Edgar Wright Instagram – It’s impossible to overstate the influence of the late Roger Corman on independent film. He was the undisputed King of the B Movie for decades, producing economic miracles with more style and wit than films costing ten times as much.
With over 400 features produced and more than 50 films directed, including cult classics like “A Bucket of Blood”, “Rock All Night”, the original ‘The Little Shop Of Horrors’ (shot in just two days!), ‘X: The Man With The X-Ray Eyes’ and ’The Wild Angels’, as well as remarkably gorgeous Edgar Allan Poe adaptations such as ‘The Pit And The Pendulum’ and the exquisite “Masque of the Red Death”.
But Corman’s impact went beyond the screen; he opened doors and gave breaks to directors, producers, composers and writers who were just starting out. The list of talent he nurtured is gargantuan: Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, Ron Howard, Polly Platt, Peter Bogdanovich, Paul Bartel, Jonathan Demme, Gale Anne Hurd, Joe Dante, James Cameron, John Sayles, Monte Hellman, Penelope Spheeris, Carl Franklin, George Armitage, Jonathan Kaplan, Curtis Hanson, Nicholas Roeg, Jack Hill, Robert Towne, James Horner, among countless others.
Not to mention the actors who got major career breaks working for Corman, such as Jack Nicholson, Peter Fonda, Bruce Dern, Charles Bronson, Dennis Hopper, Robert De Niro, Pam Grier, David Carradine, and many more.
For those eager to delve deeper into the legend of Roger Corman, I recommend Chris Nashawaty’s ‘Crab Monsters, Teenage Cavemen, and Candy Stripe Nurses: Roger Corman: King of the B Movie’ and Roger’s own memoir, with the unforgettable title, ‘How I Made A Hundred Movies In Hollywood And Never Lost A Dime’. Additionally, the documentary ‘Corman’s World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel’, directed by Alex Stapleton, offers a captivating glimpse into his extraordinary career.
Here’s to you, Roger, maestro of B-movie brilliance and A ingenuity. Your legacy continues to ripple through cinema, and may your independent spirit inspire generations of filmmakers to come. RIP x | Posted on 12/May/2024 14:13:54
