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The Filmgroup was a production and distribution company founded by filmmakers
Roger Corman Roger William Corman (born April 5, 1926) is an American film director, producer, and actor. He has been called "The Pope of Pop Cinema" and is known as a trailblazer in the world of independent film. Many of Corman's films are based on works t ...
and
Gene Corman Eugene Harold "Gene" Corman (September 24, 1927 – September 28, 2020) was an American film producer and agent. He and his older brother, Roger, co-founded New World Pictures. Biography Corman entered the film industry before his brother, wo ...
in 1959. Corman used it to make and distribute his own movies, as opposed to ones he was making for
American International Pictures American International Pictures (AIP) is an American motion picture production label of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. In its original operating period, AIP was an independent film production and distribution company known for producing and releasing fi ...
. (The reason is that AIP required films to be shot using union crews; working on his own, Corman could save money by going non-union.) The company ultimately folded, however, lessons from running the company helped Corman make a success later of
New World Pictures 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 ...
. Filmgroup also produced early feature work of Francis Ford Coppola,
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 ...
, Charles B. Griffith,
Curtis Harrington Gene Curtis Harrington (September 17, 1926 – May 6, 2007) was an American film and television director whose work included experimental films, horror films and episodic television. He is considered one of the forerunners of New Queer Cinema ...
, Jack Hill,
Monte Hellman Monte Hellman (; born Monte Jay Himmelbaum; July 12, 1929 – April 20, 2021) was an American film director, producer, writer, and editor. Hellman began his career as an editor's apprentice at ABC TV, and made his directorial debut with the ho ...
,
Robert Towne Robert Towne (born Robert Bertram Schwartz;'' Easy Riders, Raging Bulls'' by Peter Biskind page 30, 1999 Bloomsbury edition November 23, 1934) is an American screenwriter, producer, director and actor. He started with writing films for Roger ...
and
Jack Nicholson John Joseph Nicholson (born April 22, 1937) is an American retired actor and filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of all time. In many of his films, he played rebels against the social structure. He received numerous ...
.


History

Corman established his own company, Palo Alto Productions, in 1954, which was responsible for his first two movies. Filmgroup came out of a desire for Corman to move into distribution. In February 1959 Filmgroup announced they would release ten films. Their first movies were ''
High School Big Shot ''High School Big Shot'' is a 1959 film starring Tom Pittman as Marv Grant, a smart high school student whose plans for getting a college scholarship are threatened by his alcoholic father played by Malcolm Atterbury, and his relationship with th ...
'' (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. Pl ...
'' (1959) produced by Stanley Bickman. Corman would also buy films made by independent distributors, in addition to several films from the Soviet Union, which he would re-dub and have additional scenes shot and added to.Fred Olen Ray, ''The New Poverty Row: Independent Filmmakers as Distributors'', McFarland & Company, 1991, p 23-62 Gene Corman left the company in 1963 to join 20th Century-Fox and Corman handed over distribution of his films to
American International Pictures American International Pictures (AIP) is an American motion picture production label of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. In its original operating period, AIP was an independent film production and distribution company known for producing and releasing fi ...
.Mark McGee, ''Faster and Furiouser: The Revised and Fattened Fable of American International Pictures'', McFarland, 1996 p209 The company soon wound up. Corman never bothered to copyright the movies so most of them are in the
public domain The public domain (PD) consists of all the creative work to which no exclusive intellectual property rights apply. Those rights may have expired, been forfeited, expressly waived, or may be inapplicable. Because those rights have expired, ...
.Christopher T Koetting, ''Mind Warp!: The Fantastic True Story of Roger Corman's New World Pictures'', Hemlock Books. 2009 p 13-14


Filmography

* ''
High School Big Shot ''High School Big Shot'' is a 1959 film starring Tom Pittman as Marv Grant, a smart high school student whose plans for getting a college scholarship are threatened by his alcoholic father played by Malcolm Atterbury, and his relationship with th ...
'' (1959) – directed by
Joel Rapp Joel Malcolm Rapp (May 22, 1934 – September 15, 2021) was an American writer and director who worked extensively in film and television.Derek Royal"The Blood before the Stain: An Interview with Joel Rapp" ''Philip Roth Studies'' 2.1 (2006): 3- ...
* ''
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. Pl ...
'' (1959) – directed by Richard Harbinger * '' Beast from Haunted Cave'' (1959) – written by Charles B. Griffith, produced by
Gene Corman Eugene Harold "Gene" Corman (September 24, 1927 – September 28, 2020) was an American film producer and agent. He and his older brother, Roger, co-founded New World Pictures. Biography Corman entered the film industry before his brother, wo ...
, directed by
Monte Hellman Monte Hellman (; born Monte Jay Himmelbaum; July 12, 1929 – April 20, 2021) was an American film director, producer, writer, and editor. Hellman began his career as an editor's apprentice at ABC TV, and made his directorial debut with the ho ...
* ''
The Wasp Woman ''The Wasp Woman'' (also known as ''The Bee Girl'' and ''Insect Woman'') is a 1959 American independent science-fiction horror film produced and directed by Roger Corman. Filmed in black-and-white, it stars Susan Cabot, Anthony Eisley, Mic ...
'' (1959) – directed by
Roger Corman Roger William Corman (born April 5, 1926) is an American film director, producer, and actor. He has been called "The Pope of Pop Cinema" and is known as a trailblazer in the world of independent film. Many of Corman's films are based on works t ...
* ''
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 secre ...
'' (1961) – written by Charles B. Griffith directed by
Roger Corman Roger William Corman (born April 5, 1926) is an American film director, producer, and actor. He has been called "The Pope of Pop Cinema" and is known as a trailblazer in the world of independent film. Many of Corman's films are based on works t ...
* ''
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 geograp ...
'' (1960) – written by Charles B. Griffith directed by
Roger Corman Roger William Corman (born April 5, 1926) is an American film director, producer, and actor. He has been called "The Pope of Pop Cinema" and is known as a trailblazer in the world of independent film. Many of Corman's films are based on works t ...
* '' Battle of Blood Island'' (1960) – directed by
Joel Rapp Joel Malcolm Rapp (May 22, 1934 – September 15, 2021) was an American writer and director who worked extensively in film and television.Derek Royal"The Blood before the Stain: An Interview with Joel Rapp" ''Philip Roth Studies'' 2.1 (2006): 3- ...
. First film adaption of a book by
Philip Roth Philip Milton Roth (March 19, 1933 – May 22, 2018) was an American novelist and short story writer. Roth's fiction—often set in his birthplace of Newark, New Jersey—is known for its intensely autobiographical character, for philosophicall ...
. * '' Date Bait'' (1960) – directed by O'Dale Ireland * ''
High School Caesar ''High School Caesar'' is a 1960 American film directed by O'Dale Ireland. Matt Stevens ( John Ashley) as the "guy with the power" at his high school but everyone despises him. He isn't, after all, known for his fairness and generosity. The ta ...
'' (1960) – starring John Ashley * '' Ski Troop Attack'' (1960) – written by Charles B. Griffith directed by
Roger Corman Roger William Corman (born April 5, 1926) is an American film director, producer, and actor. He has been called "The Pope of Pop Cinema" and is known as a trailblazer in the world of independent film. Many of Corman's films are based on works t ...
* ''
The Girl in Lovers Lane ''The Girl in Lovers' Lane'' is a 1960 American film directed by Charles R. Rondeau following the adventures of two drifters who get involved with the residents of the little town of Sherman. The working title of the film was ''The Young and the D ...
'' (1960) – directed by Charles R. Rondeau * ''
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) – written by
Robert Towne Robert Towne (born Robert Bertram Schwartz;'' Easy Riders, Raging Bulls'' by Peter Biskind page 30, 1999 Bloomsbury edition November 23, 1934) is an American screenwriter, producer, director and actor. He started with writing films for Roger ...
, directed by
Roger Corman Roger William Corman (born April 5, 1926) is an American film director, producer, and actor. He has been called "The Pope of Pop Cinema" and is known as a trailblazer in the world of independent film. Many of Corman's films are based on works t ...
* '' The Wild Ride'' (1960) – starring
Jack Nicholson John Joseph Nicholson (born April 22, 1937) is an American retired actor and filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of all time. In many of his films, he played rebels against the social structure. He received numerous ...
* ''
The Little Shop of Horrors ''The Little Shop of Horrors'' is a 1960 American horror comedy film directed by Roger Corman. Written by Charles B. Griffith, the film is a farce about an inadequate florist's assistant who cultivates a plant that feeds on human blood. The fi ...
'' (1960) – written by Charles B. Griffith directed by
Roger Corman Roger William Corman (born April 5, 1926) is an American film director, producer, and actor. He has been called "The Pope of Pop Cinema" and is known as a trailblazer in the world of independent film. Many of Corman's films are based on works t ...
* '' Magic Voyage of Sinbad'' (1961) – acquired from the Soviet company Mosfilm * '' The Intruder'' (1962) – produced by
Gene Corman Eugene Harold "Gene" Corman (September 24, 1927 – September 28, 2020) was an American film producer and agent. He and his older brother, Roger, co-founded New World Pictures. Biography Corman entered the film industry before his brother, wo ...
, directed by
Roger Corman Roger William Corman (born April 5, 1926) is an American film director, producer, and actor. He has been called "The Pope of Pop Cinema" and is known as a trailblazer in the world of independent film. Many of Corman's films are based on works t ...
* ''
Devil's Partner ''Devil's Partner'' is a 1958 American film starring Ed Nelson, directed by Charles R. Rondeau and produced by Hugh Hooker, an actor and stuntman who had previously made the 1958 film ''The Littlest Hobo''. However the film was not released unti ...
'' (1958) – a pick up, released in 1962 * '' Mermaids of Tiburon'' (1962) – acquired from Pacific Productions * '' Pirate of the Black Hawk'' (1961) – directed by Sergio Grieco * '' Battle Beyond the Sun'' (1962) – US sequences directed by Francis Ford Coppola * ''
Dementia 13 ''Dementia 13'', known in the United Kingdom as ''The Haunted and the Hunted'', is a 1963 independently made black-and-white horror-thriller film, written and directed by Francis Ford Coppola and produced by Roger Corman. It was Coppola's feat ...
'' (1963) – directed by Francis Ford Coppola * ''
Night Tide ''Night Tide'' is a 1961 American fantasy film sometimes considered to be a horror film, written and directed by Curtis Harrington and featuring Dennis Hopper in his first starring role. It was filmed in 1960, premiered in 1961, but was held up fr ...
'' (1963) – directed by
Curtis Harrington Gene Curtis Harrington (September 17, 1926 – May 6, 2007) was an American film and television director whose work included experimental films, horror films and episodic television. He is considered one of the forerunners of New Queer Cinema ...
* ''
The Terror The Reign of Terror (french: link=no, la Terreur) was a period of the French Revolution when, following the creation of the First Republic, a series of massacres and numerous public executions took place in response to revolutionary fervour, ...
'' (1963) – directed by
Roger Corman Roger William Corman (born April 5, 1926) is an American film director, producer, and actor. He has been called "The Pope of Pop Cinema" and is known as a trailblazer in the world of independent film. Many of Corman's films are based on works t ...
* '' Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet'' (1965) – US sequences directed by
Curtis Harrington Gene Curtis Harrington (September 17, 1926 – May 6, 2007) was an American film and television director whose work included experimental films, horror films and episodic television. He is considered one of the forerunners of New Queer Cinema ...
* ''
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. ...
'' (1966) – directed by
Curtis Harrington Gene Curtis Harrington (September 17, 1926 – May 6, 2007) was an American film and television director whose work included experimental films, horror films and episodic television. He is considered one of the forerunners of New Queer Cinema ...
* ''
Voyage to the Planet of Prehistoric Women ''Voyage to the Planet of Prehistoric Women'' is a 1968 American science fiction film, one of two films whose footage was taken from the 1962 Soviet SF film ''Planeta Bur'' (''Planet of Storms'') for producer Roger Corman. The original film was ...
'' (1968) – US sequences directed by
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 ...


Unmade Films

The following films were among those which Corman announced would be produced by Filmgroup but which were never made: * ''Cop Killer'' and ''Sob Sisters Don't Cry'' – based on original scripts by Malden Harms * ''Wedding Night'' – from script by Robert Roark * ''I Flew a Spy Plane Over Russia'' – based on a script by
Robert Towne Robert Towne (born Robert Bertram Schwartz;'' Easy Riders, Raging Bulls'' by Peter Biskind page 30, 1999 Bloomsbury edition November 23, 1934) is an American screenwriter, producer, director and actor. He started with writing films for Roger ...
* ''Murder at the Convention'' – a political mystery satire from a script by Arthur Sandys starring Dick Miller and
Jonathan Haze Jonathan Haze (born Jack Schachter; April 1, 1929) is an American actor, producer and screenwriter. He is best known for his work in Roger Corman films, especially the 1960 black comedy cult classic, '' The Little Shop of Horrors'', in which he ...
* ''Pan and the Satyrs'' * ''The Man Who Sold the Earth'' (1962) * ''Women in War'' (1962) * ''Haunted Dream'' (1962) * ''Juliet'' (1962) * ''The Story of Robert E. Lee'' by Robert Adams * ''Fun and Profit'' by
Joel Rapp Joel Malcolm Rapp (May 22, 1934 – September 15, 2021) was an American writer and director who worked extensively in film and television.Derek Royal"The Blood before the Stain: An Interview with Joel Rapp" ''Philip Roth Studies'' 2.1 (2006): 3- ...
and Sam Locke * ''The Wild Surfers'' by John Lamb


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Filmgroup, The Film production companies of the United States Mass media companies established in 1959 Mass media companies disestablished in 1968