966). He also bought the rights to a Yugoslavian film, ''Operation Titan'' (1963), and financed additional shooting by Jack Hill and Stephanie Rothman. The result was ''
Blood Bath ''Blood Bath'' is a 1966 American horror film directed by Jack Hill and Stephanie Rothman and starring William Campbell, Linda Saunders, Marissa Mathes, and Sid Haig. The film concerns a mad painter of weird art who turns into a vampire-like ...
'' (1966). He also had an investment in the beach party films '' Beach Ball'' (1965) and ''
It's a Bikini World ''It's a Bikini World'' is a 1967 American musical comedy film starring Tommy Kirk, Deborah Walley and Bobby Pickett. The film features cameos by the music groups the Gentrys, the Animals, Pat & Lolly Vegas, the Castaways and R&B girl g ...
'' (1967).


Working for major studios

Corman said, "For ten years as an independent I could get financing for $100-$200-$300,000 pictures. Everything had been interesting, artistically satisfying, economically satisfying. But I decided I was going nowhere and wanted to move directly into the business. So I accepted a contract with Columbia." In August 1965, Corman announced he had signed a contract with United Artists to make two films over three years. He also signed with Columbia to make a Western, ''The Long Ride Home'', based on a script by Robert Towne. He was announced for a number of other projects at Columbia: the biopic of
Robert E. Lee Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War, towards the end of which he was appointed the overall commander of the Confederate States Army. He led the Army of Nor ...
, an adaptation of '' Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man'', an adaptation of Kafka's ''The Penal Colony'', and a script by novelist Richard Yates about the
Battle of Iwo Jima The Battle of Iwo Jima (19 February – 26 March 1945) was a major battle in which the United States Marine Corps (USMC) and United States Navy (USN) landed on and eventually captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA ...
.Corman 1990, p. 125. He intended to make ''The Deserters'' for UA, from a script by Wright, but that was not made either. He later reflected, "Every idea I submitted was considered too strange, too weird; every idea they had seemed too ordinary to me. Ordinary pictures don't make money."


''The Wild Angels''

After a year of not directing, Corman took a leave of absence under his contract with Columbia to make a film for AIP, the first biker movie, '' The Wild Angels''. It starred
Peter Fonda Peter Henry Fonda (February 23, 1940 – August 16, 2019) was an American actor. He was the son of Henry Fonda, younger brother of Jane Fonda, and father of Bridget Fonda. He was a prominent figure in the counterculture of the 1960s. Fond ...
and Nancy Sinatra, from a script by Griffith;
Peter Bogdanovich Peter Bogdanovich (July 30, 1939 – January 6, 2022) was an American director, writer, actor, producer, critic, and film historian. One of the " New Hollywood" directors, Bogdanovich started as a film journalist until he was hired to work on ...
worked as Corman's assistant. The film opened the 1966 Venice Film Festival and was hugely successful at the box office, making over $6 million on a $350,000 budget and kicking off the "biker movie" cycle. He wanted to make a film about the Red Baron, but Columbia turned it down because of '' The Blue Max'' (1966). He proposed a movie about the
St Valentine's Day Massacre The Saint Valentine's Day Massacre was the murder of seven members and associates of Chicago's North Side Gang that occurred on Saint Valentine's Day 1929. The men were gathered at a Lincoln Park, Chicago garage on the morning of February 14, ...
and also an adaptation of the novel ''Only Lovers Left Alive''.
Nick Ray Nicholas Ray (born Raymond Nicholas Kienzle Jr., August 7, 1911 – June 16, 1979) was an American film director, screenwriter, and actor best known for the 1955 film ''Rebel Without a Cause.'' He is appreciated for many narrative features pr ...
was meant to be making ''Only Lovers'' in Britain. Corman did begin directing ''Long Ride Home'' with Glenn Ford at Columbia. However, Corman left production a few weeks into the shoot in June 1966 and was replaced by
Phil Karlson Phil Karlson (born Philip N. Karlstein; July 2, 1908 – December 12, 1982) was an American film director. Karlson directed ''99 River Street'', ''Kansas City Confidential'' and '' Hell's Island'', all with actor John Payne, in the early 1950s ...
. The film was retitled ''
A Time for Killing ''A Time for Killing'' is a 1967 Western film directed originally by Roger Corman but finished by Phil Karlson. Filmed in Panavision and Pathécolor, it stars Glenn Ford, George Hamilton, Inger Stevens, and Harrison Ford (credited as Harrison ...
'' (1967). Corman received an offer to direct a studio film,'' The St. Valentine's Day Massacre'' (1967), for 20th Century Fox, starring
Jason Robards Jason Nelson Robards Jr. (July 26, 1922 – December 26, 2000) was an American actor. Known as an interpreter of the works of playwright Eugene O'Neill, Robards received two Academy Awards, a Tony Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and the Cannes ...
and
George Segal George Segal Jr. (February 13, 1934 – March 23, 2021) was an American actor. He became popular in the 1960s and 1970s for playing both dramatic and comedic roles. After first rising to prominence with roles in acclaimed films such as ''Ship o ...
. He did not enjoy the restrictions of working for a major studio. He was given a $2.5 million budget and made it for $400,000 less.Mark McGee, ''Faster and Furiouser: The Revised and Fattened Fable of American International Pictures'', McFarland, 1996, p. 266 Corman, an independent director, was most comfortable in his own style: shoestring budgets and shooting schedules measured in days, rather than weeks. Nonetheless, it is generally considered one of his best films as a director. Corman was meant to follow this with ''Robert E. Lee'' for United Artists at a budget of $4.5 million. It was not made. Neither was a story Corman optioned, ''The Spy in the Vatican''.


Return to independence

He continued to finance films for Filmgroup: ''
Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet ''Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet'' is a 1965 American science fiction film, one of two versions adapted for Roger Corman from the Soviet science fiction film '' Planeta Bur'' (''Planet of Storms''), scripted by Aleksandr Kazantsev (from his n ...
'' (1965), dubbing a Soviet movie ''
Planeta Bur ''Planeta Bur'' (russian: Планета бурь) is a 1962 Sovcolor Soviet science fiction film scripted by Alexander Kazantsev from his novel, and co-scripted and directed by Pavel Klushantsev. In English, the film is often informally refer ...
'' into English with some additional footage shot by Curtis Harrington, ''
Queen of Blood ''Queen of Blood'' (a.k.a. ''Planet of Blood'') is a 1966 science fiction horror film produced by George Edwards and Samuel Z. Arkoff, directed by Curtis Harrington, that stars John Saxon, Basil Rathbone, Dennis Hopper, and Judi Meredith. The ...
'' (1966), using some Soviet footage but a mostly new film, directed by Harrington, ''
Blood Bath ''Blood Bath'' is a 1966 American horror film directed by Jack Hill and Stephanie Rothman and starring William Campbell, Linda Saunders, Marissa Mathes, and Sid Haig. The film concerns a mad painter of weird art who turns into a vampire-like ...
'' (1966), an adapted Yugoslavian film with additional footage shot by Stephanie Rothman and Jack Hill, and '' Voyage to the Planet of Prehistoric Women'' (1967), yet another dubbed version of ''Planeta Bur'' with some additional footage shot by Corman's then-assistant
Peter Bogdanovich Peter Bogdanovich (July 30, 1939 – January 6, 2022) was an American director, writer, actor, producer, critic, and film historian. One of the " New Hollywood" directors, Bogdanovich started as a film journalist until he was hired to work on ...
. He had money in ''
Navy vs. the Night Monsters ''The Navy vs. the Night Monsters'' (a.k.a. ''Monsters of the Night'' and ''The Night Crawlers'') is a 1966 independently made American science fiction-monster film drama produced by Jack Broder (and Roger Corman, uncredited), written and direc ...
'' (1967). He financed two Westerns shot back to back in Utah directed by Monte Hellman and written and co-produced by Jack Nicholson, '' The Shooting'' (1967) and ''
Ride in the Whirlwind ''Ride in the Whirlwind'' is a 1966 American Western film starring Cameron Mitchell, Millie Perkins, Jack Nicholson, and Harry Dean Stanton, and directed by Monte Hellman. Nicholson also wrote and co-produced the film. A trio of cowboys are fo ...
'' (1967), which became cult successes. He also financed two films directed by Dan Haller, ''
Devil's Angels ''Devil's Angels'' (also known as ''The Checkered Flag'') is a 1967 American outlaw biker film written by Charles B. Griffith and directed by Daniel Haller. It stars John Cassavetes. Plot Cody ( John Cassavetes), and his motorcycle gang cal ...
'' (1967), a follow-up to ''Wild Angels'' written by Griffith, and a car racing film shot in Europe, '' The Wild Racers'' (1968). He announced a comedy about the population explosion, ''There Just Isn't Any Room'', but it appears to have never been made. Corman directed '' The Trip'' for AIP, written by Jack Nicholson and starring
Peter Fonda Peter Henry Fonda (February 23, 1940 – August 16, 2019) was an American actor. He was the son of Henry Fonda, younger brother of Jane Fonda, and father of Bridget Fonda. He was a prominent figure in the counterculture of the 1960s. Fond ...
,
Dennis Hopper Dennis Lee Hopper (May 17, 1936 – May 29, 2010) was an American actor, filmmaker and photographer. He attended the Actors Studio, made his first television appearance in 1954, and soon after appeared in '' Giant'' (1956). In the next ten year ...
and
Bruce Dern Bruce MacLeish Dern (born June 4, 1936) is an American actor. He has often played supporting villainous characters of unstable natures. He has received several accolades, including the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor and the Silver ...
. This began the psychedelic film craze of the late 1960s and was the American entry at Cannes that year. AIP made some changes to the film in post-production, which made Corman unhappy. In September 1967, he announced plans to build a new film studio. However, this did not happen for a number of years. Corman made a film for American TV, '' Target: Harry'' (1968), shot in Europe with his brother producing. He did some uncredited directing on AIP's '' De Sade'' (1969) when director
Cy Endfield Cyril Raker Endfield (November 10, 1914 – April 16, 1995) was an American screenwriter, director, author, magician and inventor. Having been named as a Communist at a House Un-American Activities Committee hearing and subsequently blacklisted, ...
fell ill. He financed Bogdanovich's first feature, '' Targets'' (1968), which incorporated footage from ''The Terror''. He also produced '' The Dunwich Horror'' (1970) for AIP, directed by Haller and co-written by Curtis Hanson, and financed Haller's ''Paddy''.


Final films as director

For AIP, Corman returned to the director's chair for a gangster film, ''
Bloody Mama ''Bloody Mama'' is a 1970 American exploitation crime film directed by Roger Corman and starring Shelley Winters in the title role, with Bruce Dern, Don Stroud, Robert Walden, Alex Nicol, and Robert De Niro in supporting roles. It was very loose ...
'' (1970), starring Shelley Winters and a young
Robert de Niro Robert Anthony De Niro Jr. ( , ; born August 17, 1943) is an American actor. Known for his collaborations with Martin Scorsese, he is considered to be one of the best actors of his generation. De Niro is the recipient of various accolades ...
. It was a big hit at the box office. He also directed a black comedy, ''
Gas-s-s-s ''Gas-s-s-s'' (on-screen title: ''Gas! -Or- It Became Necessary to Destroy the World in Order to Save It.'') is a 1970 post-apocalyptic black comedy film produced and released by American International Pictures. It was producer Roger Corman's ...
'' (1970), written by George Armitage; it was cut without his permission by AIP and was a financial failure. United Artists finally agreed to finance his Red Baron project, although they asked that it emphasize American characters. Accordingly, it was filmed as '' Von Richthofen and Brown'' (1971), shot in Ireland in July 1970. There were several plane crashes during filming and one person died. Corman was going to make a film of ''Couples'', a novel by
John Updike John Hoyer Updike (March 18, 1932 – January 27, 2009) was an American novelist, poet, short-story writer, art critic, and literary critic. One of only four writers to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction more than once (the others being Booth Tar ...
for
United Artists United Artists Corporation (UA), currently doing business as United Artists Digital Studios, is an American digital production company. Founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks, the stu ...
, and ''In'' from a script by Richard Schupe, but decided to take a break from directing. "Directing is very hard and very painful," he said in 1971. "Producing is easy. I can do it without really thinking about it."


New World Pictures

In May 1970, Corman founded
New World Pictures New World Pictures (also known as New World Entertainment and New World Communications Group, Inc.) was an American independent production, distribution, and (in its final years as an autonomous entity) multimedia company. It was founded in 19 ...
, which became a small independently owned production/distribution studio, immediately successful with ''
Angels Die Hard ''Angels Die Hard'' is a 1970 biker film directed by Richard Compton and starring Tom Baker and William Smith. It is the first film distributed by New World Pictures; half its budget was provided by Roger Corman. The film—which was written in t ...
'' (1970), a biker film, and ''
The Student Nurses ''The Student Nurses'' is a 1970 American film directed by Stephanie Rothman. It was the second film from New World Pictures and the first in the popular "nurses" cycle of exploitation movies. It has since become a cult film. Plot Four young women ...
'' (1971), directed by Rothman. '' The Big Doll House'' (1971), directed by Jack Hill in the Philippines, was a big hit, making a star of Pam Grier. The company made a profit of $3.2 million in its first financial year, and Corman says all eleven out of his first eleven films were successful. ''Angels Die Hard'' led to a series of biker films, including '' Angels Hard as They Come'' (1971), produced by
Jonathan Demme Robert Jonathan Demme ( ; February 22, 1944 – April 26, 2017) was an American filmmaker. Beginning his career under B-movie producer Roger Corman, Demme made his directorial debut with the 1974 women-in-prison film '' Caged Heat'', befo ...
with Jack Fisk working as art director. '' Bury Me an Angel'' (1971) was the first biker movie directed by a woman,
Barbara Peeters Barbara Peeters, also known as Barbara Peters, is an American director and screenwriter of television and film. She is best known for her collaborations with producer-director Roger Corman on films such as '' Humanoids from the Deep'', and direct ...
. Corman financed the directorial debuts of Curtis Hanson, '' Sweet Kill'' (1971), produced by Corman protege
Tamara Asseyev __NOTOC__ Tamara may refer to: People * Tamara (name), including a list of people with this name * Tamara (Spanish singer) (born 1984) * Tamara, stage name of Spanish singer Yurena (born 1969) * Tamara, stage name of Macedonian singer Tamara T ...
. ''Student Nurses'' led to a "cycle" of nurse pictures, including ''
Private Duty Nurses ''Private Duty Nurses'' is a 1971 American film written and directed by George Armitage. It is a sequel to '' The Student Nurses'' (1970) for New World Pictures. Roger Corman says they got the idea for the title after being sent a letter of compla ...
'' (the first film directed by George Armitage), '' Night Call Nurses'' (1972) (the first feature directed by
Jonathan Kaplan Jonathan Kaplan (born November 25, 1947) is an American film producer and director. His film '' The Accused'' (1988) earned actress Jodie Foster an Oscar for Best Actress and was nominated for the Golden Bear at the 39th Berlin Internation ...
), ''
The Young Nurses ''The Young Nurses'' is a 1973 film directed by Clint Kimbrough. It was the fourth in the popular "nurses" cycle for New World Pictures, starting with '' The Student Nurses'' (1970). Plot Three sexy, female health care workers expose a drug ring ...
'' and '' Candy Stripe Nurses'' (1975). There was also '' The Student Teachers'' (1973) and '' Summer School Teachers'' (1974). ''Big Doll House'' was followed by a series of women in prison pictures, such as '' Women in Cages'' (1972), '' The Hot Box'' (1972), '' Black Mama, White Mama'' (1973), ''
The Arena An arena is an enclosed area that showcases theatre, musical performances or sporting events. Arena, ARENA, or the Arena may also refer to: Places and jurisdictions * Arena, Saskatchewan, Canada * Arena, Iran * Arena, Calabria, Italy * La ...
'' (1974) (the first film directed by Steve Carver) and '' Caged Heat'' (1974) (the first film directed by Demme). Of New World's second year, Corman says 11 of the 12 releases were successful. Corman produced one more film at AIP, '' Boxcar Bertha'' (1972), the second feature directed by
Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November 17, 1942) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. Scorsese emerged as one of the major figures of the New Hollywood era. He is the recipient of many major accolades, incl ...
, starring David Carradine. He also executive produced '' Unholy Rollers'' (1972) for AIP. A proposed political satire, ''The Wild Political Prank'', was not made. He made ''
I Escaped from Devil's Island ''I Escaped from Devil's Island'' is a 1973 exploitation film about an escape attempt from Devil's Island. Roger Corman and Gene Corman produced this grim adventure saga which was made to cash in on the release of '' Papillon''. Plot summary Pr ...
'' (1973) with his brother and produced ''
Cockfighter ''Cockfighter'' (also known as ''Born to Kill'', ''Gamblin' Man'' and ''Wild Drifter'') is a 1974 drama film by director Monte Hellman, starring Warren Oates, Harry Dean Stanton and featuring Laurie Bird and Ed Begley Jr. The screenplay is based ...
'' (1974) with Monte Hellman, which was a rare financial failure for New World. A big hit was ''
Big Bad Mama ''Big Bad Mama'' is a 1974 American action-crime-sexploitation comedy movie produced by Roger Corman, starring Angie Dickinson, William Shatner, and Tom Skerritt, with Susan Sennett and Robbie Lee. This movie is about a mother, Wilma (played by ...
'' (1974), a gangster film directed by Carver and starring
Angie Dickinson Angeline Dickinson (née Brown; born September 30, 1931) is an American actress. She began her career on television, appearing in many anthology series during the 1950s, before gaining her breakthrough role in ''Gun the Man Down'' (1956) wit ...
. It led to a follow-up, ''
Crazy Mama ''Crazy Mama'' is a 1975 American action comedy film directed by Jonathan Demme, produced by Julie Corman and starring Cloris Leachman. It marked the film debut of Bill Paxton and Dennis Quaid. Plot In 1958 Long Beach, California, Melba Stok ...
'' (1975), produced by his wife and directed by Demme. In 1975, Corman said New World was "the most successful independent film company in the country...if you count AIP as a major". He said they were "the best of the cheap acts".


Distributing foreign films

In the 1970s the major Hollywood studios were moving away from distributing foreign arthouse pictures, New World moved into the market and became the U.S. distributor for ''
Cries and Whispers ''Cries and Whispers'' ( sv, Viskningar och rop, lit=Whispers and Cries) is a 1972 Swedish period drama film written and directed by Ingmar Bergman and starring Harriet Andersson, Kari Sylwan, Ingrid Thulin and Liv Ullmann. The film, set in ...
'' (1972), directed by
Ingmar Bergman Ernst Ingmar Bergman (14 July 1918 – 30 July 2007) was a Swedish film director, screenwriter, producer and playwright. Widely considered one of the greatest and most influential filmmakers of all time, his films are known as "profoun ...
. Corman bought it for $75,000 and it earned over $2 million at the U.S. box office. and Corman's distribution side of New World brought many foreign films to mass audiences in the U.S. for the first time - reportedly some played at drive-ins and grindhouses - including the works of
François Truffaut François Roland Truffaut ( , ; ; 6 February 1932 – 21 October 1984) was a French film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film critic. He is widely regarded as one of the founders of the French New Wave. After a career of more th ...
('' The Story of Adele H.'', '' Small Change''), Peter Weir ('' The Cars That Ate Paris''),
Federico Fellini Federico Fellini (; 20 January 1920 – 31 October 1993) was an Italian film director and screenwriter known for his distinctive style, which blends fantasy and baroque images with earthiness. He is recognized as one of the greatest and most ...
(''
Amarcord ''Amarcord'' () is a 1973 comedy-drama film directed by Federico Fellini, a semi- autobiographical tale about Titta, an adolescent boy growing up among an eccentric cast of characters in the village of Borgo San Giuliano (situated near the anci ...
''),
Joseph Losey Joseph Walton Losey III (; January 14, 1909 – June 22, 1984) was an American theatre and film director, producer, and screenwriter. Born in Wisconsin, he studied in Germany with Bertolt Brecht and then returned to the United States. Blacklisted ...
(''
The Romantic Englishwoman ''The Romantic Englishwoman'' is a 1975 British film directed by Joseph Losey and starring Michael Caine, Glenda Jackson, Helmut Berger. It marks the feature-length screen debut for Kate Nelligan. The screenplay was written by Tom Stoppard and ...
''), Volker Schlöndorff ('' The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum'', '' The Tin Drum'') and
Akira Kurosawa was a Japanese filmmaker and painter who directed thirty films in a career spanning over five decades. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema. Kurosawa displayed a bold, dyna ...
('' Dersu Uzala''). New World also released '' Fantastic Planet'' (1974). In a 10-year period, New World Pictures won more Academy Awards for Best Foreign Film than all other studios combined.


20th Century Fox

He had a four-picture deal with
20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Disn ...
, making ''
Capone Alphonse Gabriel Capone (; January 17, 1899 – January 25, 1947), sometimes known by the nickname "Scarface", was an American gangster and businessman who attained notoriety during the Prohibition era as the co-founder and boss of the ...
'' (1975), '' Fighting Mad'' (1976) (directed by Demme), '' Moving Violation'' (1976) and '' Thunder and Lightning'' (1977).


Peak of New World

'' Death Race 2000'' (1975), written by Robert Thom and directed by Paul Bartel, was a big hit, earning $4 million. It helped inspire a series of car chase movies: ''
Cannonball A round shot (also called solid shot or simply ball) is a solid spherical projectile without explosive charge, launched from a gun. Its diameter is slightly less than the bore of the barrel from which it is shot. A round shot fired from a lar ...
'' (1976), directed by Bartel; '' Eat My Dust!'' (1976), directed by Griffith starring
Ron Howard Ronald William Howard (born March 1, 1954) is an American director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. He first came to prominence as a child actor, guest-starring in several television series, including an episode of '' The Twilight Zone''. ...
, which led to a follow-up, '' Grand Theft Auto'' (1978), Howard's directorial debut. There was also '' The Great Texas Dynamite Chase'' (1976), '' Deathsport'' (1978) and '' Smokey Bites the Dust'' (1981). New World's trailers were cut by
Joe Dante Joseph James Dante Jr. (; born November 28, 1946) is an American film director, producer, editor and actor. His films—notably '' Gremlins'' (1984) alongside its sequel, '' Gremlins 2: The New Batch'' (1990)—often mix 1950s-style B movies with ...
and Alan Arkush. Corman gave them the chance to direct together, with '' Hollywood Boulevard'' (1976), which used outtakes from other New World films. It was successful enough for Corman to give both men jobs directing features on their own: Dante with ''
Piranha A piranha or piraña (, , or ; or , ) is one of a number of freshwater fish in the family Serrasalmidae, or the subfamily Serrasalminae within the tetra family, Characidae in order Characiformes. These fish inhabit South American rivers, f ...
'' (1978) and Arkush with '' Rock 'n' Roll High School'' (1979). ''Piranha'' was written by John Sayles, who had been discovered by Corman's story editor,
Frances Doel Frances Doel is a writer and story editor, notable for her long association with Roger Corman. Doel was head of the script department at New World Pictures; Jon Davison said that at one stage Doel "wrote just about every first draft of every picture ...
. Sayles later wrote '' The Lady in Red'' (1979) for Corman, which was directed by Lewis Teague. Other popular films around this time included '' Tidal Wave'' (1975), a Japanese film to which Corman added some extra footage, and '' Jackson County Jail'' (1976). He also financed '' I Never Promised You a Rose Garden''. Less popular was ''Avalanche'' (1979), a disaster film directed by Corey Allen. For Universal he made '' Fast Charlie... the Moonbeam Rider'' (1979), directed by Carver. He financed Bogdanovich's ''
Saint Jack ''Saint Jack'' is a 1973 novel by Paul Theroux that was adapted into a 1979 film of the same name. It tells the life of Jack Flowers, a pimp in Singapore. Feeling hopeless and undervalued, Jack tries to make money by setting up his own bordello ...
'' (1979). Corman was criticised when he insisted on the addition of footage featuring a rape for ''
Humanoids from the Deep ''Humanoids from the Deep'' (released as ''Monster'' in Europe and Japan) is a 1980 American science fiction horror film starring Doug McClure, Ann Turkel, and Vic Morrow. Roger Corman served as the film's uncredited executive producer, and h ...
'' (1980). The success of ''Star Wars'' inspired New World's most expensive film yet, ''
Battle Beyond the Stars ''Battle Beyond the Stars'' is a 1980 American space opera film produced by Roger Corman, directed by Jimmy T. Murakami, and starring Richard Thomas, Robert Vaughn, George Peppard, John Saxon, Sybil Danning and Darlanne Fluegel. Intended as ...
'' (1981). This film required extensive special effects, prompting Corman to buy a movie studio in Main Street Venice for $1.5 million. Corman made a TV film for CBS, ''
The Georgia Peaches ''The Georgia Peaches'' (also known as ''Follow That Car'') is a 1980 American made-for-television action-adventure comedy film produced by Roger Corman as a pilot for a proposed television series. It starred Tanya Tucker, Terri Nunn and Dirk Ben ...
'' (1980). ''Battle Beyond the Stars'' was so successful Corman had its footage and music score reused in other films such as ''
Galaxy of Terror ''Galaxy of Terror'' is a 1981 science fiction horror film produced by Roger Corman through New World Pictures and directed by Bruce D. Clark. It was distributed by United Artists. It stars Edward Albert, Erin Moran, Ray Walston and Taaffe O' ...
'' (1981) and ''
Forbidden World ''Forbidden World'', originally titled ''Mutant'', is a 1982 American science fiction- horror film. The screenplay was written by Tim Curnen, from a screenstory by R.J. Robertson and Jim Wynorski. It was co-edited and directed by Allan Holzman, ...
'' (1982). He picked up a film called '' The Personals'' (1983) which enjoyed success.


Millennium Films

Corman sold New World Pictures in January 1983 to a consortium of three lawyers for $16.9 million. Under the terms of the contract, he agreed to stay on as a consultant for two years and to provide New World with at least five films they could release. New World agreed to distribute all of Corman's films until March 1984. He set up a new production company, Millennium – the title of which was taken from the name of a 1981 retrospective of Corman's work at the National Film Theatre of London. He announced plans to make films budgeted between $2–5 million using cash from his sale of New World to finance personally. He announced an intention to make fewer commercial films, movies more like '' I Never Promised You a Rose Garden'' and ''Cries and Whispers''. Millennium's films included '' Space Raiders'' (1983), a science fiction epic using footage and music from ''Battle Beyond the Stars''; '' Love Letters'' (1984), a serious drama from Amy Holden Jones; ''
Screwballs ''Screwballs'' is a 1983 Canadian teen sex comedy film that was inspired by the success of '' Porky's''. Plot In 1965, five boys at Taft and Adams High School try to see the bare breasts of Purity Bush, the most beautiful girl in school. After b ...
'' (1984), a sex comedy in the vein of '' Porky's''; '' Suburbia'' (1984), directed by Penelope Spheeris, which he acquired, '' Deathstalker''; and ''Kain of Dark Planet'' (which became ''
The Warrior and the Sorceress ''The Warrior and the Sorceress'' is a 1984 Argentine-American fantasy action film directed by John C. Broderick and starring David Carradine, María Socas and Luke Askew. It was written by Broderick (story and screenplay) and William Stout (st ...
'').


New Horizons

Corman says people struggled with the name "Millennium" – "nobody could spell it, nobody knew what it meant" – so he changed it to New Horizons by early 1984. Corman and the new owners of New World ended up suing each other in March 1985. Corman claimed that New World failed to honor their guarantee to distribute his movies at a fee of 15%. He sought $400 million in damages and the return of the company. He said they refused to distribute ''
School Spirit School spirit is the sense of identity and community shared by members of an educational institution. This can apply to any type of school, from elementary schools to universities. Members of a school can manifest spirit in the exhibition of ...
'' (1985) and '' Wheels of Fire''. He also claimed that New World cheated him distributing ''Space Raiders'', ''Screwballs'' and '' Slumber Party Massacre''. New World sued Corman in return, claiming he was seeking to return to distribution, and was discrediting New World to potential investors. They said Corman bypassed New World for some of his films, such as Columbia's '' Hardbodies'' (1984). Corman argued "My whole point in selling was to free myself of the burden of running the company and to get guaranteed distribution. If I can't get my guaranteed distribution, I'm forced to go back to running the company."


Concorde Pictures

The case with New World settled out of court. In March 1985 Corman announced he would establish a new distribution "cooperative", Concorde Pictures, where producers could get relatively cheap distribution from Concorde in exchange for contributing to the company's overhead. Their first releases were Corman productions ''School Spirit'', ''Wheels of Fire'' and ''
Barbarian Queen ''Barbarian Queen'' (also known as ''Queen of the Naked Steel'') is a 1985 American-Argentine fantasy film starring Lana Clarkson, directed by Héctor Olivera and written by Howard R. Cohen. The film premiered in April 1985 in the United States. ...
''. Concorde later merged with a low budget production company, Cinema Group, and announced plans to make 15-20 films a year. Early Concorde releases include ''
Loose Screws ''Screwballs II'', also known as ''Loose Screws,'' is a 1985 Canadian teen film, teen sex comedy, sex comedy film. It is a sequel to ''Screwballs.'' It was one of the first releases from Roger Corman's Concorde Pictures. Synopsis Brad Lovett, St ...
'' (1985), a sequel to ''Screwballs''; ''
Streetwalkin' ''Streetwalkin is a 1985 American thriller film starring Melissa Leo. It was an early film from Concorde Pictures. Plot Cookie and her brother run away from their loveless mother and their abusive stepfather in Upstate New York and arrive in New ...
'' (1985), a more serious drama directed by Joan Freeman; '' Cocaine Wars'' (1986), the first in a series of movies Corman would finance in South America; '' Hour of the Assassin'' (1987), shot in Peru and the first film directed by Luis Llosa; and '' Munchies'' (1987), a spoof of ''Gremlins'' directed by Tina Hirsch. Corman also remade '' Not of this Earth'' (1988) and released ''
Big Bad Mama II ''Big Bad Mama II'' is a 1987 American action–crime–sexploitation comedy film produced by Roger Corman, directed by Jim Wynorski, starring Angie Dickinson, Robert Culp, Danielle Brisebois and Julie McCullough. While it has been identified as ...
'' (1987), and ''
Transylvania Twist ''Transylvania Twist'' is a 1989 comedy film that parodies horror films. Originally released by Concord Production Inc., this film is distributed on home video by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. In the film Angus Scrimm reprises his role of the "Tall Man" ...
'' (1989); all three were directed by Jim Wynorski. He produced another version of ''
Masque of the Red Death "The Masque of the Red Death" (originally published as "The Mask of the Red Death: A Fantasy") is a short story by American writer Edgar Allan Poe, first published in 1842. The story follows Prince Prospero's attempts to avoid a dangerous plagu ...
'' (1989), directed by Larry Brand. He produced '' Sweet Revenge'' (1987), '' Slumber Party Massacre II'' (1988), directed by Deborah Brock, '' Andy Colby's Incredible Adventure'' (1988), also directed by Brock, and ''
The Terror Within ''The Terror Within'' is a 1989 American science fiction horror film directed by Thierry Notz and starring George Kennedy, Andrew Stevens, Starr Andreeff and Terri Treas. It was followed by a sequel in 1991, '' The Terror Within II'', with Stev ...
'' (1989), directed by Thierry Notz. Corman financed the early directorial efforts of
Carl Franklin Carl Franklin (born April 11, 1949) is an American filmmaker. Franklin is a graduate of University of California, Berkeley, and continued his education at the AFI Conservatory, where he graduated with an M.F.A. degree in directing in 1986. Early ...
('' Nowhere to Run'' (1989)), Vargas Llosa and Katt Shea (''
Stripped to Kill ''Stripped to Kill'' is a 1987 American erotic thriller/sexploitation film directed by Katt Shea and starring Greg Evigan, Kay Lenz and Norman Fell. Its plot follows a female Los Angeles police detective who goes undercover posing as a stripper to ...
'' (1988), ''Stripped to Kill II'' (1989)). More experimental was '' Nightfall'' (1988). After ''Hour of the Assassin'', he made a series of films in Peru, including '' Crime Zone'' (1989), also directed by Luis Llosa, and '' Full Fathom Five'' (1990), directed by Carl Franklin. Concorde had a big hit with ''
Bloodfist ''Bloodfist'' is a 1989 American martial arts action film directed by Terence H. Winkless, written by Robert King, and starring Don "The Dragon" Wilson. Wilson plays a dojo sensei in California who travels to Manila to avenge his professiona ...
'' (1989), starring Don "the Dragon" Wilson which cost $1 million and earned over $6 million. Concorde signed Wilson to a long-term contract and he made a number of sequels for the company, including '' Bloodfist II'' and ''Fighting to Win''.


''Frankenstein Unbound''

He returned to directing once more with '' Frankenstein Unbound'' (1990).


Concorde and New Horizon in the 1990s

In 1990, Concorde sued MGM for $6 million. Concorde's films included '' Overexposed'' (1990), '' The Unborn'' (1991), and ''
In the Heat of Passion ''In the Heat of Passion'' is a 1992 American thriller film. External links * *Review of filmat Los Angeles TimesReview of filmat Entertainment Weekly 1992 films American thriller films 1992 thriller films 1990s English-language films Film ...
'' (1992). They had a big hit with '' Carnosaur'' (1993), which led to several sequels. He financed '' Fire on the Amazon'' (1991, directed Luis Llosa) which had
Sandra Bullock Sandra Annette Bullock (; born July 26, 1964) is an American actress and producer. The recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award, Bullock was the world's highest-paid actress in 2010 and 2014. In 2010 ...
and Craig Sheffer in early roles. Corman had to deal with the decline of the drive-in market and studio competition through the 1990s, but Concorde-New Horizons still made 15-24 pictures a year. This included a never-released version of ''
The Fantastic Four The Fantastic Four is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team debuted in '' The Fantastic Four'' #1 (cover dated Nov. 1961), helping usher in a new level of realism in the medium. It was the firs ...
''.


''Roger Corman Presents''

In 1995 Corman was executive producer on ''
Roger Corman Presents ''Roger Corman Presents'' was a series of films made for Showtime by movie producer Roger Corman. Production Showtime approached Corman with the idea of doing a series of science fiction and horror feature films. They started filming in January 19 ...
'', a special series of 13 movies for Showtime with budgets of around $1.5 million each. "I think the Corman name means action, humor and some titillation," says Mike Elliott, the producer of the series. "It's going to deliver the goods – and it will have a little moral statement in there as well." Corman ended up doing a second season of 11 movies. The films were ''
Bram Stoker's Burial of the Rats ''Bram Stoker's Burial of the Rats'' is a 1995 American film. It was part of a series '' Roger Corman Presents''. A comic book version of the story was released. Plot Bram Stoker is kidnapped by some mysterious women. Cast * Adrienne Barbeau as ...
'', '' Hellfire'', '' Virtual Seduction'', '' Suspect Device'', '' Unknown Origin'', '' Terminal Virus'', '' Where Evil Lies'', '' Vampirella'', '' Shadow of a Scream'', ''
Subliminal Seduction ''Subliminal Seduction'' is a 1996 American drama science fiction film produced and directed by Andrew Stevens and starring Ian Ziering, Katherine Kelly Lang, Dee Wallace and Andrew Stevens. It was part of the ''Roger Corman Presents'' series pr ...
'', '' House of the Damned'' (a.k.a. ''Spectre''), ''
The Haunted Sea ''The Haunted Sea'' is a 1997 American horror film directed by Dan Golden. It was part of the ''Roger Corman Presents'' series. Plot Near the Yucatan Peninsula, a ship, the "Hades", is found drifting in the ocean without a crew. Captain Ramsey ...
'', '' Alien Avengers'' (a.k.a. ''Aliens Among Us'') and its sequel, ''
Inhumanoid ''Inhumanoid'' is a 1996 American film. It was part of the '' Roger Corman Presents'' series on Showtime. Plot A family of three is travelling in space, when they encounter a spaceship with one survivor. They discover the rest of the people on the ...
'', ''
Sawbones Sawbones may refer to: * Sawbones, slang for a surgeon In modern medicine, a surgeon is a medical professional who performs surgery. Although there are different traditions in different times and places, a modern surgeon usually is also a lice ...
'', '' Not Like Us'', and ''
Last Exit to Earth ''Last Exit to Earth'' is a 1996 American film directed by Katt Shea for Roger Corman. It stars Kim Greist and Costas Mandylor. It aired as part of the ''Roger Corman Presents'' series on Showtime. Cast * Kim Greist as Eve (credited as Kimberl ...
''. He created his own comic book franchise, ''
Black Scorpion Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...
'', which led to a sequel and later a TV series. Corman also executive-produced remakes of '' The Wasp Woman'', ''
Humanoids from the Deep ''Humanoids from the Deep'' (released as ''Monster'' in Europe and Japan) is a 1980 American science fiction horror film starring Doug McClure, Ann Turkel, and Vic Morrow. Roger Corman served as the film's uncredited executive producer, and h ...
'', '' A Bucket of Blood'' (a.k.a. ''The Death Artist''), ''
Piranha A piranha or piraña (, , or ; or , ) is one of a number of freshwater fish in the family Serrasalmidae, or the subfamily Serrasalminae within the tetra family, Characidae in order Characiformes. These fish inhabit South American rivers, f ...
'' and '' Not of this Earth''.


Ireland

Concorde set up operations in Ireland as
Concorde Anois Concorde Anois was a short lived film production company based in Ireland that operated in the late 1990s. It was an offshoot of Roger Corman's Concorde Pictures. Anois is the Irish language word for 'now'. History Corman was invited to set up op ...
, building studios in Connemara, County Galway. He received some support from the Irish government, a decision which became controversial when the content of some Corman productions such as ''
Criminal Affairs ''Criminal Affairs'' is a 1997 American thriller film. It was shot in Ireland at Roger Corman's studios near Galway. Cast *Louis Mandylor as Clint Barker * James Marshall as Mark * Renee Allman as Robin * Bill Murphy as Sheriff Madsen Productio ...
'' was criticized in the press. Later Concorde-New Horizons films included ''Overdrive'' (1997). "The genres still hold", said Corman in 1997, "action adventure, the suspense thriller, science fiction and horror. The difference is that they are bigger and better now. " Corman also produced the film Moving Target which was filmed in
County Galway "Righteousness and Justice" , anthem = () , image_map = Island of Ireland location map Galway.svg , map_caption = Location in Ireland , area_footnotes = , area_total_km2 = ...
. It was his last film produced with Concorde-New Horizons.


Roger Corman's Cosmic Comics

Corman operated a short-lived comic book imprint in 1995–1996 called Roger Corman's Cosmic Comics. It produced comics based on his films, written and drawn in a similar no-hold-barred style. Titles included ''
Bram Stoker's Burial of the Rats ''Bram Stoker's Burial of the Rats'' is a 1995 American film. It was part of a series '' Roger Corman Presents''. A comic book version of the story was released. Plot Bram Stoker is kidnapped by some mysterious women. Cast * Adrienne Barbeau as ...
'', '' Caged Heat 3000'', ''
Death Race 2020 ''Death Race 2000'' is a 1975 American science fiction action film produced by Roger Corman, directed by Paul Bartel, and starring David Carradine. The film takes place in a dystopian American society in the year 2000, where the murderous Tra ...
'', ''Welcome to The Little Shop of Horrors'', and '' Rock & Roll High School'' — the latter featuring the
Melvins Melvins (sometimes The Melvins) are an American rock band formed in 1983 in Montesano, Washington. Their early work was key to the development of both grunge and sludge metal. Initially, they performed as a trio but later also sometimes appe ...
(instead of the
Ramones The Ramones were an American punk rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first true punk rock group. Despite achieving a limited commercial appeal in the United St ...
). Notable creators published by Cosmic Comics included Trevor Goring, James Kochalka, Jason Lutes, Pat Mills, Shane Oakley,
Jerry Prosser Jerry Prosser is an American comic book writer and editor, best known for his work with Dark Horse Comics. Prosser was part of Dark Horse Comics from its early days, and was one of five creators, who as '' Team CGW'' created the Comics' Greate ...
, and J. R. Williams. The longest-running title was ''
Death Race 2020 ''Death Race 2000'' is a 1975 American science fiction action film produced by Roger Corman, directed by Paul Bartel, and starring David Carradine. The film takes place in a dystopian American society in the year 2000, where the murderous Tra ...
'', which lasted eight issues — but was left unfinished when the company closed down.


Later career: Syfy Channel

He continued to produce creature films, such as ''
Raptor Raptor or RAPTOR may refer to: Animals The word "raptor" refers to several groups of bird-like dinosaurs which primarily capture and subdue/kill prey with their talons. * Raptor (bird) or bird of prey, a bird that primarily hunts and feeds on v ...
'' (2001, dir Jim Wynorski). ''
Dinocroc ''Dinocroc'' is a 2004 American horror film directed by Kevin O'Neill. The film's plot revolves around a genetically engineered ''Suchomimus'' terrorizing the lake-side residents of a small town. The film stars Matthew Borlenghi, Jane Longenecke ...
'' (2004), which aired on the
Syfy Syfy (formerly Sci-Fi Channel, later shortened to Sci Fi; stylized as SYFY) is an American basic cable channel owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of Comcast's NBCUniversal through NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. La ...
cable television channel and was popular enough for two sequels, ''
Supergator ''Supergator '' is a 2007 horror film directed by Brian Clyde, produced by Roger Corman, and starring Brad Johnson and Kelly McGillis. The music was by Damon Ebner; it was a parody of the film ''King Kong''. Background After Corman produced ''Di ...
'' and '' Dinocroc vs. Supergator'' (2010), as well as a spin-off film, '' Dinoshark'' (2010). ''
Supergator ''Supergator '' is a 2007 horror film directed by Brian Clyde, produced by Roger Corman, and starring Brad Johnson and Kelly McGillis. The music was by Damon Ebner; it was a parody of the film ''King Kong''. Background After Corman produced ''Di ...
'' (2007) was turned down by the Syfy channel, but Corman made it anyway. Corman also continued to make action films: '' Escape from Afghanistan'' (2001) was a Russian film, ''Peshavar Waltz'' plus some additional footage; '' The Hunt for Eagle One'' (2006) and '' The Hunt for Eagle One: Crash Point'' (2006) were shot in the Philippines; ''
Roger Corman's Operation Rogue ''Roger Corman's Operation Rogue'' (aka ''Operation Rogue'') is a 2014 direct-to-video action film and, although not the sequel to Corman's ''The Hunt for Eagle One'', and '' The Hunt for Eagle One: Crash Point'', has many similarities to them. ...
'' (2014); ''Fist of the Dragon'' (2015). In 2006 Corman said he made 60% of his films overseas. "These foreign countries are offering subsidies that are so great that not only I but many independent producers are moving overseas", he said. He sold the remake rights of '' Death Race 2000'' to Universal, who made '' Death Race'' (2008) with Jason Statham, with Corman credited as executive producer. It led to two direct-to-video prequels and one direct-to-video sequel. In 2009, Corman produced and directed alongside director
Joe Dante Joseph James Dante Jr. (; born November 28, 1946) is an American film director, producer, editor and actor. His films—notably '' Gremlins'' (1984) alongside its sequel, '' Gremlins 2: The New Batch'' (1990)—often mix 1950s-style B movies with ...
the web series "Splatter" for Netflix. The protagonist of the film is portrayed by
Corey Feldman Corey Scott Feldman (born July 16, 1971) is an American actor and musician. As a youth, he became well known for roles in the 1980s in films such as '' Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter'' (1984), ''Gremlins'' (1984), ''The Goonies'' (1985), a ...
, and the story talks of the haunting tale of rock-and-roll legend Johnny Splatter. He also started contributing trailer commentaries to Dante's web series '' Trailers from Hell''. In 2011, Corman cited
James Cameron James Francis Cameron (born August 16, 1954) is a Canadian filmmaker. A major figure in the post- New Hollywood era, he is considered one of the industry's most innovative filmmakers, regularly pushing the boundaries of cinematic capability ...
's ''Avatar'' (2009) and Christopher Nolan's ''Inception'' (2010) as examples of "great imagination and originality". By now, the SyFy channel was Corman's leading market. For them, he made ''
Sharktopus ''Sharktopus'' is a 2010 SyFy original horror/science fiction film produced by Roger Corman, directed by Declan O'Brien, and starring Eric Roberts. It is the first film in the ''Sharktopus'' franchise. Plot Geneticist Nathan Sands and his daught ...
'' (2010) and ''
Piranhaconda ''Piranhaconda'' is an American science fiction B-movie, premiered on June 16, 2012, on the Syfy Channel. It is directed by Jim Wynorski, produced by Forest King and stars Michael Madsen, Rib Hillis, Rachel Hunter and Terri Ivens. Cast * Michael ...
'' (2012). Corman produced the 2017 film '' Death Race 2050'', a sequel to the 1975 film '' Death Race 2000''. It was made with Universal, Corman's first film with a major studio in more than two decades.


Personal life

Corman married Julie Halloran in 1970. They have four children. On April 3, 2018, a
lawsuit - A lawsuit is a proceeding by a party or parties against another in the civil court of law. The archaic term "suit in law" is found in only a small number of laws still in effect today. The term "lawsuit" is used in reference to a civil act ...
by Corman's sons, Roger Martin Corman and Brian Corman, was filed against Corman to prevent the trade of his film collection. It was settled in 2020. In 2016, Corman also sued a wealth management company about suspected losses of his personal fortune. To date, the result of that dispute has not been disclosed.


Recognition

In 1964, Corman was the youngest producer/director to be given a retrospective at the Cinémathèque Française, as well as retrospectives at the
British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves film-making and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...
and the
Museum of Modern Art The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It plays a major role in developing and collecting modern art, and is often identified as one of t ...
. Corman won the Lifetime Achievement Award at
Stockholm International Film Festival The Stockholm International Film Festival ( sv, Stockholms filmfestival, italic=no) is an annual film festival held in Stockholm, Sweden. It was launched in 1990 and has been held every year since then during the second half of November. The ...
in 1990. Corman was the subject of the 1978 documentary ''Roger Corman: Hollywood's Wild Angel'', produced and directed by
Christian Blackwood Christian Blackwood (July 7, 1942 – July 22, 1992) was an American film director and cinematographer. He was initially a child actor, then a cinematographer acclaimed for his work in Charlotte Zwerin's '' Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chas ...
. Portions of the film reappeared in 2011's ''Corman's World''. In 1998, he won the first Producer's Award ever given by the
Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films ...
. In 2006, Corman received the David O. Selznick Award from the Producers Guild of America. Also in 2006, his film '' Fall of the House of Usher'' was among the twenty-five movies selected for the
National Film Registry The National Film Registry (NFR) is the United States National Film Preservation Board's (NFPB) collection of films selected for preservation, each selected for its historical, cultural and aesthetic contributions since the NFPB’s inception ...
, a compilation of significant films being preserved by the
Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The libra ...
. In 2009, The
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS, often pronounced ; also known as simply the Academy or the Motion Picture Academy) is a professional honorary organization with the stated goal of advancing the arts and sciences of motion ...
awarded Corman with an
Academy Honorary Award The Academy Honorary Award – instituted in 1950 for the 23rd Academy Awards (previously called the Special Award, which was first presented at the 1st Academy Awards in 1929) – is given annually by the Board of Governors of the Academy of Moti ...
at the inaugural
Governors Awards The Governors Awards presentation is an annual award ceremony hosted by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), at the Grand Ballroom of the Hollywood and Highland Center, in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California. Thre ...
, on November 14, 2009. In 2010, writer and actor
Mark Gatiss Mark Gatiss (; born 17 October 1966) is an English actor, comedian, screenwriter, director, producer and novelist. His work includes writing for and acting in the television series '' Doctor Who'', '' Sherlock'', and '' Dracula''. Together with ...
interviewed Corman for his BBC documentary series ''
A History of Horror ''A History of Horror'' (also known as ''A History of Horror with Mark Gatiss'') is a 2010 three-part documentary series made for the BBC by British writer and actor Mark Gatiss. It is a personal exploration of the history of horror film, inspire ...
'', of which the second half of the second episode focuses on Corman. In 2010, Corman was inducted into the Beverly Hills High School Hall of Fame. In 2012, Corman was honored with the Filmmaker on the Edge Award at the Provincetown International Film Festival. In 2018, he received the "Extraordinary Contribution to Film" award at the
Austin Film Festival Austin Film Festival (AFF), founded in 1994, is an organization in Austin, Texas, that focuses on writers’ creative contributions to film. Initially, AFF was called the Austin Heart of Film Screenwriters Conference and functioned to launch the ...
.


Archive

Film elements and prints for many movies directed, produced, and/or distributed by Corman are held at the
Academy Film Archive The Academy Film Archive is part of the Academy Foundation, established in 1944 with the purpose of organizing and overseeing the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ educational and cultural activities, including the preservation of m ...
as part of the New Horizons Collection. The Academy Film Archive restored Corman's film ''The Masque of the Red Death'' in 2019.


"The Corman Film School"

A number of noted filmmakers (including directors, producers, writers, and cinematographers) have worked with Corman, usually early in their careers, including
Francis Ford Coppola Francis Ford Coppola (; ; born April 7, 1939) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is considered one of the major figures of the New Hollywood filmmaking movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Coppola is the recipient of five ...
,
Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November 17, 1942) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. Scorsese emerged as one of the major figures of the New Hollywood era. He is the recipient of many major accolades, incl ...
,
Ron Howard Ronald William Howard (born March 1, 1954) is an American director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. He first came to prominence as a child actor, guest-starring in several television series, including an episode of '' The Twilight Zone''. ...
, Polly Platt,
Peter Bogdanovich Peter Bogdanovich (July 30, 1939 – January 6, 2022) was an American director, writer, actor, producer, critic, and film historian. One of the " New Hollywood" directors, Bogdanovich started as a film journalist until he was hired to work on ...
, Declan O'Brien,
Armondo Linus Acosta Armondo Linus Acosta, also known as Armand Acosta and Armando Acosta (born September 23, 1938), is an American-born award-winning film director, screenwriter, cinematographer, producer and designer. He is best known for his motion picture film-in ...
, Paul Bartel,
Jonathan Demme Robert Jonathan Demme ( ; February 22, 1944 – April 26, 2017) was an American filmmaker. Beginning his career under B-movie producer Roger Corman, Demme made his directorial debut with the 1974 women-in-prison film '' Caged Heat'', befo ...
,
Donald G. Jackson Donald G. Jackson (April 24, 1943 – October 20, 2003) was an American filmmaker. Biography Born in Tremont, Mississippi, Tremont, Mississippi, Jackson grew up in Adrian, Michigan, Adrian, Michigan. As an adult he struggled to become a filmma ...
, Gale Anne Hurd,
Carl Colpaert Carl-Jan Colpaert is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. Early life Carl-Jan Colpaert was born in Kortrijk, West Flanders, Belgium to father Roger Colpaert, who was a member of the executive committee at Bekaert and his moth ...
,
Joe Dante Joseph James Dante Jr. (; born November 28, 1946) is an American film director, producer, editor and actor. His films—notably '' Gremlins'' (1984) alongside its sequel, '' Gremlins 2: The New Batch'' (1990)—often mix 1950s-style B movies with ...
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James Cameron James Francis Cameron (born August 16, 1954) is a Canadian filmmaker. A major figure in the post- New Hollywood era, he is considered one of the industry's most innovative filmmakers, regularly pushing the boundaries of cinematic capability ...
, John Sayles, Monte Hellman,
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, George Armitage,
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, George Hickenlooper, Curtis Hanson, Jack Hill, Robert Towne,
Menahem Golan Menahem Golan ( he, מנחם גולן; May 31, 1929 – August 8, 2014, originally Menachem Globus) was an Israeli film producer, screenwriter, and director. He was best known for co-owning The Cannon Group with his cousin Yoram Globus. Cannon ...
, James Horner, and Timur Bekmambetov. Many have said that Corman's influence taught them some of the ins and outs of filmmaking.Nashawaty, Chri
"Roger Corman: Scorsese, Stallone, Sayles, and other A-listers talk about the B-movie King"
''Entertainment Weekly''. Retrieved February 19, 2010
In the extras for the DVD of ''
The Terminator ''The Terminator'' is a 1984 American science fiction action film directed by James Cameron. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator, a cyborg assassin sent back in time from 2029 to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor ( Linda Hamilton), wh ...
'', director James Cameron asserts, "I trained at the Roger Corman Film School." The British director Nicolas Roeg served as the
cinematographer The cinematographer or director of photography (sometimes shortened to DP or DOP) is the person responsible for the photographing or recording of a film, television production, music video or other live action piece. The cinematographer is the ch ...
on ''
The Masque of the Red Death "The Masque of the Red Death" (originally published as "The Mask of the Red Death: A Fantasy") is a short story by American writer Edgar Allan Poe, first published in 1842. The story follows Prince Prospero's attempts to avoid a dangerous plag ...
''. Cameron, Coppola, Demme, Hanson, Howard and Scorsese have all gone on to win
Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
s. Howard was reportedly told by Corman, "If you do a good job on this film, you'll never have to work for me again." Actors who obtained their career breaks working for Corman include Jack Nicholson,
Peter Fonda Peter Henry Fonda (February 23, 1940 – August 16, 2019) was an American actor. He was the son of Henry Fonda, younger brother of Jane Fonda, and father of Bridget Fonda. He was a prominent figure in the counterculture of the 1960s. Fond ...
,
Bruce Dern Bruce MacLeish Dern (born June 4, 1936) is an American actor. He has often played supporting villainous characters of unstable natures. He has received several accolades, including the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor and the Silver ...
,
Charles Bronson Charles Bronson (born Charles Dennis Buchinsky; November 3, 1921 – August 30, 2003) was an American actor. Known for his "granite features and brawny physique," he gained international fame for his starring roles in action, Western, and wa ...
,
Todd Field William Todd Field (born February 24, 1964) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is known for directing three feature films: ''In the Bedroom'' (2001), '' Little Children'' (2006), and ''Tár'' (2022). He has received three Academy Award nomi ...
Michael McDonald,
Dennis Hopper Dennis Lee Hopper (May 17, 1936 – May 29, 2010) was an American actor, filmmaker and photographer. He attended the Actors Studio, made his first television appearance in 1954, and soon after appeared in '' Giant'' (1956). In the next ten year ...
,
Tommy Lee Jones Tommy Lee Jones (born September 15, 1946) is an American actor and film director. He has received four Academy Award nominations, winning Best Supporting Actor for his performance as U.S. Marshal Samuel Gerard in the 1993 thriller film '' T ...
,
Talia Shire Talia Rose Shire (née Coppola; born April 25, 1946) is an American actress who played roles as Connie Corleone in ''The Godfather'' films and Adrian Balboa in the ''Rocky'' series. For her work in ''The Godfather Part II'' and ''Rocky'', Shire ...
,
Sandra Bullock Sandra Annette Bullock (; born July 26, 1964) is an American actress and producer. The recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award, Bullock was the world's highest-paid actress in 2010 and 2014. In 2010 ...
,
Robert De Niro Robert Anthony De Niro Jr. ( , ; born August 17, 1943) is an American actor. Known for his collaborations with Martin Scorsese, he is considered to be one of the best actors of his generation. De Niro is the recipient of various accolades ...
, and David Carradine, who received one of his first starring film roles in the Corman-produced '' Boxcar Bertha'' (1972) and went on to star in '' Death Race 2000'' (along with
Sylvester Stallone Sylvester Enzio Stallone (; born Michael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone, ) is an American actor and filmmaker. After his beginnings as a struggling actor for a number of years upon arriving to New York City in 1969 and later Hollywood in 1974, h ...
). Many of Corman's protegés have paid their mentor homage by awarding him cameos in films, such as in '' The Godfather Part II'', '' The Silence of the Lambs'', ''
Apollo 13 Apollo 13 (April 1117, 1970) was the seventh crewed mission in the Apollo space program and the third meant to land on the Moon. The craft was launched from Kennedy Space Center on April 11, 1970, but the lunar landing was aborted aft ...
'', and as recently as Demme's 2008 film '' Rachel Getting Married''.


Filmography

The IMDb credits Corman with 55 directed films and some 385 produced films from 1954 through 2008, many as uncredited producer or executive producer (consistent with his role as head of his own New World Pictures from 1970 through 1983). Corman also has significant credits as writer and actor. ''Roger Corman's Cult Classics'' In 2010, Roger Corman teamed up New Horizons Pictures with
Shout! Factory Shout! Factory is an American home video and music company founded in 2002 as Retropolis Entertainment. Its video releases include previously released feature films, classic and contemporary television series, animation, live music, and comedy ...
to release new DVD and Blu-ray editions of Corman productions under the name ''Roger Corman's Cult Classics''. The releases have concentrated on 1970–1980s films he produced through New World rather than directed. These titles include '' Rock 'n' Roll High School'', '' Death Race 2000'', ''
Galaxy of Terror ''Galaxy of Terror'' is a 1981 science fiction horror film produced by Roger Corman through New World Pictures and directed by Bruce D. Clark. It was distributed by United Artists. It stars Edward Albert, Erin Moran, Ray Walston and Taaffe O' ...
'', ''
Forbidden World ''Forbidden World'', originally titled ''Mutant'', is a 1982 American science fiction- horror film. The screenplay was written by Tim Curnen, from a screenstory by R.J. Robertson and Jim Wynorski. It was co-edited and directed by Allan Holzman, ...
'' and ''
Piranha A piranha or piraña (, , or ; or , ) is one of a number of freshwater fish in the family Serrasalmidae, or the subfamily Serrasalminae within the tetra family, Characidae in order Characiformes. These fish inhabit South American rivers, f ...
'', with additional titles continuing to be released.


Books

* **His autobiography documents his experiences in the film industry


References


Further reading

* Di Franco, J. Philip, ''The Movie World of Roger Corman'' (New York: Chelsea House, 1979) * Laroni, Giulio, ''Il cinema secondo Corman. Intervista allo scopritore di Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, James Cameron'' (Milano: Biblion Edizioni, 2016) * Nasr, Constantine (ed.), ''Roger Corman: Interviews'' (Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 2011) * Price, Robert M., "Cormanghast: The Poe Films of Roger Corman". ''Parts'' 14 (November 1997), 3–14, 20. * * * Will, David and Willemen, Paul, ''Roger Corman: The Millennic Vision'' (Edinburgh: Edinburgh Film Festival, 1970)


External links


Roger Corman
interview at DBCult Film Institute
Roger Corman bibliography
(via UC Berkeley) *
Roger Corman biography
on (re)Search my Trash
Roger Corman at Senses of Cinema



2011 radio interview
at The Bat Segundo Show
Interview with Roger Corman, accessed October 20, 2016.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Corman, Roger 1926 births Living people Academy Honorary Award recipients American film producers American Cinema Editors Horror film directors Science fiction film directors Film theorists German-language film directors Male actors from Detroit Military personnel from Detroit Stanford University alumni Film directors from Michigan American male film actors American male television actors Beverly Hills High School alumni Film directors from Los Angeles 20th Century Studios people United States Navy personnel of World War II United States Navy sailors Inkpot Award winners American independent film production company founders Horror film producers